The Caribbean

Recently we traveled to Belize. The colors of the caribbean are nothing short of amazing and I find myself in a visual euphoria each time we go there! Enjoy these photos of our trip across the ocean from Belize City to Long Caye on Lighthouse Reef Atoll!

The Princess Hotel at the dock.

A bird ready to take flight.

A stormy view of the ocean as we got ready to depart.

Beautiful sea and stormy sky.

Both the ocean and the sky change from minute to minute.

Loved the reflections on the water and the ever darkening sky.

Jody enjoying the video he was capturing of the journey and Lola enjoying her first adventure on the ocean.

And the sky seems to be clearing as we near Long Caye!

Capture Your 365 - January 2015

Definitely off to a good start this year as it is the first time I have completed the first month! I set a goal this year to complete all 365 days and I have faith that with a little luck and a lot of effort I can pull this off. Here's the compilation for January.

Good Morning 2015!

First hike of the year and a really nice waterfall made it even better. 

Think Over

After a season of over-indulgence, we decided to kick start the year with a 3 day veggie cleanse. Next year we should probably think that over a bit longer. 

Open Possibilities

Eating primarily a whole foods diet leaves a lot of open possibilities for meals! This was a new creation of peanut butter, spinach, and tomatoes on toast with a side of apples. It was quite tasty!

A Reflection of Me

A gym selfie! 

Ensemble

My daughter's dance class in "Snow" from the annual Nutcracker performance. They did a wonderful job! 

Where I Stand

Out on the hiking trail...of course!

Solitude

I like the starkness of the image in black & white. It really illustrates the solitude you can embrace out in the woods.

My Gear

My new models for 2015! I had asked for SuperHero legos for several years and was super excited to finally get them!

Multifaceted

I spent about 30 minutes working on this shot. I wanted to capture the multifaceted texture of this tiny vase I found in a thrift store. 

Habit

I am definitely a creature of habit and I rather enjoy Saturday morning breakfasts, especially the coffee and conversation!

White

Another session of "product" shooting. Plenty of room for improvement but I love the reminder on the coffee mug. 

Frost/Frozen

I went to the archives for this one, taken last year since it's been in the 50's here in Oklahoma with very little frost. I like the sparkle of the frozen branches against the blue sky. 

A Pop of Color

Love the way the red is the only color. It really pops out and grabs your attention!

Be Positive

The challenge of this prompt was too practice with exposure settings. I shot this with my camera phone (Galaxy S4) and played with the on camera exposure settings...which I didn't even know existed until I got this prompt! 

First Taste

I took this picture while out looking for eagles. During the walk my boyfriend decided to throw a rock out onto the ice and I heard the absolute coolest sound ever! Apparently the thickness of the ice and the air bubbles in the water create some really neat acoustics. I believe it is the sound of happiness!

A Snowflake

Not a snowflake in sight so I pulled another "cold" one out of the archives. I'm sure there was a snowflake in there somewhere!

Powdery

I took some creative liberties with the "powdery" prompt. This was taken in Picher, OK, a nearby ghost town was once a booming lead and zinc mining site. The "chat" piles in the background are made from contaminated mine tailings. The years of destructive mining left the town at risk of cave ins and it was dis-incorporated in 2009.

Balance

Worked composition and balance in this shot. 

Space

The tiny spec in the middle is actually a pretty large oil rig which demonstrates just how massive the windmill is. And how wide open the space is in Kansas! 

Trio
Batman and his fellow superheroes.
 I used this prompt as an opportunity to practice my prop staging and lighting. Luckily my models were patient!

Meal or Play?

I went with play on this one. It's one of my favorite candid shots of this past summer. Nothing screams joy more than a child at play!

Color Blocking

I got this idea from other posters in my CY365 group and just couldn't pass up making pink the focus!

On the Third

Had to laugh when I realized I had accidentally used the same picture twice but I can't help it when it comes to sharing my love of waterfalls! 

Who? What?

My boyfriend often amuses himself by taking pictures of me taking pictures. 

Resolve

I am planning to photograph this waterfall each month to see how I can improve my skills over the year. I am studying other photographers and reading about ways to improve technique. 

Move

This is from a couple of years ago. I was working to understand how to capture the movement of water, both freezing the action and blurring it to make it softer. I liked the way this one turned out, a little soft but capturing some detail too.

Nourishing

I love to hike (as you may have noticed) so I get a lot of shots out on the trail. In the winter when there are fewer colors I like to work on capturing the shades of blue in the sky and the way the shadows fall on the trail. Being out in nature is definitely nourishment for my soul!

Play

This one is also from a few years ago. I got a lot of opportunity to practice my sports photography while enjoying my oldest playing soccer. 

Tethered

I struggled with this prompt so I went to my superheroes for some help! Word of advice, don't Google "tethered" images for inspiration!

