dalicasso

website change

2008-04-20T12:14:00.003-05:00

I obviously haven't posted here in, oh, almost a year. I've been making the switch to a new website, deviantart.com. It has a much better gallery function, which serves me better, as I've gotten too busy in my daily life to post to this blog every day.

You can view all of my pictures (including new ones) at deviantart.com. I appreciate all the support everyone has given me as I pursue a serious hobby (and potential career) in photography. Thank you so much!

ATL at Night

2007-03-30T19:21:00.000-05:00

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Yeah, it's been awhile since I've posted here. In the three months I've been absent, I've gotten a promotion (more pay = more work), rekindled a flame, moved apartments, and a bunch more. I intend to post more frequently from now on, but it probably won't be every day like in the past.

If you've still stuck around all this time, I thank you for being so supportive!

Beluga

2006-12-28T22:46:00.000-05:00

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One of the lovely whales at the new Georgia Aquarium.

Fishy

2006-10-01T16:36:00.000-05:00

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Just a fish. :)

A Light In The Ocean

2006-10-01T14:23:00.000-05:00

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This jellyfish picture was taken during my recent visit to the Georgia Aquarium, the world's largest and best aquarium. The animals on display are spectacular! If you're closeby, I would highly recommend visiting.

Look Out For Curiosity

2006-09-30T22:52:00.000-05:00

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This is a picture of my friend Robby's cat. I didn't really get any good shots since they were totally frightened of me, so this will have to suffice. Sorry I didn't do them justice, Robby...I'll do better next time!

Ducky

2006-09-29T22:48:00.000-05:00

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Admittedly, this is not one of my best shots, and sorry for the lapse (again) in posts. I've taken over 500 pictures in the past week and it's been crazy trying to sort through and edit them. I'll get back on a regular schedule when work slows down, too. I promise.

Running Towards Sunset

2006-09-11T19:40:00.000-05:00

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This is the gas tank cap on my 1966 Mustang. I really love the caring and detail they put into cars back then.

Dangerous Territory

2006-09-09T23:17:00.000-05:00

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I stumbled upon this alley one night while shooting random pics. I thought the lighting was pretty cool. Not my typical stuff, but I like it. :)

Red Chairs

2006-09-09T07:34:00.000-05:00

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This was taken while strolling through midtown Atlanta, which is a pretty upscale, well-kept place. I think the two red chairs and the red walls attracted me to the picture. I especially like how one window is broken and the other remains intact, and how the light shines on the "good" door, while the "bad" door on the left is in shadow.

Lunch Explosion

2006-09-03T11:02:00.000-05:00

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I came across this apparent "lunch explosion" on the sidewalk the other day. It really peaked my curiosity as to how it got there. The entire wrap/sandwich was lying on the ground, with its packaging a few feet away. Did someone throw down their lunch in a fit of disgust and rage? Perhaps a homeless person picked up the lost lunch, sifted through and ate the good parts, then non-chalantly discarded the rest.

I'm still curious. :)

Ransacked

2006-09-01T21:34:00.000-05:00

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I'm kind of curious about the reviews this picture is going to receive, as it deviates from the typical photographs I put up here. It was taken in an abandoned house whose former tenants obviously did not have high standards of living.

Let me know what you think.

A New Beginning

2006-08-31T21:22:00.000-05:00

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I realize it's been awhile since I've put up a picture. I've been on hiatus while I've tried to find out what style of photography I want to do. I've come across a ton of creative techniques, some of which I've been practicing. I recently received my new Canon 30D, which has opened up a whole world of possibilities to me, and I carry my camera with me everywhere I go now.

I chose this picture as the first "new picture" to post because I did very little editing to it (slight saturation and color balance editing), and the scene depicted reminds me of a rebirth of sorts, of light shining on a new beginning.

I hope that's what I'm able to accomplish. I look forward to keeping the site updated daily, so stay tuned!

Diana

2006-05-14T11:07:00.000-05:00

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This is Diana, my 1966 Mustang coupe. I've come to a crossroads recently: sell her to fund my photography, or take out a loan. I think I'm leaning towards the loan now!

Misty

2006-04-26T21:33:00.000-05:00

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This is my friend from high school, Misty. She was awesome enough to be my guinea pig (for lack of a better phrase) and allow me to test my photography skills on people, a skill I'm still refining. People are SO much harder than landscapes and objects... I hope I did you justice, Misty!

Summertime

2006-03-12T12:27:00.000-05:00

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Business Card

2006-02-18T18:28:00.000-05:00

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I know I haven't posted much lately, but I've been working on putting a marketing plan together so I can start my photography business. Here are some prototype business cards. Please let me know which one(s) you like the most! Your feedback is highly valued!

