The Secret Garden

Beach Cottage Yard, February, 2014

"The Secret Garden was what Mary called it when she was thinking of it. She liked the name, and she liked still more the feeling that when its beautiful old walls shut her in no one knew where she was. It seemed almost like being shut out of the world in some fairy place. The few books she had read and liked had been fairy-story books, and she had read of secret gardens in some of the stories. Some peole went to sleep in them for a hundred years, which she had thought must be rather stupid. She had no intention of going to sleep, and, in fact, she was becoming wider awake every day which passed at Misselthwaite."

                                                                      ~ Frances Hodgson Burnett

Seagulls

Jekyll Fishing Pier, March 2014

"The gull sees farthest who flies highest."

                                                                      ~ Richard Bach, Jonathan Livingston Seagull

Did You See That?

Egret with Shark

Sometimes when you are focusing your attention on one subject, another comes along. I suppose this is more of a baby shark photobombing an egret.

Beach Brain

Nearly 70 degrees today and I am thinking about the beach. 

Spring Workshop Dates Announced

Spring is in the air in Fayetteville! What a better place to celebrate spring than at Turnipseed Farm! Come watch the garden awaken and learn how to be more creative with your photography...

Turnipseed has been transformed from a nursery into an art farm. Here you can take oil painting and photography classes. My Creative Photography 8-week class begins on March 20. Now that there is more light in the evening -- I have added an evening class. The morning class is from 10am to noon and evening is from 6:30 to 8:30pm.

Email me at donna(at)thebarefootphotographer.com for more information, to receive a registration form, and to check if the class you are interested in is full.  I like to limit the class size to allow for a good experience.

Where You Least Expect It

Some people have said I spend a little too much time looking at clouds. 

I think I don't spend enough. 

Looking...seeing...spotting things you may have missed is never a waste of time.

Here's to warmer days, puffier clouds, and a happy Valentine's Day.

Once Upon an Ice Storm

The view down the street Wednesday evening. 

Street light through the ice-covered branches; Wednesday evening.

The old oak tree in the front yard, Thursday morning, as the melt started.

Instagram

Years ago on a trip to Hawaii, because my husband sprained his ankle, I met Nikki Sixx.

Earlier in the week I noticed this guy on the beach -- a guy with a lot of tattoos. He also had a lot of cameras and some people helping him carry the equipment around. I thought he was a photographer and perhaps there was a shoot of some kind going on at the resort or down on the beach. There were some celebrities at the resort and I wondered if he was just there to catch them on vacation.

A few days go by and, without going into detail, a mishap occurred on the golf course. My husband sprained his ankle. We were taken to the hotel doctor. There was the typical small waiting room with people waiting to see the doc. As soon as we settled in for our wait -- my husband looks at the guy I had seen early on and says, "Hey, I know you."

And the conversation began. He was such a nice guy and so fun to talk to -- about travel and photography.

Fast forward to 2013 and I am getting pretty active on Instagram (find me here). I wondered if Nikki Sixx was on Instagram -- and sure he is -- here.

I am not a big celebrity person.  I don't read People magazine (except for that time I was paid to read it). But it is fun to see this stream of photos. Most of my Instagram contacts are photo friends from all over. I do like to keep up with Sharon Lawrence as well there and on Facebook. She and I met when she was in town working on a Drop Dead Diva episode -- and I actually got to sit in on the shooting (fun!). 

Holland International Image Circuit

So today I received a report card in my email.

It was for the Holland International Image Circuit. I have three images (seen below) selected to be a part of four of the five salons of the circuit.

7th Rainbow Challenge Rijen 2014

Image Salon Delft 2014 and International Image Salon Oldenzaal 2014

Tribute to Color 2014 (Heerhugowaard), Image Salon Delft 2014, 7th Rainbow Challenge Rijen 2014, and International Image Salon Oldenzaal 2014

Southern Snow

As I sit here typing this blog post it is a wonderful, sunny, 71 degrees outside. Last Monday it was in the 60s. On Tuesday a winter storm - I believe the name was Leon - swept through Atlanta causing great havoc. Thankfully I was home and able to simply enjoy the brief winter blast that is so uncommon in the south; and that is why I love the south.