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* LADY,GET THAT BLACK THING OUTTA' MY FACE !*

Melissa Gurdus 8/17/2010 7:15:43 AM

Fantastic macro shot with great selective focus and wonderful shallow DOF, Debbie!!! #1299158

Debbie E. Payne 8/30/2010 11:49:39 AM

Thank you, Melissa. I am going through my gallery checking for threads that I've missed. I really love my series with my little friend. I think it'd make a good children's book but I might be out of my element with that kind of thing. Who knows? I'm retiring soon. I might have time. #8871294

Carla Capra 10/15/2010 10:29:18 AM

Congratulations on your Finalist Award!
;) CC #8968433

Linda Blair 10/15/2010 11:44:50 AM

Congratulations on your finalist...lol...I would never get a shot like this..I would have already run the other way...you're a brave soul!!! #8969207

Deborah C. Lewinson 10/15/2010 4:39:23 PM

Superb finalist, Debbie!

Congratulations!
Debby #8971112

Merna L. Nobile 10/15/2010 9:30:56 PM

Every month, with our camera in hand, we go out and find what we hope will be the “winning photo.”
Those of us that don’t get recognized, just continue to search for that special image, until one day the Congratulations come pouring in from some of the best artist and friends anyone could image.
So to the Better Photo winners for the month of September, I congratulate you on a job so well done.
My very best to all of you, Merna Nobile
#8972320

Usman M. Bajwa 10/16/2010 7:02:40 AM

Beautiful capture, CONGRATZ on the Finalist Award!!

UB. #8973340

Debbie E. Payne 10/16/2010 8:08:29 AM

Thank you all, from Melissa who commented first back in August to Carla, Linda, Deborah, Merna and Usman who are just now being introduced to my "little friend". This cute little guy and I have a long history. He resides in my backyard and occasionally I will see him slithering around in the grass or by the patio but we were "introduced" when I accidentally picked him up in my house behind one of my big plants in the living room. I thought he was a dead leaf off of my plant lying in the corner. Imagine my screams and antics when I figured out what I was holding! I probably recovered more quickly than he did though. My husband managed to "catch" him and get him into a box to transport him to where he belonged. (But not before I grabbed a couple of shots of him - once a photographer, always a photographer!!) Anyhow, a couple weeks later after his recuperation and mine, I found him out in the garden and got up close and personal to him and got a few good ones of him. This one is my favorite. A snake in the garden is much better than a snake in your living room! #8973505

Debbie E. Payne 10/16/2010 8:11:39 AM

And to all of you, too, who had some outstanding finalists for this month. Haven't gotten around to comments on any thing yet but hopefully will have more time after today. Each and every one of you produce such fantastic images. Inspiration is what BP is all about. #8973514

Liz Bullock 10/16/2010 9:29:13 AM

Awesom capture, congrats on your finalist! #8973717

Sam Britt 10/16/2010 6:23:13 PM

Congratulations, Debbie! #8975256

Freddy Bland 10/16/2010 7:34:40 PM

A wonderful capture and finalist, Debbie!! Many congratulations!! #8975469

Michael J. Kelly 10/17/2010 2:54:57 PM

A wonderful Capture and great finalist Debbie. Congratulations! #8977420

Deborah C. Lewinson 10/17/2010 4:03:04 PM

Congratulations, Debbie, on your First Place Win for this superb and captivating image!

Debby #8977593

Melissa Gurdus 10/17/2010 4:06:33 PM

Debbie this is simply wonderful!! So glad this is a winner!! Congratulations!!! #8977617

Courtenay Vanderbilt 10/17/2010 4:31:50 PM

Congratulations, Debbie!! #8977789

Rolando Rosito 10/17/2010 4:36:01 PM

Great winner, congratulations Debbie! #8977816

Carla Capra 10/17/2010 4:52:31 PM

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!
TOTALLY AWESOME!
;) CC #8977915

Usman M. Bajwa 10/17/2010 5:30:48 PM

Your friend brought you a gift already, Debbie!. CONGRATZ on getting into the Winners Circle with a First Place win.

UB. #8978117

Sabrina Ryan 10/17/2010 5:34:07 PM

Congratulations on this Excellent First Place Winning Image, Debbie! #8978146

Teresa H. Hunt 10/17/2010 5:34:21 PM

Whoo Hoo!!! Congratulations Debbie :) #8978150

Aimee c. Eisaman 10/17/2010 5:47:00 PM

Yipeeeee Debbie...congrats on your Phirst place win! :~) #8978259

Michael J. Kelly 10/17/2010 5:51:46 PM

Wonderful Debbie a big congratulations on your first place!!! #8978295

Fran J. Jagger 10/17/2010 6:28:59 PM

Awesome capture!! Congrats on your
1st Place Winner, Debbie!! :) #8978508

Sam Britt 10/17/2010 7:13:05 PM

Huge Congratulations on this terrific First Place win, Debbie! #8978689

Denny E. Barnes 10/17/2010 7:18:45 PM

Outstanding, Debbie!! Congratulations on your excellent and well deserved First Place win!! WTG!! #8978707

