October Desktop

Both of these images were selected because their original versions were quite bland in their natural state and easy to glance over, but after pulling out their rich colors, they're beautiful pieces I'd love to see on my desktop every day. Is there anything that you pass over on a regular basis because it doesn't look interesting at first glance? There's extraordinary beauty to be found within the ordinary. Click an image to download a high resolution version for your desktop.

April Desktop - Spring is here!

In just the last week, the trees and bushes have come alive with color and gorgeous blossoms in the Merrimack Valley. I absolutely love living in the Northeast! I spent Sunday morning just exploring and appreciating all of the beauty that has emerged from our winter full of heavy and snow and rain. These two images were taken specifically for my desktop series, so go ahead and click the images to download a copy for yourself!

November Desktop Image - Life in Focus

I'll be using the top image as my desktop for November as a reminder to focus on the important things in life. I included the second image just so you could see what it was that I was photographing out of focus, but you're welcome to download that one too if you'd prefer. Just click on an image to download it. ;-)



It's been almost 6 months since I've added anything new to this blog, but it's been a life-changing six months. More on that another time. For now, you'll be happy to know that you'll be able to find me around "these here parts" on a more regular basis again. ;-)

A Purple Kind of Day

It wasn't purple originally,
but I was feeling purple
when I looked at it.

Feelings affect the way we see the world
- not just in art,
but in life.

What color is your world today?

(Want a copy for your desktop? Go ahead and click the image to download it.)

October Desktop Image

Every month I try to post a new image that is suitable for displaying at desktop size and resolution. Click on an image to download a copy and freshen up your desktop!



I love fall and all of its beautiful colors!! This is my tribute to the colors found in the leaves of autumn.

September Desktop Image

Every month I try to post a new image that is suitable for displaying at desktop size and resolution. Click on an image to download a copy and freshen up your desktop!



This month, I thought it would be fun to create a screen saver that might trick someone into thinking that something was wrong with your monitor. I'm curious to see if it works on anyone!

August Desktop Image

Every month I try to post a new image that is suitable for displaying at desktop size and resolution. Click on an image to download a copy and freshen up your desktop!



It's hot. I think I'll stay inside where it's cool.

July Desktop Image

Every month I try to post a new image that is suitable for displaying at desktop size and resolution. Click on an image to download a copy and freshen up your desktop!



July is a time to enjoy the sweet fruits of our labor and to get out and appreciate all that nature provides.

June Desktop Image

Every month I try to post a new image that is suitable for displaying at desktop size and resolution. Click on an image to download a copy and freshen up your desktop!



Two different versions of rust.

April Desktop Images

Every month I try to post a new image that is suitable for displaying at desktop size and resolution. Click on an image to download a copy and freshen up your desktop!



Spring is here!!! I love looking at the sky- the clouds, stars, whatever it may be. I love feeling that sense of infinity. After spending a lot of time indoors during the winter months, nothing feels better than getting out and being able to enjoy a spring day. After living in Michigan for a long time, I'm still not quite used to seeing so many blooms in early April, but the trees around here just get better every day. Both of these images were taken with my point & shoot. This next one was done on macro mode- these blossoms are only maybe an inch large in person....



This next image is not my own, but since April is Earth Day, take moment to click and view what these icons mean and how they can help us be more environmentally friendly every day. It's all about small changes adding up to big impact.

December Desktop Images

Every month I try to post a new image that is suitable for displaying at desktop size and resolution. Click on an image to download a copy for your desktop.



One day while walking out to my car, I looked up and was nearly startled by the color on this tree! The colors were far too bright and saturated to be real, but there it was, and at that moment I decided that I had to have a picture of this tree and that it was most definitely going to be my next desktop. I stood still in the parking lot staring at it for so long that the colors started melding and blending together. So, in order to help you see the tree the same way I did after staring at it for so long, I decided to photograph it completely out of focus with enough aperture to show shapes and colors, while still getting nice bubbly bokeh (though it would have been much more bubbly with a f/1.2 lens!) I think these two images are great for this time of year when the daylight gets shorter and we find ourselves huddled in our heated indoor spaces more and more... something bright and cheery to beat any hints of seasonal depression. In any case, I hope you enjoy my little abstract bits of art. ;-)

November Desktop Images

I thought I was going to get away with no one noticing that I hadn't posted a desktop image this month, but sure enough, my loyal blog fans keep me honest & consistent!! So, here it is... better late than never! Every month I'll try to post a new image that is suitable for displaying at desktop size and resolution. Click on an image to download a copy for your desktop.