Shadows

2006-02-14T21:25:00.000-05:00

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It's been so long since I've last posted because I haven't been satisfied with my work as of late. Hopefully if the weather will be decent this weekend so I can go exploring!

Moonlight Reflection

2006-01-25T21:32:00.000-05:00

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Passage of Time

2006-01-22T20:56:00.000-05:00

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Rainy Day

2006-01-13T19:43:00.000-05:00

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Reflections of War

2006-01-06T21:10:00.000-05:00

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The Battle Begins

2006-01-06T21:08:00.000-05:00

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Scraping The Sky

2006-01-06T20:49:00.000-05:00

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There's Boop On My Balcony

2005-12-27T20:59:00.000-05:00

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Ok, I couldn't resist the title!! I was going for a retro theme here, and the pixelation is intentional. Sorry it's been awhile since my last post. Again, I'm in a funk.

Apartment Dog

2005-12-15T22:19:00.000-05:00

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I don't know why this picture appeals to me so much. Maybe it's the angles, or maybe it's the fact that this dog looks like a fox. Either way, he or she was on the patio for only a brief second, scanning the traffic below, so I was lucky to snap this shot when I did!

Christmas Party

2005-12-14T23:58:00.000-05:00

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We just had our company Christmas party, and I had WAY too much fun to take lots of pictures, so here's one of the two that I took. The ladies are my beautiful co-workers Jenny and Meredith.

The Color Tree

2005-12-13T23:16:00.000-05:00

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I haven't posted as much lately because, as my own worst critic, I haven't liked anything lately and I need to take some more pictures. I really want to take some of the ice skating rink. I think I'll do that later this week.

Construction Chute

2005-12-12T22:53:00.000-05:00

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Alone In Rain

2005-12-09T19:19:00.000-05:00

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Another shot at something new. Sorry about not posting yesterday! Went straight from work to a party and was in no condition to post when I got home.

Red and Rain

2005-12-07T22:33:00.000-05:00

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I wish my camera could record this scene the way I actually saw it. This will have to suffice.

Happy Birthday To Me!

2005-12-06T20:27:00.000-05:00

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The remnants of the birthday cake my wonderful co-workers bought me. It was very tasty!

Photographs and Memories

2005-12-05T23:08:00.000-05:00

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I'm out of my photographic rut! That's a pair of old-timey opera glasses in the foreground, and pictures of friends in the background. The bottom picture is of my friend Tamara on her wedding day. It's one of my most cherished pictures.

Oh Christmas Tree

2005-12-04T22:52:00.000-05:00

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I've been in somewhat of a photographic rut lately. I was taking uninspired pictures and not happy with the results, hence no posts for a week. Since then, I've had a birthday, saw an old friend, and am starting to get into the Christmas spirit.

The above tree is obviously not a Christmas tree, but it's what I've used to celebrate for 2 years now: a ficus tree wrapped in lights!

Evening Glow

2005-11-25T22:57:00.000-05:00

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I haven't had the chance to take a lot of pictures lately, so I'm putting this up from my archives. I have the next 3 days off, so I'm going to put those to good use and take some pics.

Sheer Exhaustion

2005-11-24T17:32:00.000-05:00

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Mountain Road

2005-11-23T17:30:00.000-05:00

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Taken in the mountains of north Georgia in the early morning hours, when it's still very calm and foggy.

Under The Bridge

2005-11-22T23:29:00.000-05:00

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Pretty self-explanatory... under the bridge!

Up On High

2005-11-21T19:44:00.000-05:00

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Road To Winter

2005-11-20T17:40:00.000-05:00

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Our Confederate Dead

2005-11-19T13:12:00.000-05:00

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Taken in Oakland Cemetery, Atlanta.

Fallen

2005-11-18T19:22:00.000-05:00

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This is one of those pictures where the story is what you make it.

Full Moon

2005-11-18T11:50:00.000-05:00

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Yes, it's another view from my balcony, but I really liked the setting moon and all the great colors.

Cowboy In The Sky

2005-11-16T22:37:00.000-05:00

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Just wanted to post something that wasn't associated with autumn or leaves!

Reflections of Change

2005-11-15T23:27:00.000-05:00

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Piedmont Park is so beautiful in the fall. I really like this shot, but I still feel that something is missing, yet I can't put my finger on it.

Floating Leaf

2005-11-14T21:30:00.000-05:00

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It was a beautiful day today, so I went to the park to take pictures. I happened upon this beautiful floating leaf and took LOTS of pictures of it. To be honest, it was attached to another leaf by a spider thread, and I was fascinated to the point that I know people walking by were looking at me like I was crazy! Anyway, I couldn't decide which pic I liked the most, so here's 3 of them. Which do you prefer?

A Place For Peter

2005-11-14T10:34:00.000-05:00

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There's something about cemeteries that I really like. They're quiet, peaceful, and really make you reflect on things.

