Neutral
Neutral. It seems like such an easy prompt, don't you think? Simple. Unassuming. Non-threatening. I have nothing. Not a single idea. Not anything worth taking a photo of, anyway. I tried sitting down and actually think about it a little.
Neutral. Switzerland comes to mind. The stick shift in my car. Sepia. pH-neutral things like water, perhaps? But I've already posted tons of photos of water, I can't afford a trip to Switzerland on short notice (note to self: next 30 Days add "vacation" as a prompt and book a trip to the Maldives), and I really don't want to take a photo of the stick shift in my car. That only leaves sepia.
Fucking sepia.
*
z, you crack me up. when i saw your photo and it was sepia, i said oh no she didn't then i saw your last line. hahahaha. well er um, i it looks nice. and i'm waaaay jealous that you drive a stick shift. i was in a car accident that totaled my stick shift, busted right arm and now i'm driving an automatic car for a while. not sure if my arm will ever be pain free, but i want my stick back. automatic cars are for girls and they're boring as heck.
ReplyDeleteHey Ziva! I have to say, you might have have felt like you were struggling here, but you nailed it. Absolutely beautiful; delicate, tonal, romantic. There'll be few of this quality today. Indigo x
ReplyDeleteOh dear sweet silver-tongued Ziva, you didn't have to sink into a sepia funk. You know I had the same issues as you did and also thought of all those boring things you mentioned. With a bit of research I learned that gray-scale and black & white photos are considered neutral or achromatic in photography circles.
ReplyDeleteHave I told you lately how much I adore sepia? For you, my Finnish dove, I have and will continue to avoid sepia for this round of insanity. It just seems the right thing to do since you're so kindly providing the link that connects us to each other.
This prompt was actually the hardest for me...my creative juices worked overtime and still came up with nothing...until I did some research like Cheryl and then I knew that I was glad I lived in Florida...where we have some beautiful monochrome wading birds called Wood Storks.
ReplyDeleteThat's, um, very lacy. Me, I'm pretty boring today.
ReplyDeleteThe lacy hearts are very pretty!
ReplyDeleteSuch a sweet photo...MWJ is likely to toss up his breakfast! I went the boring route today, as I couldn't find some cute little lace hearts to shoot.
ReplyDelete"Fucking sepia." AHAHhHAhAHhaHhHAHahha!! Good job, Ziva!
ReplyDeleteOMG, you caved! How embarassing for you!
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry it's come to this, Ziva.
ReplyDeleteI see from your tags that you're expecting to be punished for this
ReplyDeleteheinous photo. Quite rightly, too, because it's not only sepia-toned,
but contains cute little lace hearts, all handmade, I assume, for your
recent wedding. It's sickly sweet, and I feel like a kid who's done
nothing but eat cotton candy and donuts all day, and then taken a ride
on the tilt-a-whirl until his stomach involuntarily turns its putrid
contents out onto the hot summer pavement.
All this monstrosity
lacks to complete the triumvirate sin of being fully kitsch is a kitten
playing with a bit of yarn, a colorful butterfly perching on the lace or
a multi-hued rainbow arching over the sepia scene.
Were you unable to
find one or the other because you were out riding your unicorn? One
wonders.
Hand me your riding crop and bend over the nearest
chair, poor, sweet Ziva. I think you not only accept what’s coming, but
also know you fully deserve it for perpetrating this abomination on the
rest of us.
Likely to?
ReplyDeleteDid.
Good god, what was she thinking?
Oh, dear god. Are you telling me I have a photo of birds to look forward to?
ReplyDeletePlease don't encourage her, Indigo.
ReplyDelete"My Finnish dove?"
ReplyDeleteGood god, a dove -- a pair of doves! -- would've completed this evil creation.
Oh god, I'm so sorry to hear that! I would HATE to have to drive an automatic. Well actually, I've never tried, so who knows, maybe I'd love it.. Still, I like the control the stick shift offers me.
ReplyDeleteDon't mind Mike, he's just grumpy. Now please, go on... Surely there are more of these amazing adjectives you could use....?
ReplyDeleteShut up!
ReplyDeleteI could've gone black and white and instead went sepia? Nooooooo!!!!!! Seriously, tough, I think this might be one of very, very few photos where sepia works. Sort of. Almost. Good god, it's horrible. And you're right, now have nothing for heart!
ReplyDeleteThank you, dearest Cheryl, for not using sepia. I will never forget it. I will even allow a bird photo, as compensation for your massive sacrifice. Make it one with a strong beak, too. ;)
Oh shut up.
ReplyDeleteShut your trap.
ReplyDeleteI've tried, but I just can't.
ReplyDeleteYeah, shut up, Indigo!
ReplyDeleteMy goodness, I think all birds have left Finland for the winter. You are indeed a lucky woman!
ReplyDeleteHey, I'm still wiping the blood out of my eyes after having this photo forced on me. Give me a break.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Pat!
ReplyDeleteWell, we can't all have a bunch of sepia-coloured lace hearts lying around. ;)
ReplyDeleteWhich, not coincidentally, probably also explains your crop.
ReplyDeleteAnything to annoy you, dear Mike.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't call the car route boring, problem is my car is terribly ugly, I can't take a photo of the inside of it without being incredibly embarrassed. ;)
ReplyDeleteTry harder. You can do it!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Meleah!!
ReplyDeleteOh, shut up. :P
ReplyDeleteMe too, Reffie. Me too..
ReplyDeleteOh god... it really is incredibly SEPIA isn't it? And you know what? I actually cropped a kitten out of the photo.... I am so ashamed.
ReplyDeleteDon't worry, you won't feel so ashamed when we're done.
ReplyDeleteYeah, apparently.
ReplyDeleteCute hearts. Are those for something to do with them? Anyway, it's a very beautiful photo! :)
ReplyDeleteI actually made them for my wedding this summer, they were part of the decoration. Took forever to make them, but they looked really pretty. :)
ReplyDeleteOh sure, now I get it. Make rules for us then play fast and loose with them yourself.
ReplyDeleteYou know I bet those things would swell up if you sprinkled some oxidane on them.
Well, off to the meth lab...
I think the sepia worked beautifully. I didn't even realize it was sepia until you said something. I thought it was a ecru lace hearts on a satin gown.
ReplyDeleteAs for the bird shot, it's already prepped and ready to roll. I think you'll be pleased with my choice. @023cf64630af1143c92712e6d8eaeeb9:disqus will very likely be horrified. I'm so excited I can barely breathe.
Yes, I do believe you're right. I have a photograph of a pair of doves that someone with photoshop skills could slap into this photo. Since I don't know how to use it, I guess you'll have to do the honors.
ReplyDeleteOMG I am DYING!!!
ReplyDeleteI think it is lovely. But a kitten would have made it better! (the benefits of posting AFTER others... LOLOL!)
ReplyDeleteHaha, thank you Katherine! I think you're absolutely right, I should've left that bloody kitten in the photo.
ReplyDeleteDammit Jamie, I swear, if you sprinkle oxidane on my lace hearts I will not provide you with any pseudoephedrine.
ReplyDeleteDon't worry, Katherine, I'm fine. Actually, I'm thinking about using sepia again tomorrow....
ReplyDeleteOh my god, I can't wait!!
ReplyDeleteOh, many, many adjectives; exquisite and fragile. Cathartic, even. I'm also stirred to memories of lace underwear and candles. But that's another story. Indigo x
ReplyDeleteAn-ti-ci-pa-tion is making me wait . . .
ReplyDelete