Sue'sNews

First Day of Summer

Aaah Summer! Beach weather is here at last. I've been busy getting my home spruced up for the season. I've been working on my vegetable garden for the first time in a couple of years. I had given up on it after the Spring of 2004. That was the spring of the rabbit and squirrel invasion. They said the October 2003 fires had destroyed the habitat and sent all the critters this way.  I'm hoping I can win the battle this year.

We had the wood decks stained and the garage doors painted. We've had all the brush and weeds cut and made sure all the sprinklers are in good working order. The gardens are all planted with new annual flowers and everything is looking cool and green. I'm just about ready to sit back and relax and enjoy the summer as it gets too hot to work outside anyway.

I should have more time for my nature photography soon. But, speaking of photography, I'm having a special sale to celebrate summer. I've created a special sale gallery at prices up to 50% off. Go to www.susanappelphotography.com then Galleries>Fine Art Photography>Summer Special. This sale will last one month only. Be sure to vote for your favorites on the site. You may see them offered at sale prices in the future.

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter to one and all. Easter is a time of rebirth and renewal. All of nature renews itself in the spring and these peach blossoms against a bright blue sky signify that to me. May this be a time of renewal for you. May the Lord give you today, a bright beginning of the rest of your life. May He give you health and well being, happiness and love.

St. Patrick's Day

St. Patrick's Day is here, you see.
We'll pick some shamrocks, one, two, three.
We'll count the leaves and look them over,
And maybe find a four-leafed clover.
I'll sew green buttons on my vest,
Green for St. Patrick is the best.
I'll wear a green hat, very high,
And dance a jig--at least I'll try!

I bought myself a shamrock plant for St. Patrick's Day which is coming up on Saturday. There's no such thing as a shamrock, you know. It's just an Irish legend about the lucky three leafed clover. My plant is Oxalis, a weed actually. It spreads by rhizomes and can be invasive in its favored woodland conditions. It's very happy in its pot in my sunny kitchen. It was a fine model for my photograph. They have shamrock plants at Simpson's Nursery in Jamul if you would like to buy one.

Gift Giving Occasions

We have several gift giving occasions coming up in March. Did you know the 9th is Employee Appreciation Day? If you have an employee that deserves some special recognition, this is the time. How about some flowers? Even a little bud vase with one flower would show that you notice their efforts.

The big one is St. Patrick’s Day on the 17th. There are many gift ideas available for this day of celebrating the Irish. Anything green is acceptable or any expression of the Irish wit. Something with the shamrock on it would be great.

I love this one - Goof Off Day on March 22nd. Surprise your friends with something silly on that day. You probably didn’t know about that one!

I’m going to have to get out and find a shamrock plant to photograph. I’ll post it on my website so you can order a special gift item. A coffee mug printed with a shamrock would be a great gift idea for my Irish uncle. Or a barbecue apron, a visor, a key chain, a mouse pad... What if I could find a whole patch of shamrocks? That would make a great puzzle - all green! It would be a challenging one.
I don’t have much time! I should have thought of this sooner. I know I can count on Smugmug though. They’ll print up my gift and ship it out quickly. Every order I’ve placed has arrived in less time than they quoted. I just love the mugs I ordered for Christmas. The quality is superb. I like the large size best. It holds the right amount of beverage for me. And I ordered a 6 inch tile with a picture of my grandson. I glued a 1/4 inch ribbon around the edge and placed it on a tiny easel. It’s just darling!

Take a look at the “prints and gifts” page for more ideas and email me if your favorite image is not offered as the gift item that you prefer. I can crop it for you or make other revisions and make it available in the shopping cart.

Don’t forget Easter, April 8th and Mother’s Day, May 13th. Maybe one of the portraits from your recent portrait session would look good as a special gift for Mom. There is still time to schedule a portrait session too.

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New Old Pro

For those who cut their photographic teeth on the film cameras of old, the name “Leica” is very familiar. They were pioneers of the 35mm camera in 1925. Their cameras have been the tool of choice for photojournalists, travel photographers and photographic artists since 1954 when their M range finder was released. The Leica is loved and appreciated for its fine workmanship, intuitive controls and whisper quiet shutter. Henri Cartier Bresson was using a Leica when he said that his camera was “an extension of his arm”.

Since the advent of the digital age, film cameras have fallen out of favor. Leica’s film cameras have become very expensive collector’s items. The digital cameras made by Canon and Nikon have become the tool of choice for pros and serious amateurs alike.

There’s good news for the Leica devotee. In November the company will release a new, digital version of the M range finder, the M8. It looks and feels like the old models. It has the sleek, clean look of the original M models. It even accepts the old M lenses produced as far back as 1954.

The new M8 has a 10.2 megapixel sensor which is not up to par with the Canon EOS 5D at 12.8 megapixels. It also can’t claim the super quiet shutter that it had been known for in the past. At a price of $4,795 (body only) Leica can’t compete in price either. (Canon is almost $2,000 less). However, this could be the time for Leica users to switch to digital. This is a very fine professional camera, designed to take great pictures. And you can preserve your investment in lenses since they are compatible.

Get details at www.leicacamerausa.com                                           BACK TO HOME PAGE

Storm is Over

The "big storm" that was forecast for last night really didn't amount to much. Most of San Diego county had some rain, but not much. The weather man looked a bit embarrassed this morning. However, he was pleased to announce sunshine for today. This photo was taken at about 7:30am.

As I post this (at 9:25am) it is HAILING even though the sun is shining! I guess the weatherman's face is saved.

Photographer Quote of the Day:

Photographers deal in things which are continually vanishing and when they have vanished there is no contrivance on earth which can make them come back again.
Henri Cartier-Bresson

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Sea Shell on Driftwood

PHOTOGRAPHER QUOTE OF THE DAY: There are no lines in nature, only areas of colour, one against another.
Edouard Manet

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RESTING RAKE

Here is a still life that offers a promise of a story. Where is the gardener? Is he resting nearby? Does this tree offer the cool shade that he seeks? How did the photographer happen upon the scene? I prefer to leave you with the questions rather than the answers. I think a photograph is better when it provokes thought or introspection.

PHOTOGRAPHER QUOTE OF THE DAY:  The still must tease with the promise of a story the viewer of it itches to be told.
Cindy Sherman                   Back to Home Page

Drops

Taking time to notice the little things on a rainy morning.

PHOTOGRAPHY QUOTE OF THE DAY:
You can find pictures anywhere. It's simply a matter of noticing things and
organizing them. You just have to care about what's around you and have a concern
with humanity and the human comedy.
Elliott Erwitt

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San Francisco Embarcadero

I visited San Francisco toward the end of January. San Francisco is a choice location for a travel photographer. It's one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. Here you'll find museums, theater, and tourist attractions for the whole family.

Along the Embarcadero you'll find Pier 39, a shoppers delight, and Fisherman's Wharf. Across from the ferry landing is the Hyatt Regency Hotel and adjoining it is the Embarcadero Center, a huge shopping mall that is actually four malls on four separate blocks. There are a number of sculptures featured in this mall.

In the park in front of the Hyatt Regency Hotel, I came across this sculpture. It is a "people friendly" sculpture. It is featured as a climbing and play area. I like the way one of the heads seems to be floating off the edge of the area.        BACK TO HOME PAGE