Showing posts with label photography. Show all posts
Showing posts with label photography. Show all posts

Thursday, August 11, 2016

The #Feline Profile--#Cats This Week by Karen Rose Smith


A profile in its basic form is simply a face or body seen in a side view. This week I captured our inside and outside felines in some interesting profiles. 

Because of their beautifully-proportioned body shapes, cats are easily-identifiable in profile. Feline profile art is used in the vast amount of art and mementos for cat lovers. 

 A feline profile pose seems to present itself when the cat is in deep thought or is watching something that temporarily hypnotizes him or her. While the camera angle is important, the moment is actually easy to capture because there is little action involved. The trick is to not disturb the cat's concentration while trying to set up the shot. 

 Here are some of this week's Smith feline profiles.   


London deep in thought

Something in the yard captures Paddy's attention 


Zoie hears our voices when we are on the driveway

Halo takes in a little afternoon sunshine

Clyde is deep in thought as he awaits Bonnie's
arrival for their morning feeding

Bonnie contemplates her next move, always
keeping the yard under her surveillance

With the proper light, a profile becomes a silhouette

And, of course, Halo provides a beautiful sleeping profile!
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Staged To Death
Deadly Decor
Gilt By Association
Drape Expectations
Silence of the Lamps
Shades of Wrath--December 2016



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Karen and Paddy

 USA TODAY Bestselling Author Karen Rose Smith is an only child who delved into books at an early age. She learned about kindred spirits from Anne of Green Gables, solved mysteries with Nancy Drew and wished she could have been the rider on The Black Stallion. Yet even though she escaped often into story worlds, she had many aunts, uncles and cousins around her on weekends. Her sense of family and relationships began there. Maybe that's why families are a strong theme in her novels, whether mysteries or romances. Her 95th novel will be released in 2016.

 Readers often ask her about her pastimes. She has herb, flowers and vegetable gardens that help her relax. In the winter, she cooks rather than gardens.  And year round she spends most of her time with her husband, as well as her four rescued cats who are her constant companions. They chase rainbows from sun catchers, reminding her life isn't all about work, awards and bestseller lists. Everyone needs that rainbow to chase.

Karen looks forward to interacting with readers. They can find her at the links below. 



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Thursday, August 4, 2016

Framed #Felines--#Cats This Week by Karen Rose Smith


We usually assume a frame is the logical way to display our favorite photos and I have purchased frames in different colors and materials because I love to be surrounded by photos of my family and friends.  I prefer not to have to page through a photo album or flip though my photos on my electronic devices. So framed photos are a part of most of the wall groupings in my home. I have also created many digital frames to use in the promotion of my books, especially my mysteries because they feature pets that are based on my real feline family.

But this week I captured this photo of Bonnie and Clyde, our outside stray visitors, lounging in the garden after their evening meal. I thought the flowers provided such a beautiful frame that the picture needed nothing else to complete it. I started searching through my recent files to see how often that happened and I found some beautiful...and some unusual framed felines! Sometimes it was my limited camera skills that provided the natural frame, other times it was the feline's position that gave the impression of being framed.   

Because she chooses many different places to settle throughout the day, Paddy is easy to capture in a frameable moment. The bathroom towel rack is one of her favorite spots, especially in the winter since it is positioned above the heating vent. She also likes to crawl under the cat steps in my office because they are in front of the doors and from that vantage point she can observe the goings-on both inside and outside. 




The cat condos also provide photogenic moments. The carpeted surfaces and sisal posts create textured geometric patterns that often mimic a picture frame. And since the cats enjoy the sunlight, the higher resting places and the shelter of the structures, photo sessions are abundant in these areas.   




Whether indoors or outdoors, small areas seem to attract our cats. Perhaps they feel safe there or are just curious about space, but they are beautifully framed and the frames seem to magnify the energy buzzing inside their little heads. And occasionally Paddy manages to find a very unusual item to provide that framed effect. Who ever thought she would be framed by her litter box!!   



Perhaps the sign of a skillful photographer is the ability to naturally frame his/her subjects. But I personally believe it is the beauty of my furry family that provides my most memorable photographs. Their surroundings only provide the accents which help me bring memories to life.  



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Staged To Death
Deadly Decor
Gilt By Association
Drape Expectations
Silence of the Lamps
Shades of Wrath--December 2016



******************

Karen and Paddy
USA TODAY Bestselling Author Karen Rose Smith is an only child who delved into books at an early age. She learned about kindred spirits from Anne of Green Gables, solved mysteries with Nancy Drew and wished she could have been the rider on The Black Stallion. Yet even though she escaped often into story worlds, she had many aunts, uncles and cousins around her on weekends. Her sense of family and relationships began there. Maybe that's why families are a strong theme in her novels, whether mysteries or romances. Her 95th novel will be released in 2016.

