REFLECTIONS ON WATER

I have always been fascinated by the photos made with water reflections. You can find the most beautiful things in any ol' puddle of water if you look hard enough. So no, this was not a puddle, but a pond at our towns nature center. I love going there to find solitude, no thinking about the daily grind, acne treatments or medical problems or bills I can't pay this month. I meander around a lot, snapping photos of everything. Sometimes I just find a place to sit and stare off into the clouds. Sometimes it's good to just find a little bit of quiet full of nature.

FLOWER MACRO

I grow a bunch of these tiny little flowers in the front flower bed at my house every year. Don't ask me what they are - I have no idea. They do make for a great practice subject for macro photos however. I spent a few minutes yesterday snapping pics of them before the flowers go away again....

STORMS JUST KEEP ON COMING

Kansas has been a pretty volatile state over the past three days, and more bad weather is expected all the way up until Wednesday at last check. I have done a little bit of chasing this season, but every time I feel those winds come in before the storm, I get the chickens and get the hell out of there. Makes me totally wanna call in for some term life insurance quotes just in case I ever get caught up in one of these buggers.

This storm was one of last night's run, which prompted tornado warnings soon after I left the area. On Sunday morning, before the days weather began, the tornado count for Kansas alone was over 125 for just Friday and Saturday. There were at least 2 deaths from the tornado outbreak, one death from a lightning strike, many many towns damaged, homes destroyed, and even another near miss with Greensburg. A tornado actually did touch down right outside the city. My prayers go out to my friend in Greensburg. Living the nightmare once was surely enough.....

START WITH BUSINESS CARDS!!

Talk about the easiest way of creating a logo design and business cards!! I found this company who would help me quickly and easily create a logo for my business, and incorporate it effortlessly into my business cards. It took me about a minute to find exactly what I was looking for in a logo - there were a ton of images to choose from. The process was way easier than what it would take for me to create my own, as I can never decide if my designs are just right or not. I was able to choose the exact colors I wanted, and anyone who knows me, knows that everything I touch turns purple, so this was awesome. At least now I have a good point to start with having these superb quality cards. Now when I meet people who want to know more about my art, I won't have to write my web address on a napkin and hope they don't lose it! Foot forward for me in the right direction - AWESOME business cards that I created myself without the stress!
Go ahead - try it out. Just click the link and make a logo and some cards for yourself!

SCHOOL'S OUT FOR THE SUMMER!

School is officially out for the summer for the kiddo's today! This means a whole lot of I'm boooooored. I got some Blockbuster coupons to rent movies on the rainy days, and I have been trying to decide on a plan for the summer months so they don't get bored.
I have been thinking heavily about teaching art at the grade school level, and I decided for sure that we will be having our own "art school" at home this summer. The big project will be working on our entries for the Kansas State Fair in September. The only real expense to me will be a few good sized canvases and a few odds and ends supplies. Maybe some watercolor paper. I want to let them get their hands into all of the different media that I can afford or have on hand. With so little regard for the arts in schools these days, it just may be the only chance they have to learn about it at all....

SEPIA - HARSH LIGHTING

I don't know what it is exactly that I like so much about this photo. The lighting is too harsh, she seems really pissy, and you can only see half of her face....
But I adore it. Originally shot in color, the sepia toning just seemed to make it more mysterious. Her true personality is a complete turnaround from what shows in the photo. Hmm....

VACATION IMPOSSIBLE????

Has everyone been looking through the travel guides trying to decide where to go on vacation this summer?? Yeah.
The last week of May is our family vacation time, only with the price of gas so high, there is no way we can afford to go out of the State of Kansas. Um - actually anywhere further than about 100 miles out of town. Even then the gas will suck up a lot of fun money.

So if we all squished into this old timey phone booth, maybe we could open and close the door and end up somewhere else?? Hey - it worked for Doctor Who......

WHERE DO I GO NOW???

I suppose I am supposed to make a decision on what to do with myself now that school is out. I have been thinking about it a lot lately, and I know I want to do something that uses my degree skills or else the whole school thing would be pretty pointless. I have a pretty decent background in advertising now, and I can spend the rest of my days touting acne treatment and homes for sale, liquor store ads and new cars. Of course I would rather just sell my art, but not many people can make a living doing that. I did start a new site - only for selling my work - just in case. It's going to take me some time to get it all put together, but eventually I hope it will go somewhere. I tried the whole ebay thing with some measure of success, but by the time ebay takes out the listing fee, then the sold item fee, then paypal takes out their fee, and the fees to box and ship, there isn't much left as a profit. It actually makes it kind of pointless. I suppose I will see what the summer brings.....

FREEDOM!

Now that school is officially over, I am free to create!! I don't really know what I am going to do with myself, but for the moment I want to fiddle around with faces. People are very interesting subjects, and my best friend is no exception. She made a funny face at me, and I ended up turning her into some kind of vampire lookin lady.
I also want to explore color more in depth over the summer, and this one ended up being what I would think is a complementary color scheme.
Summer - is going to be a blast!

CLOUDS BEFORE THE STORM...

Images Copyright 2008
Rebecca Bridges

Had to go out in it again tonight.
Can't help it.
I'm addicted.

This was a fast moving storm that gave some huge wind speeds. I didn't see anything tornadic, nor did I hear that there was, but man these clouds were awesome!!

Please pardon the sensor dust.... I severely need to have my camera serviced.

KANSAS LIGHTNING

Images Copyright 2008 Rebecca Bridges

And this is why I love digital photography more than using film! Out of about 90 shots, I got around 9 keepers. Had I been using film, the success rate would have been much lower. Even though I know what settings to use - it is pretty much impossible to know exactly when and where the lightning will strike. For that reason, using film would be far to expensive with a whole lot of waste!

GOODBYE OLD FRIEND.....

This is where I would come to have a break at school.
Now it is time to finally say goodbye. It took me fourteen years to get to this point, but here I am. Sad but relieved, happy but scared. I have learned so much, had my eyes opened to so many new things, experienced a million emotions and even let a few new people into my life here. What happens next? What path will my life take from here? I don't know, but there is a wonderful energy in the air around me. The one thing I know for sure is that I will never stop making art. No matter if I am the only one that likes it, no matter if it ever is seen by anyone else. My life will be spent with hands around camera, fingers grasping paint brushes, clothing destructed by paints and glues and inks. My children will learn from my experiences, the world created by art, and experience all it has to offer them first hand. I have had the most wonderful teachers a person could ever ask for. I would love to reward each and every one of them with a golden Parmigiani if I had the means. That journey I am on - simply to learn to SEE - is one I discovered will never be over, and I am glad....

LIGHTNING SCENES 2008

Images Copyright Rebecca Bridges 2008

The weather all around us last night was incredible! Of course we didn't get anything, it was mostly to the east of us. These were the best I could muster with the storms being so far away and me staying right in my own backyard!