Holiday Fun

We received two beautiful ornaments from our family in Ireland.  They are so sparkly and fun and I had to share. We've gotten many ornaments over the years. Since the Tree is has become a constant fixture, we've been able to enjoy them year-round.

These pictures were just taken with my phone. I'll probably take more pictures later. I love the way the light plays off them and in two weeks 52 Weeks of Photos topic will be "sparkles and sparkling!"

I had a lot of fun shooting our ornaments last year with amazing results.

52 Weeks, weeks 12-14

I have been trying to keep up with the 52 Weeks of Photography project. Posting my photos has been more of a challenge than taking them and blogging about it has been even harder.

Here's what I've been up to...

Week 12: Landscape

I had almost forgotten to take a shot for Week 12. I remembered on the last shooting day and Wookie drove me to a great view of NYC. I shot this panoramic view with my Samsung Galaxy Tab.

Week 13: Clouds

I've discovered the secret to assuring cloudless days--have a project where you actually need to see clouds. This was the clearest week in memory. Finally, I saw this cloud by the George Washington Bridge, just moments before I performed a baby blessing for twins.

Week 14: Composition: Scale

I submitted two this week--largely because my photos are getting lonely up there by themselves. (The other participants have all dropped out due to seasonal busy-ness.)

First, I went literal...

Then I realized I was standing next to objects that demonstrated scale, at least to some degree...

52 Weeks of Photos, Weeks 4-11

I have been trying to keep up with the 52 Weeks of Photography project. Posting my photos has been more of a challenge than taking them and blogging about it has been even harder.

Here's what I've been up to...

Week 5 Exposure: Multiple (OR: Creative Exposure)
 Post 9/18

(It was decided that those of us with point and shoot cameras could opt to just re-do a previous topic, so I did another food shot.)

Week 6 Body Parts--Start shooting 9/19 Post 9/25

(They didn't specify whose body parts.)

Week 7 Composition: Fill the Frame
--Start shooting 9/26 Post 10/2

Montezuma's Castle--Camp Verde, Arizona

Week 8 Upside Down
--Start shooting 10/3 Post 10/9

I was on a flight and found it was easier to take pictures out the window with the camera upside down.
The result is this shot that looks like I took it from space! 

Week 9 Contrasting images (two photos)
 --Start shooting 10/10 Post 10/16

Week 10 Exposure: High Key
--Start shooting 10/17 Post 10/23

I am not sure if this qualifies as High Key, but I thought I'd give it a shot.
The hood ornament was on a white car. I boosted the exposure in iPhoto. 

Week 11 Monochrome
--Start shooting 10/24 Post 10/30

52 Weeks of Photos, Week 3 Perspective: High Angle

I didn't have much time to shoot this week. The challenge for Week 3 was Perspective: High Angle.

It took a few tries to get this shot. It's not easy to shoot left handed, holding the camera over my head while trying not to screw up the piece I've just trimmed; but I'm very happy with it.

©Cristina Kollet 2011

52 Weeks of Photos, Week 2 Lighting: Reflective/Reflections

Last year I participated in a photo challenge--52 Weeks of Photos onAltDotLife. At the beginning of the 52 weeks, a list of topics (one for each week) was posted. Each week participants would submit their photos and then vote on their favorites. I even won a few times.

Well, it's starting up again--this time without the voting. Last time I didn't manage to participate every week. This time, it's my goal to submit a photo for every week.


I didn't take as many pictures for last week's entry as for week 1. I started with this picture, which was initially an attempt to take a picture of my eye to check how it was healing. (I'd scratched it and was taking drops four times a day.)

Before you get too impressed with my ability to take a picture of my own eye, it's cropped down from this--I have several shots where I didn't even get close to my eye. 

When I saw the reflection of the window, I thought I might use the picture for Week 2.
After Hurricane Irene took over the week, between preparing and dreading, and moving things to be in the "safest" areas of the house, my photos found a new focus.
I liked this one, with light reflecting off the stop sign and the remnants of Irene in the background.

The picture I ended up choosing was a surprise I found when I downloaded the pictures on my camera.

This was before Irene hit. We were running some last minute errands and generally checking out the area and how people were preparing. I stuck the camera out the window to catch Target's boarded up entrance. 
I love how the window seems to reflect the darker skies we were waiting for.


Week 3's topic is Perspective: High Angle. I think I got a good shot today, but you'll have to wait till next time to see it!

52 Weeks of Photos, Week 1 Summer/Winter

Last year I participated in a photo challenge--52 Weeks of Photos on AltDotLife. At the beginning of the 52 weeks, a list of topics (one for each week) was posted. Each week participants would submit their photos and then vote on their favorites. I even won a few times.


Well, it's starting up again--this time without the voting. Last time I didn't manage to participate every week. This time, it's my goal to submit a photo for every week.


This week's topic is Summer/Winter (depending on the participant's hemisphere). I've been carrying cameras with me all week. (Okay that's not unusual.)

Here are the photos I considered for submission this week:

This one is in NYC just outside Port Authority Bus Terminal. I had to go into the city to meet with clients and it was a lovely day, but really this was my "just in case I don't get a chance to take any pictures" picture.

©Cristina Kollet 2011

Paul and I were invited to our niece's pool party. Paul is an AquaWookie by nature and so I couldn't pass up these rare photos of him in his native environment.

©Cristina Kollet 2011

©Cristina Kollet 2011

©Cristina Kollet 2011

©Cristina Kollet 2011

I love this picture of birds taking off next to the pool. But I think it's too abstract for anyone who wasn't there.

©Cristina Kollet 2011

 Nothing says Summer like ice cream! (But the background doesn't make this a great picture.)

©Cristina Kollet 2011

This shot was good in theory but the composition and focus don't come close to what was in my head.

©Cristina Kollet 2011

This is my new favorite picture of the two of us. It was one of those rare times when I managed to hold the camera just right. My friend Julia is a master of the arm-extended self portrait. I usually get the top of our heads or maybe someone's ear.

This is the picture I'll be posting for Week 1. We've had a very nice few days and this is how I want to remember the summer.

©Cristina Kollet 2011