Day 31 - January 31, 2010 -"Brutal"

One month of the challenge complete, no missed days!  That aside, today's picture was an accident to be honest.  It started as a snapshop but in the end I liked it, maybe its my sub conscious coming out with its feelings towards the subject.  Who knows, simply put I liked the outcome.

Day 30 - January 30, 2010 -"Motion"

I'm late posting yesterday's picture, it was taken yesterday but I just didn't get around to getting it online until this morning.  My mistake.  I've been looking for a new way to take pictures as my brother in law's basketball games since the lighting in these gyms is typically horrible, and I don't want to bombard these kid's with a flash every 10 seconds.  Why not try out some long exposures and see what happens.

Day 29 - January 29, 2010 -"Speed" - Revisit Friday #5

Another Friday - another "Revisit Friday".  Had a tough time just choosing one this week, but they all surround the same event/subject.  I had the opportunity a few years back to cover the Championship Auto Racing Team (CART) Denver Grand Prix, for a friends magazine.  I received a press access to the entire event, so I got the chance to get really up close to these machines.  Incredible experience the say the least, I really hope another event will come back to the Mile High City so I can hopefully do this again.

Day 28 - January 28, 2010 - "Stir"

Proving yet again that Chris can indeed cook (if it involves following a list of directions, and simple ingredients)  

Day 27 - January 27, 2010 - "Bean Boozled"

I need to get out at lunch time again because I'm quickly running out of stuff around the house to take pictures of.  True I could go out after I get home ... but I still haven't gotten used to the cold, so it's not happening.  Harry Potter reference in 3...2....1

Day 26 - January 26, 2010 - "Trails"

Been in a long exposure mood lately, and this subject tonight has been on the "to-do" list for the longest time.  I first tried it probably 7 years ago while in Yellowstone, but didn't understand the concept fully, didn't have the equipment, and/or didn't have the know how to figure out a work around.  All changed now.  I still don't have the equipment I'd like to pull this off (remote shutter release) - but I do know now I can still do it another way.  
Simple how-to - I set the camera to take a series of 30 second shots - this is made easier by connecting it to the computer and letting it take a 30 second picture- wait a second and then take another one - rinse and repeat.  Take roughly 30  of these and you have what is an equivalent of 3 - five minute pictures.  Take these 30 images and blend them in photoshop so you can capture that star trail.  Voila easy as pie.  Thanks

Day 25 - January 25, 2010 - "Dances"

I gotta start off today's entry with a confession - I can't take 100% of the credit for tonight's picture.  While the idea is mine and the camera settings are mine.  The person that actually took the picture was Kelly.  We got A LOT of pictures so tonight's choice was a hard one.  The trick was not setting the shutter too slow so the car was too blurry, in reality we only really want the world outside of the window to go crazy.

Day 24 - January 24, 2010 - "Wide Open"

Insert cliche statement about how small we are in this great wide open universe, and how this really puts everything in perspective blah blah blah.....  Love taking pictures of the moon, I don't do it very often though.  I have no nobel statement to make other than I like pointing the camera up at the sky.

Day 23 - January 23, 2010 - "Borderline Superhero"

Today's photo is another one that spawned from "I wonder if its possible..."  followed by "...this has bad idea written all over it" ... quickly followed by "I'm gonna give it a try anyway"  Well I can confirm that you can indeed set your finger on fire and not get burned.  Plus it let me finally pretend to be a super hero like all those comic books I read growing up.  I have a feeling this is just a test bed for some more fun later on.  

Day 22 - January 22, 2010 -"Mini Disney" - Revisit Friday #4

Another Friday - another revisit Friday.  I decided after this week I wanted to do something fun for today's picture.  Some people may already be aware of the series of Tilt/Shift videos that Disney produced (http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2009/10/a-model-day-at-the-park/).  I love these videos - I love the technique they used, so I got to thinking I can mimic that with some pictures I took while in Disney last year.  Adds a new twist on an ordinary picture.  

Day 21 - January 21, 2010 - "Why so serious...."

Its been a lackluster week in terms of quality pictures.  I knew days or weeks would come up where work life and free time would collide, didn't count on it being so soon into this project though.  Unfortunately thats how life works out - so I go with it.  Tonight's picture was another picture of necessity, a late night at work left me with little time to get anything out.  Whats funny is this picture pretty much somes up my mood for the day.  Thanks for looking

Day 20 - January 20, 2010 - "Moosh"

He's downright insane .... I swear

Day 19 - January 19, 2010 - "Uptown"

Day 18 - January 18, 2010 - "Bing"

What do you do when you've nearly forgotten to take the daily picture - have no ideas, and need to do this before you fall asleep.  Idea = light bulb ... cliche but it works.  Enlist someone to keep turning the lightbulb on and off so you don't have to stare at it for 5 minutes.  Thanks!

Day 17 - January 17, 2010 - "Pretend"

"Picture yourself with a boat on a river with tangerine trees and marmalade skies.  Somebody calls you, you answer quite slowly a girl with kaleidoscope eyes."


"Pretend"

Day 16 - January 16, 2010 - "Lost & Found"

A new addition into the weirder things I've just found lying on the side of the street, Shaggy from Scooby Doo.

Day 15 - January 15, 2010 -"Mill" - Revisit Friday #3

Third "Revisit Friday" this year.  This picture was taken roughly 3 years back while on a trip back to North Carolina where I grew up.  Nearby my Dad's house an old mill from 1767 still exists and still produces product.   Hence the antique plate treatment - It felt appropriate


"Mill"

Day 14 - January 14, 2010 - "Nerves"

I've been in a HDR kick lately (none yet on here) I haven't really played much with the technique yet but I've been intrigued with the results I've seen from other people (and some much more skilled than myself)  But I didn't want to go the route with HDR where everything looks extremely surreal/fake.  Instead I went a slightly different route (hopefully).  As I said its HDR so this is 3 images blended together to form what you see here.


