SUPPORT SPAY DAY to save animals' lives

LUNETTE

Please vote for Lunette in the Spay Day Online Pet Photo Contest - and help save other pets' lives at the same time. Helping animals is important to me, and your donation will not only help my pet in the contest, but will save pets' lives by reducing pet overpopulation.

CLICK HERE TO VOTE

VOTING DEADLINE: MARCH 4, 2010, 10 PM EST

To support Spay Day, The Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society International host the Spay Day Online Pet Photo Contest, presented by VISA and Zazzle—a great opportunity to celebrate our pets and raise funds for spaying and neutering.

Spay Day is The Humane Society of the United States' and Humane Society International's annual event to inspire people to save animals' lives by spaying or neutering pets and feral cats. Spay Day officially takes place on the last Tuesday of February—but events will be running all through the month! The 16th annual Spay Day will be Feb. 23, 2010.

If you vote for Lunette, donations will go to Animal Friends, a Pittsburgh no-kill animal shelter where I have adopted several cats since 1978.

CLICK HERE TO VOTE

VOTING DEADLINE: MARCH 4, 2010, 10 PM EST

Thank you for your help and support.

photo ©2009 C.J. Peiffer

LET'S PLAY

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This image is in response to

SHADOW SHOT SUNDAY

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(©2009, C.J. Peiffer)

COLLEGIATE SHADOWS

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This image is in response to

SHADOW SHOT SUNDAY

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At a conference a few weeks ago at Elmira College in NY, I snapped lots of photographs. One afternoon, I was walking from the parking lot, along a walkway beside the college library, when I saw these great shadows. The Elmira campus is lovely and the weather was beautiful, so I saw lots of shadows and will be posting more shadow shots from Elmira in the future.

(©2009, C.J. Peiffer)

LOADING DOCK BLUES

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This image is in response to

BLUE MONDAY

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The back of our house faces the back of a grocery store. Fifty years ago, it might have been considered a supermarket, but by today's standards there is nothing "super" about it. I call it the "unsupermarket." It is a nice store with friendly people. It is certainly convenient because I can be there and back in five minutes if I need something quickly.

When I noticed this large stack of palettes on the store's loading dock, I snapped a few photos of them especially for Blue Monday.

(©2009, C.J. Peiffer)

ORANGE GLOW - Sky Watch Friday

ORANGE GLOW

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This image is in response to

Sky Watch Friday

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When I saw this image in the west, I had to pull off the road to snap some photos before the sun dropped below the horizon. In the photo, the sunset almost looks like a fire is burning at the base of the trees.

(©2009, C.J. Peiffer)

HERBIE TAKES A STROLL

"HERBIE TAKES A STROLL"

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This image is in response to

CAMERA CRITTERS SUNDAY

and

ODD SHOTS

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He may look like a totally pampered dog, maybe even a spoiled one, however Herbie is an older dog who suffers from arthritis, so when his human parents walk at North Park (Allegheny County, PA) Herbie gets V.I.D. ---Very Important Dog ---treatment. He will walk for a short distance, but when he tires his owners lift him into his stroller.

The area near the swimming pool where my husband and I walk is about a mile and a half oval, with one crossover road that is approximately another quarter mile. We don't walk there every day, nor do we always walk at the same time. Even if Herbie and his family are at the park, they may be at the opposite end of the walking area, so we may miss them. But Herbie has a very distinctive bark, so I often hear him, even if I don't see him.

Herbie seems to be a much-loved pet. And he probably is totally pampered and spoiled. I hope so, because Herbie is currently my favorite dog and I look forward to seeing him on our walks.

Good doggie!

(©2009, C.J. Peiffer)

ALIENation

This image is in response to

ODD SHOTS

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One day, I found the above alien creature in my garage. Well...... I admit it really looked much more like this:

(scroll down)

But then, under the buggy eyes, I found this:

My good-looking, blue-eyed husband. I'm not sure what he was doing, but I remember he was filthy when he returned to the house.

