Latest work: "Crows by the Numbers"

I run a private Facebook page called "Photomotivation," and every month I give my members an assignment. (Members consist mostly of previous students and various riff-raff, so if you're interested in playing along, let me know and I'll give you the secret word that will open the appropriate door.)

This month's assignment is "Extreme Colors," and it's fun to see what everybody is coming up with. I also play along, so not only is it fun for them, but it's fun and inspirational for me as well.

This is an example of what I mean. It's a photomontage of pictures I've taken in Anacortes, Washington. I love the exaggerated colors, the combination of elements I used, the overall industrial look, and how the black crows and the chainlink fence sort of "ground" everything above them.

What I also like is how this now becomes something I've uploaded to Fine Art America, something more for me to offer for sale. An example for my students, a fun project for me, and perhaps a sale down the line at FAA. Win-win-win!

Wishing you a colorful day today.

©Carol Leigh
All text, photographs, and other media are ©Copyright Carol Leigh (or others when indicated) and are not in the public domain and may not be used on websites, blogs, or in other media without advance permission from Carol Leigh.

Color, food, and laughter

Our friends Rich and CJ are here visiting for a week and what I'm especially loving is all the laughter. Photography is sneaking in there, as are some fine meals, but the laughter is what is feeding my soul.

Yesterday we ventured out and found some brilliant colors in Greenbank. I was shooting with my iPhone and then created these two painterly images using some Topaz filters. Fun stuff. Lightweight, but fun. And pretty. And yeah, the colors were really this brilliant.

The pansies were floating in water in an orange glass birdbath. How could we pass them by? And the Oriental poppy? Just one in a big patch of them.

Wishing you friendship, good food, and lots of laughter this Memorial Day weekend.

©Carol Leigh
All text, photographs, and other media are ©Copyright Carol Leigh (or others when indicated) and are not in the public domain and may not be used on websites, blogs, or in other media without advance permission from Carol Leigh.

Seduced by color

As I've been working in a lot of neutral tones lately, when I see some of my more colorful images, they sort of startle me, shake me up, and make me happy.

Here are three examples, two of which were "as found" and one a photomontage.

The "tickets" image was taken in San Diego, the longhorn skull on the front of a shop in Madrid, New Mexico, and the "P?" The background (including the stripes) is a reflection of a fishing boat photographed in Newport, Oregon. The "P," too, comes from a fishing boat. I like the repeating pattern of the stripes and the diagonal-ish lines in the background contrasting with the upright-ness of the letter.

Purple and orange is the theme of these three, apparently. I remember in eighth grade, living in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, receiving a bright purple mohair sweater from my Aunt Lucy, and loving it. Especially combined with an orange pleated skirt! Totally clueless about style then as I am today.

©Carol Leigh
All text, photographs, and other media are ©Copyright Carol Leigh (or others when indicated) and are not in the public domain and may not be used on websites, blogs, or in other media without advance permission from Carol Leigh. Thank you!