Sometimes the most ordinary objects reveal the most amazing properties Day 34

Grey weather continues, pouring today. We have a snowstorm warning for the next 3 days so when I went shopping this morning the place was full, later on was even worse I heard. People worried that they needed supplies if they get snowed in. Well don't laugh - this place is not very used to a bit more snow.

Anyhow I was doing my weekly including fruits and vegs when I noticed I was buying reds, greens and yellows but only when bright. I guess I'm in need of colour splash. So what came to mind next? Selective colouring. A must do 365 cliche :-D Actually I wasn't going to make it that simple. Why one cliche? Let's use two. Here comes the second one: a heart. I avoided another cliche by refusing to title it I heart strawberries even though it IS true. So if you add primary colour as the 3rd cliche and photographing one type of fruit as the 4th, I'm amassing quite some of them in one single shot ;-D

Maybe I should just title it I heart PS ;-P

I noticed way to late that DOF could be better - the day after actually since I'm late uploading the photo. Apologies for both, hopefully you'll forgive me...

Reading stones Day 33

This photo is dedicated to A. who does not need glasses anymore and is understandably happier for it. Fare thee well my friend, I wish you a great new episode in the drama (I think I should call it comedy rather, no?) of expat life. Many happy moments! I on the other hand will be looking out for the opening of toilet-space.com :-D

Apparently the first corrective lenses were made in the 9th century by Abbas Ibn Firnas, Arabic speaking Berber polymath; and called reading stones :-D

I sometimes struggle to explain to people with normal vision that if one wakes me up in the morning and winks I just won't see that. Maybe this will help...

This photo is not a photoshop construction. Small f number + focus straight into the centre of that glass. Wishing I found a way to keep the rest of the glasses sharp. In theory possible yet I did not manage to produce the desired effect. Focusing anywhere else but onto the centre of that glass made image not sharp enough and then this photo lost the point. Double optics trouble. I shall try again. Maybe in a gallery with a huge photo standing further away from it... For now this will have to prove my point about winking in the morning.

Original photograph was taken by Cengiz Karlıova and was published in a book called "Traces" 50 years of IFSAK. His portfolio can be found online following this link http://www.fotogen.org.tr/portfolio/karliova.htm

and the photo of that book page if you're interested

Caught in our own world - aren't we? Day 32

Editing editing editing today, I was soooooooo behind.
Not much inspiration for photos today so I went for "revealing" instead :-D

Fact 1 about me: I love spices.
Fact 2: I love how black and white either adds to the mood or accentuates the texture.

Flattened and squashed the little anonymous star aniseed wishes for... or not?! :-D

Day 31 Night edition

It snowed and snowed and snowed. 1st decent snowfall in Istanbul this winter. And I was driving home, late at night, enjoying it immensely.

Lacy raginess. The power of nature. Day 31

Thanks you Elaine for suggesting I document the sea today. I was braving sleet, snow and fast winds out there above the beach, enjoying the roar and shapes of waves. Then I turned leftwards and realized that another ship got stuck in the shallow waters further down the beach. I'll be seeing it for a while I assume. These monsters need weeks to be dug out of all that sand. Good luck to the poor crew...

Rainy season's wet expression Day 30

Rain rain rain... forecasted more rain and rain and rain + a pinch of sarcasm = rainy season.

It was only misting when I got home. I noticed that these tiny tiny red flowers next to my entrance were a really interesting colour and full of rain drops. No idea why I don't notice them daily, but I just don't. Head in the future projects I guess.

I used my 50mm lens, took a big pic, run inside and cropped heavily. Well that is not the best recipe. So I needed to do some processing. Sharpening, contrast, overall clarity and resolution left a lot to be desired. I could adjust some but there's no walking away from the fact that I've approached macro without a macro lens (and this is not the 1st shot either). I'll have to get a decent one ASAP. Or a macro filter / ring?? Maybe I should try reversing my lens?!? If you have any recommendations or tips to share please leave them in comments. I'd be grateful.

I never really appreciated macro. Well sure, I saw some great photos. But I have no patience to run after bugs and no wish to imprison them in jars or whatever, I'm also convinced that the world is too full of close ups of roses, with raindrops on or without... Only, now I'm seeing the light. I could do with closer focusing distance on many occasions and sometimes the bigger picture is really not that interesting. Nope, you do not wish to see the original of this one, you don't...

Cinematic world of a cutesy little girl Day 29

Happy 2nd birthday baby!

And that was a crowded party full of toddlers, babies, and parents. Guess I was lucky to get a clear shot ;-D Added filter to make this resemble old monochromatic analogue photo.