Morning in the Woods

Depsite the rain and cloudy skies that I encountered while riding through the hills and hollers of Kentucky, I was none the less, struck by the beauty of the area. Walking into the mist during an early morning hike in Breaks Interstate Park, I was surrounded by the quiet sounds of morning in the woods. The light coming through the trees let me know that the canyon was not too far off, but once I arrived, I had to use my imagination as to what lay before me. No disappointment though … just peace.

The return to work, and life in general, has so far been a barrier to sharing the tales of my recent travels. I will get it done, however, and I’ll hope you’ll come on over to Life on the Bike and Other Fab Things to ride those roads with me.

Be sure to check out the blogs of the other Monochromia contributors, too!

Infinity

Black And White Photography, Laurie, Photography

Infinity

Some would say that overcast and rainy days are not fitting for vacations on the Chesapeake Bay. On the contrary, these types of days encourage quiet walks and talks with friends (and loud, joyful laughing, too), cookouts on the beach, and if you’re me, even a bit of play in the water.

I’d also get up every morning and spend an hour or so with the camera. Something kept me coming back to this dock and this perspective.

The dock, and the world, just seemed to go on forever.

Making Music

Black And White Photography, Laurie, Photography

Several evenings a week in my small city, it’s possible to find folks picking up their instruments and creating beautiful music. This past Friday, I had the chance to capture the sight, if not the sound, of that music. The hands fascinate me, the way they move, almost effortlessly, over the instrument.

If you’d like to see some more images from that evening, please check out Local Music at my original blog Life on the Bike.

And please visit the blogs of the other photographers on Monochromia. They make some pretty great music with their cameras!

Belgian Beer and Mussels

Black And White Photography, Laurie, Photography

What a treat it was to be invited to spend an evening with good friends, sharing fresh mussels and delicious belgian beer! Yum!! There are not many better ways to end the work day.

To be honest, I’ve often converted to B&W when the color and lighting of an image just weren’t right. Involvement with Monochromia has encouraged me to think sans color when I am out and about with my camera, and to actively search for images that will celebrate B&W photography. I had a feeling that mussels and beer might provide good subjects. What do you think?

It seems that people often think of B&W photography as mostly dramatic, moody, and serious, so today I wanted to show the fun. Those who know me will not be surprised by that!

Thanks so much for checking out Monochromia and if you’d like to come along for the ride sometime, visit me at Life on the Bike. Be sure to visit the blogs of the other photographer / contributors as well.

Light and Shadow

Black And White Photography, Laurie, Photography

My WordPress journey began as a chronicle of my life and travels on the bike. The bigger, planned trips, and the smaller, more spontaneous ones. As I ride along, I never know when something is going to catch my eye, and inspire me to pull over.

Sometimes I work hard to capture what I see and sometimes I get lucky and the first shot just works. Other than conversion to B&W, this image is exactly as it was when it came out of the camera.

Let me know what you think and come visit me sometime at Life on The Bike.

These Boots …

Black And White Photography, Laurie, Photography

… were made for fighting wildland fires, and I wore them while battling the flames in Idaho over 30 years ago. Now, they serve to protect me while riding the bike. They’re just boots. Worn, scarred, dusty, and bearing remnants of fire retardant still … but they are precious to me.

It’s All a Part of the Ride

Black And White Photography, Laurie, Photography

It’s All Part Of The Ride

Those of us who ride, love doing so on days when the sun is shining and the skies are clear, no matter the temperature. Sometimes though, the day turns stormy, and we’re forced to pull over and wait out the rain. Once the clouds part, we’re on the road again, knowing that, in time, the wind will have us dry once again.

If you’ve visited Life on the Bike and Other Fab Things, you know that I love to seek new adventures while riding my motorcycle. In fact, the whole reason I started blogging was to be able to share my travels with family and friends who worried about me heading out on my own. I’ve long been the one who uses photography to document the events in the lives of my friends and family, and it’s a natural fit to take the camera along with me on the ride.

While a complete photography amateur, I’ve grown a good bit since blogging with WP. I’m thankful to the professionals and those far more advanced who have helped me along the way. The other contributors to Monochomia will impress you with their skills. I’m just hoping to make you smile with my enthusiasm. I’ll be posting on Saturdays.

Thanks to Joe at The Visual Chronicle for gathering us together, for sheparding us through the process, and for his patience with me, in particular!