Photography – Page 5 – Bill Swartwout Photography

January 2, 2023March 31, 2023

A Marketing Challenge for the Year 2023

This is a follow-up marketing challenge to what was started in January 2022.

This is NOT a New Year’s Resolution – they don’t usually work. This is a re-commitment of something I did in January last year to jump-start my art photography business. It worked very well last year – and positive results/metrics were shared here on this website.

This year I am modifying the goals just a bit to make a longer-term commitment well within reach. I am continuing to wean myself from social media and put more emphasis on positive results from the major search engines. I want to (need to) increase the organic search results that bring people to see my photography and my galleries on the various POD (Print On Demand) art production companies that host my gallery stores – listed in the site menu.

Blue Flams heating the Tea Pot — Let me get the fire lit and get underway.

The goal is to create one new article per day for the entire first quarter of 2023.

The caveat is that I will give myself weekends off. (Hey, I am supposed to be retired.) I also will not adhere to a strict schedule. That means, overall, I will publish an average of 5 articles per week on one or more of my websites, 20/21 per month for January, February and March. (Yes, I will count this article among the list below…)

Obviously, this particular article will be a Work In Progress

OK, so March did not make the cut. We were on an extended vacation and I “finally” realized that doing a daily article was distracting. I will pick this activity up once we return home and things get back to normal (whatever that may be).

Results

Metrics and more… TBD

December 31, 2022January 5, 2023

City Lights or Neon Streaks

When the darkness of night falls, a stunning sight is often unveiled.

“When the darkness of night falls, a stunning sight is unveiled in cities around the world. The city lights bring to life a magical display of neon streaks against the dark backdrop of a night sky. From towering skyscrapers to smaller city blocks, these lights can create a dazzling spectacle that captivates the eye and awakens the soul. Neon lights have long been associated with bustling nightlife and urban living, becoming an iconic symbol of cities everywhere.”

city lights purple rain of neon streaks — City Lights and Neon Streaks

An unintentional abstract photograph…

Actually, this light display is not as described in the opening paragraph. While that is what can be seen in a large city with a camera on a tripod, this display was shot handheld at a Christmas lights display and created with intentional camera movement.

The result came out surprisingly effective but I was at a loss of ideas for a title. To alleviate that “situation” I turned to Facebook friends for suggestions of a title for this photograph.

Here are several of their title suggestions…

Linda – Confetti Lights
Susan – Winterfest Fairy Lights
Cindy – Sir Lights-a-Lot
Nick – Should Auld Acquaintance
Christina – December Fireworks
Brad – Meteor Gawking on Acid
Bob – Luminous Galaxy
Paula – Kaleidoscope of Lights
Sandi – Neon Nancy
Paula – Kaleidoscope
Judi – Celebration!
Mike – Dispersion
Chris – And then, it happened.
Mary – Lines of Color
Tom – Purple Rain
Bob – Colorful Camera Jitters (Close to being a good description)
Kathy – Parade of Colors
Ric – City Rain
Christina – Fireworks in December
Doug – Colorful Scribbles
Renata – Stars Fell from the Sky
Mary – Cosmic Flutter
Peggy – Neon Rain
Cindy – Crazy Little Thing Called Lights
Curtis – Acid Lashes, Trip the Lights Fantastic, Light Motion Dome, Color Amphitheater, Fireworks, Gun Powder Flower, Night Lights, Spectrum Wheel, Array of Lights, Array Awry, Awry Array, Speed oFlight and Chaos in Motion
Judy – The Abyss
Kathy – Abstract Fire Flies
Richard – Speed of Light

Whew, what a list of suggestions. Nearly all of them would fit – at least by my way of thinking. I like to keep it simple but I have not yet uploaded this to my gallery – but I will soon. Then I’ll have to make a choice – or – maybe mash up a simple idea or two. Many thanks go out to those who responded to my simple plea on social media. I appreciate your contributions and are hereby giving mention to all our your input.

To visit my full gallery, click here: BillSwartwoutPhotography.com

Or to visit just the abstract collection, click here: Abstract Collection.

OK – a decision has been reached. As a twist on the popular song “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” by Queen – I’m going with “Crazy Little Thing Called Lights.”

December 23, 2022December 23, 2022

The Head of a Sunflower

Sunflowers are an iconic symbol of summer, bright and beautiful – and more.

A sunflower’s sunny yellow petals seem to beam out a message of joy and happiness. But have you ever considered what lies at the heart of this flower? The head of a sunflower is a complex structure that plays an important role in the growth and life cycle of the plant. It is also remarkable for its intricate design and adaptability to different conditions. What lies inside the sunflower head are features that make it a uniquely incredible structure.

What exactly is the Sunflower Head?

The sunflower head is actually made up of many individual flowers. It is a pseudanthium, or flowerhead, consisting of many tiny flowers arranged in spirals around a central disk, with each flower facing outward. The disk is made up of the flower base, which includes a stalk and a peduncle. The flowers themselves consist of five petals and an outer ring of many toothed ray florets. Each petal has a green bottom half with a white top half. At the center of each petal, there is a dark brown to blackish spot. The only “downside” is that the flower has a fetid smell. At the base of the flower are five stamens with anthers that are yellow or white and hair-tipped. They are longer than the filaments. The fruit (the seed) is a follicle with five valves.

Sunflower seeds are a nutritional powerhouse, hidden inside the head of a sunflower. Not only are they rich in healthy fats and vitamins, but they are also a great source of edible oil. Sunflower seed oil is full of essential fatty acids and antioxidants that can help improve overall health. As an added bonus, this oil has a light flavor that won’t overpower the taste of your favorite foods.

sunflower face in detail — Face of a Sunflower

The most common type of sunflower seed used for extractable oil is black-oil sunflowers. These seeds have thinner shells than other varieties and produce up to 40% more oil per pound than any other type of seed available on the market today. The high yield makes them ideal for commercial production and use in processed foods such as crackers, chips, breads, cookies, sauces and dressings.

sunflower lost in the crowd — A sunflower lost in a crowd of sunflowers.

A sunflower is truly a work of art.

Each individual flower has its own stem and petals, though they are much smaller than traditional blooms. The center floret is larger than those around it and provides the famous yellow disc that we’ve come to associate with sunflowers. Every other floret produces a small black seed surrounded by thin bristles that help disperse the seeds when ripe and ready for sowing. It’s truly fascinating how Mother Nature can create such magnificent works of art!

Each sunflower image can be “clicked” to see more detail or you can click a link below to see even more choices…

Link to: Bill’s Sunflower Power Wall Art Collection

Link to: Bill’s Fine Art America Gallery