Graveside Flowers

2005-11-14T10:22:00.000-05:00

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I really like two things about this shot: the beautiful flowers that someone left for their loved one, and the way the angel seems to be gazing right at them. I got lucky with the color and perspective.

Contrasting Leaves

2005-11-11T20:33:00.000-05:00

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More fall scenery!

Autumn Leaves

2005-11-10T08:24:00.000-05:00

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Some more pretty red trees in Atlanta. I like the colors in this one. :)

Noticeable Changes

2005-11-09T08:59:00.000-05:00

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The fall season is a gorgeous time of year in a city with many trees. It's a wonderful thing to see all the changes going on around me.

The Shelter

2005-11-08T20:31:00.000-05:00

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This is the homeless shelter / soup kitchen just down the road from where I work. This shot turned out a lot better than I expected. I'm real happy with my shot composures lately, but I'm still limited by my camera in regards to color and pixelation.

Hello Birdie!

2005-11-07T19:09:00.000-05:00

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I stammered out of bed this morning to find this cute little bird sitting on my balcony. He saw me immediately as I made the transition from bedroom to living room, where he was. Before I could even put on pants, I slooowly grabbed my camera and snapped some shots. I knew he could see me, but he didn't seem to mind. We played peek-a-boo around the door frame on the left, but he fled as I got too close. That little exchange made my morning!

Self Portrait

2005-11-06T14:41:00.000-05:00

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I'm still experimenting with portraits, and I really liked the lighting and tone of this picture. I'd like to think it looks slightly badass, too, but maybe that's just wishful thinking.

Old Sheldon Church

2005-11-06T14:23:00.000-05:00

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This is the Old Sheldon Church, located in South Carolina. It was built in the mid 1700s, burned, rebuilt, burned again, and is now a historical monument. You can view its history in the picture below.

2005-11-06T14:22:00.000-05:00

Tunnel of Trees

2005-11-04T19:13:00.000-05:00

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Another thing I love about the South: trees that lean over the road, especially those with moss.

Angel Tree

2005-11-03T21:13:00.000-05:00

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If it's possible to have a favorite tree, then this is definitely mine. Called the Angel Tree, it's located in the South Carolina lowcountry and was the site for the film The War with Kevin Costner. It's so old and immense, and it's impossible to capture the whole tree in one shot.

Sundown

2005-11-02T19:26:00.000-05:00

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I absolutely love the landscapes near where I grew up in South Carolina. Even everyday boring sights like marshes look beautiful if you look just right.

Lonely Road

2005-11-01T19:52:00.000-05:00

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Marshlands

2005-10-31T23:29:00.000-05:00

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Well, it's good to be back from my vacation, though I thoroughly enjoyed every minute. I missed posting pictures, and here's the first from my trip. It's a marsh located near my hometown in South Carolina.

Vacation!

2005-10-23T08:20:00.000-05:00

I will be on vacation today through next Sunday, October 30, and won't be able to post anything until I return that Monday. Have a great week!

The Neighborhood

2005-10-21T20:29:00.000-05:00

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Here's another one for you, Misty!

Oakland

2005-10-20T22:34:00.000-05:00

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This is the entrance to historic Oakland Cemetery in Atlanta.

Playboy

2005-10-19T22:49:00.000-05:00

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The Playboy Party at Halo, the bar right across the street from me. It made for interesting pictures!

Shadowman

2005-10-18T21:19:00.000-05:00

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I could describe this scene, but I'd be interested to know what everyone else thinks this is.

They're Heeeeere...

2005-10-17T19:34:00.000-05:00

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The light from the moon was very weird that evening. It reminded me of what an alien spaceship landing at night would look like. (The effect was created by using a 1.3 second exposure at ISO 800).

Corinthian

2005-10-16T20:50:00.000-05:00

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This is one of my first architectural pictures. Though not one of my technical best, I really like this one. I kept coming back to it and could never decide whether to post it or not.

Sunbather

2005-10-15T19:05:00.000-05:00

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A sunbather enjoying the last summer rays in Piedmont Park.

I haven't posted any pics the past 2 days because of a nasty virus that neither I nor Norton Antivirus could get rid of. After challenging myself, I finally eliminated it. Everything's back to normal!

Summer At The Lake

2005-10-12T20:48:00.000-05:00

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The Door at the End

2005-10-11T20:04:00.000-05:00

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Illuminated

2005-10-10T18:59:00.000-05:00

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This color for my bonsai tree lasted about a week. Now it's turning quite brown.

Focused

2005-10-09T16:42:00.000-05:00

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Yours Truly

2005-10-08T18:12:00.000-05:00

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I would like to do more portraits and closeups, so this experiment on myself accomplishes both goals. To those curious, that is my actual eye color, unaltered, including the little green "bolt" running through it. My eyes change colors depending on my mood.

