Weekly Header Challenge -- Reflections

It's time for the Weekly Header Challenge!

"Headbanger" Participants

Craver VII 

Fishing Guy 

Katney 

Imac 

Lew

I'm joining in the group above for this weekly challenge.

Click on the other participants' blogs to see

what they've come up with!

Theme ~ Reflections

Chosen by Lew.

After a scare with my computer--it sometimes refuses to recognize my external hard drive, so I thought I may have lost all my digital images--and about an hour of my time, I gained a few gray hairs and a few images to share with you here today.  I also became a world traveler for these images, from home in Chicago, to New York, and all the way to Paris.

Here is the full image from my header:

Cloud Gate, a.k.a. The Bean, Chicago, Illinois.

I left this image as I had edited it several years ago (2011).  The Bean is a great "reflector," isn't it?  Here's another very subtle image of The Bean:

Above, if you look closely, you can see the edge of The Bean.  I framed it with the tree in the foreground, and the concrete wall, so it looks like you're looking at the city skyline.  But, if you look at the buildings closely, they're a bit curved!  You're really looking at the city's reflection in The Bean.  Clever, huh?  *pats self on back*

One more stylized image from The Bean's reflection:

On to New York--not the city, but my favorite place on Earth:  Lake Bonaparte.  I photographed a 100-year celebration of one family's Lake home, when, toward the end of the event, I spotted the reflection of the Lake behind me in this gazing ball.  It was getting on toward sunset, too, hence the pinks and purples in the reflection.

Now I'm jetting across the Atlantic to Mac's side of the world, and Paris!  One of my classic favorites from our silver anniversary trip is this picture of Notre Dame across the Seine, with the lights reflecting a beautiful gold across the water.

On to the Eiffel Tower, with Fernando's and my reflections in the window as we waited for the elevator to take us to the top of the tower.

At the Grand Palais, I spotted this French flag and its reflection in the window.  I focused on the reflection, creating a bit of out-of-focus fuzz on the actual flag.

This is one of my favorite reflection photos.  We spotted this painter in a storefront studio, and my aim was to capture her at her art.  I ended up with an image that did that, but that also captured the reflections of buildings across the street, plus a whole lot to look at and let your eye wander over.

Thanks for traveling the world and reflecting on my images with me!


Treasuring life's moments,
Christine

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Weekly Header Challenge - People Reflections

It's time for the Weekly Header Challenge!

"Headbanger" Participants

Craver VII 

Fishing Guy 

Katney 

Imac 

Lew 

I'm joining in the group above for this weekly challenge.

Feel free to click on the other participants' blogs

to see what they've come up with!

Theme ~ Reflections of People

I hope I understood this week's theme correctly.  :)

At first, I didn't think I had but one or two reflections of people.  I actually wish my portfolio included some with water as a reflection, since I've seen some really neat images using that technique.  That is a photography wish for this spring, though.  :)  Here's what I do have.  First, the full image from my header:

This young lady, Laura, accompanied her mother to a speaking engagement in Georgia for which I was the photographer.  I snapped a few pics of her playing the piano in between workshops, then I noticed her reflection in the piano.  Shutter speed is slow; I probably used a tripod (1/6 second, I think), and I focused on her reflection.  This shot was taken early in my digital years, so I was thrilled when the image turned out.

I didn't notice the reflection in Thomas' shades, below, but once I did, I had my dad pose just right for me.  These were taken at our beloved Lake Bonaparte.

Mirrors are another great place to capture reflections, and one really cool "mirror," if you will, exists in the form of a bean.  The Bean, downtown Chicago, whose real name is the Cloud Gate.  Pardon my old banner watermark--and possibly my first attempts at photo editing.  I do like the sepia still, though!

Then there's the obligatory "selfie couple" shot in the Bean.

I remember sitting a distance off, just people-watching with Fernando, when I spotted this little boy who was fascinated with his reflection in the Bean.  I stuck my 70-300mm lens on, and captured him playing with his reflection.

Speaking of mirrors, we found a broken one in our garage.  Danny held it up for one of my selfies.  Hello, Picasso!

My favorite selfie reflection, though, was taken at the Eiffel Tower.  Fernando and I had already waited in line over an hour, but at this point we were inside the building awaiting the elevator to take us up to the top of the Tower.  I spotted our reflection in a window, and snapped the below.

Hope you enjoyed my reflections--both images and memories!


Treasuring life's moments,
Christine

Visit my website
Stop by my family blog
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365 Project -- #71-77

This week has been better, photographically speaking.  :)  Though I spent a lot of time in my back yard again, I have new and exciting images to post from our Thursday jaunt!  Enjoy my images as we head toward a Midwest spring.

After forgetting about Ellie (my 40D) all day Saturday, I succumbed to the beauty of a sunset, though in suburbia this means that telephone poles and wires will be included.  However, I was pleased with the sun flare.  :)

[71] March 12 -- Suburban sunset

I'm so glad there's a door with a window in my pantry/laundry/mudroom!  There was a huge flock of grackles all over my back yard.  I grabbed my camera and found a few robins among the mix.  I was able to shoot this little guy through the door's window.

[72] March 13 -- Spring robin

Yes!!  Signs of spring!!  The scrub maple in my back yard garden is budding.  When we first moved here, we found this maple tree growing out from the manhole cover in the way-back corner of our back yard.  My dad dug it out and planted it a little further in, and it liked it better there.  Though it is just a "scrub maple," and is not very full, it is a pretty accent to my work-in-progress garden and the garden bench that forever calls my name.

[73] March 14 -- Budding maple

There are leaves everywhere, and I spied this scrub maple leaf on the dirt pile that has yet to be incorporated into my garden (I did say it was a work in progress!).

[74] March 15 -- Leaf on dirt

I had seen a post recently of day lilies pushing up, which prompted me to look at the little section of dirt near the house where my own day lilies seem to thrive.  Lo and behold--they are shooting up through the dirt!  Though, they are a LOT smaller than the ones in that photo I saw.  Spring is coming!  I had fun playing with the color on this one.

[75] March 16 -- Time for day lilies!!

Extra!  Extra!  New and exciting images!!  I'm not a city girl, but I enjoyed the newness and wonder of traveling downtown Chicago with my dearest.  Of course, Ellie came with me and captured a bunch of really neat shots.  I definitely don't see these near my back yard!  Enjoy just a couple from our jaunt; many of the rest can be found at this post on my family blog and/or this album on my Facebook page.

[76] March 17 -- The Bean at Millenium Park, Chicago

[77] March 18 -- A boy and his reflection, the Bean, Chicago

NOTE:  The above photo has been chosen as the March 2011 Image of the Month!!

Click here to see the official blog announcement!  (Can you tell I'm thrilled?)

Living life; capturing life.

Christine

visit my family blog!
Indeed My Heritage