Sunday, September 4, 2011

One of my favorite days . . .

. . . of the year.  Today I went to the annual show of the Monterey Bay Dahlia Society.  This is the third year that I've gone, and I really enjoy it.  It's a very challenging environment for taking pictures -- poor light, bad backgrounds, people all over the place,but I really like doing it.  I take my monopod, and off I go. 

[Linkup to The Simple Things]

This year, there were many, many flowers, each one more beautiful than the next.  My goal is to get the best angle I can and then I work with it in Photoshop -- lots of cloning, lots of texture.


Sometimes I can achieve quite dramatic effects --

(Linkup to Quotography)

And then I usually buy a bunch of dahlias when I leave and go home and try to get them in a better light, using the 100mm and so on.

(Linkup to Your Sunday Best)

When I got home, I put the flowers in a vase on a high table, and shortly thereafter, Buttercup decided she needed to admire them.

  [Linkup to The Creative Exchange]

Of course, she couldn't leave it at just smelling them, and things went quickly downhill from there.




Before I knew what was happening, she was knocking over the flowers, trying to climb up several pictures on the wall, sending two other framed pictures crashing to the floor, breaking a tile that was under the flowers -- good grief!  Bad kitty!


But of course I still love her . . .




19 comments:

TexWisGirl said...

oh, that one of her coyly sniffing the bloom is precious!!! perfect!

Elise Ann Wormuth said...

Yes, she's coy, all right -- right now she's clawing at the edge of my area rug, and when I say "Hey!" she just looks at me like "I'm too cute to do anything bad . . . "

I wonder whether these are the "terrible twos" or if she's a wild teenager now?

Folkways Note Book said...

Beautiful photos. You are quite the advanced photographer. What a character your sweet cat is -- she didn't quite appreciate the flowers like you did. -- barbara

Ms. Becky said...

she's a treasure. I love your photos of her. each one is remarkable in its beauty. I'm happy you have your kitty...

Nicolasa @ {My}Perspective said...

Love these! Thanks for linking up!Buttercup is cute!

Connie Smiley said...

What a funny kitty story, and your flowers are exquisite.

Anonymous said...

I love that name, Buttercup. What a beautiful "bad kitty". Doesn't matter what they do, we always love them - the picture is worth it.

Anonymous said...

I got so caught-up with Buttercup I forgot that I wanted to comment on the other pictures. They are gorgeous. You've done a wonderful job with them.

Lisa Gordon said...

These dahlias are beautiful Elise, and how lucky you were to be able to go to this show. Truly a photographer's dream!

I love the photographs of Buttercup. She is absolutely adorable.

Thank you so much for sharing this today at The Creative Exchange.

Sending you wishes for a wonderful evening!

lisa.

Unknown said...

I love dahlias! Your photos capture them beautifully!!

Elise Ann Wormuth said...

Thanks very much, everyone - - -

Margaret said...

...yes. You ARE a "this cat" person. :) She's sweet... I'd rather have a cat than flowers any day.

ShonEjai said...

You photographs are beautiful! I just recently discovered dahlias and they are quickly becoming my most favorite flower.

Michelle said...

Love that quote...a good reminder.

That first photo of buttercup is really pretty. It looks like a painting.

Jan n Jer said...

Beautiful shots...love the quote too!

Anonymous said...

my cat lil man thinks his name is 'no, no' LoL! how can you resist that look?!

great shots & textures

happy week =)

Elise Ann Wormuth said...

lol -- I think my next post will be called "Devil in Disguise"!

Anonymous said...

Love the photos of Buttercup with the dahlias!

Anonymous said...

Lovely shots of the dahlias. And I really like the way you've processed them. The Sunday Best shot is gorgeous!

Visiting from Quotography.