Genieve Dawkins's Blog, page 13

Triumph & Contrast

Photo 101, Day 20: Triumph & Contrast

I was trying to take a non-shaky handheld picture of the moon, which is starting to become an early-month occupation of mine, when Bitty decided to start rubbing himself on the amazingly heavy Tamron 100-300 mm lens. It’s the only lens I own and there’s no tripod, so it does make for interesting pictures. Amid all that rubbing and shaking and fighting for control, the camera shifted down to the white jasmine tree in front of me and, lo and behold, I ended up with this beauty!

I had another example of triumph, and maybe contrast, when going through some of the photos I took for Photo 101. It dawned on me that I had enough interesting material to be able to beautifully tackle my own cover design. I did some research and found Canva, which didn’t exist back before I took a break from writing. It turned out to be just what I was looking for: the perfect match of my photos and gorgeous typography. Here’s what I’ve up with so far:

Now, I just need to go finish working on the novel!

Life on the Edge

Photo 101, Day 18: Edge & Alignment

What a struggle it has been trying to complete the last three Photo 101 assignments! I was hoping for perfect shots, but instead I got swamped with other things and lost access to my computer. Not to mention the heat! Whew! Anyway, I took lots of photos during the course, so I’ll use those to finish off. If in the meantime I happen across a perfect subject, great!

This is a somewhat sad photo that I had chosen not to use for the “Edge & Alignment” assignment, but have decided to use it anyway, given the circumstances. This is Bitty taking a nap on a ledge that used to be the sole domain of his brother, Bigs, who disappeared a few weeks ago. I think he’s sleeping there in the hope of seeing Bigs again. Ah, life on the bleeding edge of reality can be a very sad place indeed.

Double & Rotation, Take Two

Friends enjoying their evening stroll.

Double & Rotation

Photo 101, Day 19: Double & Rotation

I wanted to take a photo of my identikit-ish kittens, but they’re not cooperating and the budgies are camera-shy, so the breadfruits take the spotlight.

Isaiah 61:7

For your shame ye shall have double; and for confusion they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess the double: everlasting joy shall be unto them.

Glass, Squared

Photo 101, Day 17: Glass, Squared

Photos taken through glass always have a slightly magical quality, so I was really looking forward to getting some gorgeous results from the Glass, Squared assignment. However, life got in the way and I ended up scurrying about and trying to find time to get the photo I wanted for Treasure + Close-up. My indoor photos were suffering from poor lighting so I headed outside in the full afternoon sun and resigned myself to taking whatever I got so I could get on with my busy day. Flustered, I took a breather and walked past the louvre windows of one of my rooms. As I looked up, I saw a dreamy scene looking back at me through the clear louvre blades. I pointed the camera at the window and just pressed the shutter.

This is what I captured in that afternoon light – a scene reflected in glass and through glass into the mirror beyond the window and back at me – complexity upon complexity, with the misty beauty of a dream. I love it.

Treasure + Close-up

Photo 101, Day 16: Treasure + Close-up

Matthew 6: 19-21

Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Hone Your Eye: Landscape

Photo 101, Weekend 3: Hone Your Eye

I finally captured it! This landscape only exists for a few weeks, right after all the sugarcane fields surrounding the Hyde Hall great house have been harvested and are in the early stages of regrowth. This view is from the usually inaccessible hill beside the derelict great house across the way. This year, there was an extended drought and raging bush fires burned the surrounding countryside to the ground, granting me the rare opportunity to access the inaccessible and photograph the uncapturable. I love how the fields sparkle in the morning sun like they’ve been dusted with diamonds. God is truly amazing.

Scale: The Bigness of the Small

Photo 101 Day 14: Scale & Observation

While strolling along the beach this afternoon, I came across this tiny delight: a shard of reef with a tiny living coral sitting  atop. This was my first experience with live coral. I put the camera down on the sand and pressed the shutter. The result was this beautiful, larger-than-life feast for the eyes. The sea spray on the lens added the misty effect, diffusing the harsh afternoon sunshine and creating a magical end result. I put the little guys (the thing at the bottom is probably alive too) back into the sea and watched the surf pull them away. Hopefully they’ll live to experience another day.

Psalm 115:13

He will bless them that fear the LORD, both small and great.

Landscape

Photo 101 Day 14: Landscape & Cropping

Isaiah 61:11

For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth ; so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.

WPC: Muse

In response to The Daily Post’s weekly photo challenge: “Muse.”

Muse? That sounds too pagan for me. If it’s a subject that I keep photographing, then a quick rummage through my archives would turn up my pets as the obvious answer. However, after giving the matter some thought, I realized that I only have lots of pictures of pets because they make convenient models.

A second rummage through the archives turns up a different subject altogether: fire. I have so many pictures of fire that I don’t even need to look at stock to get texture in my photos. Weird.

Psalm 119:126

It is time for thee, LORD, to work: for they have made void thy law.