Friday August 29th

This will be my final blogpost for a couple of weeks! We are heading off to the land of big trees and big surf where there are no cell phones, no computers and no responsibilities! I will have plenty to post upon my return and plan to unload my photo card on you all when we get home around the 15th of September. I hope you have enjoyed my August experiment! It has been a wonderful experience for me and I feel that I am more connected to my camera and more inspired to take photos for the sake of taking beautiful and fun photos! Thanks for playing along! Who knows...I may just keep this challenge going...

S

Thursday, August 28th

The day isn't over yet but I have found my photo of the day already...

I took a bunch of photos of moms working out with babies today and this one is a favorite for sure. Look at the matching expressions- pure joy and true love!

I will miss you Jen and Nate! It has been a gift to get to know you this summer. Best of luck on your upcoming adventure:)

S

Weds August 27th

I had some fun in the garden yesterday morning ... the rain had stopped and the sun made a brief appearance...

Lovely hisbiscus...

Iris leaves...

Our first apples! Thank you Petra and Gary for this wonderful gift:)

Cherry tomatoes ripening on the vine...they better hurry up....

Magnolia leaves catch plenty of water...

S

Tuesday August 26th

Hello! Did you miss me? I HAVE been taking pics all week but have not had a moment to sit and blog them until today. So here we go...

Monday Monday Monday

Tesu says:

Tell me why I don't like Mondays?

Such a hard life for a cat...

S

Sunday August 24

This is a sunflower that has lost its colour ... and gained a classic aura ... all with the push of a 'sepia' button. Gotta love that!

S

Saturday August 23

Tis the season...and these tasty-tart apples were given to me by a sweet client this week. They were great models for my today pic...

S

Friday August 22nd

We hear you can tell the time with a sundial...but we haven't quite figured out how to do that yet...

Thursday August 21st

The places your camera takes you... On this photography journey I have a heightened awareness of potential 'shots'. Even before the challenge I often found myself caught breathless at the sight of the perfect shadow, a glorious wash of light, or a magical feeling in the sky...all the while thinking....there is a 'shot' here. Now, that I am on a daily task to capture photos for the challenge I often find myself in 1 of 2 places:

1. With my camera...literally hunting around me in a 360 looking for some sort of shot. "I just need to find something here."

2. Without my camera...in front of the perfect scene with the perfect light. "I can't believe I don't have my camera!"

I am definitely carrying my camera with me more places more often- but sometimes I just don't have it there for those amazing shots. And so...they sit undeveloped in my minds eye. Like tonight...while driving home from Cumberland when I drove alongside a slope covered in tall white, dry grass...this slope was juxtaposed against a very dramatic dark cloud sky and it all just popped out at me all of a sudden! But, alas I was driving...and there was an impatient Mustang behind me so...I drove on.

S

Wednesday August 20th

My vision board. A sneakpeak into my dreams and inspiration:)

Tuesday August 19th

Brad's Birks.

Monday

Sky Reach...
S

Sunday

PICS ONLINE NOW!

I promise have been taking pictures everyday but just didn't get around to posting yesterday!

Here are some pics from 'The Big Time Out' music festival in Cumberland on Saturday night. Crazy shots that summarize the entertainment!

And following are pics from our trip to Port Alberni for the Log Train Trail Race on Sunday.

S

Saturday

Mad Road Trip to Vic this morning...

Missed a Day

Bad photographer! This troll is my make up shot for yesterdays missed pic.

Ok so it is official. I missed yesterday. I didn't make the time to get out my camera and set up one shot. I am cutting myself some slack, however, cause I worked from 7am until 7pm yesterday.

I am back at er and took 2 shots today to make up for it. Here is a shot from my front deck...about 20 steps from here:

Wow! Does the backdrop ever make this shot! I love taking pictures of these little rock piles on my front railing. But, the golden afternoon light streaming through a Japanese Maple sure takes this pile to a new level. Love it!

See you tomorrow,
S

Weds August 13

Yummy sun ripened tomatoes. Here is another summer shot that grabbed me in my kitchen. The garden is thriving in the background and the tomatoes are picking up some lovely afternoon light on the windowsill. I ate a few of these after this shot:)
S

Tuesday shot

I packed along my camera at the ELM Womens Hiking clinic last night with the hopes of finding some inspiration for my today photo-in new terrain. The lighting was great for pics- the cloud cover limited shadows. Here is my favorite from the bunch. This bracket fungus was kindly pointed out by my participants as a potential subject...and it worked out nicely. This shot was a team effort- thank you ladies!

