Messy Little Details: A Summer Trio

My blog friend Carolyn has a weekly photography meme she calls "Messy Little Details." I enjoy this meme, although I only participate sporadically, and I have turned it into a way to share some of my photography edited in picmonkey.  I've had a few photos on my phone that I've been wanting to play with for a while.
The first one is of my cat, J.J., with a quote from Mary Bly.

 The second one is a photograph I took while walking the dog, with a quote from Anatole France:

And the last one is from the open space near my house:

So, can you pick a favorite from these three?
If you want to link up, check out this week's post at this link. 

A Trio of Messy Little Details

My blogfriend Carolyn of Mess, Muddle and Fun has started a weekly meme for friends to share photographs of details that catch their eye as they wander through life. This week, I have a trio of photos, all taken with my iphone. The first is of an old rusty gate. I love the way it draws my eye down a hidden path. I added a quote, which I found particularly appropriate. 
I have two other, odd photos which also call to me. 

I saw this old bolt lying in the dirt. There's something so organic about the dirt and the bolt; as if the metal ore is trying to return home.  I also love the sharpness of the focus.

And then there's this jar, sitting in our lemon tree, which a county horticulturist asked if he could place there. I have no idea what it's for, but it feels like it belongs on a shelf in an alchemist's shop.
Do any of these photos appeal to you? If so, I'd love to hear why. And to check out other photos, check out this post at Carolyn's blog.

Messy Little Details: A few thoughts

Carolyn, over at Mess, Muddle, and Fun has started a weekly photo meme she calls Messy Little Details, where photographers can share those photos of little things that catch our eye. You can see this week's photos and learn more about the project at this link.
I was attracted to the project because I often do find myself captivated by messy little details.  While out back, for instance, I found myself drawn to these two images:

I like the garden weasel photo because of the color and shape, as well as what it suggests about activity in the garden.  I like the tennis ball on the grass because it suggests a story as well, but it is not clear what the story is. It's a bit of a mystery, isn't it?
When I first read Carolyn's description of her project, I think I focused too much on the term messy little details and thought my photos had to be dirty, grungy, etc. After having seen Carolyn's most recent stunning photo of a rope tied to pier, I realize that the emphasis is really on life's messy little details and the "messy" part is just a cute tie-in with her blog name. 
That freed me up to work with the rhododendron photograph at the top of today's post.  It is a little messy, a little soft-focus, but I really like the light and the details and the depth of field (as always, you can click on any image on my blog to see a larger, clearer version).  I used pic-monkey to add a frame and a quote (thanks again to this fantastic list of quotes published by skinny artist). I went back and reread Carolyn's post about her project and loved it when she said that she "just wants people to enjoy their photography."  I am enjoying reflecting on and writing about why certain details catch my eye. It's a lot like what I do with my "My Photographer's Eye" series, but with photos beyond those taken on instagram.
This week made me realize how much I enjoy working with picmonkey to do something a little special with my photographs. These creations feel like a departure for me; something new; an evolution in my style. I used the same process to create the Summertime Photography Scavenger Hunt badge, which, to be honest, I kindof  really love. Carolyn's messy little project really is helping me discover some details of my secret self. Just like Godard suggests it should. How cool is that?
Have a great weekend, and maybe I'll see you tomorrow for Sian's Storytelling Sunday.

My Photographer's Eye/Messy Little Details

Vignette #15: Rusted Memories
On the side of the house, there's a pile of stuff waiting to go to the dump. Unusable. Rusted. Discarded.  But, in the right light, my photographer's eye spies an interesting combination of shapes and a muted tapestry of colors. As I gaze deeper, I remember the use that each of these once had - the hack saw used to trim branches off a Christmas tree; a shovel and hoe used to turn the garden; a tray from our old Weber BBQ.  Rusted memories brought back to me when I pause to capture a photograph.
My Photographer's Eye is a semi-regular series designed to feature my instagram photography and a brief accompanying narrative. You can see the other vignettes in this series by clicking on this link
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My blog friend, Carolyn Phillips, is starting a new photography meme called "Messy Little Details," giving photographers a place to share photos of those little details you can't help but shoot. I thought Rusted Memories would fit nicely in the thread, but I also wanted to post this photograph:

While walking Gypsy along my favorite Montara back road, I saw a bunch of dandelions. Getting close to just one and looking straight down, I was amazed at what I saw. To me, the flower resembled a faraway galaxy and reminded me of a moon jelly fish.  Recurring patterns in nature revealed when I stopped to capture the messy little details.
To see other photos of the messy little details, click on this link.