Janet Brien's photos with the keyword: flash

The Dunes are So Close but Mostly Hidden! Even though this park is situated right next to a massive sand dune area which stretches for 40 miles, you'd never know it if you weren't aware of the surroundings. The soil is very sandy, true, and when it's open, there is a sandy ATV road which leads out to the dunes and the tracks leave heaps of sand in the road. But otherwise the forest and hills completely hide the dunes! Only when you get out to the lake and look off to the side do you see the dunes. It's the most peculiar thing and I was amazed at the dramatic change in scenery from sand to forest. Today's Picture Each morning I strolled through the vast campground (Oregon's 2nd largest with over 350 sites!) and in one part, there's a little trail leading along a nearly-dry stream and past a campsite. One day it was empty so I took a closer look. Next to a pine tree I found this beautiful group of Forget-Me-Nots! Because the lighting was so low, I decided to come back the next day with my macro lens and flash for a proper picture. It rained during the night and I was delighted to see the droplets on some of the petals! Today's Insets Inset #1: The first image shows a trail that leads along the dunes for a short stretch. Even though you only have to walk across the sand for five minutes or so, it's too much! I eventually altered my daily walk to avoid this section because I tired of the arduous, slippery sand and needing to sit down and shake the sand out of my shoes and socks! Inset #2: One of the trails takes hikers to a different lake situated a ways from the main campground and if one has the time, it leads to a deep and magical forest! It was a highlight every time I went! Inset #3 Blossoms were everywhere to be seen in the lovely explosion of Spring's flower show! High in the trees or next to the dirt, adorning bushes and dressing up patches of grass, I loved every floral sight I found! Inset #4: Of course there were mushrooms too! This one I found nestling in a vibrant patch of moss, and I had fun looking for them every day. Inset #5: Plenty of critters to find as well, I noticed this spider web shining in the light and was very happy to find its artist waiting for a meal to arrive! Thank You For the Visits! I hope all of you are doing well! It's a lovely, frosty day with bright sunshine and nary a cloud! Happy Sunday/Monday to you all! (I need to scan in some more doodles to share!) Explored on 1/9/22; highest placement #7.

(1 inset image above) When Steve and I got married, we went to Australia for our honeymoon. We spent a few days in Sydney and then flew up to Cairns for a day before departing for the Great Barrier Reef for 10 days of scuba diving on a live-aboard dive boat. The weather didn't cooperate with us and most of our trip was spent in a torrential downpour. However, we made the best of our time there! One of the two days we were in Cairns, we wandered around and found ourselves in a square busy with a small crafts fair. We had a marvelous time looking around and eventually found ourselves in front of a booth of beautiful polished rocks that twinkled with opals! We were smitten! Neither of us had ever seen opals in any other way than just the opal itself and we thought these polished rocks were prettier than any opals we'd ever seen. The couple there told us about their opal mine, which so far hadn't paid off with the lucrative opals yet, but they were getting these pretty opal-infused sandstones, which polished up very nicely and could be sold. They had dozens and dozens, and a great many were strung on leather strings as adjustable-lengh necklaces. Steve and I knew what our precious souvenir from Australia would be! We spent a long time looking at every one, and the couple were kind enough to allow us to carry them over to the sunshine. In the end, I picked this one because it is smaller and also has beautiful colors in the opal flecks. Steve picked a larger one, equally beautiful. We were so happy with our special Australian presents! And from that day until today, these necklaces have never come off except to replace the waxed leather string. Explored on April 18, 2014. Highest placement, #2.

Totally groovy, man! I really like how colorful this one turned out. Depending on how the camera is aimed, and how the flashlight is aimed, the effect can be dramatically different!

2 other images in notes above! :) Today Steve and I celebrated the first official trike ride of a friend of ours who bought one after taking Steve's bike on a test ride. His (adult) son joined us and all four of us had a fabulous day on a 17 mile ride with a coffee stop in the middle and wonderful company all around. After the ride we all went out to dinner at our favorite pizza restaurant with two other bike rider friends and it was so much fun that we didn't get home until after 8! I didn't bring my camera with me today because we didn't want to worry about the extra security, and I knew that meant I'd be taking a night picture. When we got home, I got my camera, popped on the macro flash, grabbed a cd and a red led flashlight, sprayed water on the cd, and took a bunch of pictures! WHAT FUN! It was neat looking at the images on my computer, such interesting effects at a macro level! I'm sharing my three favorites, I hope you enjoy them! :) (Each is clickable!) Ralph Waldo Emerson (May 25, 1803 – April 27, 1882) was an American essayist, lecturer, and poet, who led the Transcendentalist movement of the mid-19th century. He was seen as a champion of individualism and a prescient critic of the countervailing pressures of society, and he disseminated his thoughts through dozens of published essays and more than 1,500 public lectures across the United States. Wikipedia: Ralph Waldo Emerson

This pair of droplets almost seem to be sliding along, don't they? I really love the effect of this one a lot!