"Nerves"

Day 13 - January 13, 2010 - "Urban Art #1"

Today's shot comes from a suggestion.  A mural thats painted on a nearby building - commissioned by a local brewery.  This is more of a test shot - hopefully in the coming weeks I can find a time where the parking lot that borders this mural is empty so I can do this piece of art some justice.


"Urban Art #1"

Day 12 - January 12, 2010 - "Weaving"

New goal - don't make plans to take pictures somewhere because it seems anytime I try this ... something gets in the way.  So I make due with stuff around the house.  I promise better stuff soon.

Day 11 - January 11, 2010 - "Multiples"

Found a neat setting on my camera that I didn't know existed, a tool I thought was gone.  I've used it previously on some film camera ... but never on a digital before.  My camera has the ability to take 3 pictures (or 2 if desired) right on top of each other.  No need for layering them in photoshop, it does it for you.  You can get some pretty interesting results with this tool.  Definitely going to have to try this out a bit more in the future.


"Multiples"

Day 10 - January 10, 2010 - "Sculpture"

Decided to try out a photo experiment out tonight, that I originally completed a few years back.  Its a simple setup - cooking pan + water + sponge + camera. 


"Sculpture"

Day 9 - January 9, 2010 - "Vernis"

No big explanation behind this one - simple put I like the contrast of colors and I'm a fan of the designs.  


"Vernis"

Day 8 - January 8, 2010 -"Storm Light" - Revisit Friday #2

Every Friday I dive back into the archives of my pictures and find something to share again.  On this Friday I decided to go back to one of my most favorite pictures that I was lucky enough to take.  This picture was taken after my friends and I had just finish a week long backpacking trip in Yellowstone, on our way out a storm was passing through the Grand Tetons just as the sun was setting.  The result was one of the most mesmerizing scenes I've ever witness.  This picture has absolutely ZERO photoshop work applied to it.  It was taken with a glorified point and shoot digital camera - I believe an Olympus.  Just a matter of being the right place at the right time.


"Storm Light"

Day 7 - January 7, 2010 - "Guy in Blue"

Another cold day, another busy day at work.  Didn't get an opportunity to take a photo walk today.  So went looking for something elsewhere.  Cookie Monster is my hero.


"Guy in Blue"

Day 6 - January 6, 2010 - "Signs"

Just one of those days - entirely too cold outside, snow storm rolling in, and me being a wuss.  I had a better idea for today's shot but nature beat me.  When I can't feel my hands anymore I have to call it quits and go inside.  But either way I'm a fan of the old style billboards that were painted on buildings and its been a plan of mine to try to photograph every one of these that exists in Denver.


"Signs"

Day 5 - January 5, 2010 - "Living Lot"

Another day another quick photo walk for lunch.  Was having troubles getting the creative juices going today.  But while staring at the ground on my way back I noticed the parking lot was breathing .... bubbles were escaping from a crack in the lot.  I assume the water was just finding a way to drain causing the bubbles ... but I found it neat none the less.  Neat stuff appears when you stop for a just a second and stare at the ground is apparently my lesson for the day.

Day 4 - January 4, 2010 - "Hidden Spaces"

I'm a bit of a nerd when it comes to anything that has a visible structure.  Call it the archi-nerd in me or the fascination I had as a child for taking anything apart.  But I always find myself stopping/staring/admiring structures.  I found this bit today during lunch.


"Hidden Spaces"

Day 3 - January 3, 2010 - "Golden Brown"

Contrary to popular belief, I can cook.  As long as it only requires me to heat something up or mix minimal ingredients :).


"Golden Brown"

Day 2 - January 2, 2010 - "Tabasco #1"

I know its impossible for me to take a picture of an interesting location every day - heck this blog has to go 365 days ... what I want to challenge myself to do is find something interesting in my everyday life.  Its a slow Saturday, just relaxing around the house.  I admire the simplicity of the Tabasco label ... and figured why not.  I take some inspiration from Thomas Hawk on the cropping/composition/colors.  You can view some of his fantastic work here;
http://www.flickr.com/photos/thomashawk/

"Tabasco #1"

Day 1 - First Revisit Friday

Whether it was intentional or not ... the first day of the year is a Friday so here goes ... the first "Revisit Friday". 


My choice here was quick.  I took this photo in April of 2005 during the Doors Open Denver event here in Denver, Colorado.  Doors Open Denver is held every year in April.  During this event, various architecturally significant or otherwise significant buildings are open to the public.  You can learn about the history of the building, who designed it, what was its original purpose, whats it do now, etc etc etc.


This particular shot is from the skybridge between the main building on Lincoln and the atrium complex on Broadway.  


I love the lines and shadows in the shot, and I accredit this shot for really starting my love for wide angle lenses.  I love how you can capture a different perspective on a place that hundreds of people use daily.


"The Approach"

A New Year - a new goal

I know I know ... you've all seen hundreds of photo a day blogs, seems like everyone and their cousin Timmy has done one, started one, or contemplated one, and in all honesty I doubt mine is that much different than cousin Timmy's.  But my goal is simple anyway.  Take at least 1 picture a day for 365 days.  In doing this I'm hoping to improve my photography, and regain some of that passion I had for the hobby a few years ago where I wouldn't go anywhere without my camera in tow.


I've set a few ground rules for myself.
- The photos can be about anything - there is no theme.
- I'm not expecting all of them to be winners... some will downright suck.
- I'm assigning Friday's as "Revisit Fridays" - on these days I'll be pulling a photo from my personal archives and revisiting it.
- Every photo will receive a name/caption/title.  Atleast 1 of the three.


Thanks