So after yesterday’s black and white, I now am blasting you with some color!
I’ve been out taking historical pictures of Oakland lately for another project I’m working on, but once in awhile I just have to stop and smell the flowers along the way. You know how I enjoy doing that, right??
This image of Lake Merritt hopes to once again show that Oakland, California is a beautiful place! Yes, it has it’s crime issues in some areas, but Oakland is actually a very large city as far at 78 square miles. There are many beautiful places here and such great photo opportunities!
Lake Merritt, Oakland, California
June 11, 2014 at 9:28 am
How pretty!
June 11, 2014 at 10:34 am
Thank you!
June 11, 2014 at 9:31 am
Blast of color for sure! Great shot Laura.
June 11, 2014 at 10:34 am
Thanks James 🙂
June 11, 2014 at 9:31 am
This is a really good photo Laura 🙂
June 11, 2014 at 10:35 am
I appreciate that Irene…it’s a pretty spot. 🙂
June 11, 2014 at 9:37 am
Lovely view! How refreshing to see this rather than a “newsworthy” crime scene!
June 11, 2014 at 10:35 am
hahahahah!
June 11, 2014 at 9:47 am
Blast of color is right! This has the look of an old-time litho postcard – I do like it. Yes, Oakland is a great city – was there in 2004 down around the docks at Merchants Bar – if it is still there – lots of local color 🙂
June 11, 2014 at 10:35 am
I’m not sure about Merchants Bar and if it is there, I’d be afraid to go lol. I haven’t got around to looking at my stream yet because we have landscapers here removing trees. Thank you so much!
June 11, 2014 at 9:50 am
A beautiful image of Lake Merritt! Your “stop and smell the flowers” break was definitely worthwhile!
June 11, 2014 at 10:36 am
Thank you 🙂 And thank you for the reblog!
June 11, 2014 at 9:50 am
Reblogged this on Click And Color.
June 11, 2014 at 9:52 am
Stunning shot Laura! Love the moody sky and the crispness of the buildings that’s then offset by the lake and planting in the foreground 🙂
June 11, 2014 at 10:36 am
Thank you Sarah 🙂 It just felt so “vivid” there when I was standing there so that’s what I tried to convey.
June 11, 2014 at 11:04 am
You did! It pops 🙂
June 11, 2014 at 11:18 am
🙂 Maybe I popped it too much but hey, I’m not shooting for a magazine or anything. Don’t I wish!
June 11, 2014 at 11:21 am
I think it’s great! Never over-analyse your work and wishes can come true 🙂
June 11, 2014 at 11:26 am
I like that philosophy!
June 11, 2014 at 11:30 am
🙂
June 11, 2014 at 9:54 am
I love the whole picture, but the dramatic sky adds so much to the entire picture. The color of the flowers in the foreground is great as it frames the picture as well as breaks up the blues. I think it is a great contrast!
June 11, 2014 at 10:36 am
Thank you so much! Yay for contrast!
June 11, 2014 at 10:02 am
Amazing!
June 11, 2014 at 10:37 am
Thank you! 😀
June 11, 2014 at 10:03 am
A photo that clearly shows that humans and nature can coincide with one another and still maintain an essence of beauty. Although I do prefer nature in it’s entirety, I rarely photograph man made structures, I do enjoy viewing them from time to time. And sometimes it’s simply just difficult to try and improve on your photography when you limit yourself to just one type of photography when you don’t have a lot of diversity in your area. I have found lately that I do enjoy taking photos of man made structures but tend to stick with either older subjects or an architecture that is unique may be pleasing to the eye.
Great shot! 🙂
June 11, 2014 at 10:38 am
Thank you Justin 🙂
June 11, 2014 at 10:22 am
This is really beautiful… with such sights one quickly forgets the crime stories…
June 11, 2014 at 10:39 am
Thank you…that is my hope.
June 11, 2014 at 10:25 am
HDR?
June 11, 2014 at 10:39 am
Yes, I used HDR on the initial processing. 🙂
June 11, 2014 at 10:54 am
I thought so? Photomatix?
June 11, 2014 at 10:56 am
This time I used Nik. When I bracket the photos, I use Photomatix, but when I have only one image, then I use Nik. Usually. 🙂
June 11, 2014 at 10:59 am
I use Nik for B&W. And, Lightroom!
June 11, 2014 at 11:04 am
I have the Nik Suite so I use Nik SEP2 for B&W as well 🙂
June 11, 2014 at 11:04 am
a stunning photo!
June 11, 2014 at 11:18 am
Thank you!
June 11, 2014 at 11:37 am
Nice shot
June 11, 2014 at 11:39 am
thank you 🙂
June 11, 2014 at 11:46 am
I like the flowers in the foreground.
June 11, 2014 at 11:53 am
Ahh thank you! That’s what inspired me to take the picture.
June 11, 2014 at 11:52 am
Fantastic Laura .. Loving the colour blast 🙂
June 11, 2014 at 11:55 am
thank you julie 🙂
June 11, 2014 at 11:54 am
Nicely balanced with great color. Cool beans on this one, Laura.
June 11, 2014 at 11:56 am
Thank you! I’ll take cool beans any day!
June 11, 2014 at 1:27 pm
It is a gorgeous blast of colour Laura, lovely foreground, I never think of doing that sort of thing.
June 11, 2014 at 1:33 pm
Thanks Leanne…I probably went a bit overboard with this one but I just felt very colorful and powerful when i was processing lol.
