dimanche 28 décembre 2014

52 weeks of pics 2014

after the snow, here is a sunny day in december...

one year of pic, one hastag on instagram... I feel I made a lot of progress, I took pictures I would never have tried before, I explored condition less than perfect (raining, foggy...) and forced myself to find something... I learned a lot and fully intend to continue on next year!!

dimanche 14 décembre 2014

52 weeks of pics 2014

today was not just a rainy day... it was a foggy rainy day! the heron in the tree on the side of the road was too well hidden by the fog to take a picture! the lake looked like snow with the reflection of the fog! still succeeded to get a picture that tastes like the end of the year... as a side note, the red in the drop is my umbrella! 

mercredi 10 décembre 2014

another memory of the summer

memory of the summer... from Monet's garden in Giverny... it is like walking in a painting... even under the rain!

dimanche 7 décembre 2014

jeudi 4 décembre 2014

another memory of the summer

another memory of the summer and one of the first few shots with my new close-up lenses

dimanche 30 novembre 2014

52 weeks of pics 2014

this little guy did not want to stay in one place for long, loved to hide in the mistletoe... and sang while I mumbled about my inability at getting a decent shot through the branches... patience is the key

jeudi 27 novembre 2014

memory of a warmer season

another memory of a warmer season now that the winter is closing in on us...

dimanche 23 novembre 2014

52 weeks of pics 2014

a spiderweb (the spider is somewhere, hard to see except when moving), morning dew and a little bit of sun... november beauty!

you can try to imagine what the car drivers passing by were thinking seeing me crawling on the wet grassy area between the two side of the road with my camera!

jeudi 20 novembre 2014

memory of an autumn really gone by now

I took that shot well into autumn .. almost an indian summer... but now it is just a memory... autumn is really here and we rarely see the sun shining like that!

dimanche 16 novembre 2014

52 weeks of pics 2014

rainy week-end but no drop picture this time... on my way home I saw a little white 'blob' on the rivlet... thought it was probably a lost ball... then decided to go back to check... just in case... and yeah, it was a heron playing "where's Waldo" with me...

dimanche 9 novembre 2014

52 weeks of pics 2014

automn might not have many insects or flowers but rainy days can make anything shine in the smallest ray of sun...

dimanche 2 novembre 2014

52 weeks of pics 2014

we are in autumn as this physalis/chinese lantern can attest... I love them when they are red, and I find their lacy aftermath also beautiful!

vendredi 31 octobre 2014

memory of the summer...

I have not seen many insects lately and the sun has not been very present... so here is a memory of the summer!

dimanche 26 octobre 2014

52 weeks of pics 2014

today I heard the indignant cry of the heron as a dog, blissfully unaware of the heron, came to drink at the same spot! still not sure which one was more scared by the encounter! After that this heron was in need of a thorough cleaning! and a heron cleaning, and scratching!, itself is quite entertaining!

jeudi 23 octobre 2014

among the remnant of the summer...

Insects are getting rare but among the remnant of summer I was lucky enough to catch that one! 

dimanche 19 octobre 2014

52 weeks of pics 2014

I love drops, to see those perfect sphere... and I love dandelion... so drops on a dandelion! I cannot resist!!

you saw the little drops on a blade of grass on the left corner?

dimanche 12 octobre 2014

52 weeks of pics 2014

I was certain to have to wait for months before I could see them again... but no... this one just landed onthe path in front of me!

dimanche 5 octobre 2014

52 weeks of pics 2014

I was so lucky to snap that pics as he was flying off being so scared by some (noisy) hikers!!


vendredi 3 octobre 2014

dimanche 28 septembre 2014

52 weeks of pics for 2014

This week the choice was easy! seeing that little one stopping to take a drink was just magical! I love to look at the world through my lense!


dimanche 21 septembre 2014

52 weeks of pics for 2014

I have a book about flower photography... trying to explore that side of macro...

dimanche 14 septembre 2014

52 weeks of pics 2014

Just a butterfly among the automn leaves... I love this season! still warm but not too much! a lot of colors...


