Vacancy At 606

I was rummaging around in old files and found this, a photo I made a number of years ago. I tweaked it just a bit more this morning and now like it much better. To me, it has a sort of Edward Hopper look to it — mysterious, quiet, and lonely. (Click to enlarge.) ©Carol Leigh

Toledo Train Car

When you look closely at the side of a train car, you can find all sorts of scratches, paint slashes, and weathering that are interesting compositions just as they are. Here I've isolated a section of what I found on a railroad car. ©Carol Leigh

"Oregon Winter"

Oregon winter
Rain on the window pane
Soft promise of spring...

©Carol Leigh

Sold!

It felt great to wake up this morning, check my e-mail, and see that these three pictures sold yesterday at Fine Art America. Every artist wants their work to be seen, including me, so it's gratifying that (a) someone actually LOOKED at these, (b) wanted them to be a part of their life, and (c) paid their hard-earned money to obtain them. I am so grateful. (And, yet again, thank you Kathleen A. for sending me such wonderful papers to use for the first image.) ©Carol Leigh

Latest work: "Santa Fe Windows"

This is a combination of photos I took in Santa Fe and I'm really fond of the vivid colors as well as the geometric rectangles and squares. I thought about putting the silhouette of a raven in one of the windows, but cooler heads prevailed!

Regarding the phrase "put a bird on it," I offer this esoterica from the Urban Dictionary: Phrase exclaimed when placing an image of an avian creature on any item, especially one that was "handcrafted" or "thrifted" so as to make it totally adorable and artistic. It's, like, soooooooo cute!

©Carol Leigh

Latest work: "Bodhisattva 1952"

A stamp featuring an elegant sculpture of Bodhisattva was issued in Japan in 1952. You see it here on a collaged background of inked and torn vintage papers. I'm attracted to the warm colors and overall monochromatic look. ©Carol Leigh

P.S. Thanks to Kathleen A. for sending me some of the papers used in this collage!

Map to My Heart

Happy Valentine's Day!

©Carol Leigh

Latest work: "Blue Butterfly on Copper"

I'm fond of blue/brown color combinations these days, so I particularly like how the blues in the postage stamp and the blues in the "copper" come together here. (Click to enlarge.) ©Carol Leigh

Oregon's Willamette Valley

It was a grey morning as we drove from the airport back home. Seeing a herd of sheep off in the distance, we took some side roads to get closer. I liked the way these two stood alone, one definitely curious, the other rather blasé. The background trees, soft in the mist, were just perfect. I added texture to the image to heighten the grey, misty mood I saw to begin with. ©Carol Leigh

Mini-Macro online class coming up

A short online class designed for those of you who feel you've already got a pretty good macro photography base and are looking for some fun projects to do within a 6-week period. Lots of feedback, questions asked and answered. Stretch your artistic and technical skills within a short time frame. Class begins MARCH 1, 2013 and runs six weeks. Registration fee: $85.

Here's where you can sign up.

©Carol Leigh

Looking Seaward

Yup, another crow! ©Carol Leigh

Latest letters du jour

The big "C" is something I created this morning, combining photos of walls with a "C" I photographed on the side of a railroad car a few weeks ago. The red "F" comes from a fishing boat (I believe — I'm finding it more and more difficult to remember where some of these images come from because I'm shooting all the time). And then the "R" is something I isolated from an overall graffiti pattern on a railroad car in Santa Fe.

The "C" was uploaded to my Fine Art America site this morning. I hope a "letterophile" will like it and want to bring it home! ©Carol Leigh

Latest work: "Boat Textures"

One of my many delights living here on the Oregon coast is the opportunity to photograph fishing boats, specifically, the abstract patterns on their metal hulls. The scrapes, rust, scratches, textures, and colors are (to me) quite exciting. They are works of art in and of themselves. Here you see hints of sea and sky, land and water, stars and fish, all combined into one simple image. I hope you enjoy seeing how common elements can become almost celestial. (As usual, click photo to enlarge.) ©Carol Leigh