Nature Pictures of Flowers

       Okay you guys need to know that I love taking pictures of nature, especially magnificent scenaries, water flowing, animals, and plants. Critque on my pictures of flowers found in my community and pick out the best and your favorite. There's a difference between them....

• Common names Silk Flower, Satin Flower, Godetia, Farewell-to-spring
• Scientific name: Clarkia amoena (amoena means beautiful/pleasing)
• Commonly found from S.F. Bay Area to British Columbia (native to California)
• Annual flower, pale pink to dark red
• Start seeding 6-8 weeks before the last frost date
• Prefer sunny and partial shade areas with good air circulation and well-drained soil
• Drought Tolerant
•  Beneficial for bees and butterflies, Ethnobotanic ( its seeds can be pounded for a dry seed meal

• Common names: Yellow Cosmos, Sulfur Cosmos
• Scientific name: Cosmos  sulphureus
• Commonly found in Korean, Japan   (native to Central America, especially Mexico)
• Annual, some colors are in red, orange, or yellow
• Prefer to be in alkaline well-drained soil (6.0-8.5 pH) and sunny areas (make sure it's not invasive in your area e.g Tennessee)
• Drought tolerant( may be stunted)  and pest tolerant and a survivor!
• Attract butterflies and birds

• Common name: Blue Plumbago, Cape Plumbago, Cape Leadwort
• Scientific name: Plumbago auriculata
• Commonly found in Florida, California, India, and other warm parts of the world ( native to South Africa)
• Evergreen, Various shades of blue, yellow (due to manganese deficiency but can be cured with MnSO4)
• Prefer to grow in fertile, well-drained, slightly acidic soil in less windy areas unless has a trellis for support , easily grown but need two years to flower, full sun ( can be partial shade but have less flowers), and should be often prune
• Drought Tolerant and can survive frost
• Attract butterflies, birds (e.g hummingbirds), and unfortunately mites, mealybugs and more

• Common names:Bougainvillea, buganvilla, Santa Rita, Paper Flower 
• Scientific name: Bougainvillea spectabilis
• Commonly found over the world like England, Grenada (in fact it's the national flower) (native to Central and South America)
• Evergreen, small, white...confused? The magenta "petals" are actually magenta bracts ( colors like pink, salmon, red, white and orange)
• Prefer a lot of water ( do water sparely) and well-drained, slightly acidic (5.5-6. pH) fertile soil, do prune it( Warning: the sap can be irritating)
• Usually Pest free ( suffer from aphids, worms, etc), frost-resistant and hardy
• Attract butterflies and birds

• Common name: Pink Dragon Fruit Flower,epis, epiphyllum "Wendy" 曇花
• Scientific name:Hylocereus undatus
• Commonly found in Central America ( are artificial plants)
• Evergreen, colors vary from red to pink flowers on the cacti
• Prefer to grow in well-drained soil, in sun( not too much or the color may fade ) sometimes partial shade
• Drought Tolerant
• Attract ants, bees, Interesting way to eat it to freshly remove its fruit, cut off the ends of it and
•  place it in tea or some shaved ice. Never tried if  before..We'll see how it tastes.

Enjoy!

Third Photo Assignment, My Third Rule

Hello guys!
              This picture show the Rule of Thirds (hence the name of the post). Anyway, this picture is showing Jessica staring at a mural touching the eye of the woman in the mural. She and the woman in the mural are position right on the lines where the eyes rest on the most if you divide the picture into nine equal sections. Also it depicts mystery for you're wondering if Jessica is looking at the mural or herself. Enjoy this picture and which part attracts your attention the most?

Jessica looking at her double

My three rules of composition is

1. a clear background that doesn't blend with the subject

2. depth to show perspective

3. rule of thirds ( with symmetry)

Second Photo Assignment, My Second Rule

Hello Guys!
   This is my second photo for the class. My second rule
of composition is depth and perspective.  This picture show the depth of Anish compared to the background of the school's Bell Quad as it goes in depth from right to left. In addition, this picture demonstrate perspective by connoting a sense of sadness of the subject as he stares at the floor slightly out of focus. I purposely made it out of focus to create a sense of mystery of why the subject seems to be or preoccupied with something on his mind. Enjoy!

What is he thinking about?                                                                What's on his mind?

First Photo Assignment, My First Rule

This is our first picture assignment. The goal is to use a rule of photography composition and use camera raw to adjust it. My rule of composition was rule of symmetry and a clear background. Enjoy one of Michael Shen with the phoenix.

Michael Shen with the Phoenix

First Few Weeks of School

It's that time of year again. Back to school!

     I'm a student of Mission San Jose High School and I'm currently taking Digital Photography to pursue my interest in photography. Photography is an art that captures priceless moments for everyone to cherish. In the beginning few weeks of school, not only did I have to endure an endless pile of homework and projects, but also I enjoy taking pictures in a new perspective with my senior friends: Michael S., Anish B., Samuel S., Amandi K., and Jessica K. My Digital Photography teacher is Mr. Farley who is teaching us of how to see the light. Enjoy the pictures that my group and I have taken.

Queen Amandi

Samuel and Michael carrying a cardboard pole.

Mission San Jose 's bell tower

Deborah looking into the sun.

From this sentence, it is now April 23, 2015 17:44 p.m. And I have edited the pictures finally!
Still I cannot believe how time flies by and that the seniors are GRADUATING this year and I will be a SENIOR!
     Still I hope you enjoy this blog and thank you so much for supporting me. And two extra pics.

From bottom below, these pictures are all edited.