dimanche 7 septembre 2014

52 weeks of pics for 2014

no... it is not the cat's eyenebula... I have not upgraded m camera to that degree... Just catching the sun's reflection on the lake during a very cloudy day!


dimanche 31 août 2014

52 weeks of pics for 2014

black and white photography... I love to look at them, love the feel of a truly black and white picture... but I hardly feel confident to shoot in b&n...  but sometimes I feel the picture deserve it...
here is the story behind that picture... as I was walking, a small banded damselfly flew around my leg and landed on a leaf in front of me, around eye-level! It was as if he tried to attract my attention and then just stared! the sun reflecting on the leaf, the sharp contrast... I'm glad of the black and white version of that picture!

jeudi 28 août 2014

close-up of a dragonfly

while looking for bird on the lake I was lucky enough to stand over a stick dragonflies loved to wait on... nice opprotunity for close-up pictures! 

dimanche 24 août 2014

52 weeks of pics for 2014

this week-end I finally got a visual confirmation that the change in behaviour of one of the great crested grebe couples meant babies as I spotted a juvenile!! could not get a decent shot as they are still very shy so here is one of the adults.

The water was just magnificent! I was glad to be able to capture the color and reflections... on top of the great crested grebe! They are diving for fish very fast and do not stay up for very long... it is a spot, point, focus game before the bird dive again... 

dimanche 17 août 2014

52 weeks of pics for 2014

This little one was rescued and then stayed with us a little bit... until her wings felt better and she flew off... but not before I too k a few close-up shots!

vendredi 15 août 2014

sometimes I just want to capture the mood...

a different kind of picture this time... to capture the mood of a gray/rainy day with a mug of tea, my camera... waiting for the heron to come around...

mercredi 13 août 2014

for the love of poppies

I love poppies! when I saw those on the side of the road I had to snap it!
poppies are among my favorites flowers! So they are good candidate to test that book about flower photography! This was taken on the side of a (not so busy) road 

mardi 12 août 2014

dimanche 10 août 2014

52 weeks of pics for 2014

at the end of the passing tail of a tropical storm I saw this poor damselfly 'riding the wave' on this nettle leaf... only saw the other guy behind when the leaf that was in between got blown out of my field of view... still he was to far to be also in focus...

lundi 4 août 2014

"Nine by Night": A Multi-Author Urban Fantasy Bundle of Kickass Heroines, Adventure, & Magic Various

You know I love to read, so when Lindsay Buroker (the Emperor Edge series, look here or here) asked for people to read the latest bundle in which she was participating in exchange for an early review, I looked at the content of that bundle...  I saw that she participated  with her novel "Torrent” the first of the series  "Rust and Relics" which I have been meaning to read for some times!

This bundle is 99cents, for 9 books! even knowing only one author, it is a great deal! and a nice way to discover more authors! Here are a few links, but it should be available at your favorite e-retailer smashwordsamazon,...

I will continue to add review for individual novel story as I read them!

 WITCH HUNT –– by SM REINE
Shaman on the run. Isobel Stonecrow speaks with the dead...for the right price. She brings closure to the bereaved and heals broken hearts. But when she resurrects someone for the wrong client, she ends up on the OPA's most wanted list.
  I do not think this blurb gives a good idea of the story! I would have described more the first few chapters... waking up with a hangover, a body in the bathtub and no memory of the previous night means that you cannot even say that you are innocent to the police when they show up at your doorstep a few minutes after you woke up... and the only way to clear your name is to find someone that can speak to the dead and ask the now dead waitress what happened!  

DEATH’S SERVANT ––  by CJ ELLISSON

Jonathan Winchester has clashed with his werewolf alpha one too many times. He returns to Virginia to find work and meets a young waitress, Raine. As their relationship progresses, Jon's embroiled in more intrigue than he bargained for and a danger bigger than he can handle.
  I understood this was a prequel for the series "The V V Inn" (there is another story in that bundle about it). This just did not click for me... It is hard to point out what was the problem... Perhaps because all the characters were new to me... I will see when I read the other story but someone being ok with the concept of eternal slavery does not sit well with me... 

