Wednesday 28 August 2013

Photographic Trilogy

Happy middle-of-the-week to everyone!

We have come full circle back to photography now (although that is mostly what I do so it is to be expected that it will outnumber all other posts here!).




Three photographs today, as I am selling them-not just the images, but the actual mounted photo seen here.  These are the first ever photographs I mounted and displayed.  In each of these, the photographic image is around 10x12 inches (25cm x 30cm) and the mount measures 12x16 inches (approximately 30cm x 40cm).  Mount is ivory and finely textured, professionally cut with a stiff back board to ensure photograph remains undamaged.
 




The first: Tunisian Sunrise.  This was taken in March 2007, at around 5am, as the sun rose over the salt flats not far from the Sahara in Tunisia.  I have to confess that sunrise is not something I see often, in fact, I have only actually witnessed a handful times in my life (I am just not a morning person!) but this was definitely worth getting up to see.  There was not a soul around for as far as the eye could see and no sound could be heard, the sun rises much faster than I expected it would!  Caught here as it reflects in the water, I think is the nicest shot I got that morning.  No editing has been done, the picture you see is the picture I took on that day-nature at its best J
 




2. Majestic Cascade.  One of my absolute favourite subjects to photograph is waterfalls and I have been fortunate enough to witness the magnificence that is Niagara Falls.  I prefer to work in black and white but getting the light right is often a gamble!  I like to think that this one worked though.  Taken from the American side of the border, the American Falls is seen in the foreground, with Horseshoe Falls on the Canadian side off in the distance towards the upper right of the image.  A breath taking vista with the thunderous accompaniment of the water hurtling over the edge, this is one of my favourites of all my photos.
 




3. Sunset on the Nile.  From daybreak in Tunisia, we come to the setting of the sun in Egypt!  Taken in October 2007 during a short trip to Luxor, this (believe it or not) was taken from my sun lounger by the pool!  The first body of water seen in the photo is that swimming pool, and the second-further away so seeming narrower, is The Nile.  As the sun sets each evening, the hotel plays classical music to accompany it-I thought it was a brilliant idea.  This hotel is on its own island in the Nile and so guests get to view the awesome sunset every single day.  You may have noticed that I am fond of reflections!  This was the shot I preferred of all the ones I took of that scene-mainly because of the sun being reflected in both the Nile and the pool.
Originally displayed mounted and wrapped in cellophane, they were in a browser in a gallery in Rhyl for sale at £25 each.  Now asking just £12 for each one.  I  have only one of each available at this price (I have since changed the size of both printed image and mount that I use) so it will be first come, first served to my email. craftyshutterbug@gmail.com.



Sunday 25 August 2013

Full of Charm

Hello to one and all,
I hope everyone had a better Saturday than I did-the cistern fell off the wall in my place and there was water everywhere! After stemming the flood, I am back at my dad's while someone who knows what they are doing fixes it. I had planned on blogging a card I made incorporating charms as I have a rather large selection of them but, due to circumstances beyond my control, I have not yet made the card! I shall instead share with you some images of some of the charms I have-they are for sale should anybody wish to get their hands on any! (just shoot me an email) Once I get the transportation sorted out, I will include charms for sale on my market stall along with a range of items I have made.



These are, I think, my favourites.  Lovely to look at, incredibly versatile and just a little out of the ordinary these bring a new dimension to crafting. 



Oh, before I go-I finished the glass painting I was doing last time, so here is the lantern of butterflies and roses in an art deco style:





Wednesday 21 August 2013

Purple Rose



Hello all you lovely people, I hope your day is going well.  The weather has been beautiful again today, but I have been a busy bee working on something new-glass painting. Just a short post for today so that I can get back to work.
I started small with an ashtray-the result you can see below.  Using Deka contour gel to outline the image and LeFranc and Bourgeois Vitrail glass paints in: violet and colourless, I have gone for a rose with more than a slight nod to the era of art deco (I am not long finished reading The Great Gatsby!).



I am now working on a larger piece for a lantern, staying with art deco but as well as roses, I am going to be including my old favourite-the butterfly :) Don't worry, I will share photos when it is finished!