Mad for Mahjong!

Yes, this was my moment in the spotlight … my 15 minutes of fame, remember??? My big second place in the numbers challenge??? I STILL love this one!!!! Glad you do too!!!!

Hi sweetie!! Glad you like this one … this was my first serious encounter with apertures and tripods and manipulating light. It’s also one of my personal favs!! Thanks, hon!!!!

Hi Wendy!!! I was addicted to online Mahjong Solitaire a few years back and when I saw this set in a local antique store I was thrilled to pieces. What a laughable horror to discover the real game is nothing like the online version … and no one to teach me or to play with!!! I probably got my money’s worth with the photographing of it, but I still have dreams of long afternoons with The Joy Luck Club!!

Red … thanks so much for finding and enjoying Mahjong!! This is one of my favorites!!!

thank you … you have no idea the number of shots I took before I got to this particular composition!!! Lotza throw-aways!!!

Thanks Renee!!! I thought it was worth trotting out again and seeing if anyone saluted. I think I’ve just mixed my metaphors there, but you get the drift!!!

Thanks so much Brendan!!! This one was my big 15 mintues of fame at Webshots … came in second place in the numbers challenge a few months back … it’s still one of my favorites!!!

Hi Caroline!!! This is one of my all time favs!! My first experiment with aperture settings … and serious use of the dreaded, evil tripod!! Glad you like it!!!

thanks so much, Hena!!! This was an early attempt at tight aperture … was so much fun to do!!!

thank you … this one is the product of days of backaches over the tripod and playing with lighting!! So glad you enjoyed the finished product!!!

Thanks Kimberly … yes, and if only I could find someone to teach it to me!!! I imagine it’s pretty complicated. When I found the set in an antique store I was so thrilled!!! The pieces are all made of bone and bamboo … and are so wonderfully soft to the touch!!! thanks again for your note!!

thank you sooo much … this is probably my favorite shot!!

thanks, Phil … this is on of my favorites … now if only I could find someone to play the game with me!!!!

Yes, I’m with you!!! If I were to take up another hobby I think my house would fall down around my ears!!!!!

Hello dear Andrei!! Did you see that I mentioned you above there?? You were a very big part of this particular image!!! Thanks for your note, here, and for your inspiration and help all along the way!!!

Hi Carol!!! Thanks so much for your kind note!!!! I’m so glad you like this one!!

Thank you, thank you sweetie!! This one means soooo much to me!!!! I AM enjoying!!!! YOU BETCHA!!! lol!!!! Hugzzzzz!!!

Thank you so much for your lovely compliment!!!! So glad you like this one … it’s a favorite of mine!!!!!!

Hi Lenka!!!! yes, I was quite addicted to the online solitaire version … big fun … found the above game in an antique store and HAD to have it. Now if only I could find someone to teach me the real game!!!!

Ooooooh Blair … no way you can see and comment on everyone’s images!!! you’ll drive yourself crazy!!!! I don’t do that … and you see how completely sane and sensible I am????? _{nudge nudge wink wink} Thanks for your sweet note … I sooo appreciate it!!!!! hugzzzz

Hugz back atcha … thank you so much, hon!!! Sooo glad you like this one!! It is a favorite!!!!

thank you so much!! I just found your wonderful group and can’t wait to do some more shots of some of our “collections” here!! I’ve really found that specific groups geared to specific kinds of images are VERY inspiring!!!! Thank you again!!!

... I’m laughing!!! That’s what I need … another addiction!!!! But you’re right … I should look up the rules at the very least!!! Have a passing knowledge of the game!!!! Excellent advice!!! And so glad you like the shot .. it’s one of my favorites!!

thank you, Shaddy!!! What a lovely, lovely compliment!!!! It’s eclectic all right!! I can’t seem to make up my mind what I like to shoot best!!!

What a lovely, fun evening you and your friends must have!!! I think my love affair with mahjong started with Amy Tan’s Joy Luck Club ... one of my favorite authors. Then I found mahjong solitaire online and lost countless hours messing with that. To upgrade myself to playing the real game with real human beings would be such a treat!!! ... sigh … maybe one of these days!!!! So glad you like the butterfly shots, too … they were my playmates every morning and evening all summer long!!!

