Monday, March 9, 2009

Signs of Life After Winter: Sand, Stones, Gulls, Shells, and Foam: Visual Notes from the Beach

Companions

The Preening Puddle

Timeless

Interior

Colony

Codependency

Bubbles, Sand, and Stone

Beauty Underfoot

I wanted to share these images from yesterday's beach walk with you. I hope you enjoy them. I certainly enjoyed all the teeming and emerging life forms that I saw on the beach, before it began to rain on us!

I am postponing the next Bussana Vecchia post to share these with you. And I have more of these beach images to come, including a wonderful performance of a preening ritual by the seagull seen above. But first, I have to find a file format converter to change my movie from MOV to MPG format, in order to edit it. Can you possibly recommend a video format converter? I appreciate any input on this, as I do love the video and want to post it. It's much better quality than my last one.
HAPPY ALMOST SPRING, EVERYONE!

All images and text c Lynda Lehmann. If you would like to view more of my art or make a purchase, please visit Lynda Lehmann Painting and Photography or my gallery at Imagekind, where you can choose from several sizes and paper types or buy my prints plain or matted and framed.

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55 comments:

  1. lovely beach shots Lynda!!
    I'm amazed at the variety of shells and pebbles you have over there :))
    our beaches are very sandy...and shells and pebbles are scarce
    I really enjoyed looking at your wonderful photos from your visit to Italy...
    I notice that purple and lilac are colours that pop up in your works regularly..
    I'm afraid I can't help you with advice on videos..that's out of my league...
    happy spring to you Lynda :))

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  2. Now that was a beautiful post !!!
    Very nice ((smile))

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  3. It's such a cruddy day here upstate. Your beautiful spring walk is sooooooo appreciated and so lovely.

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  4. KIM - Thank you, and a happy autumn to you. Let's hope for a season free from disasters, here and there.

    You're right about that: I've always leaned towards the blues and violets. I need the serenity... :)

    As for the video editing software, I'd rather ask around than just DL something from a company I know nothing about. I have ENOUGH PROBLEMS!! lol

    Great to see you, my dear Kim.

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  5. SPEEDY - Well thank you very much--and a smile back at'cha! I'm glad you enjoyed it! :) :)

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  6. tangled stitch - I commiserate! It's back to being raw, damp, and chilly here! I've hardly been able to get out for my walks, all winter.

    Most years I get a walk in every day that's over 15 degrees. It's the sunlight that helps keep it bearable. Of which there has been practically NONE, this year! :(

    Hang in there--your day will come!

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  7. Lynda a visit here is simply a wonderful release and escape from all stress.

    The shore line is beautiful. Certain parts of the country, one in particular has what I consider to be the most beautiful in the U.S.

    I love how you run themes and series. I have set this as a goal for somewhere down the line.

    When I become much better with my knowledge of photography.

    Thanks for sharing such a wonderful visit with us!

    Jackie:-)))))

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  8. Hi Lynda, how I wished I could accompany you on your beach walks - I so very much love the ocean and all its creatures and other stuff, I love to breathe the salty air - oh my I have to stop thinking about it...
    One day - hopefully soon - my partner and I will move and live at the ocean side....

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  9. The sea shell are in deed a pleasure to view

    The pattern and the texture are really making this post a winning one

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  10. Lynda,
    You brought the seashore to Idaho, no easy feat. Wish my feet were walking beside yours, perhaps when it's warmer.
    Loved your photo titles, like Codependency. And the music's a great addition.
    The Muse at Inspired Day by Day seems to study the technical aspects of blogging, so may know about video.
    I'm just a simple word person who can't even size and place her photos correctly!

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  11. JACKIE - There are so many beautiful places in America. We're fortunate to find some close to home, even though Long Island is pretty developed and crowded.

    As for series, since I shoot in a concentrated way, it usually ends up being a series anyway. So it seems natural to post a batch in relation to each other.

    I'm glad you found it relaxing. We all need a lot more of that!

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  12. PETRA - I hope you do get to live by the ocean side, one day. I love both the forest and the coast, so I would have a hard time choosing between the two!