Rona L. Schwarz 10/17/2010 8:31:38 PM

What a marvelous capture and terrific story, Debbie! HUGE CONGRATULATIONS on this outstanding First Place Gold winner! #8978942

Shelly A. Van Camp 10/17/2010 8:56:13 PM

Beautiful image and congrats! #8978968

Liz Bullock 10/17/2010 9:23:41 PM

Congrats on your 1st place winning image! #8979014

Deborah J. Bibbins 10/18/2010 3:47:29 AM

Fantastic capture, Congratulations on your 1st place win! #8979503

Linda Blair 10/18/2010 5:49:46 AM

Congratulations on your wonderful win!!! #8979926

Irene Colling 10/18/2010 5:52:54 AM

Extraordinary capture Debbie. Your POV and shallow DOF make for a very dramatic image.

Big Congratulations on the win. #8979941

Charlotte LaBarbera 10/18/2010 7:32:17 AM

Loved your story of how this came to be. I think we take our back yards for granted - we tend to think that the greatest images are "out there" and we forget to look for the little treasures that are often times right under our nose. Congratulations! #8980297

Donna LaMattino Pagakis 10/18/2010 9:07:19 AM

Congratulations on your stunning winning image Debbie! Cute story too! #8980572

Debbie E. Payne 10/18/2010 9:08:26 AM

Thanks to each and every one of you for your welcomed comments. I know several of you and some of you are new to me. I so appreciate your comments and I will be stopping by many of your galleries to see some pretty amazing images. Inspiration is what BP is all about. A long time ago when I first joined BP and before taking classes I used to haunt the galleries of winners to see what it took to get an EP. It took me over a year and a half to get my first one, but I never gave up and I kept looking and along with the inspiration, slowly by surely, I picked up the knowledge and some of the skill sets to make my photography better and better. I still have a long way to go. The journey is fun and exciting. I was telling one of you just a week or so ago that a First place had eluded me so far and was wondering what it took to get there! And then my little garter snake came to the rescue! Again, all: thank you so much for your kind words. #8980579

Julianne Bradford 10/18/2010 9:43:11 AM

This has wonderful appeal and depth of field Debbie! I know what you mean about all the inspirational photographers here at BP. Exceptional people..every one. Congratulations on your Big win!! I got my first 2nd place gold at BP and I'm thrilled! #8980643

Debbie E. Payne 10/18/2010 10:08:51 AM

Julilanne - You have some beautiful images in your gallery and your LA Shapes is very appealing. Congratulations on your first GOLD! Thanks for stopping by to comment. I so appreciate everyone's words! #8980701

Jeana Clark 10/18/2010 4:10:40 PM

Holy Cow!!! LoL!!!
This is such an amazing capture Debbie!!!
What perfect timing for you!!!
Awesome everything and congrats on this very well deserved winner!!!

~J~ #8981419

Daniella Puente 10/18/2010 6:10:48 PM

Congrats Debbie, fabulous photo!!! #8981749

Anne McKinnell 10/18/2010 7:38:33 PM

Beautiful focus and DOF, congratulations on your winner! #8981940

Karen Celella 10/19/2010 3:08:41 AM

Huge congratulations on your amazing first place win, Debbie. It's a terrific story too! #8982325

Stanley C. Sims 10/19/2010 6:51:59 PM

Great story. You have more nerve than I have Debbie. Congrats on the gold. #8984463

Joan E. Hoffman 10/22/2010 8:03:37 PM

Huge Congrats Debbie! Wonderful image!

BTW.... waving at you from Lamar CO! Had a small breakdown and had to spend a couple of nights here. Headed for Amarillo tomorrow! #8990614

Debbie E. Payne 10/22/2010 8:49:04 PM

Thank you, Joan. And one of these days you'd best be making it into the Springs for a visit! #8990675

Laura E. Swan 12/14/2010 3:36:25 PM

ON YOUR OUTSTANDING WINNER DEBBIE! WOW!
This image is VERY Spooky! You Were BRAVE to take it! Looks like he was ready to strike.
Great Job!
-Laura :D #9103264

Debbie E. Payne 12/15/2010 8:45:32 AM

Laura - Thank you, so much for wandering through my gallery and finding some of my favorite images. I never thought this little guy would get me a first place - just a heart attack! As for brave, not at first but I even go looking for him in the garden now.

And to all the other folks who have commented since I have last been to this image. I appreciate your comments immensely. #9105579

Laura E. Swan 12/16/2010 11:51:00 PM

:) #9110423

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Description

Exif: F Number: 2.8, Exposure Bias Value: -0.33, ExposureTime: 1/800 seconds, Flash: did not fire, compulsory flash mode, ISO: 400, White balance: Auto white balance, FocalLength: 50.00 mm, Model: Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL XT

Uploaded on 8/14/2010 3:32:11 PM

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Camera: Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT (350D) Digital SLR Camera

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