B"H, I'm Back

Some of you, especially those who follow me on Instagram, 365 Project, Facebook and my blogs may have noticed that I have/had been pretty silent the few days. The blog posts that went up here and on Shiloh Musings Wednesday morning had been written and programmed to post on Tuesday before I left home. Yesterday I returned to Facebook, and last night I looked at Instagram and liked some photos, but that's it.

I'm human. I was sick.

The realization that something was wrong hit me while I was with my kids, and I ended up spending two nights with one of them, getting lots of loving care. So I didn't make it to Matan on Wednesday or any of my other plans. And now, even though now I'm safely home and much improved, I reduced various social commitments until I'm completely better.

Baruch Hashem, Thank Gd, I didn't have anything serious and I was in a place and with people who could help. All I needed was rest, liquids and some time.

In a few hours it's Shabbat and then after Shabbat a new week begins. May it be a good one for all.

Shabbat Shalom u'Mevorach

May You Have a Peaceful and Blessed Shabbat

Photography Fun

I'm a regular in three very different photography groups, sites, apps or whatever you want to call them. Actually, they are different and each may be one of the names I used.

• 52Frames is a photography group that functions via facebook. Each week we're given a "challenge," some sort of "technique" we are to use within that week and send it in. Then an album is posted. It can be as simple as a black and white photo or something that sends me searching for instructions/explanations like Low Key.
• Instagram is an unstructured photography "app," for sending photos and short videos to other members/followers via a smartphone. There's no frequency requirement. One can have a small personalized membership, of close friends and family, or it can be used as a marketing tool or anything inbetween.
• 365project is a daily photo posting site with members all over the world. There are optional challenges, but I haven't participated in them much. I don't think there are too many Israelis in it, so I try to give an idea of my life via daily photos. 

If you're a member of these groups, say "hello;" follow me, too. 

Some photos are used for more than one of the groups/apps/sites. Here are some recent photos:

365project

Overripe Olives

Fall from the tree...

"Flower"
I used two new techniques here. Negative color and a new application recomnended by a framer. Thanks

Location: Shiloh, Israel

Critique: SHRED AWAY! I feel no pain.
This photo qualifies for the "Extra Credit" challenge: "New Technique"

Most nights I take a picture as I kick off my shoes and "share" what the pedometer has counted.

12,167 #steps #go_binyamin #shilohisrael#publicdiet #tryingtoloseweight #fitness — ‎at ‎שילה הקדומה Ancient Shiloh‎.‎  

Most nights I take a picture as I kick off my shoes and "share" what the pedometer has counted. I then combine the two with another app, layout, and then post the product on Instagram, plus facebook and twitter.

Each of these groups suit different needs and offers different sorts of challenges for me as a photographer and a person. One thing I found very amusing. During a session of the "intergenerational group" at the Senior Adult Education program I'm in when the students were asked what surprising thing they learned about "their senior citizen," my student said:

"Batya has an instagram account!"

I don't understand why she was surprised, but... now we follow each other.

Photography Fun!

As you may know by now, I'm in three very different internet photography groups, 52Frames, Instagram and 365 . They are all very different. I'm sure there are other groups or whatever you want to call them.

52Frames is a weekly challenge from which I'm learning photographic principles that I never would know without it unless I was taking a photography course. It began, if I'm not mistaken, on Facebook, and even though there is a site, the feeling of "group" is via on FB. Here are a couple of my most recent photos for them. I'd appreciate your input, either as a comment here or on Facebook by clicking the title.

Paper

Abandoned

365Project is daily, and themes or challenges are optional. I post almost everyday. You can see my photos and become a "friend" by clicking here.  Here are a couple of recent ones:

Lastly is Instagram which has the least amount of structure and restrictions. You can post multiple times during the day or very infrequently, using your membership to see other photos. I post from my phone, not the computer, but pictures show up on Facebook. You can find me as shilohbatya.

Enjoy!

Photography Fun!

I've been having great fun with the photography groups I'm in 52Frames, Instagram and 365 Project. Each is different. If you're involved with any of them, then please check out my photos, follow me where relevant etc.

The latest 52Frames challenge was Negative Space, and here's mine:

"Work of Gd"
Sunrises and sunsets here in Shiloh are totally amazing. All I needed to do was a drop of cropping. That's the real color you see.

In 365 project I used a different sunrise the other day. You can find me by looking for shilohmom.

Sun Peeking

As the sun rises....

You may notice that this is the same view but a different day and time.

On Instagram I'm shilohbatya and I post at least a couple a times a day.

This is my latest mosaics project made in the Senior Citizens activity program.

Each group has a different emphasis, which I enjoy.

Complementary Colors and Other Pics

As you know, I'm in three photography groups or programs or apps or however you want to categorize them:

• 52Frames, which I've been a member of for well over three years
• 365Project, click here, shilohmom, for my page
• Instagram, click here, shilohbatya, for my page

Each of these photography groups is different. 

