clicks from phone week

Phone Week

With your Phone

#applepie #homemadeapplepie #fromscratch #bakefromscratch
#flakycrust #yummy #iphone #nofilter

Off Prompt

Today's prompt was "Favorite Phone App" I took several photos, clicked through Snapseed's tools, but none looked better with adjustments. The original one was my fav #nofilter #jameson #love #lapdog #granddog #labrador #labradorsofinstagram #dogs

Entertainment

#cats #catsofinstagram #sydney #waterboy
Doesn't everyone's #cat #shower ?? #iphone #nofilter

Story

#firsts #fireplace #duringtheday #allday #babyitscoldoutside #january
#stone #oklahomastone #aurorablend #longstory
#granddog #lovinglife #inside #lucky #dog #rufflife
#labrador #labradorsofinstagram #iphone #filterfun

Take a Flower

#orchid #phaleonopsis #rebloom #lastsforever
#growsomethinggreen #greenthumb #gotitfrommymomma
#iphone

Filter Fun

Snapseed #grunge & #fadedglow see below for #nofilter
#christmascactus is my #favoriteplant I have a divided piece #39years old
#itshuge from a close family friend & another from #farmgrandma #cactus #thisisherbloom #heirloom #memories #giftthatkeepsongiving
#growsomethinggreen #iphone

Filter Fun (no filter)

Prompt Free

#spanight #relax #createyourownhappiness #iphone #nofilter

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clicks from technical week

Technical Week 

On the Third

#lunareclipse #moon on 1.20.19 at 11:53pm
#mybackyard #balmy -6F #moonshots #notmything
#getouttayourcomfortzone #shootforthemoon

Consider the Background

#natural bokeh or tack sharp backgrounds are my fav.
Our #cold #january #sky was briefly painted a soft #pastel #tonight
#nofilter #winterishere #itsabouttime #damnitscold

Intentionally Cropping

#birdonacoldtinroof #findatree #january #gotsnow

Eyes

#look into a #horses eyes they are very #soulful #love #myboy #koda
#expressive #eyes #appaloosa #horsesofinstagram
complete with #snowflake kissed hair

Morning Light

Shoot with the light you have #today #natural #morninglight
#cloudy #snowing #winterwonderland #january
#wisconsin #horses #horsesofinstagram #nofilter

My "Morning Light" photo was selected to be featured!
Four photos are chosen from each prompt,
to be featured in a daily square grid. It is always an honor.
The participating photographers are very creative & talented.

Prism

#improvise view from my #frontdoor #window #prisms #itworks
#myfrontyard #january #itswarmerinside

Token

#token #resemblingacoin #drinksonice #timetocashin

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clicks from all about you week

All About You

You!

#me #ourwoods #myhappyplace #hiking #january

You (Again!)

#me #tryingnewthings # getinfrontofthecamera #dogs #jameson #remi
#granddogs #labrador #bernesemountaindogs #labradorsofinstagram #berneseofinstagram #january #woods #nofilter
Next time I'll hide my phone & pull my #elmerfudd hat down.
Dogs were too cute to hit delete.

Outside

#me #ourboys #koda #nemo both are #appaloosa #love our #horses #myfavoriteplacetobe is #outside #home #mybackyard #january #whereisthesnow

It's Routine

#chores #mymorning #rolling #wheelbarrel #poop #remi #granddog
#bernesemountaindog #berneseofinstagram #january #whereisthesnow

Currently Loving

#love #ourhorses #koda #appaloosa #harmony #quarterhorse
#bedandbreakfast #sharingiscaring #sweet

Where I Stand

when I'm not wheelin' it by hand, I'm rollin' it with #myfriendbob
#bobcat #me #chores #getrdone

Necessary

#hay #horses #horsesofinstagram #koda #nemo #appaloosa
#wisconsin #winter #cold #january #wegotsnow #extrahayoutofframe #nofilter

My take aways from this week: I *finally* took the time to learn remote shooting, using an app on my phone. There is more to figure out, but I got it to work! Remote shooting worked really well for "You (Again!)" when I was closer, but proved to be a challenge once further away in "Outside". 

