Just for fun

I just discovered Wordle! This is what it came up with the text from my last few blog posts...I think may have mentioned Nutella once or twice! :-)

World Nutella Day - 2012

This year marks the third year that I have participated in World Nutella Day! My contribution to creamy, chocolatey, hazelnutty goodness for 2012 is Nutella Gelato. I just sat down to have a bit and it is absolutely amazing!

Swirling in the ice cream machine

Just out of the ice cream machine, headed to the freezer

The crown jewel of my day - Nutella Gelato!

The recipe: Nutella Gelato
adapted from Giada De Laurentiis

• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup sugar, plus 1/4 cup
• 4 egg yolks
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup Nutella

In a saucepan combine the milk, cream, and 1/2 cup sugar over medium heat. Cook until the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl whip the egg yolks with the remaining sugar using an electric mixer until the eggs have become thick and pale yellow, about 4 minutes. Pour 1/2 cup of the warm milk and cream mixture into the egg mixture and stir. Add this mixture back into the saucepan. Cook over very low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture becomes thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, about 7 to 10 minutes.

Place a strainer over a medium bowl and pour the warm custard mixture through the strainer. Stir in the vanilla and Nutella until it dissolves. Chill mixture completely before pouring into an ice cream maker and follow manufacturer's instructions to freeze. To serve, scoop gelato into serving bowls.

After making the gelato I had four egg whites left over so I decided to try my hand at making meringues.  Bring on the sugar high!!

Bonus recipe: Meringues

adapted from AllRecipes.com

• 4 egg whites
• 2 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F (95 degrees C). Butter and flour a baking sheet.

In a glass or metal bowl, whip egg whites until foamy using an electric mixer. Sprinkle in sugar a little at a time, while continuing to whip at medium speed. When the mixture becomes stiff and shiny like satin, stop mixing, and transfer the mixture to a large pastry bag. Pipe the meringue out onto the prepared baking sheet using a large round tip or star tip.

Place the meringues in the oven and place a wooden spoon handle in the door to keep it from closing all the way. Bake for 3 hours, or until the meringues are dry, and can easily be removed from the pan. Allow cookies to cool completely before storing in an airtight container at room temperature.

A big thank you to  Ms Adventures in Italy, Bleeding Espresso, and World Nutella Day for hosting this awesome event!

The Brick

The Argus C3 Rangefinder, produced from 1939 to 1966, was dubbed "the brick" by photographers due to its size, shape, and weight. I came across an Argus C3 in an antique shop a couple of years ago and, knowing nothing about it, had to have it. I had no idea if it worked, nor did I care. I paid $15 and thought it would look great sitting on a shelf.

My "brick" has been sitting on display in my parents' home on an antique tripod that belonged to my great-grandfather since I bought it (at the time I was living overseas and didn't need the extra weight in my suitcase). This past Christmas I was fortunate to spend around three weeks with my parents and one of the things I did while I was there was give this little camera some TLC, but first I took pictures - lots of pictures using my mom's awesome macro lens. I've dubbed this series "The Argus Rangefinder Collection" and I love how they turned out!

The Argus Rangefinder Collection

What do you think?

Prints, artist-signed notecards, and more are available on my website at http://www.angelaandrieux.com/argus.

This Sunday is....

Did you think I was going to say something about the Superbowl? Nope! This Sunday is WORLD NUTELLA DAY!!! Chocolatey, hazelnutty goodness is way more important than football! (at least in my world) ;-)

Want to participate? Here's how:

Make a recipe using Nutella. Eat Nutella with a spoon. A big one. Make art with Nutella. Wax poetic about Nutella. Cuddle with Nutella. Strike a pose with Nutella. Re-live your first experience eating Nutella. Offer Nutella as a sacrifice. Have a Nutella-eating contest or a Nutella party!

1. Do something, anything with Nutella. Make a recipe, take a picture of yourself eating itwith a BIG spoon, make art, wax poetic, re-live your first experience eating Nutella. Have a Nutella-eating contest or even a Nutella party!
2. Take pictures and/or upload a video then blog about it ON February 5th, 2012. In your blog post, include links to Ms Adventures in Italy, Bleeding Espresso, and World Nutella Day as well as the World Nutella Day badge/button (below – right mouse click, Save image…). Please try to post ON FEBRUARY 5 so that we can create a true chocolaty hazelnut wave across the blogosphere on World Nutella Day!
3. Email nutelladay [at] nutelladay [dot] com with the subject “Nutella Day Entry” and include:

• Your & Your Blog’s Name
• Your Post URL/Permalink

Some other ways to participate:

• On Twitter, tweet your love for Nutella and include the hashtag #nutelladay in your tweet! @NutellaDay will retweet some of the great ones!
• On Facebook, update your status to proclaim your love and link to www.nutelladay.com! And make sure you’re a fan of the World Nutella Day Facebook Page on Facebook! We’ll be posting some special content that day to the FB Fan page, too.
• A handy guide on How to Host a World Nutella Day Party at home!

