I saw this mermaid today
I waved and said, “hey”
but much to my dismay
this fishy girl wouldn’t play
she flashed a smirk, and just swam away
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Some Neat-o Pics of the Mundane
I was pretty happy with a lot of the pictures I took today. I picked out my top 5 favorites, basically the photos that jumped out at me during my initial viewing.
This one is my favorite. While I was playing darts, the light shining on that ashtray caught my eye, so I grabbed a couple of pics, one in color and this one in b&w.
See that bump in the middle? That’s a bug. I saw that little guy haulin’ butt and thought he looked just like the weathered plastic table he was crawling on.
This is a picture of a gross collection of water in a bird bath. I amped up the luminance and the dark tones in post processing.
Check out that lens flare! I like how that turned out.
My friend’s peach tree is producing some pretty good lookin’ peaches. You know that song, Peaches by the POTUSes? Soon, we’ll have Millions of peaches, peaches for me,
Millions of peaches, peaches for free . . . LOOK OUT!
I really like how dark those shadows are, and how the light is shining on the peach.
Some b&w Pictures
I was at a location that I go to a lot, and I’ve gotten pretty bored of the scenery. So, I set my camera to the Dynamic Monochromatic setting. I also decided to play around some with overexposing my lights and underexposing my darks.
Overexpose is when too much light enters your camera and the bright spots can become “blown out” or too bright. Underexpose is when there isn’t enough light entering your camera and those areas might be too dark and without detail. Choosing what type of exposure you need to use will be determined by the kind of effect you’re going for in your photography, and by the lighting conditions.
This picture is very overexposed by +3 and I brought those dark shadows out in post processing. I’m happy with how it turned out. Especially since it’s different from what I usually do.
I shot this under the bridge. The left side is so dark and has no detail which is a nice balance to the overexposed brightness of those rocks.
I like the blurriness created by the movement of the creek water. And I really like the wavy edges of these heart shaped leaves. Both of these pictures have a closer to normal exposure.
This spot looked pretty cool to me. I liked how overgrown all the plants were. I played around with some stuff because the original image was a bit too sepia colored.
I took this one while standing under the bridge. See that hole? There was a whole bunch of those little rusted out holes. Hmm, I wonder how old that bridge is.
Rural East Texas – A Photographic Journey
Driving up and down the roads of rural East Texas is a very enjoyable and satisfying experience. At times, I am so enthralled by the beautiful landscape that I am shocked I haven’t flipped my car and truly become one with the land.
Barns always grab my attention, and we’ve got a lot of barns in East Texas. I love how the bright blanket of yellow flowers takes over the land. This rural landscape is located on US 259 in between Nacogdoches and a small town called Mt. Enterprise.
The Hardwood Barn is located on the left as you approach Mt. Enterprise. I think it’s used as an auction house. It’s fun to watch the surrounding landscape change throughout the seasons.
I found this rickety little barn on a quiet winding backroad.
I love how old rusty farm equipment looks . . . It’s soooo country. These old tractors are located near Mt. Enterprise on US 259.
Here’s the final image of our journey through rural East Texas. I like how the cacti in the foreground frame the blue tractor in the distance. A large vicious dog was barking at me the whole time, so I shot this picture from the safety of my car.
These Are Not Clouds – pt. 2
It happened again. I looked up and saw a rainbow around the sun with some strange looking “clouds.” If you haven’t read part 1, check it out.
Setting: Normal
Remember how to say, “these are not clouds,” in French?: ce ne sont pas des nuages. It’s soooo much fun to say.
Setting: Cross Process with a yellow tint.
I really like how it turned out in cross process. The colors look interesting.
Setting: Impressive Art – This effect gives your photo a dramatic contrast look.
This setting shocked me when I saw it on my laptop, because it really helped bring out the effect the “clouds” were making. I couldn’t even see the details with my eyes . . . Mostly because it was way too bright to look at.
I’ve heard a lot of people tell me, “There’s nothing new under the sun.” I don’t really run into that problem. Although, I guess this effect isn’t actually that new anymore, since these “clouds” are becoming more ubiquitous.
Not sure what I’m breathing in, but at least I can get some interesting pictures. How about you? Do you notice any cool “cloud” formations in your area?
The Swing – Tale of a Hidden Love Affair
I love The Rococo period because their witty paintings are fraught with frivolity and fantasy, often depicting scenes where lovers engage in amorous behaviour. The ornate garden scenes and the soft pastel colors are really pretty too.
So much is going on in this painting which makes it very entertaining for me to study.
Let’s Take a Look at The Swing
The Swing, Fragonard, Wallace Collection
The only man willing to do the job, Jean-Honore Fragonard, was commissioned by the Baron de Saint-Julien, who desired a painting of his mistress swinging while he, the sneaky Baron, observes in the bushes. What makes this painting even more illicit and exciting is the older man on the bottom right who is pushing the girl on the swing.
