Night Out

Liquors

Foosball

 

Streetlights

 

Christmas Spirit

Here's my Christmas Spirit! Isn't she adorable?

Christmas Spirit

Have a safe and merry Christmas!

Unintended Consequences in Marker Illustration

I was inspired to create this marker image of the sun and moon on the solstice. Yesterday, after I peeled the image off the sketch pad, I realized that the Sharpie color leaking through the paper and the stars I created as a guide had become new image all on its own. An unintended consequence, but a pretty one!

Happy Solstice & Merry Yule

For the solstice, I had intended to take an Instagram photo of the sunset today, but my phone geeked out and drained my battery suddenly, just when the sun was starting to dip. By the time it was charged enough to take a photo (charged at the AT&T store at the Mall of America - a real life saver!), it was dark.So I made this with a marker set, took a photo and applied filters. An unexpected and fun way to update the blog!

Instagram

Just wanted to share my Instragram feed. I resisted Instagram for a while - it just seemed too simplistic - but now I'm hooked.

Part of the reason this blog screeched to a halt is the amount of time it takes to sort through, process and upload photos to Flickr. I looove Flickr, but I got too busy to use it.

Then, Instagram created an Android app and now I'm back to posting photos. I still have a Flickr account and will be uploading there, but Instragram has opened a whole new world for me.

Here are some of my favorite Instagram photos (so far):

Road trippin' through South Dakota with hubby

Palm trees

Fountain Park, Fountain Hills, AZ. Tallest fountain in the world.

Staring Contest

Raspberry Lemonade with Whiskey at Sunset

Garden Gnome

Wright County Fair, Minnesota

Bubble Line

Please view my profile on Instragram. Are you on Instragram? Follow me and I'll follow you back!

Scoop.It Topic ~ Photography: Inspiration & Technique

A quick plug! I recently talked about the photo sites Pinterest and carbonmade on Sam Can Shoot. I briefly touched on Scoop.It at my True to Words blog. But I never mentioned my photo topic under Scoopt.It here!

I have started curating a topic called Photography: Inspiration & Technique at Scoop.It.

“The best photography information and inspiration on the net for amateur, advanced, semi-professional and professional photographers alike.”

It has been fun! If the topic interests you, please check it out and if you are on Scoop.It, you can follow it, too!

Do you use Scoop.It, Pinterest or carbonmade? Share your link in the comments!

365 Project 2012 ~ Week 3

My schedule is opening up a little so I have time to have some more interesting subjects in my 365!

Minnesota Wild Pillow Pet ~ 15/365 ~ 2012

My Desk Adornments ~ 16/365 ~ 2012

Traffic Signal ~ 17/365 ~ 2012

STOP SOPA ~ 18/365 ~ 2012

Hairball ~ 19/365 ~ 2012

Frozen Lake Minnetonka at Dusk ~ 20/365 ~ 2012

Bored Calvin ~ 21/365 ~ 2012

STOP SOPA & PIPA

I can't figure out the HTML to blacking out my blog for today and all the websites that could teach me how to do it are blacked out! So I'm just going to post this instead.

• Excellent explanation from Stanford Law as to why SOPA and PIPA must be stopped and rewritten.
• Google infographic showing the numbers and variety of people protesting these bills.
• Sign the petition or write your federal representatives.

365 Project 2012 ~ Week 2

An update for my 365 project. Not a particularly exciting week, but one in which I feel like I accomplished many tasks.

Successful Failure ~ 8/365 ~ 2012

(I had intended on being asleep around 10:30 - but I remembered to take my 365 photo!)

New Year's Resolution Initiated ~ 9/365 ~ 2012

Icy Heart ~ 10/365 ~ 2012

Work Station ~ 11/365 ~ 2012

Handsome Harry ~ 12/365 ~ 2012

Chocolate Birthday Cake ~ 13/365 ~ 2012

Snow-Covered Rocks ~ 14/365 ~ 2012

365 Project 2012 ~ Week 1

First try in 2010 ended in June. Second try in 2011 ended in July, though I denied it until about November. Third time in 2012 is the charm, right? Right?!?

Here are my photos for the week. I'm hoping to try to upload weekly on Saturdays, as long as I'm not away for the weekend or something. Feel free to harass me if I am late or I forget! I really want to do this all the way through for once.

Happy New Year ~ 1/365 ~ 2012

Bunny Slippers ~ 2/365 ~ 2012

Sleepy Tweak ~ 3/365 ~ 2012

Lady, You Are Incredible ~ 4/365 ~ 2012

Foggy Moonlight ~ 5/365 ~ 2012

Questions Thwee ~ 6/365 ~ 2012

Sage Wands ~ 7/365 ~ 2012

Nothing spectacular, nothing like last year's stellar start, but it is the fact that I started that counts! Plus, I have been so sick, all I've done is work and sleep. They will get better, because these projects have vastly improved my skills. Even if I don't finish this one, which I really hope I do, I know that I will have at least learned from the experience.

Have you started at 365 project? Share your link in the comments!

Sam Can Shoot Top Posts for 2011

Here are the top posts published at Sam Can Shoot during the 2011 year.

10. A Little Night Photography - Light trails in traffic in the Lowry Hill East neighborhood of Minneapolis.

 9. Blue Eyed Panda - This black husky mix has a beautiful blue eye.

 8. Stroll Around Downtown Minneapolis - A few random shots around the neighborhood.

 7. 365 Project 2011 - Ultimately, my 365 was unsuccessful, but I'm hoping 2012 is better!

 6. Sunny Day at Target Field - I will be a Twins fan until I die, even if they disappoint me sometimes.

 5. Shooting Lightning - I photographed lightning, so now I think I'm awesome. Nevermind, I've always thought I'm awesome. :)

 4. National Photography Month 2011 -This actually contains some photos from the same area as "A Little Night Photography," only with more daylight.

 3. James J. Hill House at Night - Some photos from a nighttime gas-lit tour of the historic James J. Hill House. It was amazing!

 2. Minnesota Swarm Game - Lacrosse is seriously one of the most underrated sports in America. In what other sport is it legal for the players to beat each other with sticks?

 1. Minnesota Renaissance Festival 2011 - The popularity of this post does surprises me. I'm not sure why, it is such a fun place!