Different than prior years, we’ll be highlighting a selection of the most interesting happenings/recipes/videos/Tweets about World Nutella Day on Monday, February 6, 2012, but in the meantime, please feel free to post this announcement on your blog to spread the word!

And if you want to use an organic or other type of Nutella substitute, go for it! It’s all about the chocolate and hazelnut love!

Just beneath the waves...

On my trip up north my mom and I stumbled upon something very cool - a catwalk underneath the Avila Beach Pier! We happened to find this enchanting (and somewhat spooky) location at low tide where the waves would ebbe to show a world just below the usual waterline.

We didn't have the right equipment with us to capture the beauty that day but I was able to go back the next day, tripod in tow, and neutral density filter in hand.  The conditions weren't quite as good when I went back - the waves were bigger (causing the pier to shake a bit more) and it was a bright sunny day (which made for a more drastic contrast in light underneath the pier).

Even though it wasn't ideal I grabbed the opportunity to practice a skill that I've been longing to master - smoothing water using long shutter speeds.  I threw my camera in Manual, cranked my aperture as small as it would go (to minimize the light entering the camera and maximize my depth of field) and played with my shutter speed to find the right combination to maximize my detail in the highlights and shadows while being slow enough to smooth the water.

Here are my favorite shots:

ISO 100, 175mm, f/36, 20 sec

ISO 100, 115mm, f/36, 20 sec

ISO 100, 51mm, f/29, 20 sec

ISO 100, 24mm, f/22, 8 sec

Did you notice all of the starfish!? They were mesmerizing to me! I don't think I had ever seem them in their natural habitat before, only in aquariums.

What I learned: If I could go back and reshoot this I would choose a day that was overcast, and that the waves weren't quite as big.  (Did I mention that there was a high surf advisory when I was UNDER the pier?)

With overcast skys I could dial back my aperture a bit to my lens' sweet spot, probably around f/16 and would have gotten sharper images.

Finally, I would take a bit more time to compose my shots.  I was admittedly a bit spooked being under the pier by myself with the surf surging just a few feet below me. As a result I wasn't able to fully concentrate on what I was shooting.

Overall, I'm really happy with my images. I'm really looking forward to practicing this technique again.

Making a Photograph

Several of the photography gurus that I follow stress the difference between taking a photograph and making a photograph.  What is the difference? Taking a photo is simply pointing and shooting, hoping for the best.  Making a photograph takes time - time to carefully choose a location, paying attention to light, composing the shot, and possibly spending time in post processing to make my artistic vision a reality.

The following photograph was made on a day trip with my mom up Highway 1 from San Luis Obispo to Cambria and back. The shoreline at Cambria was our first stop. I pulled out my tripod, borrowed my mom's neutral density filter and made my composition.  I wasn't done there, though.  This High Dynamic Range (HDR) image is a composite of five images. Pressing the shutter was just the first step of many.

Wedgewood Accessway - Cambria, CA

Here are the original RAW images:

Why did I need five images? My goal was to capture detail in both the highlights and shadows.  In this scene capturing that range required five images.  I was able to determine this while I was shooting by watching my histogram as I modified the shutter speed. In the darkest image I made sure that the histogram wasn't touching the right side of the graph.  In the brightest image I ensured that the histogram wasn't touching the left side of the graph.

Darkest image - histogram isn't touching the right side of the graph

Brightest image - histogram isn't touching the left side of the graph

The next step in making my photograph was to combine these five images into one using Photomatix Pro.  Again, my goal was to maintain detail in both the highlights and shadows, but now in a single, composite image.

Tone-mapped image from Photomatix Pro

Once I have the tone-mapped image I can start making my artistic vision take shape. I did a bit of cropping, and added a bit of contrast, and then for the final touches I took the image into Topaz Adjust to bring out detail and color.

The finished photograph

I MADE this photograph. It is my artistic interpretation. What do you think?

2012 is well on its way!

It is January 12, 2012 and this is my first post of the year.  That wasn't part of my plan.  I had grand ideas about posting more regularly and making a few changes in how I'm running my photography business.  Those changes are still in the works but it seems life rarely goes as planned.

I was fortunate to spend three weeks with my family on the Central Coast of California for the holidays.  It was a roller coaster of a time but I'm so glad I was able to be there. I've been home a little less than a week, now, and with the post-holiday letdown my immune system tanked and I've been down the last few days with a nasty head cold.

Tonight, I'm finally feeling a bit more like myself and decided it was time to show you at least one of the images I made while I was up north.  Thats right, I did take a bit of time to go out shooting while I was up in San Luis Obispo County.

Harmony Bicycle Diptych

I made this image (or rather images) in Harmony, CA - population 18. It is a VERY small town with a few artists' studios that are definitely worth a look (there is a coffee mug in the pottery studio that I still kick myself for not buying). I came across this old bicycle along the side of a building with weeds growing up and around it. I love the details and textures.

Now that I'm feeling better I'll get around to posting a few more of my photographs from the trip. I promise.

