Sunday, October 4, 2009

Spinning webs and saying adieu


Call me Geek. But I'm excited about this photo. I always wanted a spiderweb for my blog title Talespinning.

Not only does this capture the gigantic spider web in this foggy walk through a park, but I took it on my cell phone! Yes, my new Samsung Propel has a darn fine little camera in it. Who knew?

I used to haul heavy 35mm cameras with extra wide angle and zoom lenses. I had Zeiss, I had Nikon, I had Canon. Then I got my very cool digital Konica Minolta, which has been used for most of the photos I put on this blog. But the cell phone is, like, always in your pocket.

After I got over my excitement on the quality of this phone camera, I discovered I could edit effects on it. Okay, so many of you probably know all about this, but I was in sandbox heaven.


So here are the negative and pastel paint versions. I'm totally giddy.

















How. Cool. Is. This?

I may have to put Negative Web back up for Halloween, huh?


Now, for the adieu part. I am going to a seaside retreat and taking my revisions for the WIP with me. Hoping to really accomplish something and get R&R, as well. So I may or may not check for wi-fi and visit the blogosphere. If not, I'll see you next week.


I also want to thank Karen Denise at I'm Always Write for nominating me for the Kreativ Blogger award. It is always an honor to be nominated by another blogger. I "met" Karen when I read a rocking good opener she posted in a WIP contest. I'm putting the award image in the sidebar, since I have received it before. Seven quick things about me:
1) I was born in Paris.
2) I own all the Buffy the Vampire Slayer DVDs and watch them almost as frequently as I eat chocolate--dark, please.
3) I have tons of shoes I never wear but can't part with them--some of them are works of art!
4) I don't remember ever being bookless. There's a photo of me as a toddler holding a book almost as big as me.
5) I love art and have spent some of my hard-earned money on works by contemporary artists. I also always go to museums and galleries when I'm traveling in new cities. Italy is my idea of heaven.
6) My other heaven is any beach. Sand under my feet, waves cresting with the sun turning them green, pelicans flying in formation--ah!
7) I once dreamed I was making a wildly colorful book out of fabric and the pieces of cloth were all fragments of memory. I think that is a mighty fine dream.
Bye until I'm back again. Wishing everyone a most happy and productive week.


22 comments:

Donna said...

Love the spiderweb, Tricia. Occasionally I watch a garden spider spin a web from kumquat tree to eaves to handrail. The back porch light illuminates the artistry. Truly magical to me. Just dinner preparations for the spider.

Congratulations on your latest and well-deserved award. Have a wonderful seaside adventure.

Abby Annis said...

Very cool! I love finding beautiful things in nature.

Congrats on your award! Have fun at your seaside retreat. Good luck on your revisions!

Anonymous said...

Oh beautiful! I love all the photo's, I think the negative one has a special class of creepy about it though, very cool!

Tricia J. O'Brien said...

Donna: What a treat to watch the spider at work. Thanks for the good wishes.

Abby: Thanks, Abby. I really do love nature. It keeps me sane.

Wendy: Isn't the neg perfect for the Halloween creeps? I think it gets resurrected.

Sarah Wylie said...

That is an impressive picture - especially from your phone! Have a great week!

Michelle D. Argyle said...

What a GREAT picture! Yes, I know about hauling cameras everywhere. I've got a film 35mm SLR, a digital 35mm SLR, and a huge medium format film camera. Funny, I don't own a little point and shoot, and my camera phone sucks. I really need to get something small to capture stuff on the go!

I am so jealous of your trip. Like, really really jealous!

Yvonne Osborne said...

Those are awesome pictures, Tricia, and from a camera phone? Who would believe it?

A week by yourself with a WIP at the seashore? Now that's beyond words.

kah said...

Beautiful web! So glad you didnt walk into it (as I do way too frequently). Enjoy your retreat. I'm a bit envious.

storyqueen said...