(©2009, C.J. Peiffer)

DAPPLED SPRING SHADOWS

"DAPPLED SPRING SHADOWS"

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This image is in response to

SHADOW SHOT SUNDAY

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On a gorgeous, sunny, breezy spring day, I was doing laundry in the basement and opened the basement door to this scene. In the wind, the tree branches were dancing and making dappled patterns on the concrete next to the stair well that goes to the basement door. The hostas were in their bright green and white dresses ----and all was right with the world.

(Since the spell checker didn't seem to like "hostas" I checked the dictionary just to make sure I was spelling it correctly. The dictionary told me that "hosta" is an eastern Asian plant cultivated in the West for its shade-tolerant foliage and loose clusters of tubular mauve or white flowers. Also called "plantain lily.")

(©2009, C.J. Peiffer)

LIGHT & DARK 2

"LIGHT & DARK 2"

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This photo is in response to

SKY WATCH FRIDAY

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        This photo was taken several months ago on the hiking/biking trail at Moraine State Park (PA). Note the black specks just to the right of center. (You probably need to click on the image to see them in a larger view.) They are birds, probably Canadian geese who live at the nearby lake.
        My husband and I usually walk in the late afternoon. Just before reaching the parking lot on the way back, the path curves up a hill and the sun is immediately in front of us. I particularly liked this view with the contrast of the dark clouds rolling in and the sun fighting to peek through.

SEPIA SHED

"SEPIA SHED"

This image is in response to

SEPIA SCENES

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        A few weeks ago, I took this photo of a tool shed at Moraine State Park (PA) where we do Nordic Walking several times a week. 

        The rustic shed reminded me of something I might see in a western movie (except for the green stain), so I thought it would look great as a Sepia Shot. (Original photo, below.)

(©2009, C.J. Peiffer)

SUN BELT - Sky Watch Friday

"SUN BELT"

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This image is in response to

Sky Watch Friday

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        My husband and I often walk late in the afternoons. Before we leave the walking trail in the park or on the way home, we usually see great sunsets. I often remark about my love for images with contrast. In this one, I like the brilliant sun along with the bright strip of sky, almost like a belt, between the black landscape and the blue-gray clouds above.

(photo & text ©2009, C.J. Peiffer)

LEFT BEHIND - Odd Shot

"LEFT BEHIND"

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This image is in response to
ODD SHOTS
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         One evening after sunset, when we were waiting for the light to change at an intersection, I noticed a gorgeous violet sky to my right. I pulled my camera from its case and was just ready to snap a shot through the passenger window when the light turned green and my husband turned left.  Thus, I missed the shot.

        But, undeterred, I turned my camera toward the rear of the car and held it outside of the passenger window. I couldn't see what I was aiming at, but took a few shots anyway, just to see what I had left behind.  I was expecting to see mostly sky, but the photos turned up some surprising results.  

        One can see the side of our black vehicle and the headlights of the car that was following us. The violet sky is still visible, although not as gorgeous as when I first spotted it. Because we were moving, the trees on the left of the image are blurred and look like they are bending with a strong wind, even though there was almost no wind at all.

        I always like sharp contrasts in images. In this one, I like the contrast of the lighter sky with the dark landscape plus the harsh headlights and the soft wisps of tree branches.

(photo and text ©2009, C.J. Peiffer)

FIVE TULIPS - Shadow Shot Sunday

"FIVE TULIPS"

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This image is in response to

SHADOW SHOT SUNDAY

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        Late on the afternoon on 4/23/09, these brilliant red tulips blooming in my yard were just begging for a photo to be taken for Shadow Shot Sunday. Our tulips and daffodils were particularly lovely this year.

(photo & text, ©2009 C.J. Peiffer)

JOIN BY SUBMITTING YOUR OWN SHADOW SHOT

AFTERNOON MOON - Blue Monday

"AFTERNOON MOON"

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This image is in response to

BLUE MONDAY

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        At Moraine State Park (PA) where my husband and I walk frequently, I snapped this photo on 4/04/09 around 5:45 pm. It was an absolutely clear day without a cloud in its cobalt blue sky on this Saturday afternoon. I love it when the moon is visible during the day.