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  13. Happy Spring, Lynda!! :D

    I say this because Portugal is already in Spring time...and we have been warned that summer is coming sooner: by the end of this month! Go figure!

    Now, these gorgeous photos reflect the best of life: reproduction.
    I looked at them and that was the word that came to mind (and what a miracle it is)! :D

    By watching your photos we can realise how much you love life (in its many shapes and sizes); and that is why you are a lovable person :D!

    Oh, I would love to help you with the video format converter, but I haven't got there myself yet...but I will one day!
    Meanwhile, I will be anxious to watch that video!

    Happy Almost Spring for you, my dear friend :D!

    Cheers

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  14. Thank's for sharing Lynda, the codepency looks very interesting with beautiful colors and great details.

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  15. Hi Lynda, it looks like we have a little problem with twitter

    my twitter link is http://twitter.com/frenchlandscape

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  16. Hi Lynda,
    Thank you for taking me on a journey on the beach! I absolutely LOVE the beach, and hope to someday move close to one and be inspired by the things you have photographed here... I'm glad you think Spring is on its way. It is minus 26 degrees C. here today, so i can't even get out for a walk in the snow. *sigh* But in spite of that, you have given my spirits a lift Thanks.

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  17. MAX - Let me say first, that I missed our chats this week!

    You are the lovable one, Max. So open and kind, and such a thinking person.

    Should I agree with you that reproduction is "the best of life"?

    Yes, pondering it, I do agree. For what is reproduction, but life's longing for itself, the great creative and procreative urge that makes our world spin? (albeit sometimes out of control :)

    I looked for you today in my facebook contacts, to come over and say hello--but it was difficult to find you, with the way those pages are set up.

    So here you are, my friend! As always, it's great to see you.

    I guess with it being already spring in Portugal, all the species are doing their most se_y dances! I'm still thinking about how erotic those last two videos are! (I even showed my husband...)

    Thank you for your kindness & your presence in my (blogging)life, Max!

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  18. PATRICK - Thanks for your visit. I was wondering what the little white flower-like thingies are, on the boulder. Then I realized that that's where some barnacles were, that eventually detached.

    I've got it! Following you now on Twitter... :)

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  19. The bubbles and stones made me smile.

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  20. Great pics, wonderful detail, really pop off the page--make me desire some "beach time" soon. I live where there are mountains and rivers but no beaches, so it's been a while.

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  21. Lynda..
    Out here, it's been in the mid-60's and the wildflowers are blooming, but still in my mind it seems cold! We are so spoiled.
    These images are all well done, but I especially like the last one of the shells. That's a truly nice grouping of textures, shapes and colors. Looks like a portfolio piece to me:)
    BTW, did you experiment with shooting RAW files yet?

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  22. Lynda,
    Beautiful, crisp, clear pics from the seashore...much better than the watersoaked cardboard cartons, milk jugs and assorted trash on the banks of the Ohio....here!

    If you have any video editing program such as adobe premier elements or Sony Vegas etc...these will convert the video. I have converted MOV format before to MPEG 2 for example to make a DVD. Also, you can google "MOV to MPEG" and you will find several free converters. Hope this helps.

    Dan

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  23. JOANNE - I know what you mean. It's raining here again. It has been one LONG, cold and damp winter! I'm glad your spirits were lifted, if only for a moment.

    I haven't been able to walk here, basically, all winter. So I have cabin fever, too.

    It's only the past week or so that there have been a few bright spots, a sunny hour or two on some days.

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  24. ROBERT - I love looking at the sea foam. I must look like some kind of weirdo, staring down at the water's edge, watching the play of bubbles.

    Glad you like it, too. :)

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  25. CONDA - Mountains and rivers are great, too! I spent my childhood in Pennsylvania, among cornfields and rolling hills and streams. I'm only on Long Island since I was 22, and thank goodness, we have access to beaches.

    I don't know what I'd do without these open beach spaces, as LI is generally such a crowded and overpopulated area!

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  26. JOHN - Thank you and thanks for stopping by!

