Rainbow Bright

Tuesday was a rainy day, and you know I have to brighten the mood in my little part of the world. I was out in the yard dead-heading my roses when it started pouring rain. So I went to deliver my mom's Mother's Day planter since they were out of town Sunday. I looked like a drowned rat--a good bit more disheveled than when I took these photos early in the day! All the way I had glimpses of a double rainbow. By the time I got to their apartment and pulled out the camera, it was a single one but still very cool.
 

Gold blouse-Cato
Striped Tee-Walmart
Jeans-Cato
Sandals-Cato

You would never guess my small town offers about 2 places to buy new clothing--Walmart and Cato. Of course larger towns with better shopping are not far. I'm just lazy! There's a little consignment shop where I found lots of great pieces the first time I went in. Ever since then, I have not found one thing I like. I'm trying to save up and buy quality, but old habits die hard.

Greening Up

Everything is greening up for spring and I decided to follow along. The old timers tell me the sap's rising. I laughed the first time I heard my mother-in-law attribute someone's behavior to sap rising, but now I'm beginning to think there's something to it. If I look a little pale and peaked, I didn't feel too great and did a rare indoor photo session.

Photographer vs. Tripod

I just realized my title could also refer to the death match struggles I have had with my tripod as it attempted to kill my camera by tipping over on a windy day. Then there was the time it tripped me. No, I didn't trip over it; it tripped me with one of it's three spindly, tricky legs! No, my intention is to discuss the experience of being photographed by someone else vs. taking self portraits.

These outfit photos were from Saturday when I actually had my husband at my disposal. We ate a ridiculously unhealthy breakfast at Huddle House, spread mulch in our garden, and took outfit photos. While I'm getting better at posing naturally in self-portraits, I can still tell a big difference in my body language and facial expressions. With a human photographer, I am much more relaxed, happy and just acting like myself. Excuse the pun, but with a tripod, I kinda feel like a poser.

My husband and kids are not trained in photography at all and I set all the camera settings for them, make suggestions, etc. Then I pretty much let them go except to check after a few shots to see if I've messed up the exposure or something. Not long ago my husband literally had his thumb in any picture he took. He's obviously improving.

Tripod
Pros: I don't have to work around anyone else's schedule and my tripod doesn't complain when I take a million shots trying new things. A human can't
comfortably get some of the angles my tripod can and I never have to work around his schedule.

Cons: I'm not as relaxed. I'm self-conscious in public places. It feels more presumptuous and arrogant to be snapping repeated pictures of myself. I imagine passers by saying, "Who does she think she is?" Whereas a husband wanting photos of his wife seems normal. Once in my small town some people in a car did circle the block to get a second look at me snapping outfit photos. However, I'm pretty sure people aren't really all that interested. I'm just paranoid that way and really quite shy.






Human Photographer
Pros: Natural smiles and body positioning. My husband or kids can get a real smile out of me anytime. I have trouble making eye contact when my camera is on a tripod. Weird, huh? Security--this pretty much speaks for itself. I've had moments where I've skipped awesome locations or where prisoners started working on the park where I was photographing, etc. A different perspective--my husband and kids don't think the way I do and it gives a fresh look to my photos when I get bogged down in the same old things.

Cons: When they are tired of taking photos, they are done even if it's after one really bad photo. I'm not the boss any more. There I said it; I want to be in control.

So tripod or human photographer, which do you prefer?

If a Monet Painting Was a Shirt . . .

 I would so totally wear it!

 I am in love with these sandals. No really, I think I've been wearing them every day. Crop pants again? Yeah, I promise to behave better, but the sudden heat wave hit me really hard. Yes, I can see that my legs look stumpier than when I wear nice long trousers. However, my goal for this week was not to die of heat stroke while I wait to get my car's air conditioning fixed.

Here I am teaching my class. White boards. Hee hee. I love whiteboards and flip charts. I don't know why. And the final picture shows the giant water tower looming over the building. They tell me it actually leaked and flooded the building before. Hopefully this won't happen again, especially while I'm teaching!

Beaded jewelry--me
Crop pants--Cato
Shirt--Fashion Bug
Sandals--Target.

Layering

I don't have a lot of experience layering, except purely functional layering in winter. Yes, I'm far enough north to require layers in winter. However, in the past I didn't give layering much thought as a way to flatter my figure or just have fun combining colors and patterns.

Layering works a little differently in warm Georgia weather. I like layering because of bra issues (more on that later), but shortly after shooting these pictures, temperatures reached the 80's even though it's October. I'm looking forward to fall and winter so I can play with layers. During summer in the South we wear as little as possible in order to survive! Really, you're lucky I put on one layer from June until September.

And the heavens seem to be blessing this outfit, judging from the sun beaming down on me. Note to self, next time think about the sun, sunshine. I was planning for morning sun but I got a late start. So it's more like harsh noonday sun. Do I regroup and wait till later? Move to a better location? Nope, I forge on ahead. That's just the way I roll!