And here we are, at our second St. Paddy's Day. Once again, I am sharing a view, actually, two views, of the majestic great Dane statue on Garden Street.
Last year, he wore a larger bow and spats. This year, he has balloons! I don't know his name, but I always think of him as Duke. It's because when I was five-years-old, our neighbor had a great Dane named Duke: a big gentle guy who wandered loose through the neighborhood.
Right now, we Santa Barbarians are hunkering down, as word has it that a storm is on its way. It's been a while since I've posted, and I look forward to posting again on the 20th, in just a few days. Until then, sending you my warm wishes. I hope you all have a fun-filled 17th. ~ Aneet
Greetings from Marie who is enjoying some balmy weather in Chicagoland.
ReplyDeleteWhile Chicago has its skyline and Lake Shore Drive, Santa Barbara looks like a paradise.
Duke looks fine in his festive green. Does your town also have a St. Patrick's Day parade?
In addition to your new photos, I like the self-portrait of you in green and holding the camera. Through your work and words, you are a beautiful person inside and out.
I've always wanted to ask you how you got into photography as a career. What do you look for when you take your photos? Do you look for lighting and composition? You have a wonderful array of Santa Barbara's natural beauty from its creatures to its landscapes.
Also, when you were a model working on photo shoots, did you incorporate the skills those photographers used or do you look at those experiences as reference points in your work?
The reason why I'm asking is because I'm a freelance writer who has been asked to take photos to accompany stories. My editors have always given me tips but I wanted to ask a professional photographer like yourself about your view from the lens.
Thanks for sharing your work with your fans whether its from your photos or from "The Price Is Right." I hope you find some more showcase videos.
Happy St. Pat's Day!
Hello Marie,
DeleteIt's lovely to hear from you again. Thank you for your kind words. I enjoyed reading your very interesting message. To answer your questions in depth, I would need to write a long article here, and so I will try to keep my answers concise.
First, I must mention Lake Shore Drive in Milwaukee. What a beautiful route. I drove it daily when I was there, and the area is every bit a beautiful as S.B.
There is so much I could say about photography. Yes, being a model definitely lends itself to taking photos, as you are constantly dealing with composition and light. You are, in a way, the photographers partner. Photography and painting are both languages of light. For decades photography was my hobby, and then, one day, it just became one of the things I did.
Taking a class, just about any class (even a brief one) in photography is quite helpful. I once took an Adult Ed class, where we went on photo outings in the city and then compared our photos. It's amazing how every person has a different perspective and eye. It's really fun to see this. Cameras nowadays are terrific and do most of the work for you. Taking lots of photos is key for me. Studying composition and looking at art, visiting museums, stimulates your artistic eye. And finally, a certain confidence is always beneficial.
Being a writer is also a wonderful and enriching art. Thank you for sharing this. I'm delighted to hear that you are working in this field.
And finally, oh yes, I too would love to come across many more TPIR showcase videos. Until then, Marie, sending a wagon full of good wishes your way, ~ Anitra
Hoping the storms pass you by or at least behave more gently than forecast. Our stretch of SW Texas desert is scheduled for a bit of rough and rainy weather as well. BTW, Duke looks quite handsome and a bit self assured... perhaps he's seen a leprechaun hiding a pot of gold..
ReplyDeleteDear LRN,
DeleteIt's delightful to hear from you again. I have a good friend who spent many years in SW Texas. She said the air was wonderful there, very pure and unpolluted.
Yes, I agree, self-assured is the perfect way to describe him. Wouldn't it have been fun to have caught a photo of that leprechaun and his pot of gold. Your whimsy makes me smile.
So glad you shared. Sending my good wishes your way, ~ Aneet
Top of the Morning to you Aneet,
ReplyDeleteAre you a "corned beef and cabbage " person? I actually remember that dog statue from last year's post. It looks so lifelike!
Today, it's a beautiful and unseasonably warm day for March 17. This past winter, we were really lucky here in New York as we escaped what is normally a cold winter. I'm actually taking my baseball team outside tomorrow for a workout. Time to get the rust out of our bones!
And speaking of beautiful, that photo of you in the sidebar is one of THE most beautiful. No one can model a camera and a 4 leaf clover the way you can!
Best......Jonathan
PS- On YOU TUBE I did a few more short drumming videos:
"Jon Chester at Frankie's Place"
"Jon Chester....Drum Solo"
"StellaJohn" (which is the same video as the one above with better picture,sound,and close up)
Ah, yes, Top O' the Mornin' to you too Jonathan,
DeleteSo lovely to hear from you! You know what? I don't think I've had corned beef for about 30 yrs now. And yes, "Duke" does look amazingly real. I took a friend's Chihuahua to visit him a couple of days ago. Thought I might get a photo of them together. He wasn't in his costume yet. When the Chihuahua caught sight of the great Dane, he went nuts: snarling barking writhing. Would have made a good video.