Have a great time. I am envious. R and R and revision. I guess that's R and R and R!

The negative web rocks!! (and the white ghost trees are beautifully creepy)

I will miss you.

Shelley

Linda Kage said...

Have fun on your break! And I love the black and white negative picture. That would look awesome as the official Talespinning logo. And I can't believe it was taken on a camera phone. Very good detail.

Andrea Cremer said...

love the negative web! Have a great break and, as always, hooray for Buffy!!

Corey Schwartz said...

Photo is SO cool!!! Adios.

Davin Malasarn said...

Have a great trip! And, that IS a great picture. :)

Bish Denham said...

Those are some WAY cool pictures. Have fun at the seaside retreat. See you when you get back.

MG Higgins said...

Love the photos and the dream! (You were born in Paris? How cool is that!) Hope your trip is productive AND relaxing and that you return refreshed (with some photos to share, of course).

Laura Canon said...

Paris, Kentucky?
Just kidding -- kind of a Kentucky joke. That camera looks like lots of fun. Have a good time.

Tess said...

Seriously? With your phone?! That is cool. Call me a geek, too, cuz I think it rocks.

Robyn Campbell said...

You were born WHERE? How come I never knew that? Man the things I havta search out about my bloggy buds. SHEESH!

All this time I imagined you were Irish like me. But French is good too. I love them french fries. Ahahahaha

You're going WHERE???? To a seaside resort? "I wanna go too!" *she was kicking and screaming Tricia called for them to take her away* "Away with her," she said. :) I'll miss you. Great camera, btw. :)

Karen Denise said...

That spiderweb is TOO creepy! But the picture is awesome!

Hope you have a relaxing time on your trip...I'll try not to be too jealous.

I'm sorry to have repeated the award, but that just goes to show you how much we all enjoy your blog!

And I have to say I wish we lived closer to each other. I'd love to come over and watch Buffy with you and then we could go to the museum, then buy some art and finish off the day with shoe shopping!

Stephanie Faris said...

Cool pics! I have a Samsung Instinct (Sprint's iPhone imitator) and it has a camera...but the photos on it suck!

Donna said...

Laura:
Hah! I didn't know about Paris, Kentucky. The joke in Southern California is Perris, CA.
Donna

Tricia J. O'Brien said...

HUGE THANKS to everyone. So cool to return to all these warm comments.

Sarah: I am so amazed my bitty phone can do this! I had a great week.

Michelle: I'm really in love with having something small in my pocket for those serendipitous moments, like coming upon that web. I'm back from my trip and used it again. Hey, sorry I made you jealous but you were sort of with me, since I was revising and using many of my acquired tips. :)

Yvonne: Thanks, this trip was so much fun.

Karen: Ha! Yes, it would have been easy to walk into that monster web.

Shelley: I love the negative web, too. And, yes, it was definitely R&R&R. A good one.

Linda: It would be a cool logo. But I wonder if it would scare some people away or disappoint others looking for spooky stories. Hmmmmm.

Andrea: Buffy went with--but I was fickle and watched my Netflix Sarah Connor Chronicles and Lost in Austen (a hilarious, romantic story of a modern woman lost in Pride and Prejudice).

Corey and Davin and Bish: Thanks, guys. It was a great trip.

Melissa: Indeed. Paris. I've always liked saying that even if I wasn't there long. Photos coming on new post.

Laura (and Donna): No pretend Parises for me!

Tess: Geeks of a feather, yay! :)

Robyn: Yes, I know. It sounds too cool to say I was born in Paris. But I am Irish by genealogy, not French, at all. My parents just happened to be in Paris when I stepped into the world. Really, I tried to pack you guys with me....

Karen: Oh, how cool it would be to spend a day watching Buffy and art and shoes with you! I had a great trip, thanks.

Stephanie: Sorry your phone-camera sucks. :(
In no way did I expect this of my phone, I gotta say.