Favourite things

Zooming in on tiny details

Getting sharp outlines and soft backgrounds


Observing things from different angles

Catching the unexpected - like a pink telephone booth in London! I loved the way that it might be a new trend as opposed to the classical Royal Mail red, but discovered it to be the base coat before the final coat of red!
I loved the way that shiny black London taxi managed to nose its way into the shot! The traffic had stopped at a red light and the taxi was inching its way forward. Cheeky!

Creating scenes from which a story may arise, like this homemade child's roundabout.

Or this one of a boat crossing at sunset...


Capturing layers and reflections like this scene with an early-morning fishing-boat on the lake at sunrise.

These are some of the reasons why I love taking photographs.


28 comments

  1. Beautiful pictures, especially love one from the boat of the sunset. It pays to have a camera on you at all times :))

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  2. Hi Ellie, Thanks for visiting! I agree about having a camera at all times... though I alternate between my compact and my DSLR because of weight!

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  3. Are you the same Zinnia in KatEye class? (If not, I sound random.) Your photos are gorgeous! Love that phone booth - I wish they didn't cover the primer - love the pink! XOL

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  4. Wonderful response to your question, why photograph. My favorite is also the sunset -- the colors and texture of the water are so beautiful!

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  5. Hi Laura, yes, I'm the same Zinnia as in the KatEye class. Isn't that pink phone booth gorgeous? I too wish they had left it like that!


    Hello Gina, always nice to see you here and get your input! I wanted to tell you that I have joined the Kat Eye photo course, as I first saw the link on your own blog. So it's thanks to you!

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  6. Wonderful images and words Zinnia! I like how you linked everything together into a beautiful photo essay. It sounds like you are clear on why you photograph, what keeps bringing you back to your camera. That's a great place to start!

    PS - Placing the class button or link will help the other participants in class know that you are part of the group. You can find a link to the class button in our discussion group on Flickr.

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  7. Hello Kat, thank you so much for your feedback. It was fun for me to discover why I love photography so much... it's the beginning of the journey and the path feels good! I'll get back to you about the class button!

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  8. so such beautiful photos! the sunset photo out over the water is stunning! this class looks like it will be so much fun!

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  9. Zinnia, your photos are rich in detail, and color. The Round About is adorably fun - it makes my imagination see children running around it and pushing it. The sunset is stunning. I look forward to your future posts and photos.

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  10. What a great reason.. Such great photos. Looking forward to see what this class will teach us!!

    Hugs, Linda

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  11. Hello Zinnia, that sunset is breathtaking I love the way you composed the shot with the wake from the boat lapping up against the still vast waters, the tones are gorgeous too.

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  12. That sunset is just gorgeous. Your flower macros are wonderful as well. I too like the way you link the photos with the journaling.

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  13. I love your photos and agree with all of your reasons why you like to take photos! I love the first flower, how you've captured the tiniest detail so crisply yet the rest is soft. The picture of the boat with the movement of water is just beautiful :)

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  14. I love the macro photos... they always give a nice surprise.

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  15. As I was reading your post I was just nodding yes and yes and yes. Your sharp outlines and soft backgrounds really appeal to me.

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  16. Me again Zinnia. I just wanted to say that I know how you feel about losing archives. I lost over two years of images when my computer crashed in May. They cannot be replicated but life does go on. I'm trying to see it as encouragement to go out and find more.

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  17. Hello Everybody, thank you so much for all your remarks and friendly visits!

    Joanna, I feel the same way as you about my lost images. It gives us the opportunity to create more - and this time - we have a bit more experience! I just had a little twinge of sadness when I wanted to illustrate my journal here that I didn't have most of last year's photos taken with my DSLR. However, all is well as we set out with a new eye on our journey in photography!

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  18. Hi Zinnia - so nice to meet you! Your photos and writing are lovely. I am especially drawn to the photo you have in the header of your blog. I like the colors and the "feel" of it. There is so much beauty to be found in things that are not typically beautiful (like dried up flower heads and seed pods) I read a little about you and learned that you try to live in the moment and that you crochet. I try to live in the moment but don't find it very easy! There are lots of great crochet patterns on Crochet Pattern Central, and Head Huggers if you haven't already found them. Thanks for the nice comments on my post.

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  19. Hi again!! Here is the watermark software I use - it is free to download ☺
    http://www.watermark-image.com/

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  20. Hi Phyllis (twice!) Thank you so much for the link into the watermark software. I'm going to follow the link and try it out! That's really helpful. I'll let you know how I do!

    I'm glad you like those little seed pods on the header. I find all these little wintry offerings so beautiful and they have their own particular kind of calm beauty that we sometimes forget to notice!

    Thank you for the ideas on obtaining crochet patterns, I'll try them out and I also find gorgeous patterns on people's crochet blogs who are so generous in giving free tutorials on how to do things!

    Isn't life full of wonderful creative ways to enjoy it when we take the time to seek them out?

    As for being in the moment, the most comfortable way is to accept the moment as it is, in whatever form it takes, even if we think we want it to be different! Arguing with the way things are only creates self-inflicted suffering! We can be so good at that, can't we?!

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  21. Wow, you have some great captures here! LOVE that pink London photo booth. You have to have an eye open and be aware of your surroundings to capture much of what you've got here...I love photography for that reason. Looking forward to seeing where Kat's class takes all of us :)

    Kathy

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  22. I hope to some day develop an eye for detail like you have. Simply beautiful photos - but I am especially drawn into the last one. I like the various layers that cause my eye to really peruse the entire photograph: the boat, the still water, the soaring gull and the far away mountains.

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  23. Hi Zinnia,

    On our class discussion site I just gave a possibly? helpful reply to your question about adding a button to the sidebar. And then I mentioned there, but SHOULD have commented here, how bowled over I am by the photo on your header - absolutely exquisite color and texture detail. I too am having the urge to get in very, very close.

    The telephone booth is a delight - maybe you'll inspire a dead-of-night querilla pink booth painting movement in the UK. And in the sunset photo I love the way the setting sun has gilded everything it touched. Your unique composition of that shot is especially effective - filling most of the frame with the sun, water and that graceful wave, but with the side of the boat just at the edge giving the picture structure.

    Looking forward to seeing more of your work.
    Diane

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  24. Pretty clear the reasons why you photograph! My favorite photo is, without a doubt, the one of the sunset and the light over the water. It reminds me of a calm place where we can just enjoy the beauty of the nature!

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  25. Hello new friends, it's so lovely to see you all here and to hear what touches you the most. I love visiting you all too and am learning masses, just by looking! What a fun journey for us all!

    Thank you so much for visiting and for all your helpful input!

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  26. Hi! Beautiful photos! I'm rather lagging in reading these and even posting first lesson.

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  27. I can certainly relate to your favorite things! What a wonderful, beautiful collection of images!!! My favs are the first shot and the boat at sunset :)
    I look froward to enjoying ore of your captures and insights!

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  28. Pink phone boxes!! Who knew? Actually I read that it was a base coat, but you know that just makes me happy, there is nothing like that iconic red! I saw a black one in London when I was there 2 trips ago and I have to say it was really ugly!! No like!
    I love love love that homemade round about!!
    Where are you from? The photos by the sea... Divine!
    Have a great week!
    Tammy

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