The Husband
Could this man in the shadows be her oblivious husband who is completely “in the dark” about his wife’s affair?
detail of husband, dog, and putti
While he happily pushes his wife into the arms of another man, notice the yapping dog at his feet. I think this dog knows what’s up and is trying to spoil the fun. Luckily for the lovers, nobody is fluent in dog. This dog is probably also there as a cheeky poke at the husband, in that dogs in paintings often symbolize:
- loyalty
- faithfulness
- fidelity
- love
A Call To Secrecy
A cupid statue on the left with his finger covering his lips in the “ssshhh” position, does his part to keep the affair quiet. He must be trying to make that noisy dog join in on the mischievous behaviour. There goes her dainty shoe, which you can see being kicked off in the last detail . . .
The Swingers
Illuminated in the middle of the painting we have the lovers in question. “The Swingers.” Notice the mistress’s beautiful and frilly pink dress blowing in the wind as she playfully flies through the air. And check out that naughty Baron; he’s got the best seat in the house. I read on artble.com, that the Baron gave the painter the following instructions:
“Place me in a position where I can observe the legs of that charming girl.”
Wow, that rapscallion sure knew how to Woo the ladies, didn’t he?
A Love Triangle
Fragonard painted the scene in a triangular composition, which helps lead the viewers eyes all over the painting to highlight the important details of the scene: The Love Triangle. Aaaahh, now we can see her shoe being kicked off as she get’s lost in the frivolity.
Darkness in the Age of Enlightenment
Rococo was a satirical response to the more serious advancements being made during the Age of Enlightenment, where people sought out rational thinking over the prevailing acceptance of divine powers. In The Swing, Fragonard successfully uses “light” to bring awareness to the underlying “dark” forces at play.
Whoever said that studying art is boring? If this was the plot of a tv show, people would be glued to their screens.
So, what do you think of this famous Rococo painting?
Fragonard painted some other playful scenes you should definitely check out. Some intriguing titles include, “The Stolen Kiss,” and “Rinaldo in the Enchanted Forest.”
Reference used: Adams, Laurie Schneider. Art Across Time. Third Edition. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2007.
Clash Royale Battle Video – Rascals + Mortar Siege Deck
Last September I downloaded a mobile video game called Clash Royale. I was hesitant at first because I was never a fan of card games. But my persistent friend finally convinced me to get the game and join his clan, and I thought, “Why not? It could be fun.”
Well, it is a lot of fun! I remember my first 4 battles, I just jumped in and got my butt kicked really good. I didn’t get discouraged though.
Supercell
I gradually got the hang of things and I managed to win some battles and get some good rewards. I loved the strategy and all of the destruction . . . It didn’t take long before I was hooked.
One of my favorite parts of the game is the characters. Their design, their sound effects, and their unique personalities and abilities are so cool and creative.
My Favorite Cards
The Witch – She summons powerful little skeletons and shoots really cool looking Destructo beams. According to Wikia, The Witch has been “Buffed” more times than any other card, which has improved her stats. No wonder my decks feel incomplete without her.
The Dark Prince – This beefy tank comes in second because he’s got a tough shield and he makes really fun sounds. He whistles when he charges, and his voice is all muffled because of his helmet. He’s so funny and he can take and deal out a lot of damage. His absence is noticed when I use a deck without this dark lad.
The Goblin Gang – These wild – eyed goblins are great. They can take out big troops like the Prince, and I love the way they use their knives to stab. I prefer the gang over the individual goblins because you also get the spear goblins. Even though this troop can be taken out pretty easily, they’re still a favorite.
My Most Coveted Card and My Enemy Card
The Magic Archer – I can’t get him until I reach Arena 11, and I am currently in Arena 10. He can be killed quickly but when used properly, he is a force to be reckoned with.
The Mega Knight – This card is so cool. I love how he lands with a powerful BOOM dealing damage to every troop around him. I don’t have this card yet, which makes me sad. And when I see him drop down on my troops I cry a little because he is my arch enemy. Especially when my opponent ends up dropping multiple Mega Knights. I could punch a wall!
Your Clan
Finding a good clan is important. When I was playing another Supercell game, Clash of Clans, I never was able to find a really good and active clan. I struggled to get enough gold and elixir and it was really hard to win wars.
I don’t have that problem with Clash Royale. I’m really happy with my clan because it’s active and has a lot of members who are really good.
The Battle Video – Rascals + Mortar Siege Deck
One of my clan members in particular, XEpicProdigy99X, excels at the game. He’s made a couple of videos, and I want to share the most recent one because he included a 2v2 Battle that features ME.
How cool is that? Check this out!
If you’re a fan of Royale you can benefit from watching his videos because not only is he funny and entertaining, but he also provides some really great tips, win conditions, and valuable information about cards.
Watching him battle (and battling with him) has helped me improve, and he has also helped deepen my gaming experience. My readers know how much I love living in the moment, and fully embracing and experiencing things. Which is exactly how XEpicProdigy99X plays Clash Royale.
So, if you’re looking for a fun and challenging mobile game, I suggest that you try out Clash Royale. If you do, go ahead and watch Orange Juice Gaming also. I learned so much from him when I was a beginner.
