James Hill Photography - Efland, NC - jmhphoto.com : Popular Photos : Japanese Maple More grey skies, more rain, and more maple. (see yesterday's shot if you didn't get that last bit) This time it's a Japanese Maple from my folks yard, where I had a few minutes to shoot some of their landscaping before lunch today. This is a beautiful tree, but it is very dense and pruned in a formal fashion, which made isolating bits and pieces a rather difficult task. I was pleased with the overall look of the whole set but, as with my evergreen collage, there was really only one composition that I felt worked on it's own. So I threw a bunch into a collage and here we are. : ) The original crops are in the <a href="http://james-hill-photography.smugmug.com/gallery/7732500_S9Ain/1/512912140_z3WtF">What's New</a> gallery. I also noticed where I could create the illusion of a branch continuing through the collage once I started arranging the images. Unfortunately, I didn't have any other shots to finish that illusion this time. I'll have to keep that in mind the next time I'm planning something like this.

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James Hill > 20090225--0118

Shot as an additional piece I needed for another image today - I liked it all by itself.

It's been a while since I've submitted anything to the dailys, but hopefully I'm back for a while. It'll be good to catch up.

James Hill > Hoverfly feeding on pollen which had collected on my lens shade.

I shot this guy during the same outing where I shot the damselfly from two posts back. Just like the damselfly, I first noticed him when he kept trying to land on my lens shade while I was busy shooting weeds. I actually tried to capture a shot of him hovering right in front of the lens, but that was truly an exercise in futility. ( I do have many solid frames of a very pretty pale blue though if anyone needs or wants a few.)

After giving up on the in-flight shots, I decided to take the lens shade off and hold it in my left hand to try and get his closeup. He stayed right with me through many shaky attempts. I found it rather difficult to hold the shade, hold the heavy 70-200, and adjust the zoom all at the same time and with the same hand. I probably looked like I was "losing it" to anyone watching me. Of course this shot involved extension tubes, as he's just a few inches from the the end of the lens in this.

I put a few less aesthetically pleasing yet more detailed shots in my Bugs, Insects, and other Tiny Creatures gallery. They give a better idea of how much pollen was actually clinging to plastic lens shade.

James Hill > Survey-7886Copy

Sunday Morning Comic Relief

A few of you asked, so here is my take on what a pig wearing lipstick might look like. My Photoshop skills are average, and I'm certainly no makeup artist, but I think it turned out quite nice. I haven't seen any better, yet I must confess that I haven't really looked either. If you've seen another, pass along a link.

Posting a little early for Sunday (US timezones, anyway) because I'll start sorting and preparing for my move tomorrow morning. I'm going to try to stay away from the computer for a few days, with the exception of checking email and submitting a DP from the archives each night.

Have a great week and I'll see you in the funnies.

James Hill > Truck-0356

This old guy is a fixture in my neighbor's front yard. I've probably shot 50 images of him since moving in here and this is the first one that I actually like. It's a little hard to believe, but this is a full color image, almost straight from the camera.

James Hill > Filtered Cherries

Sometimes I wish I could paint. Mostly when I have a really hard time getting what I want with a particular photograph. I mean it would be so much easier to just add light, shadow, and color with a brush, right? You even have complete control over focus. It sounds simple, but believe me when I tell you my artistic abilities stop at the end of my shutter finger. I guess that means I'll keep resorting to software and pixels, and a lot of trial and error. By the way, these did NOT come from the garden, I actually had to buy these at the store tonight.

James Hill > Medium carbon steel, quenched & tempered.

At least that's what the three bars stamped into the top of this bolt indicate to people who have reason to know such things. This is basically a desperation shot since I spent all my shooting time tonight browsing deep into a few non-daily galleries. I spent a good amount of time searching out B&W work, and I found some really good stuff out there. I sometimes forget that folks have a ton of great images that never make the daily circuit.

When I realized it was getting late, I grabbed three items laying on the coffee table, along with my P&S G2, and proceeded to shoot some closeups. The three items were a bolt, a bill, and a bull. I shot all three together and then the bull and the bolt separately. I didn't shoot the bill by itself because, honestly, who wants to look at someone else's bills? I picked this shot for the daily because it's been a while since I have posted a SP. :)

The other shots are in my What's New gallery, and that's no bull.

James Hill > Extremely Rare Animals (only one of each has ever been captured on film (or pixels))

I managed to sneak up on these two fascinating creatures at the Festival for the Eno this weekend. The big one in front is a tiger (it even says so on the sign) and the one in back is a pterodactyl, or more properly a Pterosaur, at least according to wikipedia. (the Ps are silent, so why are they even there?) I was extremely fortunate to stumble upon these wild creatures, as NC is not a place known for rusty big cats or metallic raptors. Just imagine how my heart raced as I stalked these two, maneuvering to within mere feet (and inches) for this shot. I thought for sure I would be attacked, possibly requiring a band-aid (TM) or worse, a tetanus shot.

I found a neighbor and friend of mine (who happens to be a metal sculptor) lounging nearby. Daniel Mathewson, who is a really nice guy (although a little twisted) appeared to be VERY knowledgeable about the history and habits of both creatures.

James Hill > Japanese Maple

More grey skies, more rain, and more maple. (see yesterday's shot if you didn't get that last bit) This time it's a Japanese Maple from my folks yard, where I had a few minutes to shoot some of their landscaping before lunch today. This is a beautiful tree, but it is very dense and pruned in a formal fashion, which made isolating bits and pieces a rather difficult task.

I was pleased with the overall look of the whole set but, as with my evergreen collage, there was really only one composition that I felt worked on it's own. So I threw a bunch into a collage and here we are. : ) The original crops are in the What's New gallery.

I also noticed where I could create the illusion of a branch continuing through the collage once I started arranging the images. Unfortunately, I didn't have any other shots to finish that illusion this time. I'll have to keep that in mind the next time I'm planning something like this.

James Hill > Common Blue Damselfly (Enallagma cyathigerum)

This little guy apparently wanted his picture taken. He landed on my lens hood while I was shooting some wildflowers this evening. I thought he was going to let me pick him up at first, but he flew as soon as I touched him. He didn't go far though and I was able to get a few posed shots for his portfolio. The rest of the shots from our impromptu portrait session are in my Bugs, Insects, and other Tiny Creatures gallery.

Shot with the 70-200 and a 36mm extension tube.

Japanese Maple

More grey skies, more rain, and more maple. (see yesterday's shot if you didn't get that last bit) This time it's a Japanese Maple from my folks yard, where I had a few minutes to shoot some of their landscaping before lunch today. This is a beautiful tree, but it is very dense and pruned in a formal fashion, which made isolating bits and pieces a rather difficult task.

I was pleased with the overall look of the whole set but, as with my evergreen collage, there was really only one composition that I felt worked on it's own. So I threw a bunch into a collage and here we are. : ) The original crops are in the What's New gallery.

I also noticed where I could create the illusion of a branch continuing through the collage once I started arranging the images. Unfortunately, I didn't have any other shots to finish that illusion this time. I'll have to keep that in mind the next time I'm planning something like this.