Spicebush Swallowtail

Gloucester Township, NJ

Bill and I spend a lot of time outdoors and sometimes we are lucky enough to catch beautiful butterflies like this spicebush swallowtail. Our net of choice is a camera. Butterflies are as challanging as birds to photograph.

Three Friends Fishing

Sea Isle City, NJ

It was an overcast day and we were walking by the back bay when we saw these boys fishing from a pier.

Sundew and Water Droplets

Pine Barrens, NJ

In the swampy area of the pine barrens we found several different types of sundews. They were covered with water droplets and Bill took a photograph of this spatulated sundew. The tiny hair-like fibers on the leaves capture water of early morning dew.

The Artic Hunter

Pine Hill, NJ

Today the car's outside thermometer said that the temperature at the parking lot where I work was 100 degrees. As I pulled away it dropped to 98 and by the time I got to our home it was 96. Whatever the true temps I decided to put "The Artic Hunter". May we all feel cool looking at it.

Seaweed

Ventnor, NJ

Bill's image "Seaweed" reminds me of a monk. He gave the sand and seaweed a more black and white feel to it and the seaweed is such a dark green as to look black.

Green Seaweed

Atlantic City, NJ

On one of our footsin' trips on the beach in Atlantic City, I found this seaweed that looked like the hair on top of the head of a person in a long robe. Several years before this Bill had found a similar setup. Tomorrow I will put Bill's image on the blog. What I like about scanning it into the computer is the texture that is created when you mix bightness and contrast. Even the treads of shoes show up. It is texture and color that create the image.

Moth Mullein

Gloucester Township, NJ

The moth mullein can be found along roadsides and open fields. When we lived in Gloucester Township we would strike out along the roads walking with our cameras and sometimes we'd come across beautiful wildflowers. Bill liked taking flower pics and for years we were lucky to have this huge open field next to our apartment complex. It was finally sold for a strip mall and miniature golf course. There are several vacant stores there now and that miniature golf course lies abandoned but, the open field still shines vibrant in our pictures and memories.

Early Morning Mist

New Brooklyn Lake

Winslow Township, NJ

I noticed how much harder it is to get up early and catch these great early morning shots. Many years ago Bill and I arrived early and he caught the mist as it rose up off the lake. Now we look for late afternoon shots when we travel.

Two Kayakers

Ventnor, NJ

Wouldn't it be nice to walk along the beach at the Jersey Shore?

Purple Coneflower

Pine Hill, NJ

I noticed the purple coneflowers beginning to blossom in the wildflower garden. Bill took this photo in 2005. I watched as he cropped it into a square shape and removed some hotspots.

Evening Prayers

Pine Hill, NJ

This small image will only be printed at 2 1/2 to 3 inches and yet it is one of my favorites. It was born of tree park from one of the oak trees in our back yard. I began to crop getting smaller and smaller. I knew that I would have trouble making it a print. But there is something I really liked. It reminds me of monks on the way to evening prayers. Above one of the monks singing is an angel playing a guitar. I get the feeling of mediaeval Gregorian chanters.

Iron Fence

Penn's Landing

Philadelphia, PA

Last year we went over to Philadelphia for a bit of walking or footsin' around Society Hill and Penn's Landing. Several years ago they built the Hyatt Regency at Penn's Landing and the Delaware River. Bill found this beautiful fence along the back of the hotel and a flower sticking threw the fence. Is it rear or memorex?

Old Chevy Truck No. 1

Old Chevy Truck No. 2

Mullica Township, NJ

New Jersey still has some old country roads and several years ago when Bill's was not feeling good and I wanted to get out and take photos I took my old white bomber a 1981 Chevette and drove along Route 30 towards Atlantic City. I didn't have a particular direction in mind. Eventually I turned down a side road and continued until I reached Indian Cabin Road. I turned onto it coming back into a direction I thought was towards home. Every once in a while I'd stop and take a picture of something. Suddenly the road became a dirt road but I continued on. As I did I came across this old chevy truck. I got out and took several pictures from different angles. I even did a couple closeups. I haven't been back there and I wonder is the truck still there or did they finally put up another housing development.

Red Boat and Windows

Sea Isle City, NJ

Here is Bill's version of the red boat. He saw the red shutters that matched the boat and stepped back to take the wide angle view. This happens a lot with us. We each see the same scene yet shoot it differently. Comparing the two images we even took it at different times of the day. His image the boat is in the shade and mine the boat is in sunlight.

Red Boat

Sea Isle City, NJ

Bill and I love to walk around the towns and cities we visit. We've done this since we met. In the 90's we took a few trips to Sea Isle City and did a bit of footsin'. We both photographed this red boat. Today I have put my version. Tomorrow I'll share Bill's.

Root Cellar

Brandywine Battlefield Park

Chadds Ford, PA

Last week I put Bill's version of this root cellar. This week here is mine.

City Hall at an Angle

Philadelphia, PA

Bill and I have shot a lot of pictures of City Hall in Philadelphia. In 2005, Bill, began looking at the city's building a little differently.

