Christmas Spirit

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

Christmas Spirit

Have a safe and merry Christmas!

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!

Sunny Day at Target Field

Attended a Minnesota Twins game last week. They lost, but regardless it was still a beautiful day for a ball game - and some photography!

Target Field

Before last year, I'd never had a real opinion about outdoor baseball. How could I? The only place I'd ever seen a game was at the Metrodome. Now it's like... "Metro-what?"

Circle Me Bert

Even though we were losing, you'd couldn't quiet the home team crowd. And even though it was a mid-afternoon game in the middle of the week, Target Field was pretty packed!

Beer Bottles & Peanut Shells

Inevitably, we were losing so bad the crowd did thin. We stuck around until the end, it wasn't like we were in a hurry to go anywhere. There will be other games and we will do better. GO TWINS!

View the rest of the Twins Game ~ April 13, 2011 photo set.

Photo Catches Thief in Action

Sorry, I haven't been very interesting, but I did find a story about a special photo that is. Remember the Perfectly Timed Photos post from earlier? Its along those lines.

A family photo snapped by a New Jersey tourist managed to capture the image of Wisconsin resident Glenn R. Lambright as he stole items from behind their back.

John Myers' family from Bloomfield, N.J., had stopped in Madison several months ago and posed for a picture in front of the Wisconsin State Capitol.

Myers set the self-timer on his camera and hustled into the frame with his wife and two children. Behind them, someone grabbed their bag that held Myers' wallet and credit cards.

After Myers discovered the bag missing, he checked his camera. The image showed Lambright taking their bag.

Lambright was sentenced to five days in jail.

My Photos... Out There...

Some of my photos have been used recently by local news organizations which I highly respect!

First, David Brauer at MinnPost published an article entitled Sid Hartman and the Statues of Downtown Minneapolis. In the article, Brauer considers the people who are honored with statues in downtown Minneapolis. Included is a photo I took of the Joe Mauer statue outside Target Field.

Second, the new Minnesota Today section of Minnesota Public Radio includes an area that highlights photographs taken of life in the state. A photo of performers from Ballet Minnesota dancing at the Taste of Minnesota was recently featured on the site as the photo of the day. Thanks to Rob from North Metro Photo for pointing it out to me! :)

Happy Fourth of July 2010

These photos were taken on Saturday. I spent the real 4th of July safe at home in my pajamas.

Bouncing Light

Squiggly Light

Green & Red

Red Fountain

First Bird at the Feeder

This year was the first time I put out a bird feeder at the place I live currently. I was a little disappointed when for weeks the food went untouched, so I sprinkled some seed on the ground nearby. That's where the birds began to congregate, still ignoring the bird feeder. Then yesterday I saw this:

First Bird at the Feeder

After I snapped this photo I realized the little gnome that is my bird feeder was facing the fall. Just a little creepy if you ask me. I fixed it as soon as the bird left.

Wedding Bells Rang

On June 5th, I got to photograph the wedding and reception of my dear friends Amanda and Ramsey. The ceremony was simple, the reception was epic. I had so much fun snapping photos, but that was mostly because everyone I was taking pictures of were people I knew!

You May Kiss the Bride

We Ate

The Dip

We Danced

There are about 200 more pictures, but the bride hasn't seen them yet, so I'm not going to share more until a later date. There are some really beautiful photos in this set of which I am very proud, though.

My First Wedding Shoot

I took photos at my first wedding shoot on May 15, 2010. The wedding took place at the historical Ames Florida Stork House in Rockford, MN. These are my 5 favorite pictures.

The Bride - Black & White

Lilac Bouquet Centerpiece

Secret Hideaway

Flower Girl & Ring Barer

In a Tree in Dress Clothes

I am posting them now, just as I finished downloading all of the photos for the second wedding shoot I ever did, which took place June 5. Already I can see the progress I've made from the first to the second. Hopefully, I will have some photos from that wedding to post tomorrow. Hear that, impatient people? :)

Red Light, Green Light

I spotted these fun looking traffic lights on a recent trip to Ohio. Loved 'em, needed to photograph them. Wish I had a longer lens. Or a higher, closer vantage point. C'est la vie. But I do like the perspective!

Red Light

Green Light

In the background, you can see the corner of the Historic Town Hall in Genoa, which I highlighted for Friday Photography at True to Words. Beautiful building!

Disc Golfing in the Snow

It was too beautiful outside to not spend some time enjoying the day. Today, I took a trip to a nearby park with my camera.