Can you guess what this is?


Not too far from Terre Haute, we have an Exotic Feline Rescue Center where big cats can go to retire and live a safe life. I love this image of one of the tigers taking a "cat nap" in her "cat bath". Visit their website to learn more about the EFRC mission. http://www.exoticfelinerescuecenter.org

If you're looking for a gift to give the person who has everything this holiday season, consider donating to one of your favorite charities.

October Desktop Image

Every month I change my desktop image to a photograph I've recently taken and I thought it would be fun to share these images in my blog so that you can download them for your desktop as well! Every month I'll try to post a new image that is suitable for displaying at desktop size and resolution. Click on the image to download a copy for your desktop.



This image comes to you from the lovely town of Charlottesville, VA - home of three U.S. Presidents: Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe, and James Madison. This particular scene was captured on the Ash Lawn-Highland estate - former home of President James Monroe and where Beth & Fred were just married! The scenery looked like it was straight out of a movie - so grand and yet so peaceful - a great image to remind me to step outside and enjoy the fall air!!

September Desktop Image

Every month I change my desktop image to a photograph I've recently taken and I thought it would be fun to share these images in my blog so that you can download them for your desktop as well! Every month I'll try to post a new image that is suitable for displaying at desktop size and resolution. Click on an image to download a copy for your desktop.



These images are part of the texture study I mentioned last month. They were captured on Kodak VC film and scanned from the negative. When you start looking for cool textures, you begin to really see how much texture we're surrounded by every day. For the purpose of what I wanted to do with these photos, I was seeking contrasty textures that would be apparent even when diffused. When wedding season slows down I'll really get a chance to play with these, but for now I'll share them with you and maybe you can do something fun with them!

August Desktop Images

Every month I change my desktop image to a photograph I've recently taken and I thought it would be fun to share these images in my blog so that you can download them for your desktop as well! Every month I'll try to post a new image that is suitable for displaying at desktop size and resolution. Click on an image to download a copy for your desktop.





A few months ago I spent a Sunday afternoon texture hunting with my 1979 Olympus OM and some PortraVC film, looking for really interesting textures to experiment with. I hit a goldmine of textures when I explored some old farm equipment laying around St. Mary of the Woods College. The two images above weren't intended to become part of my texture collection, but the colors and shapes struck me in such a way that I had to have them for my desktop image collection. I feel like there's a little bit of irony here because the objects themselves suggest that they are old and maybe neglected, but the colors are so happy and alive.

July Desktop Images

Every month I change my desktop image to a photograph I've recently taken and I thought it would be fun to share these images in my blog so that you can download them for your desktop as well! Every month I'll try to post a new image that is suitable for displaying at desktop size and resolution. Click on an image to download a copy for your desktop.



This month the theme is pollen. I was out hunting for flowers in my "backyard", which is actually the campus of Indiana State University when I came across a few flowers that were perfect for my pollen hunt! I wanted to see just how much detail I could get out of my new macro filter/lens!! This close-up filter is great because it attaches to my 50mm or my 85mm for extreme close ups - when you download the images, you'll see what I mean! Crrrazy detail and super shallow depth of field!



I love sitting out in the park under the stars and watching fireworks and now that I'm in Indiana - which feels like the fireworks capital of the midwest- I get to enjoy even more fireworks displays! So, in honor of Independence Day, here's one of my favorites from two years ago that I got really lucky with! I can't wait to see what Terre Haute has to offer!

June Desktop Images

Every month I change my desktop image to a photograph I've recently taken and I thought it would be fun to share these images in my blog so that you can download them for your desktop as well! Every month I'll try to post a new image that is suitable for displaying at desktop size and resolution. Did anyone else notice that I didn't post one for May?! Why didn't anyone tell me?! In any case, click on an image to download a copy for your desktop.



This area of Bergen, Norway is known as the Bryggen, which is where boats and fishermen come in to shop and sell their catch of the day. When you see postcards or art of Bergen, very often you'll find an image of the Bryggen because many of these "stick houses" are over a hundred years old, and built in classic Norwegian fashion.