My Top Ten for 2011

Spreckels Organ Pavilion, Balboa Park, San Diego, CA

San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo Mission

Sunset at the Cayucos Pier

I'm gonna eat you!

Daddy's Truck, 1968 Ford F150

Horses on the Beach, Morro Bay, CA

The Old Truck at Kelsey See Canyon Vineyards

San Diego County Fair at Del Mar

Tattoo Town Exhibit at the Museum of Photographic Art, Balboa Park, San Diego

Sunrise in the Vineyards - Red Soles Winery, Paso Robles, CA

Goodbye 2011, Hello 2012!

The Last Sunset of 2011 - Morro Bay, CA

As the sun sets on 2011 I'd like to take a moment to wish you a happy and prosperous new year. 2011 has been full of ups and downs, but overall it has been good. I have an awesome family, I have fantastic friends, I have a roof over my head, and food on the table. Life is good.

Happy New Year!

Buon Anno!

Buon Natale - Merry Christmas!

I hope your Christmas is filled with joy and love.

Merry Christmas - Buon Natale!

Happy Christmas Eve!

Mom's Collection of Glass Christmas Trees

I wish you all a very Merry Christmas! I am blessed to be surrounded by family.  Although my hubbie's absence is never far from my mind and heart my parents, cousins, grandparents, aunts & uncles are doing a great job of keeping me entertained.  Cheers to you all! I'm off to help my mom in the kitchen.  :)

San Diego at Night

San Diego - from the Coronado Ferry Landing

Last night I joined friends to watch the Parade of Lights on San Diego bay. While we were waiting for the parade to start I took a few shots of the GORGEOUS San Diego skyline.  What a view! I love how the Midway and several of the Skyscrapers are dolled up for the holidays!

Send a little holiday cheer!

A couple of days ago I added two new products to my Etsy Shop - Artist-signed Original Artwork Holiday Cards! Choose from a classic Holly Berry design:

Holly Berry Note Cards

OR a fun, Quirky Santa design!

Quirky Santa Note Cards

Both designs feature an original 4x6 photograph and artist signature on high quality card stock and include a coordinating envelope. Cards are available in sets of four for $15. For more information or to purchase a set visit http://www.etsy.com/shop/angelaandrieuxphoto.

Fair Winds and Following Seas

USS Sterett

These last few weeks have passed in a blur.  With the exception of blogging Thirty Days of Thanksgiving the business of photography has largely been ignored as Les and I prepared for his deployment. The weeks leading up to his departure were fun, busy and extremely emotional.  Yesterday, amidst hugs, kisses and a few tears we said our goodbyes and I watched his ship pull away from the pier. Although I miss him terribly I am so proud of him!

For other military families out there here are a few of my observations about preparing for deployment:

• An impending separation forces priorities into place - Les and I focused on letting the little things go and enjoying our time together.  We had a fabulous time!
• Plan ahead - We had list upon list of things to do before he left and we steadily marked everything off.  It was a wonderful feeling to be prepared and to just relax the night before he left.
• Live in the moment - It was easy for me to think ahead and get emotionally overwhelmed knowing that we would soon be saying goodbye. However, I constantly reminded myself to be present and focus on the "now" and enjoy it! Deployment would happen, but there was no sense fretting about it weeks (or days or hours) before at the expense of enjoying the time we had together.

My Sailor

I pray that my sailor has a safe journey and returns to me soon!

For more photos of the USS Sterett's departure please visit my Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/angelaandrieuxphotography

If you'd like to know more about the USS Sterett here are a couple of links to recent news stories:
USS Sterett Departs San Diego, Heads to Middle Ease - Video
USS Sterett Deploys to Western Pacific

About the title of this post:

The origin of the quote "Fair Winds and Following Seas" is unknown. It is often said to have been lifted from a poem, phrase, or literary work, but to the best of this researcher's knowledge, it wasn't. Over the last century at least, the two quotes "Fair Winds" and "Following Seas" have evolved, by usage, into a single phrase which is often used as a nautical blessing.

"Fair Winds": The Dictionary of American Regional English defines "Fair Wind" as "safe journey; good fortune." An early example of the phrase's use is in Herman Melville's Moby Dick,published in 1851, where it says near the end "Let me square the yards, while we may, old man, and make a fair wind of it homeward." In other words, let me square the yards (add on all sail) and make a safe journey home.

"Following Seas": Defined by Bowditch's American Practical Navigator as "A sea in which the waves move in the general direction of the heading." It further defines "Tide" as "the periodic rise and fall of the water resulting from gravitational interactions between the sun, moon, and earth. . . . the accompanying horizontal movement of the water is part of the same phenomenon." In simple terms: the movement of the water, the waves, and the surface, correspond with the movement of the tide.

"Fair Winds and Following Seas" is really two quotes originating from different sources. The two quotes are a nautical phrase of good luck--a blessing as it were--as the person, group, or thing it is said to departs on a voyage in life. It is often used at a "beginning" ceremony such as a commissioning ceremony of a ship or people, as well as in retirement, change of command, or farewell ceremonies. (Naval Historical Center)