TORRENT ––  by LINDSAY BUROKER,

When Delia chose to major in archaeology, she imagined herself as the female Indiana Jones of the Southwest. She didn't imagine herself stumbling across decapitated bodies in old mine shafts or learning that monsters are real…
   Even if I'm not as big of a fan of this series as I am of the Emperor's Edge series, she has a whip! and knows how to use it! yeah Indiana Jones!! and love the trekkie references! The humor and style of Lindsay Buroker is there and it is a nice story that hints at a complex world but I felt the characters needed more depth... This is probably because I'm used to her other series with more than 8 books! There was a lot of character growth and evolution! As it is the first of a series, number two is being written, it is more of a world setup! I will be reading the number two just to see what happens...

SPARK –– by ANTHEA SHARP

What if a high-tech game was a gateway to the treacherous Realm of Faerie? Superstar gamer Spark Jaxley's life might look easy, but she's part of an elite few who guard a shocking secret; the Realm of Faerie exists, and its dark magic is desperate for a foothold in the mortal world.
  Being a MMORPG player this sim game really appeal to me! I also like the way some of the old lore was put into the story (do not eat anything in fey land, do not thanks a fey, promises have to be made with lawyer language precision!). Some of the things that happened in the real world were too over-the-top (thinking of the twin but also teen having such an heavy work load and no parent or legal guardian around to check on them... ) but it is ok as we do not spend to much time there! I will be checking the prequel and probably more!

DEATH TIMES TWO ––  by BOONE BRUX and CJ ELLISSON

The V V Inn has a ghost problem. New grim reaper, Lisa Carron, accepts the job. She quickly learns the hotel is full of the dearly departed—and she’s working for vampires. Throw in Asa, a young vamp hot enough to melt the Arctic ice, and Lisa realizes she’s way out of her element.

ROOK: ALLIE’S WAR EPISODES 1-4 –– by JC ANDRIJESKI

Like most humans, Allie distanced herself from Seers, a race of human-like beings discovered on Earth. Yanked out of her life by the mysterious Revik, Allie finds out her blood may not be as “human” as she thought, the world is nothing like it appears to be...and she has more in common with Seers than she ever wanted to believe.

JUSTICE CALLING –– by ANNIE BELLET

Gamer. Nerd. Sorceress. Jade Crow lives a quiet life running her comic book and game store in Wylde, Idaho. After twenty-five years fleeing from a powerful sorcerer who wants to eat her heart and take her powers, quiet suits her just fine. Surrounded by friends who are even less human than she is, Jade figures she's finally safe. As long as she doesn't use her magic…

ARCADIA’S GIFT –– by  JESI LEA RYAN

Teenager Arcadia (Cady) Day’s family tragedy unleashes a hidden power. After experiencing what can only be called a psychic episode, her home life crumbles. As her emotional control slips away, Cady begins to suspect that her first psychic episode was just the beginning…

WILD NIGHT ROAD –– by  KARA LEGEND

One innocent hex sets off a chain reaction of trouble among the shifters of the Kinraven that threatens war between werewolves, seraphim and witches. Lilith Darke will do anything to be free of her seraphim master. All hell breaks loose when rival packs face off only to discover a new, deadly threat that will take all their magick to survive.

I opened that bundle knowing only one author, but I will be checking out other books by a few of those! Not all were to my taste but for 99cents, it is a great way to discover new authors!

dimanche 3 août 2014

52 weeks of pics for 2014

I love dragonfly, and since My birthday and set of close-up lense and book about macrophotography, I have been redoubling effort at finding them... but I had not been able to have a nice silhouette yet! until last week-end! while I was doing something totally different!


vendredi 1 août 2014

I love damsefly

I continue playing with my new set of close-up lenses though I have to be careful ad those damselfly seems to love nettles!



dimanche 27 juillet 2014

52 weeks of pics for 2014

took me some time to be able to approach close enough to get the shimmer of its wings... it is the downside of close-up lenses with shy creatures! but so worth it! 


