This was shot just over the bay in St. Pete. I was actually very surprised at what the fogged lens did, somehow it refracted the colors and created the strange colored rings. Serendipity, I'd call it.

This was shot a little after 2 am this morning, close to the time the Super Moon was at its closest to earth. This is a hand held shot, but shot through a fogged lens for effect. Back in the 'day', vaseline was used on filters for this effect. I shutter to think of greasing on the lens on my camera, but the natural fog effect created by walking out of an air-conditioned house into a warm humid environment can create a wonderful touch.

Super Moon 2013

A bud on a desert rose on my deck just after it rained, dripping little droplets of rain water.

HeyBudAllRightsReservedPWarren

This is a really lovely piece.

I think there is an expectation on a photography forum website that you are safe from having your work stolen. The law states an artist's work is protected for the life of the artist, though artists should either put a signature containing a date and copyright symbol on the photograph or in the name the photograph is saved under. There are several instances where local artists, usually painters, tell me a particular photograph of mine is inspiring and wonder if it would bother me if they used the photo as the basis for a work of their own. Once I am asked, I almost always give them an 8x10 print to study from. My work amounts to 'children' of my imagination. When I sell a work, I feel the piece is moving to a new home. When someone takes a work without my permission, I consider it a theft.

This is a very comprehensive site answering questions about copyrights, model releases, etc.

http://asmp.org/articles/business-and-legal-faq.html

I posted a very tight close-up photograph on the macro topic of Ugly Hedgehog. I was promptly told via a response post that what I had was a close-up, only a photograph taken with a true macro lens, as opposed to a setting on a camera ( I use a Leica v-lux 30 which has a superb macro setting). I figure the quality of the final photo, not the means achieving is what counts!

This pair of flowers in is a pot on our deck that I just replanted. Each morning I tour the yard and look for at least one 'great' shot each day. I've never run out of something different to shoot.

Depending on what you want to spend, a PS camera can be a great investment that will be a constant companion for a back-up or go to camera in many situations. Olympus Tough Shoot line is a good choice, made to be very durable and is waterproof. There are several models in the line, starting at around 300.00. We have an Olympus that goes to the beach with us, on the boat when fishing and is a handy back-up stuck in a pocket for the just in case when dragging a camera bag of equipment seems out of the question.

Depending on what you want to spend, a PS camera can be a great investment that will be a constant companion for a back-up or go to camera in many situations. Olympus Tough Shoot line is a good choice, made to be very durable and is waterproof. There are several models in the line, starting at around 300.00. We have an Olympus that goes to the beach with us, on the boat when fishing and is a handy back-up stuck in a pocket for the just in case when dragging a camera bag of equipment seems out of the question.

I shot this ant on a tiny moss rose, lit by the bright morning sun. I had downloaded some new apps for photo processing on my ipad, and just went a little crazy. The first photo is the unaltered image. The next two are groupings of different filter treatments I applied.

The original


a series of pink and beige treatments


and then the blue & green set

Took a morning tour through the garden, which I do just about every day, weather permitting. One of my daily challenges is to find a different 'look' to shoot, a different angle. I assign myself the task of trying to not have the standard, predictable shot, with just about any picture I shoot.

Different perspective


Blue Fly

Yesterday afternoon, being a brutally hot day, the only creatures who ventured out were the insects, mostly spiders and dragonflies.

Two cemetery shots, the shells are covering the top of a grave. This was apparently a fairly common decorative style in the late 1800's among the Cuban immigrants.

Greenwood Cemetery, St. Petersburg


Old City Cemetery, Tampa

Nice, like the B&W best, it is what I usually shoot in any Cemetary, as it tends to set the mood. (actually, I always shoot in color and convert PP, the B&W setting on my camera creates too much grain)