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clicks from red week

Red Week

Red

Can you say #dirtylook #sydney #seeingred #red
 #cat #catsofinstagram #nofilter

Shades of Red

#sunrise #wraparoundcolor #yesterdayssky #amazing #hadtobethere
 #nofilter I have taken photos today, but they aren't #red #myigmyrules

Shades of Red

#taketwo #doubledipping #mandala #berol #scarletred #terracotta #vermillionred #crimsonred #tuscanred #magenta #crimsonlake #scarletred #carminered
#pink #purple Did I use enough #shadesofred

Exposing your Red

#red #smokinghot #horseshoe #mytwist #hotmetal #farrier #nofilter

From Behind

#jameson #labrador #labradorsofinstagram #granddog #redbandana
#middayphotography #highnoon #january #wisconsin #nofilter

Delightful

Seeing our #horses outside our window #horsesofinstagram #harmony
#backlit #chestnut #sorrel #redhorse #ranchlife #whereisthesnow #january

Pop of Color

#suttlepopofcolor #myheart is happiest in #nature
#winterhike #pines #woods

Contemplative

#himalayansaltlamp #noughsaid

My take away from this week: sunny day time light in the winter is not harsh, it is beautiful!!

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click per day

Capture Your 365 / Photo Challenge 2019 

January
why not click along (includes photos from week one)

red week

all about you week

technical week

phone week

February
pink week

why not click along

As a new year was about to begin, a photo challenge called Capture your 365 crossed my Instagram newsfeed. I have attempted it previous years. On a whim, I thought why not try again? 

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In an effort to figure out my photography style, I took on the challenge for the first time in 2017. I lasted 100-ish mostly consecutive days, before getting frustrated and giving up. 

There are tons of free photography challenges on the internet, and supportive groups. I don't (and won't) pay for a membership. For playing but not paying you have access to a monthly calendar of daily prompts, but not the accompanying information. Took me the longest time to figure out why multiple people would post photos that resembled each other in a way, but not necessarily the prompt.

My challenge efforts did not help me figure out "my style" or the never ending related question "what do you shoot". Questions I still struggle to answer to this day. Words mean different things to different people, and I end up explaining myself. 

I had imposed a restriction on myself that all my photos had to be taken with my DSLR camera, and my new pricey 50mm f/1.2 prime lens. I wanted to learn to use it with confidence. People were paying me for portraits. I felt obligated to provide better quality, and figure out my photography style. Not just take a lot of photos and hope a few turn out. A philosophy I disagree with. Does it work? Yes, odds will provide. Is there a better way? Yes, you'll know when you are at that stage.

The challenge did teach me that I prefer zoom lenses.

The extra sharpness a prime lens (a fixed focal length) gives you, the average person can't even see. It took me years to be able to see the difference. It is not worth it to me, nor do I have the money or desire to own a collection of pricey glass. I opt for flexibility.

The challenge also reinforced how I already felt. The most important thing (to me) about photography is capturing the feeling of a fleeting moment, not a technically perfect photo. 

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Last year I announced to my photography Facebook world that I was taking the challenge on again, but this year I would set myself up for success by only doing select prompts. I think I did two prompts early on. They say you will feel encouraged by saying it out loud, and telling others. I know we had an extra busy year moving, but clearly this was not a good approach for me. It was a total bust, and I am pretty sure no one remembers me saying I was going to participate.

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So, here we are. My third attempt. As of this post I am still clicking daily per prompt this year, with my camera or phone. I am no longer tracking the number of days, and don't care if my photos resemble whatever the additional information is. You can figure it out from other peoples posts, but it honestly doesn't matter to me anymore. 
I need practice and my biggest struggle is finding subject matter, and therefore inspiration. I would love to get my creativity on, but in a unique way. I am still trying to find *my* way.

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Living and loving our land and all that thrives on it, has given me a refreshing outlook on photography. I don't share my pics on common places where one goes to "keep up with the joneses" and I no longer have to find the courage to travel alone to seek photo opportunities. Not that I won't, it's just taking photos isn't contingent on it. There is beauty right outside my back door, and the only person I am photographing for is me. Unless it is commissioned, but that's an entirely different post.

There is something extraordinary about that which is familiar.

