tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91554617205947527132011-08-02T14:09:52.960-07:00My favorite shots and why it is.Marilenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18103951725868071803noreply@blogger.comBlogger311100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9155461720594752713.post-54632129913384814402009-09-10T21:10:00.000-07:002009-09-10T21:16:29.670-07:00

I snapped a series of photographs of this ship at the Yorktown Riverwalk in Virginia right after a wonderful shoot with my first ArtInspired Babies (TM) Member. The light was great that day and the sun was just about to set. I really like the contrast of the boat whose movements are propelled by the wind and the bridge, whose structure is created to withstand it. The moving boat and still bridge,

Marilenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18103951725868071803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9155461720594752713.post-65275089476995103812009-08-31T19:17:00.001-07:002009-08-31T20:29:41.519-07:00

I know that perhaps this photo may not constitute anything as earth shattering or terribly brilliant as far as photography goes, but there is something mesmerizing about a butterfly when it lands close to you. Perhaps it's their unpredictable moods and the way they tease you with their flirty flight patterns, where you hope they grace you with a soft landing on your arm. They rarely do, but once

Marilenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18103951725868071803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9155461720594752713.post-29126429804554616582009-08-20T04:28:00.000-07:002009-08-20T04:38:40.069-07:00

One thing we as humans can't manufacture, is the true beauty of the natural sunset. Each one is different and the colors can be mesmerizing. The other day I saw wisps of clouds hanging down like fringes, reflecting a pink and purple glow over the York River in Yorktown, Virginia (of course no camera in hand). This shot was taken on a cruise on the Spirit of Norfolk and I believe this is either

Marilenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18103951725868071803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9155461720594752713.post-71141023768445137912009-08-11T07:41:00.000-07:002009-08-11T07:50:20.607-07:00

In my attempt to be fresh in seeing something new in old iconic structures, I decided to present the sculptures sitting in front of the Supreme Court Building in Washington D.C. as a dyptic. On the left is the statue "Authority of Law" and on the right "Contemplation of Justice". I like the simplicity of seeing just the statues themselves without the clutter of the building's facade and portico.

Marilenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18103951725868071803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9155461720594752713.post-3415002211819269462009-08-10T04:32:00.000-07:002009-08-10T04:40:36.970-07:00

This shot is surreal and some people who have seen it look it over twice and ask me if this is Photoshopped. Not at all, it is just a reflection I saw while standing on a bridge in Newport News, Virginia at the Noland Trail. There are numerous bridges along the path, just perfect for contemplation. It's a great trail to walk, jog or just hang out at.I did a series of photos one afternoon which I

Marilenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18103951725868071803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9155461720594752713.post-22399803611827172822009-08-07T11:09:00.000-07:002009-08-07T11:23:24.243-07:00

Have you ever lived somewhere for awhile and then discover beautiful history right under your nose? Well, my discovery of the Victory Monument in Yorktown, Virginia was just like that, except for it was right above my nose. Overlooking a beautiful view of the York River, stands a very tall monument adorned with statues and wonderful quotes. It commemorates the concluding battle won of the

Marilenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18103951725868071803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9155461720594752713.post-52309992808530331212009-08-04T13:45:00.000-07:002009-08-04T13:56:32.726-07:00

Here is a great little spot for photo enthusiasts to study how the camera came to be and how light plays its part in projecting images, whether it is in a camera, onto a screen or the back of our own eyeballs, it is really a neat thing to try to understand.This Camera Obscura is located in San Francisco, California overlooking the water and right beside the Cliff House. I saw this man biking

Marilenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18103951725868071803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9155461720594752713.post-46812367304476073032009-08-03T09:18:00.000-07:002009-08-03T09:31:18.131-07:00

Did you click on this blog looking for a bargain purse? Well, I know where you can find it... CHINATOWN. This photo was taken in the middle of the night during a nice evening stroll with Kenny in San Francisco, California. We were venturing out to find some cocktails and yum yums as I snapped photos here and there with my little Canon Powershot. I did this one with no flash, crouched down on the

Marilenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18103951725868071803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9155461720594752713.post-59427229847844759232009-07-31T11:50:00.000-07:002009-07-31T11:56:04.397-07:00

One of my best friends used to work in Williamsburg, Virginia as a bartender and invited me out one night to shoot photos of the scene. He made me a couple of different cocktails and I shot fun shots of the interior, the drinks (some of which I drank), and the patrons. To keep the ambiance, I tried most of the shots with available lighting and a slow shutter speed. In some shots I did funky

Marilenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18103951725868071803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9155461720594752713.post-63617189312458627072009-07-30T17:57:00.000-07:002009-07-30T18:06:57.640-07:00

It was sunset in Richmond, Virginia as a good friend and I went for a stroll on the canal walk downtown. Every bend revealed another picturesque scene, however there was a slight problem. I had no camera on hand. The clouds were slowing rolling in and it was a wonderful hue of oranges, pinks and purples. I kept saying how ironic it was that I, a photographer, did not have a camera to take these

Marilenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18103951725868071803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9155461720594752713.post-90159526823723414892009-07-29T09:14:00.000-07:002009-07-29T09:21:49.094-07:00

Once in awhile you venture away from the path and discover a new world. This was a shot I took under a bridge on the Colonial Parkway in Virginia, somewhere between Yorktown and Williamsburg. The sand had been undisturbed for the most part except for little crab footprints that have scratched the surface. The wind and moisture created mini dunes for the whole stretch of the low cover. I ran my

Marilenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18103951725868071803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9155461720594752713.post-23116122835079644992009-07-28T12:22:00.000-07:002009-07-28T12:51:27.394-07:00

This is my latest painting from a photo I took in Newport News Park in Virginia of a swan taking off for a flight around the lake. The original photo is at the end of this post but I thought it would be nice enough to render into a painting. The original painting is 16x24 on mounted canvas with a combination of acrylic and other synthetic mediums. I also have mounted and poster reproductions for

Marilenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18103951725868071803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9155461720594752713.post-69665880813651714692009-07-27T07:08:00.000-07:002009-07-27T07:13:42.370-07:00

I love mornings that are foggy and crisp at the same time. I was driving to work one morning when I noticed the fog skimming the water at Harwood Mills Park in York County, VA that I had to turn the car around to take a photograph. The water was very still and the sun was starting to push away the thick fog which was retreating away from the shore I was standing at. The exposure was pretty quick

Marilenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18103951725868071803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9155461720594752713.post-11976681268720330632009-07-23T08:31:00.000-07:002009-07-23T08:48:40.988-07:00

What Kenny and I thought were at first some kind of Mayan Ruin site, we were tickled to discover it was a place that used to house a large recreational Bathhouse in the early 1900's. The site was spectacular with the remains still accessible. I'm sure it was THE place to go back then if you wanted to swim and not risk getting pulled away into the vast sea. This was on the coast in San Francisco,

Marilenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18103951725868071803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9155461720594752713.post-63535683443918303392009-07-21T22:36:00.000-07:002009-07-21T22:59:09.150-07:00

Suspended dolphins complete the Virginia Beach Convention Center's new age nautical theme and at first I did not even notice them. That space is enormous both inside and out and makes you feel like you are entering a futuristic space station. I like how the dolphin faces are smiling and their bodies are in perfect motion as if undulating through the invisible current. This photo is so

Marilenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18103951725868071803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9155461720594752713.post-52467456184501134122009-07-21T04:41:00.000-07:002009-07-21T04:48:03.184-07:00

I heart fireworks... I should have this bumper sticker because I certainly do. Here's a small set of ka-boomz from last year's Hollydazzle Display at Newport News, Virginia's City Center Fountain. They shot the light show over the fountain in the middle of the little faux metropolis and we stood amidsts crowds of people oooh-ing and aahh-ing at the brilliant show. It was nice and with music to

Marilenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18103951725868071803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9155461720594752713.post-5737654383991954922009-07-20T12:47:00.000-07:002009-07-20T12:54:11.912-07:00

The Homestead in Hot Springs, Virginia is a wonderful resort with many activities and of course a spa. I had the most fun working and taking photos at a convention up there a couple of years back. I took this shot after one of the golf tournaments as I made my way back in a golf cart. Just a quick snapshot to show how nestled the hotel was in the mountains. It's very fresh and peaceful there,

Marilenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18103951725868071803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9155461720594752713.post-83743972041361307342009-07-19T19:40:00.001-07:002009-07-19T19:47:57.148-07:00

I was passing by different booths at a trade show when I had to stop and giggle at the bobble head pens that one company was giving away. It was very cute with all those snickering faces and feathery hair. I took a quick shot and later looked at the pic to giggle again. I was reminded of the pre-teen punk rock parties I attended, where we would fake dye our hair and dance to Cindy Lauper. I

Marilenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18103951725868071803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9155461720594752713.post-3567925085848489972009-07-17T12:08:00.000-07:002009-07-17T12:18:23.573-07:00

Washington D.C. is full of history and architecture and in this shot STRIPES. I rendered this photo black and white to enhance the shapes and contrasts of the composition. There seemed to be stripes and lines everywhere when I glanced up to cross the street. I see many shots of the Capitol Building that are closer to the fountain, giving it grandeur and stateliness... but this one was a neat

Marilenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18103951725868071803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9155461720594752713.post-48761459043977688062009-07-16T11:12:00.000-07:002009-07-16T11:18:34.640-07:00

I like how during the summer, cheery sunflowers pop up looking like their namesake. So bright and yellow... usually taller than me. This was taken at The Belmont Pumpkin Farm in Matthews County, VA during a trip I took there with my daughter's school. There were butterflies but they were just too fast for me to capture in a photograph.Perhaps I'll venture out to the Rose Garden in Huntington Park

Marilenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18103951725868071803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9155461720594752713.post-2609721302168380792009-07-15T08:43:00.000-07:002009-07-15T08:51:26.163-07:00