West Lake Pulaski Park

Josh and his brother disc golfed while the dogs and I trudged around through the snow. They seemed to be doing pretty well despite a good foot of snow still on the ground.

Tee Box?

Our feet were soaked by the time we were done. It's much easier to walk through snow when it hasn't been slowly melting for the last week.

Preparation

It didn't seem to effect their game much. They said they played a pretty good game. I barely managed to walk with the dogs, I wasn't about to start disc golfing yet. Maybe once the snow is actually gone! Or if I had snowshoes.

Ice Covered Snow

It was very interesting looking snow, though. It was like piles of tiny clumps of ice, under a hard crusty top layer of ice. It sounded like crumbling paper as our feet went through and then like tiny shards of glass clinking together as the ice-pieces scattered.

Girl Scout Cookie Time!

It's that time of year again. I barely managed to snag a box or two. Now I'm on the hunt for more, but I'm pretty sure I have a lock on my next stash. I will miss these cookies after I eat them all.

Cookies & Milk ~ 63/365

Colonial Warehouse

I've been sick and had an ear infection. A bad enough ear infection that it gave me a touch of vertigo. Needless to say, I haven't exactly been out and about taking pictures. I've barely been holding on to my 365 project! But it has been a week since my last blog post, so I thought I should put something up.

Colonial Warehouse - Back

This is the Colonial Warehouse, located at 212 Third Avenue North in Minneapolis' Warehouse Historic District. It was originally constructed in 1885 to be the headquarters of the Minneapolis Street Railroad Company, later named Twin City Rapid Transit Company. The bottom two floors of the Romanesque Style building are part of the original design. The top two stories resulted from an addition that occurred in 1909.

Lit Hallway

Unlike many other buildings in the Warehouse District, this building wasn't originally meant to be a warehouse. At first it housed the transit company's general offices within its 161,179 square feet, as well as the paint and woodworking shops during the horse-drawn streetcar era. It later served as a powerhouse when the system changed over to a cable-car line. I couldn't find confirmation, but I believe after this, it was turned into a storage warehouse. Later it housed a paper company and grocery wholesaler at separate times.

Interact Center Art Gallery

Now it has been converted back into office space. A multitude of creative enterprises call this place home, including The Onion and the Interact Art Center and Gallery. It was a fun place to run around with my camera.

I've Been Tagged! No, Not That Kind of Tagged...

I’ve been tagged by Rob at North Metro Photo. A simple question answer get to know you type of tagging. Hmmm... Interesting. Okay, I'll bite! :)

8 TV shows I watch on occasions. (In no order):

1. The Big Bang Theory
2. How I Met Your Mother
3. Californication
4. House M.D.
5. The Tudors
6. The Simpsons
7. South Park
8. Mad Men

8 Favorite places to eat and drink (In no order):

1. Home – LOVE to cook
2. Cosetta's
3. Culver's
4. Buffalo Bar & Grill
5. Dave & Buster's (Chuck E. Cheese for adults!)
6. Mongos
7. Punch Pizza - Best Pizza Ever
8. Don's Cafe (Morris, MN)

8 Things I look forward to (In no order):

1. Baseball (Twins) season
2. Hockey (Wild) season
3. Photo hikes
4. "Friends' Weekend" at Cross Lake
5. Summer in general (And Winter when it's summer)
6. Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland
7. Dinner (What can I say, I love food!)
8. Finishing off my student loans

8 Things I love about winter (In no order):

1. Snow
2. It's uncomfortably cold instead of uncomfortably hot
3. Downhill skiing
4. Hot Alcoholic Drinks
5. Soups & Stews
6. Orion constellation (Doh, had to steal from Rob)
7. Moon Halos / Coronas (Want to snap more of these with the new camera)
8. Crazy Frost and Ice Formations

8 Things on my wish list (In no order):

1. A mortgage (and a house and yard to go with it)
2. A vacation exploring Great Britain
3. Another vacation in the Mediterranean
4. My own copy of the new PhotoShop
5. Own & Run a Restaurant (just for a while!)
6. A second Bachelors Degree in either poli-sci, communications or journalism
7. To be published in book form (Not a periodical)
8. A 1960sish Ford Mustang. Yeah, that's the ticket.

8 Things I am passionate about:

1. My Boyfriend
2. Our Pets (3 cats, 2 dogs, 1 parrot)
3. Our many and varied friends
4. My family
5. Writing
6. Photography
7. Justice
8. Truth / Honesty

8 Things I have learned from the past (In no order):

1. Empathy
2. Patience
3. Joy in simple things
4. Laughing is better than crying
5. Laughing until you cry is the best
6. Beauty is everywhere
7. Truly great friends are priceless
8. "Measure Twice, Cut Once."

