Blog Posts - Jill Kerttula

236 of 365 - day 14 of Around the Block

8/24/2014

I have been taking many photos FROM my fire escape, so today thought I would take a couple OF the fire escape. One is a self portrait, and the other is an appreciation of the wear of it. Enjoy! Click on either or both to seem them larger and in their full measure of beauty!

235 of 365 - Day 13 of Around the Block

8/23/2014

Lets have a look at the neighbors today. Those of you who have followed my comments for a while, may remember the White Barn posts from the past. (if you need a refresher go here) I had a favorite white barn in Wisconsin and photoed quite frequently. Well turns out there is one here too! From our parking lot you can see the barn below. No longer, if ever, is it used for livestock - now a heating and ac company - but it still stands sentinel over the area, and like its Wisconsin counterpart, changes with the light and weather.

Also seen from our windows is the "house on the hill". I have no idea if it is a residence or what, but it catches the last rays of the sun and gleams from the hilltop at sunset. (it is very far away and this is with my zoom at full blast!)

So even though we are in the heart of the city, rural reminders are around and within sight.

234 of 365 - day 12 of Around the Block

8/22/2014

I awoke at 5:56 realizing that there was a shroud of fog over the city. So, of course, I grabbed my camera and ran outside.

They world was soft.
It was filtered.
It was quiet.
It was lovely.

It was also interesting to see who else was on the streets at that time of day; a police office cruising about, the train engineer, a couple of guys who were probably coming home, a business guy getting a jump on his competitors, the bakery delivery guys, the trash collectors, and several runners.

All respectfully quiet and solitary.

NOTE: If you do not know what the "Around the block" is about you can click here.

Also out for me to enjoy, were the dew encrusted webs and flowers.
An hour later they were no where to be seen, so I am glad I ventured out!

Here are a few more I want to share with you... please click on any of them to scroll through the pictures at full crop and larger.

233 of 365 - Day 11 of Around the Block

8/21/2014

Big rainstorm last night, so I went out to check out the puddles. They didn't disappoint me! Below are two shots of the parking lot enhanced by the lighting there. Click on them to see them larger.

232 of 365 - Day 10 of Around the block

8/20/2014

I am not alone up on the fire escape. As I stood there, I swear I could feel eyes on me. I looked up and here was this bug watching my every move. I snapped the picture. checked it out, and then looked up again and he was gone! The birds sat on the poles a long time watching the world go by! (Click to see larger)

231 of 365 - Day 9 of Around the block

8/19/2014

Noticed that there were clouds at sunset for about the first time since we have been here. SO I headed out to the fire escape again. In Wisconsin we had sunrises, but couldn't see sunsets... here I can't see sunrise, but I can glimpse sunsets. I love the pigeons around here, and they all gathered in the parking lot across the street to watch the sunset with me, so of course I had to include them.

Here are a few that didn't make the daily cut, but I decided to include them... click on them to see them larger!

230 of 365 - Day 8 of around the block

8/18/2014

Took the grand kids around the block with me yesterday. Just wandered and looked around. The five year old picked up all the dead leaves and bugs he could find, and the seven year old found a great stick of bark which could be used as a weapon, a drumstick, a projectile, or so many other things! So here are my photos for today! (Plus one of my two buddies!)

229 of 365 - Day 7 of Around the block

8/17/2014

Looking at details again for today's images. The concrete curb is just awash with subtle colors. I think it is a really good example of how there really is rarely a gray shadow! I have upped the saturation a bit, but the colors themselves are true.
I loved the details in the paint and paper on the light post.

228 of 365 - Day 6 of Around the block

8/16/2014

So last night, in a show of ultimate laziness, I didn't even leave home for my pics! Instead I tried some "light painting" of the parking lot from our window. Here are some of the results. Not quite sure what I think of them, but maybe they could be a great quilt backgrounds. (click any of them to see them larger). On the right is the parking lot that I was shooting.

227 0f 365 - Day 5 of around the block

8/15/2014

Yesterday was all about morning light, today's photos are from the "golden hour" of evening light. I will admit to being totally enthralled with the light on the brick structures. (click on the pics to enlarge them)
For more about, and pictures of, last night check out this blog post!

226 of 365 - Day 4 of around the block

8/14/2014

Today's photos were taken from our window, looking at the morning light in the time before the commuters leave for work,
(click on photo to see larger)

225 of 365 - Day 3 of Around the block

8/13/2014

It rained yesterday, and left so many beautiful drops on every thing. Wanted to take some pics of the beauty here so you don't think we live in a hole of urban decay!

224 of 365 - Day 2 of 30 days Around the block!