The challenge prompts help me to document the wonder I experience around me in ways I wouldn't otherwise. It gets me out of my comfort zone. I am proud of some photo results, many others not so much. Some photos are taken just to get 'er done, but the value is it causes me to think visually. I know I won't make it an entire year. I honestly don't care if I do. I'll stop the prompted daily snap when it starts to feel like a burden.

I have begun the arduous process of updating my blog behind the scenes. Don't hold your breath, it will take me forever! Nothing major, it just needs updating. I'll post about it when I get closer to being done. I've decided to share all my photo challenge results, not just the horses related pics. They will fit in nicely with my eventual blog revise.

I plan to catch up, but then post results weekly here on my blog for as long as I participate in the challenge. I will include the hashtags I used on Instagram. If you are not familiar with hashtags, here is the definition "a word or phrase preceded by a hash sign (#), used on social media websites and applications, especially Twitter, to identify messages on a specific topic". All challenge photos are tagged with #cy365, but the rest are descriptors.

Week One

Welcome to 2019

#welcome2019 #january #winter #wisconsin

Fresh

#january #fresh #freshsnow #horse #lips
#kissme #nemo #appaloosa #horsesofinstragram

One Word

#cold #january #winter #wisconsin

Branches

Even the tiniest of #budding #branches hangs on for Spring.
#january #winter #nofilter

Space to Grow

#january #fieldofdreams #winterdream #horsesofinstagram
#horses #homestead #ranch #livingthedream #lovewhereyoulive

orange you glad

Last week I had an orange week. I couldn't help but notice, that bright orange was making a noticeable appearance in my life.

It started with my blooming Clivia's. I overwinter mine inside, until they can go outside to summer camp. They have the most magnificent blooms and smell mmm good too!

Shirley from Ride a Good Horse made a keen observation in my most recent building related post, asking about the unusual use of lilac flooring insulation. We are using it, because of something orange.

not an orange snake barrier

colorful orange water tubing is attached

cement will be poured directly on top

The lilac insulation is a heat barrier for heated floors. I learned some tubing runs hot & some runs cold. It alternates side by side. I've never seen it installed before, but I've felt it! It was interesting to see how they laid the colorful maze out on our basement floor. Orange you glad you asked ;)

The very same day, I stopped to photograph a damaged bridge that I've been wanting to shoot. I got so excited when an unexpected visitor came floating around the corner!! Bridge? What bridge? To heck with the bridge, I couldn't believe my eyes! I ran back to my truck to switch to my longer lens. Knowing moments like these are rare & fleeting. If only I had stayed calm and not given off so much frantic energy, he probably would have stuck around longer.

Favorite Color ~ 102/365 photo challenge

I had to look up this unique bird. He has a funny bump on his bill. Apparently it has to do with breeding season. I had no idea we have American White Pelican in our area. Orange was my favorite color *that day* for sure!! Click photo to get a closer look at the vibrant color around his eyes.

I wonder what, if anything, will stand out this week. Do you ever have those weeks?

what's in a name

For years we have wanted to have our own horse related brand name. You know, something like " _________ Appaloosas" or " _________ Quarter Horses". We got as far as deciding we did not want to designate one specific breed, so that left us with this for a name " _________ " !!!!

Without being in the horse business, and no relatable physical location of our own, naming ourselves didn't really make sense. The whole idea got put on hold. No fun logo designing for me, and no embroidered matchy-matchy apparel for us. Bummer!!

Now that we have land, the whole naming idea has since resurfaced. For some reason, coming up with our name is my job. Guess that's the price you pay for being dubbed "the creative one"!  I've been doing a lot of thinking, googling, observing - and I still can't figure a name out!!

We decided to wait, something will stand out with the land. Right??! If you've read earlier land posts, you know at least one unusual prickly thing. 

There is ton's of info on how to name, naming generators, tips on naming, and ways to come up with variations on the internet. 

I looked into how to create branding combinations (as in ranch brands), the history of the town, the native americans that were here before us and unusual features in the area. I even looked into words in spanish (my heritage). There are nearby roads with really cool names, and a nearby creek, that would have made great horse property names. We ended up with a boring plain road name, and no creek. Sigh.