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  27. MARK - Thanks.

    I'm glad you're having nice weather. Again, we are gray, GRAY, GRAYYY! Drizzling, chilly and damp. I'm about to bail to the tropics! (yeah, in my head...)

    No, I haven't shot RAW yet. I have so much to learn. Trouble is, I'm usually too busy shooting to care whether I'm doing it right or getting the best quality. I guess my love for nature just compels me to embrace it with my camera, no matter what the outcome.

    Also, it seems I'm always in a rush or with someone who is in a rush, so that makes it hard to wait for the right light and other desirable conditions.

    I just got a new camera at the low end of the spectrum, but it will have to do. It does have some good features, and I'm going to use it constantly, I'm sure.

    I'll let you know when I'm shooting raw. One thing I also need to do is carry a tripod or my monopod. But I never do. It just gets too cumbersome. By the time I make tripod adjustments, the shot is usually gone!

    Some day when my life is calmer, I'll find someone who wants to go on dedicated shoots, or maybe a group of dedicated camera buffs.

    The question is whether I'll achieve real quality by the time I'm 90!

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  28. DAN - Thanks for your input. I did google for format converters, but wanted to ask around before I download free software, because I hate to DL exe. files unless I'm sure of the source.

    Now I'm thinking that maybe there's a video editor in PhotoShop CS 3 that I haven't noticed. I'll have to go in and look.

    I have Windows Movie Maker, but that will only work with MPG files, not MOV.

    Again, I appreciate your input.

    I hope you are high and dry. I just saw the awful Ohio flooding on the news.

    Have a great day, Dan!

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  29. Thanks Lynda for all of the wonderful feedback. Yes it all was very expensive. that's why it's all very old.

    Also I have a huge surge protector, good virus protection, always up to date, my PC goes into The Geek Squad once a year for a make over, and a trick I learned from Colin.....to help protect yourself.

    When I am not actively using my PC but, don;t want to shut down just yet....I simply unplug my modem.

    You are the best. I was a little concerned about posting the Gothic. Many people without an artist eye see the wrong things and pick up on the wrong vibes.

    But, then you would know that as you are an incredible artist!!

    I hope you are having a marvelous week!!:-)

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  30. JACKIE - We both know that "the art isn't the artist!" Because Picasso did GUERNICA, doesn't mean he loved war. Just the opposite.

    I know that a lot of people can't relate to my abstract paintings, just as I might not relate to their choice of music, etc. That's what makes horse races!

    Looking forward to seeing more of your work, in any and all styles and media. The adventure and sense of discovery are what make doing art, so exciting.

    I'm having a pretty good day, and hope you are, too. Right now, I welcome the chance to clean my house and get away from the desk chair, I'm at the PC, way too much. Maybe I ought to unplug MYSELF from the modem! lol...

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  31. I bet that seagull is just as anxious for spring as us humans are - that water has got to be cold - and he is soaked! Can't wait to see the other pics of him.

    There are tons of shells there - we only find a few at a time here.

    Love your taste of spring from the sea!

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  32. Hi! It has been so long since I have been at the beach and played amongst the rock pools, that the memories are fading fast. Thank you for reminding me of my youth!

    Take Care,
    Peter

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  33. Hi Lynda :D!

    "Let me say first, that I missed our chats this week!"

    I missed them as well...but here I am, ready to chat :D! Things have been a bit busy...*nodding*.

    "You are the lovable one, Max. So open and kind, and such a thinking person."

    Aww, thank you for your kind words, darling...I am touched *bowing*!

    "Yes, pondering it, I do agree. For what is reproduction, but life's longing for itself, the great creative and procreative urge that makes our world spin? (albeit sometimes out of control :)"

    Very well described...indeed, reproduction is life longing for itself: this is beautiful!
    LOL yeah, sometimes we do not control it...

    "I looked for you today in my facebook contacts, to come over and say hello--but it was difficult to find you, with the way those pages are set up."

    Oh, tell me about it...I am still trying to figure FB out! I must write a complaint..heim...I mean, make a suggestion to them: make your pages easy to access. You wouldn't believe the amount of time I waste looking for simple things in FB *nodding*...

