taking pictures 2011 – June “Wing It”

(#9 in a series) The pictures that took me when I took them:   October 2010, November 2010, December 2010, January 2011, February 2011, March 2011, April 2011, May 2011, and now . . .  

 June 2011 “Wing It”

“Wing It” has so many things I love — the details of veining, the luscious purple, the translucence, the evening slant of light. Though it was a close contest for me between this ”Wing It” and “Uphold My Dignity” — which I loved because it turns upside down so many expectations.  A picture of a pink peony that emphasizes the strength of the stem, the definite vigor of the sepals.  For June, why eye… was full of flowers.  The most effective, in addition to “Wing It” and ”Uphold My Dignity,”  probably “Edge in Sweetly” and “Bloom Bluer.”

taking pictures 2011 – May “Look Quite Lovely”

Here’s number eight in the ongoing series of Best Picture of the month:  October 2010, November 2010, December 2010, January 2011, February 2011, March 2011, April 2011, and . . . (are you surprised?) . . .

May 2011 – “Look Quite Lovely”

May was full of math and mud — most photos just document the progress of the new path and none of those made it to a blog post.

Only a few even put up on why eye . . .  :   one of my favorites: “Still Sew” with its nice dappling of light and memories of my grandma.  And I had fun with details of vintage clothes.

Even better are some of people in vintage clothes who are “Channeling Audrey” and “Look Quite Lovely“.  And some very dear birthday photos.  (Or do I mean photos of a very dear birthday?)

taking pictures 2011 – April “Breathe Hyacinth”

Seventh in a series. These are the pictures I liked best in the past year:  October 2010, November 2010, December 2010, January 2011, February 2011, March 2011, and . . .

April 2011 – “Breathe Hyacinth”

April saw only two blogposts and despite the nice fruit shots in “singular plurals“,  I much prefer some of the photos I put up on why eye . . . , especially  “Breathe Hyacinth” with its rich texture.  I also love the series that includes  “Read Aloud“, but can’t tell if that’s just because it’s of Fritz & Son.  As for the series that includes “Pray in Petals” –  almost too calendar-picture-pretty.  (But with all the ugly around, is that really such a bad thing?)

taking pictures 2011 – March “Am Not My Cage”

Sixth in the ongoing series of Pictures I Keep Coming Back To:   October 2010, November 2010, December 2010, January 2011, February 2011, and . . .

March 2011 – “Am Not My Cage”

“Am Not My Cage” comes from a whole group of pigeon pictures in one of the final posts on the old Imaginary Bicycle called “february 32, 2011 – the end”.

I like these almost black and white pictures.  Especially I like the almost of them.  ”Am Not My Cage” especially made me think of Rilke’s poem, “The Panther,” though I conflated its words and imagery in my mind with “Archaic Torso of Apollo” — which ends hauntingly:  “You must change your life.”

taking pictures 2011 – February “Take Tulips 2 Tango”

Fifth in a series:  the pictures I liked best over the past blogal year:  October 2010, November 2010, December 2010, January 2011 and now  . . .

February, 2011 – “Take Tulips 2 Tango”

I had such fun with these white tulips.  They showed up in  “tongues of love, the lettered heart, and other bad translations” and then again “in different lights”.

I chose this one particularly for the romantic shadows and the tender way the leaves touch petals, but I also loved other tulip pictures:  “Consider the Other Side,” “Ripple,” and “Speak Softly” especially.  Which is not to say I am not still very much liking “Triangulate” and “Look Where I’m Standing“.  I’d never realized how anthropomorphic tulips are.  Maybe that’s why I love them so much?

taking pictures 2011 – January “Walk on Water”

You can take a walk through days past:  October 2010, November 2010, December 2010 . . . or you can just Walk on Water: 

January 2011 – “Walk on Water”

It was a close call for me between this photo, “Walk on Water,” with its lovely wash of colors and watery reflections and three others: “Must Move”,  “Please Walk” and “Scatter Shadow”.

I liked seeing through the layers in “Please Walk“.  And also the signage with its many gentle exhortations, the patterns of straight lines, and that shadowy figure in red just beyond the curtain.

“Scatter Shadow,” in its turn, is nicely atmospheric and I loved the pure motion and active reds of “Must Move“.  But I think the clincher for choosing “Walk on Water” was the kite.

Most of these pictures showed up as thumbnails in “and that was january . . . “

taking pictures 2010 – December “Thank You, Baby Born”

These are the pictures I keep coming back to: October 2010, November 2010.  Now here’s the third in the series: 

December 2010 – “Thank You, Baby Born”

I love the way the shapes of the hands reflect each other in “Thank You, Baby Born.” But it was a close choice between this and “Thank you, Swift Couriers” which I like for its inner mixed with outer — the layers of perception. I already feel nostalgic for all its soon-to-be-retro details.

Other pictures, too, still brighten my eye from this month:  “Thank you, Orange” is so very orange, “Thank you, Pillow” still looks beckoningly restful, “Thank you, Little Christmas Lights” still makes me want to have a party despite the icy puddles.