Readers often ask her about her pastimes. She has herb, flowers and vegetable gardens that help her relax. In the winter, she cooks rather than gardens.  And year round she spends most of her time with her husband, as well as her four rescued cats who are her constant companions. They chase rainbows from sun catchers, reminding her life isn't all about work, awards and bestseller lists. Everyone needs that rainbow to chase.

Karen looks forward to interacting with readers. They can find her at the links below. 




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Monday, August 24, 2015

The #Butterfly Garden as #Therapy and Relaxation by Karen Rose Smith





Anyone who knows me understands my love of gardens.  Each year the growing season brings beauty and wholesome produce into my life.  Years ago after back surgery, I began writing to escape pain.  Since then I've found many ways to manage it besides writing.  Life is all about managing, isn't it?  From work...to time with family and friends...to Twitter, Facebook, e-mail and daily life crises.  Relaxation is the key for me.

One of my favorite relaxation pastimes is growing, then appreciating our butterfly garden around our patio.  If you've ever watched butterflies cavort in the sunshine, you know the beauty of the sight.  The season began with dark pink cone flowers attracting butterflies.  Next the purple butterfly bush developed full blooms that drew these wondrous creatures.  Now zinnias are becoming bushier.  There are pink, purple and yellow pompom zinnias as well as regular blooms in all shades of pink, yellow and orange.  The fuchsia phlox are also a big hit with these fragile, beautiful creatures.

In my romance KIT AND KISSES, KIT not only is a cat mom, but she also likes to garden and has planted a butterfly garden.  Little does she know that her garden and the butterflies can create a bond between her and the hero's special needs sister. It might even lead her to happily-ever-after.

Here are a few photos I shot.  Photography has also become a hobby because I want to capture the beauty and memories for as long as possible...the butterflies, the flowers, the summer.






At night when the butterflies are resting,
the patio is lit by my solar butterfly.
Miss Paddington enjoys the butterflies
from the living room window.






















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In my romance KIT AND KISSES, my heroine has a butterfly garden that forms a bond between her and the hero's special needs sister!

Now on sale at $.99 for a limited time on Amazon!





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USA TODAY Bestselling Author Karen Rose Smith is an only child who delved into books at an early age. She learned about kindred spirits from Anne of Green Gables, solved mysteries with Nancy Drew and wished she could have been the rider on The Black Stallion. Yet even though she escaped often into story worlds, she had many aunts, uncles and cousins around her on weekends. Her sense of family and relationships began there. Maybe that's why families are a strong theme in her novels, whether mysteries or romances. Her 89th novel will be released in 2016.

Readers often ask her about her pastimes. She has herb, flowers and vegetable gardens that help her relax. In the winter, she cooks rather than gardens. And year round she spends most of her time with her husband, as well as her four rescued cats who are her constant companions. They chase rainbows from sun catchers, reminding her life isn't all about work, awards and bestseller lists. Everyone needs that rainbow to chase.

Karen looks forward to interacting with readers. They can find her at the links below. 


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©2015 Karen Rose Smith
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Thursday, August 15, 2013

How #Photography Enhances #Writing and Life




I'm always looking for inspiration. When I'm inspired, writing flows more easily. My interest in photography began with pictures I took on research trips to remember everything about the settings.  It wasn't difficult to take beautiful pictures of the Red Rocks in Sedona, the Grand Canyon, Oak Creek Canyon as well as the sage, columbine, jack rabbits and big horn rams in the area.  I even managed a photo of a black bear!  Back home, those photos became my screen saver because they brought back memories and helped me add details to my manuscripts I might not have remembered otherwise.



I began taking lots of photos when my BFF visited with her daughter and when close friends visited with their children. Instead of just having the pictures for memories, I ordered prints and for two years filled albums for each of them for a different kind of personal Christmas present they could treasure.



We had two inside cats at that time and I always enjoyed trying to capture their antics.  When I began a reader newsletter, I could insert those photos.  Last summer when we rescued and adopted a kitten, I also began shooting photos for my blog and Facebook.  One of my past times is gardening.  Over the years my husband and I have planted seasonal perennials and annuals to keep color blooming from spring through fall.  I began with photos of our roses.  Soon I found that our hummingbird garden helped me actually take photos of hummingbirds if I was patient.  Butterflies on zinnias were easy to capture.  Most recently I'm enjoying capturing antics of our three feral cats (Watching Over Feral and Homeless Cats ) and sharing them with friends and readers on social media.



Memories are precious.  Taking pictures helps me hold onto them as long as possible.  I can honestly say each picture I take enhances my writing because I note that bee on a sunflower, realize the infinite shades of green in my gardens, appreciate the crystalline blue of the sky, the ruff of fur around a cat's neck, a quirky smile on a child.  Seeing and saving photos and filling my mind with the beauty all around me aids the creative process daily and adds richness to my life.





P.S. I use a Cannon Powershot to take almost all of my photos.











©2013 Karen Rose Smith



 

 

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