    "I guess with it being already spring in Portugal, all the species are doing their most se_y dances! I'm still thinking about how erotic those last two videos are! (I even showed my husband...)"

    LOL they are doing their se_y dances; the music is pumping, people are happy (and sassy too), the smell is wonderful (I just love the scent of Spring)...it is just great!
    LOL you showed them to your husband? What did he say? Now imagine to see a club full of people dancing like that: it is an amazing sight!

    "Thank you for your kindness & your presence in my (blogging)life, Max!"

    It is my pleasure to be your friend, Lynda :D! No need to thank me *hug*!

    Cheers

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  34. What a beautiful series of shots Lynda. Love that seagull! The ocean beckons us mysteriously...yes?

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  35. Happy Almost Spring to you too, even though today seems a little too brrrr.

    I loved these images, the ones titled interior were lovely, and the codependency one was one of my favs too. Can't wait to see the video!

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  36. KATHY - The taste of spring has disappeared again, into chilly temps. But I do see small buds on all the trees, which is encouraging. Most years the buds are visibe in Feb., but this year we had more/longer cold, so they're late!

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  37. PETER - I will remind you of your youth anytime, if you will remind me of mine!! Just don't mention how long it's BEEN since then, lol..

    I guess you don't live near the coast, then. The downside of living on Long Island, with all this water around us, is that it's so darn damp!

    Hope you are all healed and feeling well, Peter. :)

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  38. Hey, MAX! There you are! So you have been busy too...

    Yes, my husband watched the first video in its entirety--and he won't stand still for much--and of course, he liked it!

    I imagine that being in a room with the music all around you and everyone doing such great dancing is fantastic fun and joy!

    I remember when we were in Italy, how the people went out on the street in the evenings, all dressed up, chatting with neighbors and friends, listening to musicians playing on the street, eating gelato... It was wonderful! Much more relaxed and into the joie de vie than I've seen Americans be (at least, most of the time). Even the babies were out, albeit sleeping, in their strollers. The smells, the enchantment and se_iness of it all, is a wonderful memory.

    So I have no doubt that in Portugal you are all out and about, taking in the sweet spring air and being sassy!

    Wait, I'll be right over! (I wish...)

    Hugs to you.

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  39. JANICE - Most definitely, both the ocean and the forest beckon, with infinite mystery.

    I have a video of that gull doing amazing gymnastics, but I have to get software to change its format and then edit it, before I post it. He was a most exuberant bird!

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  40. SSQuo - OOOH, I am so happy when someone likes an abstract photo or painting of mine! :)

    As you may have guessed, I love abstract and semi-abstract stuff, but not everyone is comfortable with it.

    I can't wait to show the seagull video--it was a very lucky capture, because of his antics and how long he performed for the camera!

    I need to look into software first, for editing and converting formats.

    Thanks for coming over!

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  41. Hi Lynda!

    "MAX! There you are! So you have been busy too..."

    :D oh yes...things have been busy like no man's business (which is good)!

    "Yes, my husband watched the first video in its entirety--and he won't stand still for much--and of course, he liked it!"

    That is excellent! :D Thank him for me, please *bowing*!

    "I imagine that being in a room with the music all around you and everyone doing such great dancing is fantastic fun and joy!"

    It is...and at some point it becomes magical. Sometimes I just stand in a club, observe people dancing - it is like your mind deletes everything around and just keeps that single image of people dancing - it is just me, the music and the scene....gorgeous!

    "I remember when we were in Italy, how the people went out on the street in the evenings, all dressed up, chatting with neighbors and friends, listening to musicians playing on the street, eating gelato... It was wonderful! Much more relaxed and into the joie de vie than I've seen Americans be (at least, most of the time). Even the babies were out, albeit sleeping, in their strollers. The smells, the enchantment and se_iness of it all, is a wonderful memory."