• 52Frames, as you may be able to guess from its name, is a weekly photo challenge. They/It sets a specific weekly theme, photographic technique, and each member sends in one picture which is added to its album, which can be seen on facebook or the site.
• 365Project permits one photo a day, any you want.
• Instagram encourages not only encourages unlimited pictures each day, but also allows "movies."

On 52Frames we had to photograph Complementary Colors for this week, which was really easy, but I did want a photo that wouldn't look like anyone else's. It had to stand out being different. That's why I chose this one.

"Purple and Yellow"
I took some great fruit/vegetable photos, but those purple beads got to me. The last time my youngest granddaughters were over, the two year old played with them... So I put them on top of my "sugar jar," and love the look of those complementary colors.

But since I also love a couple of others, I just have to show them to you. Maybe one of these two would have gotten more attention; I've never been good at guessing these things. It's just that each year when we have this thing, there are lots of photographs of fruits and vegetables. I'd love your comments/opinion.

Train Approaching
Jerusalem Lightrail

Candystripe Rose
Usually the roses on this bush
 are white or the palest pink.
I've never seen one looking like this

Sometimes it's hard to judge which photo to chose for 365Project. There is an option to delete and then upload another one during the day, but I really prefer not to. These are a couple of my recent photographs.

Instagram is sort of like a visual/pictorial facebook or twitter. There are days when I'm not home and I make it a photographic diary showing where I've been and what I've done, all shot and submitted with my smartphone. The advantage of being able to post both still and moving pictures can make it very interesting and enjoyable, but the account is only by smartphones, even though you can see pictures on the computer. I just wasted a lot of precious time trying to find links for two connected pictures, which I'll give you from other media sources. Yes, I gave up.

What do you think of these? They are both on my Instagram page.

As you can see, there's lots going on for us amateur photographers. 

Instagram, Too, Along With 365Project and 52Frames

Yes, you can follow me on Instagram now, I'm shilohbatya. I haven't posted too much yet, nor have I figured out all the stuff. But just give me a bit more time, please. I just need a bit more time to figure it all out. A few months ago I went to a workshop about it and promised myself that when I get a new smartphone, I'd join. And I kept that promise. Of course I can't expect to figure it out in a jiffy.

And I've been doing the 365project as a photographic diary, as best as I can.

This week's challenge for 52Frames was Leading Lines. I ended up using a photo I had taken at the cemetery in Tel Chai, northern Israel. It's a bit subtle for that technique, but I wanted something a different.

"Leading to..."
...the end...

I had taken lots more photos with leading lines, but I chose this one.

Vegetables Plus Through a Cleaned Lens

The other day I ended up sending a photo of dinner, one of my vegetable dishes, to 365Project. It's slightly different from my usual vegetable meal.

Dinner Through a Cleaned Lens

Usually I get my photos in during the day, but today it just didn't happen. I took lots of pictures, but none were right. So, I photographed my dinner. Onions, squash, carrot, ginger and a few leftover slices of apple. I cooked it all up with some oil in a covered pan.
The first photo got my camera lens all steamed up, so I rushed to clean it with a special cloth. This photo is much clearer. Now I understand why my recent pictures have been so peculiar. The lens needed cleaning.

Adding the apple reminded me of when I'd make a vegetable dish that had apples and carrots and peanuts, among other things I've since forgotten. I had learned the basic recipe when eating in an interesting kosher vegetarian restaurant in Amsterdam when I visited in 1977. I think it was called "Beit Hamazon." I had seen the ad for it in the Jewish Vegetarian Society newsletter. We had been living in London at the time doing Zionist youth work for Betar. All I had written down was the address. I didn't remember noticing anything about its hours. We ended up trying to get in when they were closed between lunch and dinner. But whoever answered the door very graciously offered to prepare a lunch, and it was something with carrots, apples and peanuts, which I tried to reproduce when I got back home.  Memories...

Daily and Weekly Photos, 365 and 52

As if I have nothing else to do, I've been participating in two photography groups, a daily one, 365Project, and a weekly one, 52Frames.

They have one thing in common and that's the time restriction. The photo for 365project must be taken the day it's uploaded, and only one per day, while 52Frames gives us a week to photograph for that weekly deadline.

The big difference is that there are "strict" weekly challenges we're supposed to attempt. The challenges are basic, and sometimes more advanced photographic techniques, styles, etc. And for the 365project we can photograph anything we want. There are those who join members taking on a specific challenge, but for most members it's more of loosely themed photographic diary.

For this week, deadline was early Monday morning Israel time, 52Frames asked for a black and white photo:

"Follow..."
As rushed and freezing cold as I was, I just had to stop, take off my gloves and shoot this scene. I could just see it in black and white, especially the stone sidewalk. My eyes blurred from shooting into the sun, but we photographers are always taking risks for our art..

