San Francisco: Pier 39

San Francisco: Telegraph Hill

Spring Bringing New Life

"Yawning and Stretching"

I like this photo partially due to the framing (rule of thirds). I also like the contrast of the green, bright and alive, against the pale gray of the soil. I think it is interesting how the earth is cracking to let out this little bud of new life. Although there isn't a very shallow depth of field, the buds in the background add to the photograph.

"Well, Hello"

Although this photo is centered, I think it adds to this particular photo because our eye is drawn to the center of the bud where, layers and layers down, there is a future flower hiding somewhere. I also like that the leaf on the lower right is larger than the others, creating an attractive shift in weight of the photograph. 

"Persistence"

I like this photo because of the way I was able to position it to capture the snow, sprouting plants, grass turning slowly baby-green in the background, and some hazy trees and sky. I like the contrast of the snow with the sprouting plants, as it truly gives the essence of the month of April and what spring is all about. I was also happy with the shallow depth of field that was produced by getting on the ground, close to the plants. 

"Winter Bleeding to Death"

This photo was taken a day after it snowed a lot in Des Moines. With the weather slightly warmer, the snow on the roof of the church by my apartment had melted and was rushing out of the gutter pipe. I love everything about this photo: the light glistening in the water, the movement and splashing of the water, the light on the brick, the way part of the paint covering the brick is just peeling away, and how it reminds me of all the times still yet to come this spring when gutters will be spilling everywhere. 

"Motherhood"

As I walked home from campus, someone's dog ran up to me, and I of course began to play because I love dogs. All of a sudden, ten more spill out of a porch nearby. I approached the house, where I spoke to the friendly lady who lived there about how hard it must be to take care of ten 7-week-old puppies at once. She let me photograph them for a while. This photo is one I like especially because the puppies are bombarding the tired mother for attention, pawing at her face, and she just sits calmly and tolerates their rambunctious behavior. I also wanted to include these because they represent yet another "new life" giving.

"Time Out"

This puppy had been chewing paint off of the deck, and when the lady scolded him, I caught this face just in time. I love the hunched back, the apologetic eyes, and the lighting and shadows.

"Sneak Attack"

I love this photo because of the rambunctious way the brother and sister are playing. The boy's name is Wander because he always sneaks off the deck, and the girl's name was actually Sarah. I love the lighting and shadows, the paws everywhere, and the playful biting that all true puppy play en"tails." lol

"The Lookout"

I like the framing of this photo, with the action in the center. The puppy on the right kept trying to dig his way under the wood of the railing. The other puppy would try for awhile, then look back to see if anyone was going to stop them. I captured this moment, and love the "partners in crime" essence it emits. Once again, the lighting and shadows add a lot to the photo.

Nichole

This is my favorite shot of Nichole. It was taken outdoors, in front of Peggy's, which is her favorite hangout. She is there at least four times a week, and often drags me there on weekends even though I'm not much of a fan of it. She is happiest here. It is where she goes wild, laughs and cavorts with her friends. I like the slant of the photo, as well as the bright red of the door in the background. I also like the way her hair is a tad bit messy, just like she is. 

This is the "outdoor" shot of Nichole. She is hugging the side of Peggy's her favorite hangout. I like the cute, somewhat goofy look on her face. I also like the shallow depth of field and the mostly natural hues of the photograph. Finally, her pink nail polish, which is a classic Nichole accessory creates a bright, although tiny contrast to the other hues.

This is our "indoor" shot. Nichole is leaning over the pasta and salad selections at Gateway Market, which is our favorite spot to eat together. She claims vegetarianism, but sometimes eats meat when she is here. We can spend hours in this store, perusing the items, and eating from the sample trays until they are completely empty before deciding to just get sushi. I like this photo because she is laughing, which is what she is doing most often when I see her, and because she is with food...a HUGE part of our friendship.

My Favorite Des Moines Treasure

What I love most about this photo is the way the lines attract focus to the center of the photo, where the subjects are. Also, I love the way the lines the diminish into the distance, and also the balance of tans and blue hues throughout the photo. Plus, I just think elderly couples taking walks are cute.

This is another great photo because of the lines, and because the places where the lines fall complement the photo based on the rule of thirds. Other attractive elements of the photo are the reflection of the water,  and the contrast of the twigs against the water.

I like this photo because it shows a young couple jogging together while in conversation, in contrast with the old couple they are passing, who spoke not a word the whole walk. It looks like two snapshots of time colliding with each other. 

This photo is beautiful for the lighting, the mother walking with her little girls, one of which who is running hurriedly towards the swingset, and also the curve of the sidewalk in the bottom portion of the photo which provides an interesting place for the eye to go, as well as some balance.

In this photo, I like how the girls are matching, and how they are in focus while the background is blurry. Also, I think the way the light falls on the little girl's hair is pretty.

This photo really hasn't had anything done to it, yet I think it has the look of a painting. I like the position of the ducks, the blurry rock in the foreground which emphasizes the depth of field,  and the reflection and ripples.

I just like this shot of two parents walking with their little boy. I realized soon after that this is actually two of my English professors. It's also neat that their steps are in sync.

In this photo, I just think the subjects are interesting, and the reflection further emphasizes their presence in the frame.

I like this because of the expression of the littlest girl, who seems intrigued with what the older girl is going. I also think the warm, happy expression on the mother's face really makes the photo.

In this photo, I like the placement of the trees in the frame, the placement of the sun behind the trees, and the overall lighting and reflections.

This photo reminds me of "The Giving Tree," which was one of my favorite books as a child. But what I liked most about this photo was the contrast of the different blues in the water, and then the contrast of the water with the tree.

It's always fun to catch another photographer in the act. I like the way his jeans match the water, and the way in which he is poised to get a perfect shot of the swooping bald eagles.

I like this picture because I was just trying to get a shot of the eagle in general, and ended up catching it in action right after it had caught a fish in its mouth. 

I like this one for the same reasons I liked the other duck photo. It is almost perfectly framed, and looks like a painting.

Although I know these stone things in the background are just empty silos, they give off an image of imposing, industrial structures, which provides an interesting contrast to the thin, bright innocence of the playground. If smoke were coming out of the silos, it would be the perfect cover for an environmentalist magazine.

What is...my favorite color?