Commitment

Hi, my name is Shelle and I am addicted to my Fitbit! Wearing it daily reminds me of my commitment to be healthier by eating better and staying active.

One Done

I can't believe it but I did the whole first month of this challenge for the first time in the 4 years I have been attempting it! My goal is to improve my photography, to learn better editing techniques and get more creative. My CY365 2015 is off to a great start!!

You can follow me on Instagram: @soonerchick_14 or @fleetingexpressions. You can also see my photos on my Fleeting Expressions facebook page. Working on finishing up work on my website and getting it launched soon!! 

November CY365

It's been 3 years in the making, but I finally did it! A full month of daily pictures posted for my CY365 project. To celebrate, I thought I would share them again as a group! Follow me on instagram for a daily glimpse of my world, @soonerchick_14 and @fleetingexpressions.

"Yourself"

Let's just say, I'm much happier behind the camera than in front of it!

"Sun to light your path"

Taken along the trail at Wildcat Glades, one of my favorite local hikes especially when the sunlight filters through the trees and onto the path!

"Good Smells"

A local farmers market. Love the smell of fresh vegetables!

"Movement"

My daughter at her first swim meet. She was swimming the 200 Butterfly and I was super proud of her effort to keep going despite desperately wanting to quit! Her coach was encouraging her with every stroke and by the end everyone present was cheering her along. It was really cool to hear that kind of support from everyone, including competitors.

 "Where I Stand"
Hiking is one of my favorite past times and definitely a passion. You will frequently finding me standing in nature!

"Mother Nature"
Mother nature creates some spectacular displays and I often wonder what happened to create these formations. I'm guessing earthquake!

"Little Things"
Using legos as models has been a great opportunity to practice posing techniques. I keep several in my camera bag so I can drag them out whenever the mood strikes. Luckily they never complain!

"Interesting Light"
I was trying to capture the light filtering through the trees and onto the trail. I like how the colors turned out!

"Perspective"
Deciding what to focus on can be challenging. I like the perspective of the sharpness of the branches with the blurred leaves in the background. Perspective depends on what you focus on.

"New Adventures"
My favorite place is the trail, any trail, and I especially love this trail at Wildcat Glades near Joplin, MO. I have had several new adventures here and actually rediscovered my love of photography on this trail several years ago.

"Interesting Displays"
I was really happy to see some water flowing in this waterfall at Natural Falls State Park in Siloam Springs, Oklahoma. It is a 77 foot waterfall and, along with the Turner Falls, is the largest in the state. The park provided some of the locations for "Where The Red Fern Grows" in 1974.

"A Hand to Hold"
A great reminder of what it means to have a partner to share my life with!

"The Memories"
I had the honor of attending the awards presentations at the Oklahoma Quality Foundation. Governor Fallin thanked all of the outstanding businesses for their quality journey.

"Quiet Times"
I happened across these beauties while out checking the park for fall color. I felt a bit like a paparazzi trying to capture them without scaring them away.

"The Beauty in Nature"
This is a dream prompt for me! Any opportunity to capture the beauty in nature is one I will gladly take!

"Home Cookin"
Since going primarily plant-based in January of this year, tofu has become a go-to food for us. This is tofu stir fry and one of my favorite meals!

"Comfort"
Nothing like a warm bowl of soup to bring comfort on a dreary day!

"The Final Stages"
My daughter swimming the final lap of her final race. She is a self proclaimed "non-athlete" yet, despite this belief, she puts all her efforts into each event and I couldn't be prouder of her!

"The Number 4"
Another shameless excuse to include a waterfall! There are 4 levels so it worked for me!

"Companions"
Jeremy and Oreo napping in the warmest spot they can find on a chilly day.

"Unpredictable"
Caught the fog lifting from the river on my morning drive to work.

"Dramatic Skies"
Sunset on the lake created a warm, soft and irresistible scene.

"Unfamiliar Places"
This one is a throwback to a photo expedition last March to Garvan Gardens in Hot Springs, Arkansas. They had fields of tulips and I was in heaven!

"Enough to Share"
One day there was not a leaf to be found and the next there was enough to share with the entire neighborhood!

"Dessert"
This was as good as it looked!

"Colorful Scenes"
Practicing my editing skills, which need a lot of practice!

"Family"
My crazy family! I asked for one simple pose and this is what they give me, lol.

"Traditions"
We decided to start a new tradition and went for a hike instead of going black Friday shopping. I'd say it was a great decision!

"An Early Start"
We used to put the Christmas tree up right after Thanksgiving every year but that fell away the last few years and the holiday was dreaded more than celebrated as our family struggled with loss. This year, as healing continues and grief subsides, it feels good to return to some old traditions.

"The Holiday Season"
Now that the tree is up...let the holiday season begin!


And there you have it...a monthly peak into my life through pictures! Next up: December and a celebration of the Christmas season!