shadow self-portraiture

OK, one more from our trip to Mexico. On December 6th, we rented a Jeep and drove a couple hours down to Tulum and then went into the jungle to see COBÁ, which features “the largest Mayan ruin in Latin America.” My Dearest can attest to that, as he climbed to the top of it and has just now stopped complaining about being sore.

The steps in the photo are at the base of that same great Pyramid. 12/06/08

On our FREE all-inclusive excursion to Isla Mujeres the day after my last entry photo was taken, we walked around the island and ended up (somehow) behind the Naval base, right on the wall that holds back the sea. How could I not take a picture?

It’s too bad the water didn’t show up as brilliantly turquoise as it really is, or that you can’t feel in a picture how warm it is.

We went snorkeling on this trip and ate lunch at a restaurant in the sand. It was a good day. :) [December 5, 2008]

. . . has its highlights.

This tree was fabulous. Look at those delicate leafy shadows. Now if I could remember to take these pictures without holding the camera with both hands, maybe I could get a bit more definition in my own shadow.

It was the worst day of vacation because we got suckered into taking one of those silly time-share tours that was only supposed to last 90 minutes and we would get free stuff, but it lasted 7 frickin’ hours and we lost a whole day! The lady that held us captive (an hour away from our hotel with no way to get back on our own) laughed and said that’s why she is the queen.

She was wrong. I am the queen. After we won her battle of endurance, I made the hotel pony up DOUBLE “prizes,” PLUS two massage tickets for the spa – each. I would still rather spend a day in Cancun NOT with that horrible woman, but spending the next entire day doing stuff for free was pretty cool!

He just finished building a 10,000 square foot house. It is really gorgeous. This is the front porch. The shadow that’s not me is of a 16 foot tall marble column. Picture taken 11/15/08

This was the BEFORE picture, taken September 23, 2008.

... but I sure saw a good shadow!

This morning when I walked into the east-facing school where I have worked for 19 years and am now on long-term substitute duty, my shadow bounced peppily across the freshly-painted western wall of the school office.

I watched it move and noticed the clarity and personality of my own shadow. I wished I had brought my camera with me, but part of the wonder of it included the movement and sound of the door and the faerie dust particles dancing in the morning air.

Maybe my writing this will stir the sweet memory of the nice little vision I enjoyed this morning. :)

in our friends’ driveway in South Jordan, Utah

at Waipo’uli Bay.

A few minutes later, we walked over to Honu’apo Bay and took pictures of several sea turtles beached on the black sand.

Possibly my favorite photo of the entire week on the Big Island.

We took over 500 pictures of everything from waterfalls to hula dancers, but this one really shows what we were there for.

♥ ♥ ♥

I love these photos!!! I never realized how expressive shadows can be. Maybe it’s just that you two can really capture the events of a day, but here’s hoping I can do some justice to the goal as well…