(photo & text, ©2009, C.J. Peiffer)

WALKING THROUGH SHADOWS - Shadow Shot Sunday

"Walking Through Shadows"

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This image is in response to

SHADOW SHOT SUNDAY

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        My husband and I love Nordic walking. We walk around our neighborhood or travel to one of two parks, each about 15 miles from our home. This is the walking/biking trail at Moraine State Park in PA. The photo was taken on 4/4/09 a little after 6:00 pm. Since we normally walk rather late in the day, it is a good time to catch the late afternoon shadows.

        I will be creating a post about Nordic walking sometime soon.

JOIN BY SUBMITTING YOUR OWN SHADOW SHOT

(photo & text, ©2009, C.J. Peiffer)

THE CREATIVE PROCESS #7 - From Photo to Art

"CLASSIC CADDY"
('54 Coupe DeVille)
(©2006, C.J. Peiffer)

This image is, in part, a response to

RUBY TUESDAY

and

CREATIVE EVERY DAY

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to the challenge or to see what others have posted.

This post is the seventh in a series explaining how a

particular work of art or a group of works was created.

        I love to enhance my photographs so they look like pieces of art rather than photographs.

        I took this photo many years ago at Gast Classic Motorcars Exhibit (apparently no longer in business) in Strasburg, PA in the middle of Pennsylvania Dutch country.

        After scanning the photo print (I took the photo way before digital cameras) the first thing I did was digitally remove any specs of dust or other flaws from the photograph.

        Next I intensified the colors and increased the contrast between light and dark.

        After trying several other filters, to make it shinier, give it texture, change the colors, I decided to use the "glowing edges filter" which gives the image a black background with neon-like edges.         

        While this results in an effect that is interesting in itself, I didn't want the red color of the original automobile to be hidden, so I removed the black from the car, leaving the glowing edges.  

        I left the black in the background, but it looked too plain and flat, so I added a texture to it. Finally, I added a copyright and my name to the lower right corner.

        See products (T-shirts, mouse pad, card, tie, etc.) featuring this "CLASSIC CADDY" image at my Pro Artz Zazzle pages.

(text ©2009, C.J. Peiffer)

LIGHT AND SHADE - Shadow Shot

"LIGHT AND SHADE"

(photo & text, ©2009, C.J. Peiffer)

This image is in response to

SHADOW SHOT SUNDAY

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        The window above our kitchen sink faces west. On a sunny day, the light can nearly blind one working at the sink, and on hot summer days the room becomes unbearably hot, so we put up this reed shade. There are shelves in the window so you can see the shadows of some the things that collect there, even though you probably won't recognize them from the shadows.

JOIN IN BY SUBMITTING YOUR OWN SHADOW SHOT:

Addendum added 4/27/09:

        For those who wondered what was behind the shade: On the bottom shelf, we keep odd cleaning items like a box of Brillo pads, bottle brushes and a spinning scrubber, also empty bottles. The top shelf is filled with cow creamers. The middle shelf also has cow creamers, plus two cow-shaped cutting boards. If you wonder why cows, see my previous post: The Bovine Comedy.

TROUBLED SKY - Sky Watch Friday

"TROUBLED SKY"

(photo & text, ©2009, C.J. Peiffer)

This image is in response to

Sky Watch Friday

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        One afternoon on my way to work, large black clouds were developing in the west, yet the sun would peek between the dark clouds occasionally. I love the contrast of black stormy clouds and sunshine, continually amazed at how destructive weather can be, and yet be so beautiful. I wanted to stop to take photos, but I was running late for work, so I pulled my digital camera from my bag and held the camera at arm's length in my right hand, and aimlessly shot photos through the passenger window. As you see, I wasn't holding the camera horizontally, so the trees are at an angle, but I thought that made for a dramatic off-kilter image that went well with the "Troubled Sky."

I post photos on two different blogs. Please see my other Sky Watch photos:

THE ROAD TO HEAVEN

SEDONA, AZ