The theme of the month is Green and I was thinking of submitting a photo of seaweed I snapped earlier this year. However, it did not have the same interesting details as this photo that I took in May of a yellow balloon. I decided that I could recolor the hue and turn the balloon green. Here is the result. I quite like it more than the yellow... it's fun submitting something green that's not a

Marilenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18103951725868071803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9155461720594752713.post-2793485162267800162009-07-14T21:55:00.000-07:002009-07-16T20:19:12.369-07:00

This was an early morning capture at the Oceanfront in Virginia Beach, VA that really gave me an enlightened feeling just by being present to view it. I happened to have my camera handy and stepped unto the balcony of the Virginia Beach Hilton where I was doing photography for a convention. It was nice to see the water with no boats or people within sight, compared to the hundreds of people I had

Marilenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18103951725868071803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9155461720594752713.post-30484831572687453432009-07-14T20:04:00.000-07:002009-07-14T20:14:08.208-07:00

While atop of the Coit Tower in San Francisco, California, I took this shot of the sights below with no tripod to compensate for the slower shutter speed. Yipe! I really tried hard not to shake the exposure because it was a really nice view. So here's the result of me not breathing long enough to hold the open shutter...I can still remember the cool, night air and the way everything felt like a

Marilenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18103951725868071803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9155461720594752713.post-82106498248423743412009-07-13T13:36:00.000-07:002009-07-14T20:15:35.432-07:00

Here's a photo that's not from the great outdoors... as the earlier posts have been. I saw all these empty clear glasses from the corner of my eye and gravitated towards it. There in the middle sat one that was filled with water and covered in condensation. It seemed like a simple shot, but how could I create something new. There was nice statement happening there. It reminded me of bubbles at

Marilenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18103951725868071803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9155461720594752713.post-26975685051988977482009-07-12T21:20:00.000-07:002009-07-14T20:18:05.688-07:00

Sunsets are always beautiful to me and somewhat surreal. I was fortunate to catch this one in Ocean City, MD at one of the waterside restaurants at the beginning of the strip. In the shot is the silhouette of what seems to be a pirate ship and a bird flying over it. The focus is sharp enough to see the American flag in the distance, the slight ripples in the water and the slats of the pier. I

Marilenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18103951725868071803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9155461720594752713.post-24321046321725842742009-07-10T09:56:00.000-07:002009-07-14T20:21:21.050-07:00

Mendocino, California was such a great place to visit. My Kenny and I stayed at the cutest little inn called "The Blackberry Inn" and our little cabin was very nice and comfy and had all the creature comforts you could ask for on vacation. The facade of our portion was a bank building and it was so darn cute parking our rental Mini Cooper in front of it.From our window you could see the beautiful

Marilenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18103951725868071803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9155461720594752713.post-87629365567283674162009-07-08T22:10:00.000-07:002009-07-14T20:22:55.492-07:00

Sometimes you have to get to the places where the flowers are in bloom and not hesitate. For this shot, I'm glad I decided to explore Colonial Williamsburg while the spring season was in full swing. I later returned a couple of days later and the same tree I had photographed was almost bare of all the petals.This shot is a favorite of mine because of the contrast of the roof's color and texture

Marilenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18103951725868071803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9155461720594752713.post-36336667076871794682009-07-08T14:07:00.000-07:002009-07-14T20:24:15.962-07:00

This photo was from an early morning hike I took along the water in Newport News Park in Virginia. The weather was just right and the fog had rolled in very thick that morning. Earlier shots proved that my lens was no match for the dense fog. As the morning progressed and my hike went further past the highly traveled areas, I began to notice a couple of larger birds on the shore. There were swans

Marilenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18103951725868071803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9155461720594752713.post-50921683052837212442009-07-07T22:16:00.000-07:002009-07-14T20:25:24.399-07:00

This is a famous statue in Virginia Beach, VA and many people have photographed it... I'm sure. I wanted to find my own interpretation and story. I decided to take a negative shot and make the statue appear even more powerful and the people seem like little sea creatures. I really like the pop of the silhouette and the colors of the other forms in contrast.The beach is busy this time of year and

Marilenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18103951725868071803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9155461720594752713.post-27686809917200395192009-06-30T20:02:00.000-07:002009-07-21T22:59:46.461-07:00

Flying in a hot air balloon certainly was a dream come true for me. I've always imagined how it would be. Scary? Not quite! It was at most peaceful and dreamlike. If you have never done it, you should find the closest place to you and do it. This flight was above Napa Valley in California. The shot was during our decent and the little tufts of green look like tree tops... they were small shrubs

Marilenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18103951725868071803noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9155461720594752713.post-64969557308782308402009-06-30T16:52:00.000-07:002009-07-14T20:27:44.194-07:00

Click to Enlarge...I was very excited to photograph the REDWOOD trees in California... my goal was to take a picture to show the enormity of these wonderful specimen. It was not an easy task since our view from beneath the trees did not allow for a single full length shot. My solution was taking panoramic shots and then I stitched them together to create one photograph. Notice the individual on

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