This is what I learned about the name game:

Ideally you want a combination of two or three of these things: an adjective, an attribute, and type of place. A descriptor of sorts. Who you are, what you do or where you are. 

Some things we've discover about our land, mixed together with a few of our intentions:

Possible adjectives: Wild, Windy, Rolling, Sandy

Possible attributes: Pines, Cactus, Oaks, Horse related words

Possible type of place: Farm, Ranch, Homestead

The names we've liked so far, are all taken. Go figure. I won't bore you with my long "taken" list. I really liked "Wild Cactus Ranch" but it is a pretty prominent bucking bull breeding ranch in Texas. We are not really wild, nor into cactus. Guess it's just not for us. 

My hubby doesn't like warm & fuzzy names, doesn't want to use our last name, or my studio name, and isn't into cute or funny names. Who is the difficult one now?? Ha ha!!  

What's in a name?? A lot of indecision. So much that I wrote this post five months ago, and never published it. The name topic has resurfaced at home, and in blogger land. 

Farm names are very visible at Horse Fair, which is in two weeks. It will be a constant reminder of our lack of nameability. There are things we look at and leave saying "when we have our ranch name"...we do have a few contenders, none that we all like. Maybe something will come out eventually, that feels right, or maybe we shall remain nameless.

where I stand
76/365 ~ photo challenge

build-a-barn ~ now what

The last day of the barn build arrived before we knew it. It took three weeks, just like they said. If you count actual work days, it took about 12. 

finished horse side

low light
47/365 ~ photo challenge

Brad & I watched the sunset together on the last day of the build. The sky wasn't nearly as spectacular as my last post, but we had a good laugh regardless. I wiped out climbing our house of hay, while trying to take a photo with a timer. I don't move as fast as I used to in 10 seconds!

where I stand
48/365 ~ photo challenge

Now it's our job to make the interior happen...electrical, plumbing, flooring, framing, stalls and walls...just to name a few things. Some will be contracted out, others "we" will do. The roof and storage side need to be insulated, and the overhang ceiling and exposed wood finished. The beams will get wrapped, except for the cedar wood.

cedar support beams

Sooo much left to do, it's never ending! Some of the remaining work is being tied in with the house build, so it will be a while before the entire barn is actually finished. Thanks for reading along with our once in our lifetime barn build!! 

our empty barn, filled with dreams

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View other Build-a-Barn posts to date.

go faster get further behind

We have managed a consistent weekly indoor riding pattern of two days a week for a while now, three for Brad with his lesson day. That wasn't the case around the holidays, ice storms, cold weather, and everything else that got in our way earlier this season. During those sparse visits, every ride felt like "starting over"...it is amazing what a second ride does for Koda & I. We are able to build on where we left off. It makes a big difference for us, especially me. Koda has behaved remarkably well, through what historically has been challenging months for us - and I am absolutely thrilled!!

Message
Day 36/365 Photo Challenge

Nemo on the other hand has taken issue with the end of the arena, to a whole new scary level. He is an extremely sensitive horse. One of those "horse eating things" can pop up at any given moment, any place, on any horse. Being the good boy that Nemo is, with complete trust in Brad, he gets over it quickly. Keep in mind Nemo is a rock solid trail horse, not much bothers him. When he takes issue tho, he is seriously convinced there is a problem. These are very rare for him, and nothing like this. This is different. Nemo is not just being naughty, he is downright scared. Brad has had his hands full... 

Forcing Nemo through this would have just put them both further behind. That doesn't work anyways, especially with sensitive horses. Many would have handed the horse over to the trainer to fix. Instead, Brad has gone way back to basic ground level type stuff in the arena. Like just standing by the door on the ground (over, and over, and over) with lots of love. Standing, so he can safely get off etc. I know it's been extremely frustrating for Brad, but I am really proud how they are working through this. Let me add, we have thought about Nemo being in pain and his behavior as trying to tell us something (other then he is scared) but he is perfectly normal in every way. We do have a routine vet visit coming up soon. Should that be the case, it will reveal itself. 

If it's not one horse, it's the other. Let's just say our horses keep our life interesting, and we cannot wait to live with them!!! 

Contrast
Day 29/365 Photo Challenge
(chosen for the daily feature)