Tag: digital photography

Project 365 | Day 76 The Majestic Orchid

As promised in yesterdays post I will be showing you what I feel is the most fascinating flower that I have ever photographed.  The orchid has held my attention for years now and every chance that I get I photograph them.  There is just something about them that really catches my eye and trying to portray those qualities in photography has become a quest for me.

Fun Facts about orchids:

When you look at an orchid you might think to yourself how delicate these flowers are, but in fact they live on every continent in the world except Antarctica.  They range in size from about the size of a fingernail to the largest weighing in at several hundred pounds.  They can live upwards of 100 years and their seeds are among the smallest in the world.  Orchids have become the most popular household plant of all time.

Phipps Conservatory

Luckily in my area we have botanical garden that has many different orchids on display and I make several trips there to photograph them every year.  The place that I’m referring to is Phipps Conservatory.

In this evenings post I’m going to show you a couple of different orchids and please don’t request their names.  I’m just an admirer of the flowers not a botanist.

White Orchid

Of the orchids that I’m going to show you the white orchid is one of my favorites.  This one was shot with available light and I just love the way the light highlights the edges and center of the flower.

Pink Orchid

The next orchid that I really enjoy is the one on the left here.  The pale pink cooler and the bright yellow of the center really make for a great color combination.

Green Slipper

The example that you see here is another very interesting type of orchid. I think that it is referred to as a slipper as it kinda looks like a shoe.  The way this orchid has its bottom lip is designed as a landing platform for pollinators and in the case of this type of orchid a trap for its prey.

OrchidAnd last but certainly not least is just a beautiful example of a delicate purple orchid.

I hope you have enjoyed looking and reading a little about the flowers that I find so very fascinating.  And maybe next time you see one of these majestic flowers you’ll take a moment and really enjoy their beauty.

Do you have a flower you find to be most interesting?  I would love to hear from you about your favorite flowers.

Project 365 | Day 75 Major Construction

Today the photography club that I belong took a trip to Phipps Conservatory in Pittsburgh.  We had a really great time and got some nice photos.  I have been going to Phipps for many years and always find something new and interesting to photograph.  Today was no different.

Todays photo is a contraction site from the miniature railroad display that Phipps puts on every year.  Over the years I have become fascinated with the displays and always look forward to going there to photograph them.  Since I was with my group I didn’t get to spend the time that I normally would have with the trains, but I can say that I will be returning soon.  And hopefully you all will enjoy the photos as much as I enjoyed taking them.

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s post of what I think may be the most fascinating flower that I have ever photographed.

What are your thought about the model train display in todays photo?

Train

Project 365 | Day 74 Who’s St. Patrick

Who is St. Patrick?

Well according to the History channel St. Patrick was the patron Saint of Ireland.  And the idea of St. Patrick’s Day came from a religious feast in Ireland celebrating St. Patrick.

That being said we know that today, at least in the United States, the idea of the celebration is just an excuse to get ridiculously intoxicated, do stupid things, and make a fool out of yourself.  And today, in Pittsburgh, was the celebration and parade. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to get away from work to see the parade, and I think I’m getting to old or to mature to do the drinking part of the day. So when I took my walk this evening I was looking for something that I could use to represent the celebration and yet still stay clear of as many of the drunks as I could.  What I found was the old Pittsburgh courthouse which was covered in green light for the celebration.

What do you think of my representation of the celebration?  How would you represent the celebration?

St Patrick Day

Project 365 | Day 73 Glory of PPG

Sometimes when I go for my evening walk in the city I find myself uninspired by what I photograph or for that matter what I see.  Tonight was one of those evenings.  I took several photos but nothing that really seemed to inspire me.  Partly because I didn’t get out of work till later than I had anticipated and that made it darker than I had hoped.  But I was determined to find something to post tonight and write about.

I took this photo this evening while walking around the city in disappointment.  This photo was inspired by last nights photo of the old and the new buildings.  Tonight we focus on the PPG building which is an amazing building with some really interesting design.  The building can be seen in just about every Pittsburgh skyline photo and is impressive to say the least.  Totally covered in glass it will also make for some interesting reflections, of which I’m positive that I’ll post in the future.

I like the way the building stands out in the fading light and blue sky.

What do you think?

PPG Place

Project 365 | Day 72 A Slice of the Old

Todays photo although a little late, is a contrast between the old and the new.  As most of you know I like to shoot in the city as if has countless subjects to offer.  In the city of Pittsburgh there are plenty of examples of old and new architecture.  You can take your pick  from different styles, shapes, and colors of buildings.  This evening on my nightly walk through the streets I noticed a gap between two buildings which allowed for a view of a contrast between newer types of buildings and an older building.  I thought that the view was interesting showing the contrast between styles, a little like looking at the photographs of two different people of the same subject.

Do you like the contrast of styles?

Old and New 

Project 365 | Day 71 Locked Up

As of late I have been trying to figure out a way to make my blog a little more interesting.  Sure, I know all of you are waiting patiently for the next great photo, but as I look at my blog I find that there really isn’t much that someone might find interesting to go along with the photos.  A friend and I both started this 365 project this year and I really like the way she has something to say about the story behind the photo, where she found it, what made her think of it, etc..  I personally find reading the story to be just as fun as looking at the photos, and I think that is something that I’m missing with my post.

Tonights photo is part of my inspiration to unlock the story behind the photo and give you a little more insight as to what I was thinking.  I walk by this gate in Pittsburgh often and always look down the dark narrow passage, which has garbage dumpsters and is just full of junk.  And during warmer days I often see that someone parks their motorcycle in the passage.  The gate has a chain and lock on it and I thought that fit nicely with how I was feeling about my blog, like it was locked and I needed to find a key to open the door for myself and my readers.

What do you think? Does the picture go with the story?

Locke Up

Project 365 | Day 70 Drill Work

With great excitement I can say that the last two days here in western Pa have been very nice.  The weather has been in the 50’s and the spirits of the people in the area are definitely looking up.  Although it’s supposed to drop in temp and snow another 3-4 inches tomorrow.  But we have caught a glimpse of spring and a little snow this late in the game will not deter us.

Yesterday I was able to take advantage of the nice weather and got to take a walk in downtown Pittsburgh.  I caught this guy doing a little work on a drill that is being used in the construction zone in market square.

Drill Work

Project 365 | Day 67 Fogged In

Todays photo although a little past my deadline is a shot I took this evening in the rain-snow we were having when I walked out of work.  I had intended on taking a long walk tonight in the city but the weather had other intentions.  As I was looking for something to photograph I looked up and noticed the fog really starting to overtake the two buildings.  They are the UPMC and the Melon Building.  The building in the foreground on the right is part of the old jail and courthouse.

Fogged In