Cheers,

Sarah.

Todays Subject

This poor dragonfly didn't realize he was going to participate in a photo shoot this evening...but he was the perfect subject for my today photo. I have caught myself walking my dog loop each afternoon/evening hoping something new and exciting will jump out at me from my familiar surroundings. And, sure enough, there always seems to be something out there on that loop. Whether it is cool lighting, wind and movement or a unique subject awaiting my eye...I aways seem to be able to drum up a shot. So...this must be part of the today photo experience...expanding your creative eye. I think it is working?

Cheers,

S

Flash Power

Just came in from shooting these beauties in my back garden. The light was nearly gone when I remembered that I hadn't taken my photo for the day yet. I avoid using my flash like the plague...fear of the unknown I guess you could say. The flashes that come mounted on cameras are just so harsh that they always seem to give such an artificial glow to the subject.

I played with throwing the light a bit off centre and dimming the flash with a screen and this is what I came up with. The sepia tone really hides imperfections! Love it!

Gnight:)

S

What's for Dinner?

Hmmmm...what'll it be? Thai? Indian? Nope...tonight it wasMexican. Fish Tacos and fresh guacamole...mmMm!

Here is my favorite bookshelf at home. Perhaps you also have some of these classics in your collection? The ReBar cookbook is my personal bible and I can often be caught reading it in bed:) Ciao!

S

Friday August 8th

I couldn't resist setting this one up...

This screamin red fire hydrant was calling out for a photo shoot with my good dog Yuki on our 'loop' walk this evening. I must admit we had a few takes before making the shot but he was a good sport. What is harder...posing animals or people? Hmmm... Iwill have to think about that one!

Happy Friday,

Sarah.

Thursday August 7th

Here is a nice leaf...if it were October! Ahhh this little leaf landed on my back deck and I almost let out a scream...soooo not ready to see this yet as summer is just sinking in. He was just a little rebel out on his own so no need to freak out:)

I liked how the textures and colours of the deck and the leaf really pop in contrast.

S

Weds August 6th

This pack of dandi'lions' called me over to take their picture:) A tangled mass of stems and fluffy heads made for a fun composition. I only wish the wind could have blown those fluffs around on cue for me...only the front one was waving (and it wasn't the wind that moved it:).

Happy hot days of summer!

S

Tuesday August 5th

So the challenge continues!
Here is my pic for yesterday...believe it or not but I was out too late last night to post this shot...

It's kinda green and I don't know why...

The classic boot shot was taken at the end of a great hike up at Trent River. This is a must do if you are in the Valley. We did the 7km out and back route along the edge of the Trent River at the top of the ravine...400 feet up!

Monday August 3rd

Happy BC Day! These are shots that I think capture mid-late summer...

ss

Sunday August 3rd

Today was a good day...no make that a great day.

An active start - 23km trail run with the ELM Half Marathon Clinic...and a very lazy finish - baking 'Survival Cookies' (thanks Joanne:) and reading my new book (Infidel) on the back deck bathed in sweet afternoon summer sunshine. So, here I captured my afternoon for ya...Can't you just taste these?

I set this shot up in front of my kitchen french doors- with afternoon light just flooding in. I couldn't resist temptation and had to take a bite before too long...

S

Saturday August 2nd

Today I hiked up Mt. Becher with my super dog Yuki. You can read the full report on my ELM blog: http://www.elmhealth.com/ along with some pics from the day. Although this is not the best shot I have ever taken...it made laugh. This warning was written on the side of one of the old lift shacks on Forbidden. Tee hee.

S

31 Pictures of August

OK...I am announcing my personal photography challange ::

For the month of August (trial period) I am planning to take and post 1 photo everyday:) Yikes. Did I just announce that to the www? I have been inspired to tackle this challenge by a client who is also doing an August photo challenge (thank Laurel: http://selmanbl.blogspot.com/). My confidence is probably 4/10 on my ability to follow through...so follow along and send me your thoughts to help keep my motivation high over the coming 31 days...

The goal for now is to just take a picture everyday. It would be great if it represented that day but this is not part of the criteria. It would also be great if it were the best photo I had ever taken but this is not part of the criteria either! Of course, if I am out of town I will post-post my pics upon my return.

And HEY: if you feel like you need to dust off the old camera and get inspired to join my challenge then be sure to send me links to your pics too!

So here goes:

Friday, August 1st. My good friend Arran's 31st birthday. Captured after a delicious late breaky at the Atlas cafe. The best day of August so far! Happy Birthday my friend:) (ok there are 2 cause I couldn't pick).