Friday, December 7, 2012

December Photo Challenge: Week 1

Dec. photo challenge


iHeartFaces is hosting a December photo challenge to encourage people to have their cameras out during this festive time of year.  I loved their prompts, so I'm participating by posting on their Facebook page.  Since the rest of what I've been doing centers around reorganizing and purging my home, I've had little to blog about.  (Although when I am done, I will post some before and after pictures.  More after than before!)  I thought I would share my first week of photos here, and will hopefully keep up and post the rest as well.  

Day 1:  me (no introductions needed here, right?)

DSC_1248

Day 2:  elf

DSC_1265

We don't do the "Elf on the Shelf", although I would certainly have tried it if our kids had been younger when it came out.  Lee actually bought this elf when he was single.  If you knew him, you would know how shocking this is.  Not because he isn't whimsical, but usually his whimsy doesn't involve money. He bought a lot of Christmas decorations the year he bought his first house.  (Of course, we were dating, so he had me along to help him.)  He's a pretty festive guy!

Day 3:  shadow play

DSC_1300

These matryoshka dolls that a friend brought me from Russia have shown up here before.  I don't think there has been a year where I didn't do photography experiments with them.  They are too much fun.  Here the bay window in my kitchen gave light from two directions to make a Christmas tree.

Day 4:  what you're reading

DSC_1305

I am studying this book with a group at church on Wednesday nights.  I don't think you can really go wrong with Philip Yancey.  Prayer is a topic near and dear to my heart, though I am not a prayer warrior by any means.  I think Yancey does a great job of exploring some important truths about prayer, while at the same time acknowledging that prayer takes many legitimate forms, and ultimately, how it works remains as much a mystery as the God whose character far surpasses our understanding.

Day 5:  someone I love...

DSC_1324

...is not quite the morning person he used to be.  It's hard to pour the syrup with your eyes closed.  I am sure this prompt was intended for me to actually photograph a person, but I have to be very choosy about when to bring the camera out around my family these days.  The more frequently I point the lens their way, the fewer good shots I get.

Day 6:  a burst of red

DSC_1846

I needed a little fresh air, so I decided to go the zoo and look for my red there.  These sumac berries caught my eye, and then suddenly this squirrel appeared just. that. close.  He froze for a moment as I pulled up my camera and even adjusted it.  Then one click and he was gone.

Day 7:  the view from here

DSC_1870

We live far enough north that the days are incredibly short at this time of year, and the view from here is most often dark!  It's hard to take pictures.  Soon the days will start to get longer again.  I was so happy a couple of years ago when someone mentioned the "blue hours", right before dawn and after dusk.  I had never realized that darkness can be so colorful.  I took this as the kids ate breakfast this morning at about 7:00.

4 comments:

Givinya De Elba said...

This was inspiring! I am nearly tempted to try it! I have an amazing burst of red in my front yard, squirrel not included. I have people I love and a view from here, but for a few days I only have a phone camera. That's okay, I guess. Just a different photography genre, the phone camera.

I was amazed that your 7am looks like our 3:50 am! Sadly, Timothy and I are acquainted with 3:50am.

Tracy P. said...

Do it! And sorry about the 3:50am. I remember it well, in a fuzzy sort of way. But not warm and fuzzy.

Deanna said...

Great pictures, Tracy. Your syrup shot really made me giggle. Our Bible study group did that very study a couple of years back. I did enjoy the lessons learned. Really love your Day 6 - burst of red.

Betty W said...

I always enjoy your pictures Tracy and especially your "take/look" at things. I not sure we have those blue mornings, but I'm going to check it out.