Life’s Sweet Ordinary — through my lens

I told you in the last post this would be much more delightful! How’s a cupcake in natural light grab you? I found this amazing place on my recent trip to Edmonton, Alberta: “Flirt Cupcakes”. It’s a darling little spot on Whyte Avenue (a great place for people watching, nifty boutiques & stores, coffee houses, and a variety of places to find yummy food). I’ve sampled some of their little darlings and you must go there if you’re ever in Edmonton. The beauty of their product is that it’s home made on the premises daily, and the icings are so yummy and not all sugary-sweet. Instead the icings are made with fresh and unique things like strawberry or peanut butter (like my favourite in the picture above) … and other delicious offerings. Rick and Michelle are so welcoming and great hosts when you visit.

I took scads of photos but here is a gallery showing a few (for best viewing use the “Carousel” or “Slideshow” buttons located at the bottom of the thumbnail page). In my next post I’ll include photos of a couple more of my favourite cupcakes from Flirt. Oh maybe I should explain: Rick let me have a taster of one while I was there plus I purchased a box of minis to take to my son and his family. That’s where I got to have a bite of a couple more (Granddaughters are great for offering taste tests to Grandmas).

Flirt Cupcakes: 10158 – 82 (Whyte) Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta

Do you have a favourite sweet shop in your neighbourhood?

This is a response to Shutter Sister’s Superhero photo challenge for this week.

“To me, photography is an art of observation. It’s about finding something interesting in an ordinary place… I’ve found it has little to do with the things you see and everything to do with the way you see them.” ~Elliott Erwitt

“Light makes photography. Embrace light. Admire it. Love it. But above all, know light. Know it for all you are worth, and you will know the key to photography.” ~George Eastman

This to me is Life’s Sweet Ordinary. No pretention, no posing, no perfectly coiffed hair. Just a pure, simple moment of genuine concentration.

One thing I always love to challenge myself with is capturing moments like this. When the subject becomes completely at ease with your presence and no longer is concerned with how they look, if they’re looking at the camera, and they block out your presence folding into themselves. Love it.

Do you have photos you’ve taken, or that others have taken of you, that capture moments like this? Add a link in your comment and I’ll take a look!

{Yes, I did some post processing on this one.} My main online venue for photographs

“Huge lemons, cut in slices, would sink like setting suns into the dusky sea, softly illuminating it with their radiating membranes, and its clear, smooth surface aquiver from the rising bitter essence.” ~Rainer Maria Rilke (1875-1926)

You know there are some real advantages to working from home. One advantage are the obligatory breaks outdoors to walk my three dogs — actually they walk me. It gets me away from the computer and outdoors where I can take in all the natural beauty that surrounds us.

When the dogs get me outside for their romp, I take my camera along more often than when leaving it inside. I couldn’t resist the warm autumn light illuminating this dried grass. I also took some of that old grey log but it’s the backlit grass that really grabbed my attention.

Those who live in warmer climates will expect this to be an apple that fell from the tree. The reality is, although it’s possible to grow about a handful of hardy apple varieties way up here north of the 55th, at the time this was taken we had already had numerous severe frosts and any apples that might be on the ground would be pure mush at the time. This was one I took with me for our walk and thought it would make a nice subject in the golden autumn light.

apple nest

“If you have an apple and I have an apple and we exchange these apples then you and I will still each have one apple. But if you have an idea and I have an idea and we exchange these ideas, then each of us will have two ideas.” ~ George Bernard Shaw

In that spirit, since I’ve just begun to share tips on photography, I would love to know if there are particular aspects that any of you might like me to include. Also, if you have an apple photo, share by leaving a link to it here!

Horses symbolize power, vitality and freedom. Cave art from the Ice Ages depict wild horses and cattle as the most important subjects. In fairy tales horses embody prophetic creatures with magical powers. Psychological symbology interprets horses as noble and intelligent (which they are), though easily frightened or disturbed.

I’ve always loved horses and miss having them in my life. The beauty now is that I can capture other people’s horses with my lens for them to treasure. Autumn has slipped away up here so today I put together this simple mosaic remembering the warm but windy day these friendly equines allowed me to mingle among them, inhaling their earthy scent and pressing against their soft, yet prickly muzzles.

If you have horses or livestock you’d like me to capture through my lens, give me a call. If you live near Grande Prairie, Hythe, or anywhere in the Peace River region of Alberta, I welcome a drive through this beautiful countryside. I also have gift certificates available if you have someone with a horse who would love to have special photos taken of their equine steed.