Donna asked me to search for messages in photography this week. The options are endless. Does the message from your last fortune cookie resonate with you? Clouds? Does street art, neon signs, or storefronts grab your attention? What about the underlying messages from marketing logos, or the message you want to portray in your photography. Just have fun! This blog hits my photographic pursuit ideally.
Smilies
People leave signs along the way. A message, I was here!
Signs of Peace and Love
February 14 and hearts abound
Walking about I see hearts in nature
I’m always looking for hearts: leaves, stumps, puddles, and rocks
Hearts were created to show the loving spirit
I love this image. Someone took the time to create this public art piece
Display of glass hearts
I collect stone hearts and they sit in my room in a candy dish. There are some things that you don’t really know about its history. You just know that it has been with you your entire life. It holds my love stones perfectly.
Here is my dish of love stones with my parent’s photograph
Sending love
Permanent display of love, anyone?
Graffiti
Leaving marks of love without regard for the environment.
Love Locks on a bridge in Fair Oaks
Group LoveLocks left in Fair Oaks
So ends my small contribution to messages I find all around me. I stayed with positive thoughts, and I finish with the many faces of my Moxie. Her face is so expressive.
Are you done working on the computer? I really am not interested in another photograph.
Anne challenges me to take a lens for a walk. Yes, choose a lens and walk. You can also use your cell phone or point-and-shoot camera and see what you can do with it. Another trick when using a zoom lens is to pick an aperture and stay with it. I accept this challenge.
My photography friends and I headed out of town Sunday. Our destination – Vacaville. I brought along my Fuji xt4 with my 18-55mm lens and my iPhone 13 pro. In my first group of photographs, I kept my aperture set at f 8.
Aperture f 8
This sign probably wouldn’t help muchGetting ready for more springlike weatherPeeking
Lone Lady Bug
Most Used Focal Length
Most used focal length surprised me – 18mm.
Meet Xinea
Two Cameras
iPhone 13 proFuji xt4 Which do you prefer?
Taken with iPhone 13 max
Wren’s Cafe in Vacaville
So ends my photographic look on my one lens walk. Looking forward to continued sunshine this coming week, at least. Gives the gardens and dog parks time to dry out. My Moxie wants to run and play outdoors.
Sofia’s challenge is about time, and how things evolve.
Medical Advances
My first photographs were taken at the Museum of Medical History. A couple of years ago I visited this little out-of-the-way museum when Sacramento was hosting Museum Day. Once a year, the public is invited to visit and learn about all the local museums. This little gem is just fascinating, but do not visit if you are about to have a medical procedure.
Iron Lung used during the polio epidemic
Forceps were used in my first delivery. (1975)QuinineAnesthetic Machine 1960’s
This technology continues to develop into smaller devices. Yeah!
With the use of digital equipment, disposables, and computers the look of hospitals is quite different.
Nurses duties before disposablesMedical mannequin for practice
My grandson meets the computer age.
Dimise of the Telephone Booth
My next set of photographs has to do with the slow disappearance of the telephone booth. With the advent of the pocketable cell phone, the public telephone is a rare find. I wonder where Clark Kent will go to change into Superman?
These booths had doors. This allowed for more private conversations. None of these are working telephone booths. The bottom image is from the Roseville Telephone Museum.
Somewhere along the evolution, the door is eliminated. And then the booth altogether. The dial is gone, and now there are buttons to press.
This image was taken in 2008. I wonder if this bank of shiny working pay phones is still in service the Phoenix Airport? Where or when did you last see a working pay phone?
One of my early jobs, while I was in college, was that of a long-distance telephone operator. And one of my least favorite part of the job was to connect someone from a pay phone. I had to listen for the coins to drop, connect the call, monitor, and ask for additional money after 3 minutes. Often the person would just walk away without paying. I was also the person who took the many complaints if they lost money on a non-working phone. I really don’t know how the phone call is paid for now. I bought my first cell phone in 1997 (25 years ago), and that took care of my use of pay phones. And that phone did not fit into my pocket or do what my iPhone 13 pro can do.
Siri is questioning me
Thank you Sofia for giving me a chance to look back. 25 years of cell phones. Wow, I just can’t believe that. Oh well, time flies.
Anne (Slow Shutter Speed) challenges me to look for non-domestic animals that live in my neighborhood. I live in Fair Oaks and much of the surrounding wildlife preserves and nature centers Anne has done a wonderful job describing. So I will look in my backyard, mostly.
Squirrels
This little guy (not sure of the gender) loved to eat the cactus that I called “Bob & Bea”. Bob and Bea were neighbors who lived across the street and gifted us this plant. One late, late evening I got a call that I had to come right away. I rushed right over for this emergency. This cactus blooms once at night and they didn’t want me to miss it. In my backyard, this plant bloomed over and over. Oh, back to the squirrel. He/she would come every day and eat just a little. Until there was no more plant. At the time I didn’t mind the company.
Effie Yeaw Nature CenterAmerican River CollegeSneaking up on the cactusCapital Park
In my current house, my neighbor’s trees host many squirrels. There is an oak tree, a blackberry bush, and many other tidbits to munch on. But here in my yard, these industrious workers look for places to bury their acorns. My flower pots with their lovely soft soil are perfect. Not so cute when the dirt is dumped out of the pot, or the plants are uprooted. My dog Moxie is fascinated by squirrels. She doesn’t chase them away, she watches them quietly.
Birds
This summer a pair of Spotted Towee birds built a nest in my oleander bushes. I learned to recognize their particular bird call. While enjoying some of the berries I captured this image with my new iPhone 13 Pro.
While looking out my window this turkey surprised me.
Insects
Using my Fuji 80mm macro lens I was able to shoot some visitors to my garden. This dragonfly showed up for his photo shoot on time.
This fly knew it was better to settle outside on my succulent than in my house.
Green Acres Nursery opened up a short distance from my house. Sometimes I will visit with my camera, and sometimes I visit with Moxie. Both are welcome there.
Not quite wild, but unexpected
While visiting a local park with my grandson we came across some goats. Goats are used here to clear fields to prevent fires.
Thanks for checking out the local wildlife found in my Fair Oaks backyard and surrounding areas. What animals can you find in your local area if you stop, look and listen? Do any of my animals specifically capture your attention?
A Photo's Worth 