vendredi 25 juillet 2014

Bokeh and flower

I recently got a book about flower photography... It is not something I often do so I try to progress... Here I was happy of the nice bokeh effect I got using my macro lense!

enjoy!

new ROMWE flash sale! three days only

A new 3days sale at ROMWE and they asked me to share it!  Starting at GMT 1:00 pm, 72 hours only  25th July-27th July  and still free worldwide shipping within 24 hours 

  
and you can also use my ref link to "Romwe Summer Clearance Sale"

mercredi 23 juillet 2014

an easy way to print instagram square pictures // imprimer les photos instagram

This is a bilingual blog... I will try to get all of the post in both english and french... bare with me, I'm trying!  
J'essaie de rendre ce blog bilingue... soyez sympa avec moi!

As you might have noticed... I am a little addicted to instagram! Instagram and I was looking for a way to print square pictures! There are a lot of offers for regular sized pictures but I was finding the "square market" lacking... then I heard about printic and I had to try the service!
Comme vous avez pu le constater je suis accro a instagramInstagram! et je cherchais un moyen facile d'imprimer mes photos carree. C'est comme ca que j'ai decouvert printic!


so I ordered sunday evening a few test pictures that I want for a mural project to test the quality of the print! Monday afternoon I got an email telling me my order was shipped!
and today (wednesday) I got my order! Great and fast service!

J'ai passe commande dimanche soir pour tester avec quelques photos (j'ai un projet de deco en cours) la qualite de l'impression et du service en general. Des lundi j'ai recu confirmation de l'envoi.
et ce matin (mercredi) j'ai recu ma commande! service rapide!


I have to admit I love the bright orange envelope and the little P sticker on the back is a nice touch!
As a side note you can have the whole thing delivered to someone else! The "look" of the packaging makes it a nice little gift!

J'adore la pochette orange et l'autocollant "P" derriere! tres sympa a recevoir! En envoyant sa commande a une autre adresse le packaging en fait un cadeau tres sympa!

So... about the pictures... For the mural I choose the square format (10cmx10cm or 4x4') without the inch of white space at the bottom (those would make awesome fridge magnets with a little caption!) and here they are:
Bon, et les photos alors? c'est  le but apres tout! Pour mon projet j'ai pris le format carree (10cmx10cm) sans les 2cm de blanc en bas (mais je pense les prendre pour faire magnets avec une legende sympa). perso je suis ravie!
As you can see those are nice quality prints!! these prints were 1.59euro/$2.19 the first print and then 0.39euro/$0.49 per print with free worldwide shipping!
 Vraiment une belle qualite et pour 1.59euros la premiere photo puis 0.39 euros par photos supplementaire. L'envoi est gratuit partout dans le monde (super pour ceux qui ont de la famille loin!)

So if you want to try here is my referral code 37AA02 which gives you an extra $5 (and for me as well) off your order! really worth it to give it a try! It gives a fews prints for free, just add my referral when you pay.
 Si vous aussi vous voulez essayer j'ai un code de parrainage qui donne 5euro et donc permets de commander quelques photos gratuitement! code 37AA02  il suffit de l'ajouter au moment de payer et ca ote 5euros!


dimanche 20 juillet 2014

52 weeks of pics for 2014

I continue exploring the world through my close-up lense!

Instagram

samedi 19 juillet 2014

jeudi 17 juillet 2014

just another insect...

A new set of close-up lense, a book about macrophotography... that was a great birthday!

dimanche 13 juillet 2014

52 weeks of pics for 2014

I was on a walk to do more flower photography... and... I saw a mouse on the moon!

vendredi 11 juillet 2014

just a little guy

This little guy was on the side of the path we were hiking... he looked so curious! I had to snap a picture!

mercredi 9 juillet 2014

I love the ocean!

a walk on the beach at the end of a long rainy day... just enough contrast to snap a few picture... and after that I was able to try out my new cleaning kit! oh joy!