June 11, 2014 at 1:33 pm
Sometimes you just have to do that.
June 11, 2014 at 1:35 pm
Being as demure as I am of course 😛
June 11, 2014 at 1:36 pm
Of course. 😛
June 11, 2014 at 1:39 pm
🙂
June 11, 2014 at 3:44 pm
As a lifelong Chiefs fan I can’t like Oakland but I really like your photo. Resplendent.
June 11, 2014 at 4:52 pm
lol Thank you!
June 11, 2014 at 4:12 pm
That looks like one of those postcards from the late 60’s/early 70’s that enhanced the colour. I love it!!
June 11, 2014 at 4:52 pm
Thank you! Someone else said that too. I’m glad I was onto something.
June 11, 2014 at 4:38 pm
Very pretty!
June 11, 2014 at 4:53 pm
Thank you Cathy! Oh! Did I tell you I’m having my knee replacement on 8/12. If I told you already…whoopsie!
June 14, 2014 at 8:19 am
No you didn’t! Good luck to you I know you will be happy to get that done and behind you!
June 14, 2014 at 8:27 am
Yes! Thank you Cathy. I think this one will be easier as I don’t have a lot of those other issues I had in my other leg. My blog will have to go on a bit of hiatus though 😦
June 14, 2014 at 7:43 pm
You will be up and running your blog in no time!😄
June 14, 2014 at 9:55 pm
Hope ao!
June 11, 2014 at 5:27 pm
Stunning Laura.
June 11, 2014 at 5:38 pm
Thank you Edith :))
June 11, 2014 at 6:38 pm
how do you get both things in focus at same time.
you are amazing.
June 11, 2014 at 6:59 pm
Aw thank you Gavin! Circle of Confusion 🙂
June 11, 2014 at 7:06 pm
Stunning photo! Do you sell prints of your photos?
June 11, 2014 at 8:02 pm
Thank you! And yes I do. You can see them on my website via http://www.lauramacky.com Click photos once you’re there and then you can see what you’d like. If you have any questions, just email me at info@LauraMacky.com. Thank you for your interest!
June 11, 2014 at 7:50 pm
Nicely done, Laura!
June 11, 2014 at 8:02 pm
Thank you! After that sponge I felt like eye popping color 🙂
June 11, 2014 at 9:07 pm
Wow I drive around this lake and you turned it beautiful..
June 11, 2014 at 9:07 pm
Thank you!! I do love this lake 🙂
June 11, 2014 at 9:08 pm
Didn’t Pixar use the lake in two different movies…
June 11, 2014 at 9:59 pm
I know Pixar used Fenton’s in the movie Up which is one of my very favorites!
June 11, 2014 at 10:02 pm
Yes… And toy story and the incredibles
June 11, 2014 at 10:25 pm
Ahhh thanks for reminding me. I had forgotten!
June 11, 2014 at 9:48 pm
Gorgeous blast of color Laura 😀
June 11, 2014 at 10:00 pm
Thank you for enjoying my blast!
June 11, 2014 at 10:12 pm
surreal 🙂
June 11, 2014 at 10:26 pm
Thanks much 🙂
June 12, 2014 at 2:46 am
Blasting us with colour with this shot, just about right. You do colour and BW so beautifully. With this HDR-like shot, I like how you make each colour stand out, and all of them standing in harmony together as opposed to in competition. Well done 🙂
June 12, 2014 at 6:05 am
Thank you so much Mabel…that almost represents Oakland in itself. Constantly trying to harmonize with all the diversity.
June 12, 2014 at 7:51 am
Simply Gorgeous!
June 12, 2014 at 7:55 am
Thank you!
June 12, 2014 at 7:57 am
I have some fond memories of Oakland. My step-father worked there when we lived in Fremont.
Brilliant work Laura. Love the colors!
June 12, 2014 at 8:42 am
Thank you! I remember you mentioning Fremont. Glad I could bring back some fond memories!
June 12, 2014 at 3:52 pm
and gorgeous colour!!
June 12, 2014 at 3:55 pm
and thank you !! 🙂
June 12, 2014 at 4:27 pm
Lake Merritt sure looks like a beautiful place, which you have captured beautifully in this image. Absolutely delightful colours.
June 12, 2014 at 4:32 pm
Thank you, Otto. It is a pretty place and vibrant. Just don’t go at night with your Nikon dangling around your neck, lol. 😉
June 13, 2014 at 2:33 am
Great interest throughout the whole image Laura. I’m totally loving the purple in those… lilacs? I’m so bad with identifying flowers.
June 13, 2014 at 6:11 am
Thank you. You and me both about identifying flowers except they’re purple. 🙂
June 13, 2014 at 5:37 am
Laura, that’s a gorgeous photo. You really captured the beauty of the place. ~Terri
June 13, 2014 at 6:13 am
Ahhh thank you Terri….it’s nice when one knows the place eh? 🙂
June 13, 2014 at 1:21 pm
Beautiful shot- the colours are so surreal!
June 13, 2014 at 1:26 pm
Thank you! Glad I could give you a bit of surreal. 🙂
June 16, 2014 at 11:54 pm
simply magnifique… I was there a few years ago, after 4 days in wonderful Frisco that I often miss… my very best, tons of inspiration and friendly thoughts, Mélanie – Toulouse, France, “old Europe”… 🙂
June 17, 2014 at 6:47 am
Merci beaucoup Melanie! I’m glad you enjoyed the Bay Area, Lake Merritt and San Francisco. 🙂