Weekly Photo Challenge: Companionable

On July 5, 2013July 5, 2013 By AngeliaIn Beautiful Life17 Comments

I’m fashionably late on the Weekly Photo Challenge by the Daily Post on WordPress. Believe it or not, I started it a WEEK ago. I almost decided to skip it since today is a new challenge, but then I thought…whatevers…I’m running a week behind. This is my life right now.

Maybe one day I will catch up with myself and your blogs and everything else my heart yearns to do. Until then, I’ll just keep straggling along.

The challenge ~~this~~ last week is Companionable. Don’t you know the featured post is of a lovely fur friend? And don’t you know how much I looooove my dear fur friends??? Oh my gosh, do I ever! My daily companions and office mates as I telecommute to work every day from the room at the front of the house and the desk with the two computers and my dear fur kids all around me. Every day. A mine-field of snips, and snores.

So, of course, that is too easy and I would go overboard. Maybe a future post about my life as a corporate travel agent while simultaneously operating a doggie day-care. Good stuff.

But for now, I give you companionship through my eyes. What I see, and witness with my vision and my heart. There is something beautiful about being a companion. A rare and unmistakable bond that we may not always appreciate until it is shaken. But once on solid rock? Look out, it is for life.

Sea Turtle Love.

Wishing he had Jessie’s Gril.

Parakeet Love.

A little companionship from the Fort Worth Zoo.

A captured heart.

A loving bond.

A bold committment.

Sealed with a Kiss.

Nothing says companionable like a beautiful wedding. Images from a sweet union I helped photograph a few weeks ago. Such a privilege to be part of this joyful celebration, along with many adoring family and friends.

Mom.

Someone for everyone.

Be mine.

Some duos and groups from the beautiful Clear Lake in Houston, Texas.

The girls. Companions for life. Like it or not. Ha.

Our roots say we’re sisters, our hearts say we’re friends. ~Author Unknown

My dear, sweet companion (the one with no fur). I almost didn’t post this photo (because I am in it..ahhhh!). But he is my true friend, my life companion, and so much more. I really can’t imagine life without him. I can honestly say…putting my full trust in someone was not easy, in fact, near impossible. But I am glad I did and I am glad I chose him (and he, me!).

I couldn’t end this post without ONE last companion. My granddaughter to my daughter.

See….they have been constant companions for 31 WEEKS.

And I think they will be constant companions for quite a long time after another 9 weeks as well. Just not in one body.

I, also, had to include a photo prop to mark the day. Last Sunday (we take weekly photos on Sunday of her pregnancy) marked the SEVENTH year of my youngest step-daughter. We thought it would be cute for the baby to one day look back at how little her Auntie was at the year of her birth. And is Sydney the cutest pregnant girl or what???

Friends, have a wonderful weekend!

Winning!

On November 14, 2011 By AngeliaIn Angelia's Photography15 Comments

Believe it or not, I am not the most confident person in the world.

Show me one of my photographs and I will point out a dozen things that are wrong with it.

Things I need to fix, change, or do-over.

I am probably the hardest critic I know. Perfectionism – my nemesissssssss. Boo. Hiss.

But it’s the part of “me” I am trying to embrace. After all, it can only make me ~~crazy~~ better, right?

When the Fort Worth Zoo held their photography contest, I entered under the direction of my photography teacher.

In fact, all his classes were urged to enter.

So we could learn, and grow, and do something that scares us; like have our work be judged by professionals, while we directly compete with one another.

But I did it.

And if you are a regular around here, you know I won third place. Winning!

What I didn’t know is that ALL the winners would be featured, not only on their website Fort Wort Zoo, and their Facebook page, but also in their magazine.

The day I got it in the mail was the day of extreme excitement. I almost jumped through roof.

My photograph is in a MAGAZINE!!! :jump:jump:jump:

I was all adither and adathers, or a whatevers! On the roof! :jump:jump:jump:

This is the cover – first place and best in show got the honor.

This is the page that hosts the winning bird photographs.

That’s me!! I know her! I know her! Actually, I know the second place winner too. My pal Nickie. Out of all the photography students that entered, we were the only two chosen.

I just get all excited seeing it again. I know this is probably silly.

This is the page that had an excerpt about the contest. It is also the first time that I saw in print how many photo entries were submitted (900!) and that the judges were a panel (how many is in a panel?) of professional photographers. Ahhh!

