Lazy Today

I took it easy today. Wandered down to the patio and made some exposures. Wandered back upstairs, downloaded the images. Started reading my photography newsfeeds, and the afternoon turned into evening.







Made this exposure riding the elevator up to my place.

Flourishing Flowers

Every plant on the patio seems to be healthy and full of life. It's nice to have all this for relaxing and shooting when we are basically surrounded by acre after acre of concrete and asphalt.
The lilies are ready to flower any day now.

One Day Closer to Death

Lately I've read a couple things that make our mortality hard to ignore. The point, the pure-cliche proverb, is, of course, to not take our days for granted, to enjoy each to the fullest.

I did enjoy part of my day today. Out on the patio, the afternoon sun reflected off the u-shaped brick walls surrounding the patio and threw a soft, golden light onto these planters:


It's hard to get a good candid portrait if the photog and the subject are both uncomfortable. I'm naturally, even painfully, shy. Learning to be more comfortable talking to people and asking them for a picture is something I'm working on. In conjunction with that I'm working on helping the subject relax. Strangely, when I concentrate on talking to the subject and trying to put them at ease, it takes my mind off my own social unease. Two relaxed people means a good chance of capturing a natural picture, like this:

There is no issue of societal calm when shooting plants, as they pose willingly and don't giggle.

I just noticed that the first 3 images I posted today were verticals. Better balance that out with a horizontal shot:

Holiday Note Motivates Me

When I opened the door yesterday morning to get my newspapers, there was a note from our happy gardener, Brad. The note, in short, said it would be too bad if I wasn't getting any images of the progress on the patio. So, I wandered down late today and made some exposures. The plants and flowers have filled in nicely since the last shoot.


The Tin Man's kingdom is becoming more lush and colorful. He is pleased.

Some Close Up Shots

This is an exposure of the blood banana plant, the same one that was so tattered and torn by the wind storm a couple weeks ago. It has recovered quite a bit. I gave it some added color in Photoshop. All the shots in today's post were made with the Canon 100mm f/2.8 Macro lens, a terrific lens for the money.

This plant will be blooming before long. Then I'll find out what it's name is.

The Tin Man was quietly watching over his subjects. He's really cool under pressure, though there wasn't any pressure today.

I like this stuff. All this is growing in one of the smallest pots on the patio. It looks like a forest on another planet, or something like that.

Much Needed Rain

We had some wonderful, steady rain today, soaking into the ground and provided all the trees and shrubs a delicious drink. Didn't hurt the plantings on the patio, either.

Another daft pigeon on the patio. If you can think of anything positive to say about pigeons, please add it to the comments. To me, they're feathered rats.

After my very brief session shooting under the patio canopy, this fake cardinal looked warm and comfy in the lobby compared to the gray chill dampness of the wet patio. So, I made a quick exposure.

People on the Patio

Onnalee, an award-winning watercolor painter. Also, our Property Manager, with husband Robert, for umpteen-odd years.


Took a wide angle lens up on the roof. I'm terrified of heights, don't know why I did this.


I used a full CTO gel on the flash for this image...should have gone with a half-cut.


Stephen and Lula. They are interesting in having a formal portrait done. Might have to oblige them.


Danette, who has the Gift of Small Talk, in spades.

Brad with Mr. Persona Non Grata, according to the management.

New Pool for the Patio

John and Pat supervise the filling of the new pool. This one is more than a Foot Cooler. I could come down at midnight on a sultry July night with my girlfriend and have some fun with this pool...if I had a girlfriend.


The Tin Man, I call him. He's been out here for years, getting a little rustier with each season. I picture him as a poet in his former life.


Joe was also hanging out this evening.


Pat engaged a little American Consumerism this afternoon. Way to contribute to the GDP, Pat!

Pay your rent on time, or....

This is where residents who are late with their rent are put, to allow them to concentrate on the task at hand, which is to develop a keen sense of fiscal responsibility. That, or World Class Alibi Composition.


Another plant I don't know the name of. Looking good, though, looking good. Healthy.


The foot cooler is in place for the summer. Apparently someone stole the little tugboat and the yellow ducky.


The afternoon sun wrapped this plant in warm light. What I wouldn't give to have a bottle of May sunshine to uncork in the dead of winter.


The patio watering hose - the Green Slinky.

The Office..

On Wednesdays, Pat rules the building with an iron fist and a marshmallow heart. Many, many times I've been expecting an overnight delivery but couldn't be home to accept it, and Pat has kindly kept an eagle eye out for the FedEx guy (she has a sixth sense about this) and taken delivery for me. Not only that, she hauls the goods to the top floor and puts it inside my door.

Brad was also working hard today. Here he is planting some...hell, I don't know. My resolution to learn the names of the plants on the patio seems to have wilted like a piece of congressional ethics legislation.

Some of my gear out on the patio today. Not exactly Joe McNally territory...not even close. Joe rocks the lights pretty good.

Charles had a smile for the camera today. Charles always has a smile. That's because he's always ahead of everyone else with his laundry.

Look at the soil in the blue pot in the lower right of the image. Is that some beautiful dirt, or what? Brad, by the way, is a Certified Enterprise Dirt Developer.

A New Lens and a couple quick grabs

I recently picked up the legendary Nikon AF-S 14-24mm f/2.8 wide angle lens. It's a lot of fun shooting wide on the full-frame D700. Built like the proverbial brick s*house, too.

Assistant Manager Pat G. enjoys a smoke and some afternoon sun.

The pots are showing a lot more life than they were a couple weeks ago (below).

Active Day on the Patio

The afternoon kibitzers came and went while our intrepid Master Gardener did his thing.



The blood banana plant took a serious beating in yesterday's high winds.

A fresh planting settles into it's summer home one of the large clay pots. After watching Brad spend about 30-40 minutes getting the potting mixture the way he wanted, I hope this young plant appreciates the care that went into it's foundation.

Brad gives some potting soil a good mixing. This image is a screen grab from a short video I shot today with my Canon 5D Mk II.