8/12/2014

Someone left the caps off of the two headed fire hose pipe, so I had a look inside! Then, as I bent over to pick something up, I noticed this peek into the next lot from between two trees in the hedge row along our fence. Below is one of our street lights,the texture is not evident from the normal viewing distance.
For more info about this 30day challenge see this blog post.

223 of 365 - and 1 of 30 days around the block!

8/11/2014

As I mentioned in my blog post yesterday, I will be shooting only in my one block radius for the next 30 days... here are the first couple shots. (with a third thrown in for good measure!) see blog post HERE

222 of 365 - new theme, new direction, time to regroup a bit!

8/10/2014

There is a new theme for the group now: Sports. I will be changing my direction, but couldn't let this theme pass by without an homage to the meeting of my husband through sports! Many years ago we were fencers and this is my practice foil from back then.

It is a bit rusty and worn; as we are! But all and all has held up well; as we have!

As far as the change of direction, I have decided to take a month off of the themes, and regroup my thoughts about how I take photos and why. Not any monumental philosophical meditations, but just time to regroup a bit.

Generally I find it very easy to attack a new activity or art form, but then get caught in the trap of trying to make it "look good" or "look like good _____" should look, rather than just enjoying the activity for my own process and edification.

I have started thinking about big cameras, lenses, and recording for end results as reasons and goals , more than the process of seeing and finding the serendipity around me which is why I went into it. So I have devised what I hope is a slap against the side of the head to help me think if those "advances " are really what will help me expand my voice, or if they are just something I want to be able to emulate better! If I haven't bored you silly by now, please read my blog for today here!.

221 of 365 - Good time had by all!

8/9/2014

Went to see a band last nigh - Baaba Seth - and they were so much fun To read more and see a lot more pictures go to my blog for today. These two pictures were a couple of my favorites. I loved the way the lights outlined the lead musicians dreadlocks. And I simply liked the colors, the shine and the details of the static drum set against those of the drummer's hands.

However this shoot made me realize why one would spend the money to move up in the camera world. A faster focus and more control would have been nice!

220 of 365 - a walk for a beer

8/8/2014

Took a walk to the neighborhood brewery today and, on the way, met the biggest domestic cat I have ever seen! I think his ear is a sign of his 'street cred'.

214 - 219 of 365 - Movie theme this week!

8/7/2014

Decided to group these in a gallery again, so you could see all of the themed items at once. Please click on any one to see them at larger size, full crop and captions!

208-213 of 365 - a jarring week!

8/1/2014

This week was a week of "Jars". Perhaps a strange theme, but fun nonetheless. I did take a day off to focus on the beautiful flowers I had gotten at the farmers markets, but otherwise - jars it is! Click on any photo to see it larger or read the caption.

201-207 of 365 - A Week of Black and White.

7/26/2014

Life got in the way, and while I have taken my daily pictures, I have not updated this site with them, so here is a gallery of the last week where the theme was black and white. To see the picture larger, please click on them. Thanks.

199 + 200 0f 365 - park walks with Finn

7/18/2014

Visiting the grand kids, and there is a wonderful little park by their house. Here are a couple of pictures of the older one sending off his boomerang (199), and one of the many turtles and other wildlife that live in the park (200).

For more pictures of the pond animals go HERE.

198 of 365 - Superstition theme continued

7/17/2014

The above Origami elephant was folded by and given to us by a Canadian bartender years ago. He told us it was good luck and to not spend it... we haven't!

On the right was a guy I saw at the fountain on the Charlottesville Mall. He was circling the fountain with this crystal plumb bob hanging in front of him. I have no idea what he was doing or if it was some sort of New Age ritual, but he was taking it very seriously.

197 of 365 - Swedish superstition... or cautionary tale!

7/16/2014

"Don't leave your keys on the table" is evidently a superstition in Sweden. According to the internet, the myth behind the superstition is an interesting and a cautionary one.

This is the explanation given by one internet source:

"Back in the day, prostitutes would indicate to potential clients their working status by putting their keys on the table in a hotel or bar. Parents didn't want to tell their daughters 'Don't put your keys on the table, people might think you are a hooker.' So instead they told them 'Don't put your keys on the table, it's bad luck.

I don't know if this story is true. But I think it is really interesting folklore."

196 of 365 - superstitions #2

7/15/2014

Masks have long been connected to our superstitions and religions. This was a small mask I saw in one of the antique stores here, and with a little editing, helped it fuel the flames of our fears!

195 of 365 - Superstitions #1

7/14/2014

This week the group's theme is "superstitions"... I bring you "three coins in a fountain", so make a wish!