And here are a few of my recent 365project photographs:

Peeking in the Schoolyard

When my children studied here the school was so very bare-bones basic. We were grateful that the small prefab structures that were used as classrooms for many didn't leak. And there certainly wasn't a fence around it.
Now besides the landscaping, there is outdoor musical equipment like this xylophone.

Traffic Jam

Suddenly, as we rode south on the Alon Road to Kochav Hashachar, we were forced to stop.

Golden Morning

Winter

I photograph with both my Samsung J7 smartphone and my small Canon IXUS 145 camera.

Both groups are now very international, though 52Frames started in Israel, if I'm not mistaken. Sometimes I explain Jewish customs on 365project, like here:

Last Whiff of the Sabbath

A new week has begun. According to Jewish Tradition, one part of the "Havdalah," Separation ceremony is smelling "spices."
May this be a good week for all.

Although both groups do have an optional paid membership, I don't pay, and I can still participate.

365Project, A Diary-Like Daily Photo Group

I've been having fun with a daily challenge photo group, 365Project. I manage to send a photo in almost everyday, very much like a photo diary. When I'm on the go I use my smartphone, the Samsung J7 I got a few weeks ago.

Members are from all over the world, and the photographs are pretty mixed. If you're a member, then look for me. And if you're not, maybe you'd like to join up.

Here are a few of my recent ones:

Keeping Up With Our Son's Football Game

Our son is the Head Coach of the Jerusalem "Big Blue" Lions IFL tackle football team. And since we're not at the game, too far, my husband and I are keeping up with it by twitter and whatsapp. Let's hope for a safe victorious game and also safe traveling for the team and fans

Could There Ever be Too Many Vegetables? #6

Cooking for our Jewish Sabbath, and we do eat a lot of vegetables. This is now baking in the oven.

Last Pomegranate

Over a month ago, when pomegranates were plentiful and finishing their season, I bought a box of them. They stayed fresh in my cold refrigerator. This morning I took the very last one out, and I'm slowly savoring it. It is so delicious.

Morning Coffee

I'm enjoying my new gigantic 1.5 liter French Press. As you can see, I drink my coffee with sugar and milk. That French Press was my Chanukah present to me!

Now Two Photography Groups, 365Project and 52Frames

Almost two weeks ago I decided to take on a new photography challenge. I had been hearing of the 365Project. I do photograph every day permitted by Jewish Law. So, I'm now Shilohmom.

Here are a couple of the photos I've already posted:

Could There Ever be Too Many Vegetables? #6
Cooking for our Jewish Sabbath, and we do eat a lot of vegetables. This is now baking in the oven.

Winter Sky in Shiloh, 9
I couldn't resist the gorgeous sky this morning. I had to stop and photograph it. This is the picture without any editing or enhancement at all.

If you're a member of the group, then please look for me, so we can "follow" each other.

I've been in 52Frames for years already, never missing a week. This week's Challenge was to combine two different challenges from the past year. Here's the photo I took:

"Silhouettes From A Different Perspective"
I just looked up and shot. Winter can be more photogenic than summer here in Israel.

What do you think? Which do you like best?

Would You Believe a New Phone? J7

Well, I took the plunge. I bought a new phone. Actually two, since my husband got the same model, Samsung J7. The J series is more affordable Samsung line. So, we have the most advanced of the less expensive phone they put out.

We aren't wealthy and don't need the most expensive and advanced phone on the market. To be honest, I'm almost more excited by the hot pink case I found for it in the Golan agent's store in Sha'ar Binyamin. I never liked the blue one I had on my old phone, though it did its job for three years.

I got the phone from a store in the Golan Heights, Zip Tech. I asked my gazillion questions on the phone and placed the order, that way, too. He sent the phones by registered mail and charges less than I had seen for them in Jerusalem.

I had gone to the Sha'ar Binyamin place, which is now in the new "mini-mall" across from the optician and furniture store, to have my sim-card cut to the right size for the new phone and get a new case and holder. It ended up that the Golan sim-card came pre-cut and didn't need cutting. But  I'm so glad I went there, because the young man working there did all of the complicated copying things from one phone the other. He really was a sweetheart and also answered my questions.

The most complicated thing to get for this was a new case to hook/loop onto my pouch "belt." The guy in Sha'ar Binyamin had a really nice one, but it I couldn't get the latch/buckle of the pouch through the loop. I finally found one in Jerusalem on King George Street, near Jaffa Street in a store that specialized in "cases." It also had great prices, and the guy was very helpful.

The phone takes great pictures. I used a couple of the photos for the new internet photography group I just joined, 365 Project.

Today in Jerusalem, 365

Raining! Day 4

Yes, I have a new "toy" to play with.