    That is why I love Europe so much: it is all so at ease, so relaxed.
    About babies being out at night: there is a discussion going on here because parents are taking this thing of keeping kids awake until late too far. Before our kids went to bed at 9pm; now they are going to bed at midnight - it's crazy! We are trying to get parents to go back to the old habits, since it is much healthier.
    When (and I know it will happen one day) you come to Portugal you will love it! :D

    "So I have no doubt that in Portugal you are all out and about, taking in the sweet spring air and being sassy!"

    LOL true.

    *Hugs*

    Cheers

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  42. MAX - I hope I do get to visit Portugal one day. Indeed, all of Europe! It will be much better than seeing things only through the lens of art history classes.

    I have a friend from Ireland who will comment about the beauty of the fruit in my fruit bowl, or the light coming in through the window. Most of my American friend's don't seem to notice these things--at least, not very often. I think I'd be very comfortable in Europe.

    No, it isn't healthy for babies to be on that kind of schedule. And certainly, they need a regular routine as well as sufficient sleep.

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  43. Lynda:

    Looking at these beautiful shells takes me way back to a time when my Queen and I used to take long walks along the beach. Sometimes we'd go in the morning and sometimes we'd go in the afternoon at sunset, and sometimes we'd stay all day - walking back and forth. She'd gather up the interesting little seashells for her various projects, while I photographed her ever movement. Now because of those shells and those pictures, we have great memories.

    Happy trails.

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  44. Cool shots Lynda, love stuff like this, so foreign to someone here in still snowy and Cold Saskatchewan.

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  45. thnx lynda for sharing so much beauty with us....you live in a beautiful place, dont you? but apart from that i feel one needs a gifted eye to notice beauty in things that we see so often

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  46. SWU - I'm glad you have those wonderful memories. At the end of the day, that's what we have: memories and the love that goes with them.

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  47. BOB - I know it's still winter up there. The cold has lingered here, as well. I nearly froze my fingers yesterday on the beach, shooting photos without gloves on--for just about 15 minutes.

    Do you ever get to the shore in the summer?

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  48. KATHY - It seems I am missing some responses here. That's why it's probably better to respond to comments as they come in, but it's not always possible.

    Thanks for your suggestion. Will look more into it and maybe visit the Muse.

    I'm a "word person" too, and I'm always fighting the tendency to be too darn WORDY!!!!!! :)

    It's just too easy to fall in love with words, isn't it? Especially our own, lol. I guess I could have worse vices!

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  49. JYOTSANA - I'm glad you enjoyed the photos. We live in a very crowded metropolitan area, and the beach is about the only place to go for solitude and open space.

    And in the summer, that's not possible even at the beaches, which then teem with sun and water worshipers. We also have a few parks. But for the most part, one can never lose oneself here, because of the proximity of roads and surrounding towns.

    How is it in your area?

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  50. Lynda!

    "I have a friend from Ireland who will comment about the beauty of the fruit in my fruit bowl, or the light coming in through the window. Most of my American friend's don't seem to notice these things--at least, not very often. I think I'd be very comfortable in Europe."

    Oh, I love Ireland! Perhaps Europeans notice these things because we are taught to notice them since first grade. The arts are very much present in our education system (now that I come to think of it), and we are taught to analyse it - whether we like it or not lol.

    "No, it isn't healthy for babies to be on that kind of schedule. And certainly, they need a regular routine as well as sufficient sleep."

    I agree with you. Yes, a regular routine is the road to discipline...and God knows these kids today lack discipline *nodding*.

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  51. Lynda these are really nice, but I really love the sea gull photo. So cool. I love action shots, they are so interesting, and freeze the motion in place, which usually happens so fast that we don't appreciate what kind of moves some birds or animals do! Anna :)

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  52. ANNA - You would be amazed at this bird's preening dance. And I was standing only about ten fee away! I'm hoping to find a way to work on that movie, so I can show you!

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  53. Gads, how you've made me miss the beaches of Long Island. Those shells brought me back--instantly--to my childhood...

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  54. Thanks Lynda, I would love to see it - only if you can do it though, I wouldn't want to put pressure on you, lol. I still like that seagull photo everytime I am here. Anna :)

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