A scarf
Something red
Something made of paper
Once the challenge was posted, I did a scavenger hunt of the house and found that I owned more scarves than I thought :-) I also noticed my book case full of books (made of paper) and it gave me the idea for the set-up I chose. I did have to buy the glasses and the blanket, but I needed new reading glasses anyway and the blanket was only $3.
I loaded up my backpack and headed out to scout out some locations. I started in the local park and was happy with those shots, so I didn't try to get any at the other locations that I thought might have worked (that ended up not working for one reason or another).
Issue was, that I didn't realise my camera wouldn't over ride previous ISO settings when I put it in Auto mode. So my shots that day all came out grainy.
Here is my fav from that day that was my "back-up" in case the re-shoot didn't work out.
This was the last photo in this location because Dazzle just saw a SQUIRREL!! And his comprehension of the word stay dropped to zero. :-)
This is the closest I got to getting him to look at the book, but I like the relaxed look better.
Dazzle was pretty happy with his paycheck for putting up with my silliness
After I got home and saw the photos on my computer screen, I decided I would try again the next day (Wednesday) since the 60 degree temps and sun were going to continue. I got the table all set up, then got dazzle into position and got several shots, but the sun was so bright that the shadows were really harsh and I wasn't happy with how they turned out. I was starting to pack up when I noticed the sun was about to go behind a big cloud. So we waited and I got dazzle back into position and got several more shots before the sun came back out. This was the best of the bunch and the one I submitted for the challenge.
After our photo session on Tuesday, I had gone to Metamora and taken several photos. But because they turned out grainy I ended up making them aged and noir shots.
This house is actually pink, so it seems funny to change it so drastically
After the photo session on Wednesday, I didn't go back to Metamora, but i did take another drive and got some interesting photos with the proper camera settings
At the park, I sat and watched the ducks for a bit (Dazzle in the van nearby). The ducks were practically attacking people that had bread bags or crackers and each time a person would arrive, they left the water to swarm them. When finished, they went back to the water. So i was able to get some in flight shots I'm really happy about.
Duck soup:
But Dazzle didn't miss out on fun. I took him to the tall grass prairie to let him play fetch. Have I mentioned how much I love my new camera for action shots?!
I used this shot for this week's submission to the Facebook group for active dogs.
And when I stopped at the historic brick church pictured above, I took him in. He likes checking out the "portals to other worlds"
I entered my sunset silhouette photo in the "High Quality Dog Photos" group contest "Best of 2011" and it got 5th place! I was kind of surprized because there were so many REALLY great shots! So now it gets featured on the group's home page for this month.
On Friday, I spent the day at the massive Spring Grove Cemetery. It is an amazing place and also an arboretum with record setting state and national champion trees. It is one of only 5 cemeteries to hold the title of National Historic Landmark.
The original 220 acres were dedicated on Aug 28, 1845 with the first interment 4 days later. Today, it is the second largest cemetery in the U.S. It encompasses 733 acres of which 400 acres are beautifully landscaped and maintained along with 44 miles of roads and 15 lakes. There are 40 Union Civil War Generals and 1 Confederate General who died while a prisoner of war. Abraham Lincoln visited in 1855 for a tour and many other persons of interest have done the same.
Currently, there are 8 Medal of Honor recipients in the cemetery along with many notable families from all walks of life including senators, congressmen, inventors and well known industry leaders.
Andrew Erkenbrecher was the founder of the Cincinnati zoo and he had a starch factory and grain mill. He imported sparrows and other birds to rid the city of the caterpiller plague. The zoo opened in 1875 with his bird collection as it's prize exhibit. The tablet translates: "Though death ends well all life's distress, Yet life still shudders at death's approach/ Life only sees Death's dusky hand, And not the shining cup it bears." These are lines from a German poem by Freidrich Ruckert.
Charles West was the cofounder of the Cincinnati Art Museum and a flour mill operator. This large monument with a statue of Mr. West seated in a Victorian chair has 4 caryatids representing: painting, music, archetecture and sculpture on the corners of the base. This is huge! Dazzle would only come about up to the hands of the caryatids if they were on the ground, but there is additional "base" under them.
This is actually a private famly mausoleum. Julius and Edmund Dexter made KY bouron. This is the only known funary monument with flying buttresses in Ohio and possibly the U.S. The Gothic Revival mausoleum/chapel was built for $100,000 (would cost over $1.3 million today) by Joseph Foster and designed by James Keys Wilson. It was constructed around 1866 and has 12 catacombs on the lower level and a chapel above measuring 12' x 30' with a 34' ceiling. It was never finished due to financial issues and the sandstone is currently deteriorating. There used to be a large spire in the center of the roof that fell off during a storm and is believed to be in the nearby lake. The family does not have the funds for the extensive repairs that would be needed to save it. :-(
Do you see the ghost in the window?
(It's actually just the window on the other side)
George Washington McAlpin is one of many area department store magnates buried in Spring Grove. He was also director of Spring Grove from 1879 to 1890. Monument is by The Douglas Granite Works in Cumminsville.
Also known as "The Sentinal" or "Soldier of the Line," this bronze statue was cast in Bavaria. It was the prototype for statues throughout America. It was shipped from NY and placed in 1866.
Don't know the story on this one, but it's sad.
I like this woman's smile
The following is on the 1st floor of the Cedars of Lebanon Chapel (2nd floor wasn't open) near the main entrance of Spring Grove Cemetery.
This Chapel/Mausoleum was built in 1963. A magnificent piece of archetecture it features stained glass windows, veined and matched marble, bas relief, mosaics and wood carvings. It is the permanent residence of 5,000+ remains.
The stained glass windows were created by two world renown artisans Dr. Henry Lee Willet (who did almost all of them) and Jean Barillet (who did the "Ceremonial Oak").
The interiors are finished with 40 different kinds of marble that reflects the stained glass colors in an amazing way.
"King David dreams of the Temple his son Solomon will build to the glory of God." The windows portray the harvesting of the Cedars of Lebanon. I Kings 5:6
Reflections on the smooth granite
More photos on http://www.flickr.com/photos/scoutdogs/
