Rear focus

The assignment today from Ithaca Art Mission was to take photos with the rear in focus and the foreground out of focus.  I typically do the reverse, but was up to the task.  The following are according to the assignment but one is the reverse assignment. Which do you think is more appealing?

Frogs and Lotus in September

To my surprise, a frog came up from the pond to the garden where there is a pool and fountain. It had to travel about 50 feet and then hop vertically 2 feet to get to the little pool. How cute he/she was balancing on the side of the rubber liner.  Here are a few shots before he jumped into the water. So, why did he make that long a trip when the pond is large enough for hundreds of frogs?  Who knows.

Then I wandered down to the pond and hundreds of frogs squeaked as they were startled into a leap back into the water.  There are still a few lotus in bloom, so I photographed them.  Lovely sunny day thus far.

Enjoy the holiday weekend!

Cute Cat

Lucy is my neighbor's cat, but she spends a lot of time hanging out at my house.  What was most intriguing was the fact that she showed up shortly after the disappearance of my daughter's cat, Tiggy, who looked just like Lucy except that Tiggy had long hair.

We enjoyed all the Tiggy antics for 19 years, but she finally became very ill.  When I left her outside after rocking her in the hammock, one of her favorite activities, she disappeared.  I thought at the time that she had determined enough was enough and never reappeared.

Shortly thereafter, Lucy showed up with many of the friendly antics of Tiggy and definitely the appearance.  She is an incredible cat that goes between the two homes and takes the best she can get from them.  Here are some pictures taken over the years.

End of the Season Lotus

The sun has changed its angle, which influences the vitality of the lotus pond.  Most of the flowers were in bloom in late July and they outdid themselves.  Now, there are very few in bloom and I feel the season coming to an end.  I cut two flowers and one pod to photograph inside in front of a black screen.  Here are some to enjoy.

Dahlia Delights

This is dahlia season and I found a lovely specimen in the garden to photograph.  Using the 60 mm macro lens with the flower in front of a black background, I photographed these parts of the flower.  I think they have potential for the abstract flower image collection. What do you think?

Lazy Days of Summer in Auburn

It is a day for boats, swimming and relaxing.  The sun has that August angle, with a softness not felt earlier in the summer.  Many Auburn residents and guests are enjoying the water in a variety of ways as seen here in the pictures.

The park is at the upper end of the lake, unlike what is true in Ithaca.  Emerson Park contains the Merry Go Round theater, a beach, and pavilions.  There is a paved walkway out along the dredged inlet, which affords a very nice leisurely walk.  It is impressive how much has been invested to make this a pleasant recreation site.