"Beyond" - Tracey Capone Photography
My love of door photography well established, I thought I would move in to the realm of my other love, windows and shutters. I gave a sneak peek of that obsession when I introduced, “No. 45” and it continues with one of my newer pieces, today’s Photo of the Day, “Beyond” taken in Venice, Italy.
What lies beyond these beautifully rustic, emerald green shutters? Who lives there? What is their story?
Enjoy!
*tracey*
"The Walk" - Tracey Capone Photography 2011
Ever notice that when you’re doing something you don’t want to do you seem to have all the time in the world but when you’re doing something fun and exciting it seems like someone keeps hitting the fast forward button on the DVR of life? (a note- I’m old enough that I almost wrote VCR) As I’m running around like a crazy lady, getting ready to move in to my space at the Andersonville Galleria next week, framing up some pieces I’m donating to the American Cancer Society, fulfilling a custom order, pulling together some Etsy orders and, in between all that finding time to breathe, eat and sleep, I admit my blog got ignored yesterday. That said, I am back with a photo of the day.
Today’s photograph, part of the “London Calling” series, is “The Walk;” a photograph of Big Ben and Westminster Bridge as seen from the other side of the Thames. I love this perspective as it makes the beautiful bridge look like it could go on forever. While I’m not a big one on hitting all the tourist spots on my trips (I’d much rather be roaming off the beaten path) I do enjoy the area around Parliament in London. (alright perhaps not the area right around the ginormous McDonald’s near the London Eye but everywhere else).
Enjoy!
*tracey*
"No. 35"- Tracey Capone Photography
Warm honey tones and pale slate grey and blues make up today’s Photo of the Day, “No. 35.” There was something so simple but so inviting about this door and, despite the closed shutter, I loved the scroll work around the window, it felt homey somehow.
Taken in Montmartre, Paris, “No. 35” is one of the latest additions to the Parisian Door Series. (speaking of which, very happy that this instant collection of doors is off to a good home in GA…I hope they love them as much as I loved taking them)
Enjoy!
*tracey*
"We're All Made of Stars" - Tracey Capone Photography
“People the come together, and people they fall apart. No one can stop us now ’cause we’re all made of stars.” – Moby
Every time I pass this sign, I’m reminded of the Moby song, “We Are All made of Stars.” I don’t know if it’s the name, or the video with it’s urban, retro inspired, motelly goodness. (Yes, I said “motelly goodness”) that makes this awesome song pop in my head whenever I find myself on Lincoln Ave but, regardless, here we are, today’s photo of the day, “We’re All Made of Stars.”
Standing tall next to the overgrown, fenced off empty lot that once held what I’m sure was a five star, AAA rated motel (it was demolished a few years back and, trust me when I tell you it was a good thing), this sign is one of my favorites of the vintage Chicago neon. Sure, it’s not super colorful like the one in, “The Guest House,” or iconic like the one in, “The Aragon” but there is something beautiful about this sign all the same: the truly authentic “retro” fonts used to create it, the awesome curves of the sign, it’s beautifully simple.
Enjoy!
*tracey*
"Respite" - Tracey Capone Photography
I live smack dab in the city of Chicago… not right downtown but within the city limits where you would think the closest you would get to “nature” would be the spider living in my bathroom, taunting me. (I suppose, given my other phobia is of mascots, I should be thankful it’s just a spider.)
Having almost tripped over a baby bunny, seen a family of eight raccoon, several deer, a coyote and multiple species of birds, including a beautiful yellow Warbler, within about a week’s time, I know that isn’t the case; I have a National Geographic special living right outside my door. Nature, be it in animal or plant form, is all around us and can be found in the most unexpected places.
"The King and His Crown of Thorns"- Tracey Capone Photography
Today’s Photo(s) of the Day are a grouping of the finds I came across yesterday: a Brushfooted Butterfly, what I believe is an Eastern Kingbird, and a Boxelder bug. I’m so happy to be able to add these to my collection of neighborhood nature shots like those in my post about birding from the other day.
If you were to go on a neighborhood nature expedition, what do you think you would find? Will it be a bird? A beautiful plant? An interesting bug? Make it a project! Head out there, with your camera, and shoot the first three bits of nature you come across and please feel free to share your photos. Happy Snapping!
Enjoy!
*tracey*
"A Bug's Life" - Tracey Capone Photography
Charlie Black & White- Tracey Capone Photography
Inspired by a post on Photojojo’s Facebook Fan Page the other day challenging everyone to take candid shots of their pets, I decided today’s Photo(s) of the Day would be a few of the candid shots I’ve taken of my two little guys, Charlie and Oliver over the last few months. (I’m going for my Blogging Badge in the Crazy Cat Lady Troop so bear with me 
)
For those who have been following my blog for a while, you were originally introduced to Charlie… well, his eye at least in my blog post about using a Speed Light, found here.