I still can’t believe this happened. I think it took getting the magazine in the mail. Something, I could see and touch – that wasn’t just on a website – that made it really hit home.

My winning photo with Fort Worth zoo emblem — Winning photograph featured with the Fort Worth Zoo logo.

I am proud (and surprised) by this accomplishment.

I think I won more in spirit than I did in prizes and achievements. Winning!

What’s really funny? This whole blogging thing is what got me into photography.

Heh.

A Day in the Life – Fort Worth Zoo

On October 4, 2011 By AngeliaIn Angelia's Photography, Posessed by Nikon21 Comments

I know I have a post in the works for the San Diego Zoo, and this is not the San Diego Zoo, but the zoo in Fort Worth, Texas.

I did visit the San Diego Zoo on my California vacation, and it was amazing. But, I must tell you, visiting the San Diego Zoo only reinforced the fact that the Fort Worth Zoo is a contender for one of the BEST. There, I said it.

And I thought it while I was there.

And maybe, it’s just pride for the city I have worked in all my life.

Or maybe, I had an easier time photographing the animals.

I’m not knocking San Diego Zoo. It IS spectacular. And they have bears. Polar, and Panda, and Koala – oh my!

Just sayin’ Fort Worth Zoo is pretty darn cool too.

Take a look at my past trip, and see if you agree.

My last visit to the Fort Worth Zoo was in May, Mother’s Day, for a Wildlife Photography class.

I took my daughter, since it was Mother’s Day, and we spent the day with the animals.

I loved practicing what I learned in photography class.

Like shooting through the glass.

Or Fences….

Getting profiles…..

Or ~~full face~~ in your face,

Sometimes, it takes great patience to get the shot you want. Animals move and change quite often. That’s why I love going by the same area more than once, I can, usually, get something completely different each time.

We watched this Falcon wake up. He had ruffled feathers and only one eye open. He was honestly pretty ugly. For a few minutes, I thought he was sick, but in an instant, he changed to fierce.

I hit the shutter at just the right moment and got this shot.

He looks so slick!

With prompting from one of my UTA Cont. Ed class teachers, I entered into the Fort Worth Zoo Photo Contest.

The hardest part was picking the five photos to enter. But I did it. And I didn’t think I would win. For one, all the entries were really great. Some mind-boggling good. I was just glad I had the courage to enter my first photo contest.

The winners were announced Friday.

My photo won 3rd Place in the Bird Category.

It is now featured on their website and their Facebook Fan Page.

I am so proud, happy, and honored. There were hundreds of entries. I’m glad my patience (and practice) paid off.

If you are near Fort Worth, Texas and haven’t visited the zoo.

Go.

See.

Do.

I’d like to see your photos and hear what you think.

Is it one of the best zoos?

🙂

Pretty in Pink

On April 28, 2011April 29, 2011 By AngeliaIn Angelia's Photography, Beautiful Life17 Comments

I went to the zoo. I got lots and lots of pretty pictures. It was my first visit to the zoo with a DSLR camera. It was my first visit to the zoo after three digital photography classes.

I think it was my first trip to the zoo that I really found the beauty of the animals. It wasn’t about the display or how real it looked. It was about so much more than their pen and their antics.

I saw colors and shapes, reflections and texture. I saw lighting, profiles, and eyelashes. Details I hadn’t seen before and I realized….~~there are a LOT of birds at the zoo~~ every animal is a great capture.

This week You Capture from my idol Beth Fletcher has gone pink and pink is sooo sooo lovely.

I have girls. Three of them. We LOVE pink!

I am sharing my photographs from the zoo. These are the ladies (and gents) that – I think – wear pink the best.

I have many more photographs from the zoo, but for now I’ll leave you feeling pink.

Lucky for me, I have ANOTHER field trip to the zoo for photography class this weekend. With the start of another class – Wildlife Photography – I am excited to get to clicking. It is amazing how different a trip to the zoo is when you are looking through a viewfinder.

Also this weekend, we are celebrating a brand new seven-year old’s birthday at the movies and having an all-girl sleepover with her cousins. Molly turned the lucky seven this week! I think we’ll have lots of pink and lots of fun. I can’t think of a better way to do it than with family that lives close, and girl cousins close in age. Funny thing is? Jason will be outnumbered by a ratio of 10:1 (if you include dogs). He will need a poker night after this. Ha.

Have you been to the zoo lately?

Have a WONDERFUL weekend!