I usually like my desktop images to have some clean areas so that icons can easily be seen - but I love this image for the novelty of looking in the store window every day and discovering something new in this Bergen Antique Shop. I think it's quite fascinating to see what people treasure enough to hold on to and to pass on to others.

When am I going to give away a gift from Norway?! Right now. ;-) Since most of my time was spent in Bergen, the gifts are specifically from Bergen and will be equally appealing to a man or woman, maybe even a dog! To enter this contest, you will need to EMAIL ME a picture of your feet wearing your favorite shoes. I want this to be a self-taken pic of YOUR feet inside YOUR favorite shoes! Please make the image no larger than 600 pixels on any given side. Smaller is OK if you're just using something like a camera phone. I will choose the winner based on creativity - so let your imagination soar!! Why shoes you ask?? Because I found LOTS of beautiful shoes in Norway, yet never found a single shoemaker who sold my size. So, let me see your favorite shoes! The winner will be chosen on Thursday, June 14th, 2007! Game on!!

April Desktop Images

Every month I change my desktop image to a photograph I've recently taken and I thought it would be fun to share these images in my blog so that you can download them for your desktop as well! Every month I'll try to post a new image that is suitable for displaying at desktop size and resolution. Click on an image to download a copy for your desktop.



The image above is the weird one I was thinking of last month that I wanted to post. This was taken on assigment for the Foundation Workshop (click the link to view my collection and many of the other amazing collections from the workshop.) So... the story behind the image is that I decided to follow dad around at work the second day to view their lives from a different perspective. He's a programming guy and as you can imagine, there are only so many exciting pictures you can take of someone sitting at a computer in a cubicle. To keep challenging myself, I started looking around the cubicleland for anything that I could entertain myself with. I chuckled so hard when I saw this image in front of me. Do you get my sense of humor?



My bedroom has an exotic feel to it and the image above was created specifically to decorate my bedroom. ;-) Right now it's only a framed 8x10, but eventually I want this to be a HUGE canvas.

March Desktop Images

Every month I change my desktop image to a photograph I've recently taken and I thought it would be fun to share these images in my blog so that you can download them for your desktop as well! Every month I'll try to post a new image that is suitable for displaying at desktop size and resolution. Click on an image to download a copy for your desktop.



I love weird images. The image above was shot for the band, Stampead, who is currently touring across the country. Unfortunately this shot probably won't be used in any of their promotional materials, and will most likely not make the cut for any other purposes, but I love it for the pure novelty of it. ;-) I'll write more about them later- but you should definitely check to see if they'll be in a city near you. These guys have a great Indie Folk Rock sound not to be ignored.



I was going to post another one of my favorite weird images, but I think I'll save it for April... just to keep things fresh. ;-)

Happy Valentine's Day!!

You can download both of these pictures for free to use as your desktop background or for a special Valentine's Day Card!! Click on each image to start downloading!!



As I was reading through the Film Noir Boudoir ™ giveaway entries, I cried, I laughed, and I cried some more... and now I'm out of tissues!! Thank you so much for sharing your stories- you are all so blessed to be with someone who truly loves you and would do anything for you!! I noticed that many stories had quite a few things in common that seemed to be universal among what many women, and one man!, considered to be the most romantic thing their partner has done for them. Your romantic stories weren't about lavish gifts, huge public displays of affection, or any of those things that we normally associate with above and beyond romance. For many people, it came down to the little things like making sacrifices and sticking with each other through extraordinarily hard times, making an extra effort to spend time together when distance kept you apart, doing something unexpected that relieved burdens or stress, or by simply being thoughtful each and every day in the smallest ways. The strongest message that came across to me after reading all of the stories was that it was never about gifts, but it was all about the thoughtfulness and actions that demonstrated how much your partner cares for and loves you. Since you didn't make choosing a winner very easy, I'll be bringing in some extra help on making a decision and the winner will be announced tomorrow afternoon!! In the meantime, have a wonderful Valentine's Day and spend time remembering all of the little things that you love about each other every day of the year!

Here's a little playlist I made to help you set a relaxing and romantic atmosphere on Valentine's Day...