Tree In Spring

2005-10-07T20:14:00.000-05:00

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Summertime Blue

2005-10-06T20:20:00.000-05:00

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Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta. That's the Equitable building in the background. The pair of young lovers are looking at names on the bricks below them.

Late Night

2005-10-05T22:13:00.000-05:00

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Season of Change

2005-10-04T20:27:00.000-05:00

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It's cool seeing a miniature tree changing color on my patio. The orange hue is from the sun fading in the west.

Coffin

2005-10-03T22:46:00.000-05:00

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I don't know if this was his or her last name, or whether someone felt it necessary to label the obvious.

Alone

2005-10-02T19:25:00.000-05:00

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This picture was taken a few months ago, and I still remember exactly how I felt that night...very isolated, sad, and frustrated. The whole city was alive, and there I was...

All alone.

Pretty In Pink

2005-10-01T18:38:00.000-05:00

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The weather is getting very cool outside as the fall rolls in. I was lucky to get a shot of this beautiful flower all by itself.

Let The Sun Shine In

2005-09-30T19:26:00.000-05:00

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Under Construction

2005-09-29T20:05:00.000-05:00

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This new building is under construction at the intersection of Peachtree and 14th St.

Structural Integrity

2005-09-28T20:15:00.000-05:00

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I don't know what this building is in downtown Atlanta, but it's pretty solid and unwavering. Kind of reminds me of a fortress.

Hi There

2005-09-27T18:37:00.000-05:00

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One of a handful of colorful statues near the interstate overpass. They're, well, very intriguing, to say the least!

Scraping the Sky

2005-09-26T18:30:00.000-05:00

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The Bank of America building, Atlanta, GA.

Towards Heaven

2005-09-25T17:53:00.000-05:00

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Tombstone in Oakland Cemetery. Different view of an earlier post.

Note: I'm slowly making improvements to this site, so please bear with me as things change. You'll notice that you can now view comments on the main page by clicking on "comments." More changes to follow!

Crescent Night Lights

2005-09-24T19:03:00.000-05:00

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A different shot from my balcony. Sorry for all the b&w pics lately.

Six-Sided and Cirrus

2005-09-23T19:04:00.000-05:00

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A beautiful sunny day in Atlanta! I would have left the color in, but it didn't look that good.

Lone Bench

2005-09-22T20:10:00.000-05:00

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This one's for you, Misty. Happy Birthday!

Ivy

2005-09-21T19:02:00.000-05:00

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Just a building in Atlanta covered in ivy.

Through The Eyes Of Strangers

2005-09-20T18:40:00.000-05:00

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This is my first attempt at 2 things: 1) Controlling the depth of focus (DOF), and 2) Capturing strong human emotions. I've normally limited myself to plants, buildings, and scenes. I'm real happy with the result!

Gameday

2005-09-19T20:41:00.000-05:00

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Not many college football stadiums have trains right beside them! This shot was after the game was over.

Palmettos

2005-09-18T18:27:00.000-05:00

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Taken right outside William-Brice Stadium in Columbia, South Carolina.

Update: My picture "Shades of Blue" was chosen as a favorite among 118 entries for Moody Monday's theme Reflecting.

Waterfront Park

2005-09-16T07:44:00.000-05:00

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This is a view from the waterfront park in my hometown, located on coastal South Carolina.

I'll be gone the next few days, enjoying a college football game. I'll return with plenty of pictures on Sunday!

Mi Casa

2005-09-15T18:08:00.000-05:00

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My apartment building... I'm second floor from the top, far right.

Follow The Yellow Brick Road

2005-09-14T19:45:00.000-05:00

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I didn't realize this until later, but this reminds me a lot of The Wizard of Oz. If you squint, you can see the people in the center! Here's the original color version, and an actual yellow brick road. Let me know what you think!

Isolated

2005-09-13T19:32:00.000-05:00

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I wanted this picture to show how lonely it can be being homeless. People in big cities tend to overlook the homeless, thinking they'll just disappear. It must be an extraordinarily difficult and isolating existence for them. This was taken on a beautiful summer day, and no one wanted to enjoy the fountain around this man.

Reaching For The Sky

2005-09-12T19:57:00.000-05:00

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I'm actually not too proud of this shot because it's not one of my best. I'm running out of good pictures, so I'm looking forward to my trip this weekend!

Angel By His Side

2005-09-11T21:40:00.000-05:00

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It's kind of weird to go back and look at pictures from the past. That dark cloud in the background is the remnants of Hurricane Katrina, taken on August 30, 2005.

Footnote: I just realized that I posted this hopefully touching picture on September 11. My thoughts go out to those who lost someone special, whether it be last week or exactly 4 years ago.