This has been one crazy week. Each of these things deserves its own blog post, and I intend to write them soon.

• Monday I attended a Clay Blackmore photo class. Update: posted.
  
• Tuesday I flew to Chicago for the Genesys G-Force user group conference. There was good food, lots to drink, and a two piece Irish band playing in a pub. They were both from Ireland and playing some great music that no one but I was listening to. Update: posted.
  
• Wednesday had conference meetings and breakout sessions and vendor booths. Meh. Then we went to the Chicago House of Blues to see Maggie Speaks. This was an incredible show and I shot 350 frames while there. Bless me, I love digital. Update: posted.
  
• Thursday had yet more meetings, sessions, and booths. I took pictures, but not of anything of general interest, except maybe this one. One of our speakers was Sam Glenn, The Attitude Guy. He started his speech with a chalk-drawing-on-the-spot that was pretty cool. The rest of his talk was fun and high spirited, essentially about how your attitude colors everything.
  

I shot over 600 pics in four days.

I’ve been a bit burned out on photography lately. OK, well maybe not burned out, so much as a low smolder. Plus I’ve been a bit under the weather and sleep deprived (usually my own darn fault) so that makes me not want to shoot anything. Anne and I went to see Roger Drawdy and the Firestarters on Saturday, and I didn’t even grab the camera bag.

So this evening, I tried to pull myself out of the funk and do a GOYA* photo walk in the neighborhood. The light was dying and the sun was quickly descending into a thick bed of clouds, making for a non-existent sunset. I did, however, manage a few shots before the light was completely gone.

Apple blossoms are looking lovely in the neighborhood. Most of them have burst into full bloom. But there are still some in bud form.

Of course, the daffodils are also in perfect bloom.

But I didn’t really want this to be a GOYA-and-Shoot-Flowers walk. So I tried to find other things to shoot. I tried to capture people walking by or in a distance to frame an interesting scene. But the non-flowers weren’t all that interesting to me. However, I did like this hydrant chain…

So there. I got out and shot some stuff. And despite my recent forays into the Strobist canon, it was all shot with natural light. I’m pleased with the flower shots but disappointed I didn’t see or pursue much of anything else.

* GOYA stands for Get Off Your Ass [and shoot].