Speaking of videos, yay! I am so happy to hear about your new series. I can't wait to see them. Jonathan, as a drummer and a musician, you are a real star.
I'm happy that your winter was mild. Wow, you are already back to baseball; that is super.
Your comment on my modeling a camera and a four-leaf-clover, made me smile. I have to say, that it takes some doing, capturing these shots of myself. Never would have thought of it if not for this blog.
I hope that everyone who reads this blog checks out your drumming videos, including "Drumming with Knives."
My warm wishes to you Jonathan. Sincerely, ~ Aneet
Anitra, I must say that story of the Chihuahua cracked me up completely. If you could ever get them together for a picture,that would be great!
ReplyDeleteIsn't it interesting how a dog can see something and have a strange reaction. My brother Mitch has a French Bulldog named Buster. He got this dog from a breeder in Texas. This breeder sent Mitch a film of Buster and his sister in a cage playing with each other. Still to this day,(twelve years later),when that very same film is shown in front of the dog, he cries and howls at the TV! His reaction is always the same when he sees that video.
Being an incredible animal lover that I am and know you to be as well, I thought you might think of this as a truly interesting short story!
Jonathan :)
Johnathan,
DeleteI love your story about your brother's dog reacting to that old film. He must remember his litter mates. The sounds in the film too, I would think, play a part in his response.
With your encouragement, I will try again to capture a photo of Duke with the Chihuahua. Though, it's easier said than done. And yes, I do think that dogs and animals in general understand and perceive much more than they are given credit for. I have a friend whose Maltese watches Animal Planet and barks when a dog comes on screen. Seriously, this is true.
Again, Jonathan, it's lovely to hear from you. My warm regards, ~ Aneet
Happy St. Patrick's Day, Aneet!
ReplyDeleteAs always, your photos made me smile. And I do echo Jonathan's comment that your new picture (taken today I presume?) in the sidebar is so beautiful and full of holiday spirit.
I must also add some entertainment news...as you may remember, I'm a dvd fanatic. Your second episode of SWAT, called "Courthouse", will finally come to dvd in May. Slowly, we are getting almost all of your TV appearances on dvd! It's so great to see these shows preserved on pristine dvd.
Tom
Tom, hello, hello,
ReplyDeleteI hope that life is treating you and your family well:) Glad you like the photo (taken last night.)
I'm really impressed with your discipline. It takes so much patience and attention to detail to follow television episodes, appearances and releases on DVD. Thank you so much for this information. There are very few who realize that I did a SWAT, let alone two of them.
It's so nice to hear from you Tom. Sending you and your wife my fond regards, ~ Aneet
Hi Aneet:
ReplyDeleteHope you're enjoying St. Patrick's Day weekend! I hate rainy Saturdays!
I don't remember your appearances on SWAT, but I remember your appearance on The Streets of San Francisco, and of course, Starsky & Hutch!
Cool sidebar photo! Thanks for sharing!
Bits
Hello Lovely Lady,
ReplyDeleteI can understand why you wouldn't want rain on a Saturday. I hope this message finds you and your family well and that your weekend brings you good cheer in spite of the rain.
Again, I'm so glad you pointed out that Starsky and Hutch episode. It was so much fun to see again. When I did the Streets of San Francisco, Michael Douglas wasn't in my scene, but he was there on set and we had a long talk. He was quite wonderful -- a very kind person and supportive. Glad you like the photo too.
Sending my warm wishes your way Bits. Sincerely, ~ Aneet
Who's the attractive lass holding the camera? --->
ReplyDeleteMethinks she ought to be a model, or somethin'........
;^)
Ha, ha, ha, I like your Irish brogue. Nice to hear from you Chris. Yes, your comment was a kick; it made me laugh out loud. Hope things are going well with your life, your music and your blog.
ReplyDeleteSending good wishes your way, ~ Aneet
Hello Aneet-
ReplyDeleteWell things around here are not as green around here as I had hoped, as we didn't get as much rain as you probably did from the weekend storm. Yesterday the wind certainly whipped things up, and I was driving near the beach, I could see the ocean full of whitecaps and the water's color was an odd blue/green/gray combination.
I've been much busier than I've wanted to be lately so I have not had a chance to get out and snap a photo or two of the local environs.
I love the sidebar photo of you in the shamrock blouse. Again, echoes of Marc Breslow and Robert Aldrich. =)
Regards as always,
Joseph
Joseph,
ReplyDeleteHow lovely to hear from you. Sorry you didn't get the rain you needed. And yes, the wind was wild yesterday. Though we didn't really see whitecaps.
I hope one of these days you're able to find some downtime. You deserve it.
Thanks for you compliment on the photo in the sidebar (though now retired.) You caught it in the nick of time. Your Breslow, Aldrich comment makes me smile.
Good wishes to you Joseph. Sincerely, ~ Aneet