Craggy Old Face

Pine Hill, NJ

This is abstract Wednesday. It seems that each Wednesday I put one of may abstracts on the blog. That's because I don't get home from my regular job until 5pm or maybe a little earlier if I take vacation time and I already have an abstract on file. This tree bark began to take on the features of an old face. I really liked what I was bringing out. I hope if you are looking at this blog you will enjoy it too.

Deptford Pink

Gloucester Township, NJ

Bill loves this photo he took one day down the street where we once lived. It's the Deptford Pink.

Root Cellar

Brandywine Battlefield Park

Chadds Ford, PA

Last year Bill and I spent a June weekend get-a-way in Chadds Ford, PA. One of the places we stopped was Brandywine Battlefield Park. The park has two historic buildings, Washington's Headquarters at one end and Lafayette's Headquarters at the other. This root cellar was also in the park. This is Bill's image of the root cellar and it reminds me of an excellent scene to paint as a water color.

Lush Woods

New Brooklyn Park

Winslow Township, NJ

One of my favorite images. There is an alcove where I would put my stool and watch for birds, butterflies and the sun as changed on the green leaves of summer. One day I sat across from this scene of moss, ferns and tree leaves. As I set my camera up to capture the picture to my right flying over the stream was a green heron. It was a great day, photography and birdwatching.

Tractor

Hammonton, NJ

You can still find farms in New Jersey. Hammonton still has farms and it is still known as the "Blueberry Captial of the World" We walked along one of its very long roads. Bill spotted this tractor and liked the furrows it made in the dirt.

Farmer

Lancaster, PA

This photo was taken in 1985 and twenty-two years later I've developed it on our computer to the above image. I decided to darken the grass virtually taking it out altogether. This caused my farmer to become a silhouette.

Wildwood Beach

Wildwood, NJ

Wildwood has what sometimes can feel like miles and miles of beach and, that's just to get to the ocean from the boardwalk. Bill captured some of that feel in this picture where large dunes separate the boardwalk and the bathers.

A Tyrant Enters On Stage

Pine Hill, NJ

I have several new abstracts that I want to put on the blog. It was difficult which one to pick first. I chose this one "A Tyrant Enters On Stage". When I first looked at the tree bark, I thought I saw an old fashioned school teacher in long dress. Then I began to work with it more. The school "marm's" face took on a bigger reptilian-like head. The dress was still there which made it look even more bizarre. I didn't aim at any one person or country as the tyrant. It could be anyone or any place. Take a look at the curtain on the left, can you feel or see the eyes staring at the tyrant. Bill sees a face with a long nose. That image is nearly half way down the picture and I see a snakes head at end of the nose spitting out venom. This head opens at the top to let in all those tyranical ideas. To the right is the audience. If you look very careful there is a man in the audience at the bottom right. Does he remind you of Hitler? Check it out and see what you think.

Garden and Pond

Glendora, NJ

My mother lives in a senior complex. There are gorgeous gardens throughtout and last year Bill and I spent a lot of time there after Mom broke her hip. Some of these are water ponds with fragrant water lilies and frogs croaking peonies blossoming. Its a paradise like the biblical "Garden of Eden". The complex has supplied benches throughout and if we decide we need to live in just such an apartment this would be my first choice.

Forbes Asterias

Atlantic City, NJ

During one of our footsin' trips in Atlantic City, I came across this starfish. It was the first time I'd seen one closeup and alive. Years ago ill had photograhed one looking down on some rocks in Maine that were under water but, I never saw it that day. I took many shots and today I scanned it in to the computer. I gave it a browner tone to the sand and that brings out the tecture I think. So here today is "Forbes Asterias".

Three Umbrellas

Ocean City, NJ

Three umbrellas side by side and three women sitting beneath those umbrellas enticed Bill to grab the shot. For Bill the umbrellas were more important then the women and he decided to darken the ladies sitting in their chairs and bring out the colorful umbrellas above them. By making the sky lighter, the umbrellas now stand out more.

The Wave Watchers

Atlantic City, NJ

I was standing up high when I noticed this mother and her two children at the waters edge in Atlantic Ctiy. It was taken in the early 90's before they built up the dunes. Now you can't see the ocean unless you walk out on a platform. No more walking on the boards and shooting the ocean. There are places like the Taj Mahal that have huge steps leading to patios which still allow you to see down to the ocean. I know why they want the dunes so high. I miss the openess of the beach from the boardwalk. Dunes are the price to be paid for being allowed to live or visit a barrier island.

Spatterdock

Pine Barrens, NJ

Today is the first day of June and the spatterdocks are beginning to bloom. These aquatic flowers are also called yellow pond-lilies. This image was taken by Bill when we were walking in the pines near the Mullica River. I don't know where the name spatterdock comes from and none of my guidebooks mentions where the name comes from. Howard P. Boyd's guidebook, "The Field Guide to the Pine Barrens of New Jersey" lists it as yellow pond-lily, spatterdock or bullhead-lily. It will bloom from now through early September.