If you have pets you know that they can be just as important to us as any other member of the family and my two are no different. They have moved with me from one apartment to another within Chicago, down to Chattanooga, up to Nashville and then back up to Chicago without any grief and for that, and many other reasons, I adore them.
Oliver- Tracey Capone Photography
Chuck and Ollie, as they’re affectionately referred to, are rescues from the Chicago Animal Shelter and these two brothers have definitely been living the life of luxury the last six years compared to life on the streets. But, my spoiled little guys make for some fantastic candid shots and, given they’ve had a lens stuck in their face from the time they were kittens are quite cooperative when I decide to break out the camera. Well most of the time.
Charlie Color- Tracey Capone Photography
Given I work from home, these two are around me all day and provide plenty of laughs; at times sheer exasperation, but mostly… laughs.
I was so inspired by my many, many photo shoots with Charlie and Oliver, I thought I would go for some candid shots of the kittens living next door, here, and here… oh and here. OK yes, I went a little crazy with the telephoto that day.
Oliver No. 2- Tracey Capone Photography
What about you? Do you have any candid pet shots you want to share?
Enjoy!
*tracey*
Common Grackle- Tracey Capone Photography
One of the things I love most about living in Chicago is the ability to go from urban to nature with just a short walk or bike ride. The city is full of beautifully preserved greenways where you can bike, run, or walk along Lake Michigan or through the woods of the Forest Preserve, and take in nature in all it’s forms. (a sidenote- I lived in Tennessee for three years and never saw a single buck. I saw six here in the forest preserve not five minutes from my apartment in the city within a month of moving back… go figure)
Male Cardinal- Tracey Capone Photography
One of my favorite spots to visit with my trusty telephoto is the Montrose Point Bird Sanctuary at Montrose Harbor. Set along the lake, with beautiful views of downtown, it plays host to more than 300 species of migratory birds as well as some beautiful plant life throughout the year. Step in the sanctuary and, aside from the fact that you’ll see the Sears Tower… errr I mean Willis Tower… out of your peripheral vision, you feel like you’ll feel like you’ve completely escaped the city and landed in a rural oasis of calm.
Not long ago, I spent several hours at the sanctuary testing out my newest telephoto lens and I wanted to share a few photos from that outing. You can find another of my photos from that days outing here, in my previous blog post, “The Watcher.”
Wood Thrush- Tracey Capone Photography
What is your favorite place to escape to when you need a break from the everyday?
Enjoy!
*tracey*
Male and Female Cardinal- Tracey Capone Photography
"Noir" - Tracey Capone Photography
I woke up to another one of those mornings where, it’s so dark outside, you can’t decide if you accidentally woke up too early or it’s just going to be “one of those days.” Today, it turned out my alarm clock was working just fine… unfortunately, it’s just going to be one of those rainy Chicago days (one of many as of late).
Today’s Photo of the Day, “Noir” is a tribute to those grainy old, black and white films that, despite lacking color didn’t lack beauty in any way. It was about to rain when I took this photo of a wildflower at Chicago Botanic Garden and I wanted to use that lack of sun in the final piece while giving it some of that beautiful grain of the film noir days.
This is just a reminder to me that, despite the rainy, cloudy day, there is still amazing beauty out there; I just have to look past the grey.
While I truly appreciate the colors that nature creates, the beauty of a monochrome photo is that it forces the mind to notice aspects of the photo it may not have otherwise… to imagine it’s own color scheme. Here is another shot of the wildflower in color. How close were you?
Enjoy!
*tracey*
"The Sunday Drive" - Tracey Capone Photography
Happy Father’s Day to all the dads, grandads, father figures, and anyone else celebrating today!
Today’s photo of the day, “The Sunday Drive” is a skip down memory lane for me as I think back to Sunday nights during the spring and summer, driving back from The Shore (I’m from Philadelphia… it’s “The Shore”). My brother and I were in the backseat with the dog, my parents were up front with Phillies game on the radio, my dad cheering or jeering at the announcer’s play by play. RIP Harry Kalas…
Sadly, we didn’t ride home in a cherry red vintage Ford, it was actually any number of hideous 1970s station wagons. When I spotted this old car while driving around Nashville a couple of years ago, I couldn’t help but imagine a time when an entire family might pile in to this car on a Sunday, going for what my mom calls a “bealy ride” (don’t ask… I have no idea the origin of that one 
) on a warm summer night. Would they be passing places like the Heart O’ Chicago or maybe heading to a fair to ride the Ferris Wheel?
I will never forget those Sunday drives between New Jersey and PA. What about you? What fond Dad-related memories do you have?
Enjoy!
*tracey*
"Dogwood" - Tracey Capone Photography
One of the original offerings in my shop is also one of my favorites: “Dogwood,” taken at the Cheekwood Botanical Garden in Nashville, TN. Walking along the aptly named Dogwood Path, I came across these beautiful butter yellow and pink dogwoods and loved how they almost seemed to be reaching out from the tree as if reaching for the sun from their shaded area.
Enjoy!
*tracey*