8 Things I want/need (In no order):

1. Better Health & Dental Insurance
2. An espresso maker
3. Camera Filters & Lenses
4. A new tripod
5. External Hard Drive
6. Remote Car Starter
7. A DVR
8. A Margherita Punch Pizza

8 people I’d like to tag, in no particular order:

1. Kris - One Photo a Day
2. Mike - Twin Cities Photography
3. Courtney - This is Courtney
4. Kate - Visual St. Paul
5. slinger - Twin Cities Daily Photo
6. Diane - Just Roaming the Cities
7. Bob - Wood Stone Photography Blog
8. Norbert - Twin Cities Photo Shots

Shimmering Sea of Snow

Christmas at the Mall of America

For reasons that are beyond me, a trip to the Mall of America was in order on Saturday. Super Saturday, that is, the final Saturday before Christmas, when crazed people are swarming everywhere. The place was... insane, but since I really wasn't there with much of an agenda, it was kinda fun to sit back and people-watch while I snapped pictures of the pretty decorations (Inspired by pics from the Dusty Lens (North Metro Photo Blog) and partly the reason why I conceded to this jaunt into the Labyrinth in the first place).
 

 Wreath in Abstract

Pretty decorations. Everywhere. I love the colors of blue, white, silver, and green. The place already looks gaudy enough, having red, green, and gold splashed everywhere would have been an eyesore. Look at me critiquing Christmas decorations. :) At the mall even! I'm unqualified on so many levels.

Giant Christmas Bulbs

While I was there, a few things were happening...

First and most obviously was a Holiday Music Festival. During my visit, the Northview IB World Concert Orchestra was performing in the rotunda. You can't see it in this picture, but the female conductor was also playing an electric guitar. Very cool. At the opposite corner of the mall, the melodic voices of the Pella Community High School Madrigal Singers could be heard.

Northview IB World Concert Orchestra

Second, and probably less apparent was that there was a taping of "Mall Cops: Mall of America" happening on Saturday. Yes, there is now a reality TV show being taped at the MOA that centers on the daily work-lives of its security guards and on-site law enforcement personnel.

Mall Cops Filming

While people watching, I noticed a group of about 5 high-school age kids running up an escalator. They were quickly followed by about as many mall cops, followed by a camera and sound crew. I tried to snap a few pics but the lighting wasn't very good in the areas I saw the action happening. This badly blurred picture I took as I followed them up the escalator is one of my favorites, though, because of the ethereal look it has. You can pretty much only see the cops and the film crew and can't make anything else out.

Up the Escalator

It was a strange but fun day at the MOA. It was one of the busiest shopping days of the year and yet, I think it is the first time I've ever gone there and not left feeling like I'd stuck my finger in an electrical socket. We got our gifts, I got some fun pictures. All in all, a successful trip. Below is my favorite pic of the whole day.

Gathering Place

See the rest of the pictures taken on Super Saturday of Christmas at the Mall of America.

Sara Duane-Gladden is a freelance writer and photographer in the Twin Cities area of the great state of Minnesota.  

Victorian Christmas at the Historical Ames Florida Stork House

Over the weekend, the Ames Florida Stork House museum and historical society at which I volunteer at held a turn-of-the-century style Christmas Tea. The house was decorated beautifully and the atmosphere was festive. Once everyone cleared out, I had the chance to take some pictures of the house with all of its twinkly lights.

Yes, there were strands of Christmas Lights at the turn of the last century. These aren't that kind, though, I think it would probably be a fire hazard, and we wouldn't want the Stork house to burn down. Plus, if we had light strands that old, they would be an artifact on display in the house. And that would be cool (Yeah, there's the history nerd in me).

Take a look at that beautiful fireplace. We couldn't have a real fire, so a volunteer wrapped logs in orange Christmas lights. The glow looks nice in the photos and even reflects on the wood flooring in a warm way.

You can check out the whole set of Victorian Christmas Tea 2009 photos on Flickr, including some black and white photography. Of course.

Snowy South Crow River

Saturday's snow disappeared fairly quickly. But the snow we had on Monday is still sticking in some places. I took some pictures while it was coming down.

Winter on the South Crow River

I snapped these photos because this isn't something we normally see around here. Usually all the leaves are on the ground before it snows. This time it was early, likely because of cool summer we had.

Heavy Branch