Thank you, sweetie!!! I’ll probably start getting back into still life shots as winter descends!!!

Thanks so much, Denis!! This is probably my proudest image!!! I’m always so thrilled when someone picks it out and leaves a nice note!!!! Thank you again!!! You’ve made my evening!!!

Richie … thank you, thank you!! I’m completely honored that you found this particular shot and liked it!!! Love your comment … you know, you’re right about the fan shape … totally unconscious on my part … but how right you are!!!

Hi Jenny!!! Thank you so so much for your lovely note!! You know, isn’t that one of the greatest things about our photography … when it brings up a memory for the viewer!!! So cool!!! I have to tell you that mahjong … the online version … got me through a very, very difficult time in my life. When I saw this set in a local antique store, I couldn’t resist it. I only wish I could find some friends who know the game and could teach me, lol!!! Thank you again for your lovely note!!!! I so appreciate it!!!!!

Hi Rosina!!!! Thank you so much for your lovely note .. so glad you like this one!!!

Hi Diana!!! Thank you so much!!!! WHEEE!!! Pretty exciting stuff!!!

Hi Robert!!!! Thank you so much!!!! I’m sooo thrilled and honored!!!

thank you soooo much!!!!! You can’t know how excited I am!!!! YAY!!!!!

Hi Alixzandra!!! Thank you so very much!!! I’m so glad you liked it!!

Hiiii Karen!!!! WHEEEEE!!!! SooooOoooo exciting, lol!!!!

Hi Jenny!!!! Thank you, thank you soooo much!!!! I’m grabbing my red shoes and doing the Happy Dance, lol!!!!!

WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!

Hiiiiii Clark!!!!! Thank you … thank you so much!!!! Mahjong is addicting??? Oh … uhoh … no … no … if I get hooked on something else, my poor hubby will clobber me!!! Thanks again for your note on this shot, Clark … in all seriousness, I think still life images are my favorites. I love thinking up the concept, then playing with the compositions. And there’s just so much more control than there is with butterflies … even landscapes. I really do want to do more. Have a few great concepts in my head that I want to put into play before long. Your kind comment here has motivated me!!!!!

thanks sooo much!!

Ahhh … thank you, sweetie!!! Isn’t it amazing how much better everything looks over here!!!!

Hi Irish!!! Thank you very much!!

Oh, Vicki, thank you so much!!! I’m so glad you like this one .. it’s one of my favorites!!!

LOL!!! Anna, you darling!!!! Thank you so very much!!!!!

thanks, sweetie!!! I really want to get back to doing more still-life shots!! I love them!!!!!!

Thank you, Paul!!! It’s a great honor!!

Patricia … thank you so much!! This is one of my favorite shots … so glad you like it too!!!!!

hi Rod … thank you so much for your wonderful critique and your wonderful congratz!!!!!

thank you, dear Larry!!!

thank you, Simon … I had so much fun playing with this one!!

Thank you Taylor!!! The lighting part was so much fun to invent!!!

Thank you so, so much!!!

... Yani, i don’t know how either!!!! But it looks like a lot of fun!!!

Hiiii dear Dave!!! Thank you so much!!! I love still-life shots … have to do a few again soon … they’re such a fun challenge!!!! Glad you liked this one … it was one of the first shots I took VERY seriously … and it means the world to me when others like it too!!!!! Hugzzz!!!

Thank you so so much!!!! What a lovely comment … you’ve got me blushing!!!!

Hi Barb!!!! Thank you so much!!!!!

Thanks so much, Joanne!!! I wish I could say that I went into this shoot knowing how I was going to arrange the pieces, but i cannot tell a lie. I must have taken a kazillion shots … with all different kinds of arrangements … before I finally started nailing it down to what you see here. God bless trial and error, lol!!!!!

Awww!!! Thanks, sweetie!!!!

thank you, Lynda!!!!! I’m so happy you like it!!

Thanks hon … I started out playing mahjong solitaire on Yahoo … but the real life game is a lot different I think!!! I can’t play it either, lol!!

thank you!!! yes, I was addicted to the online solitaire at yahoo and a couple of other sites, too!!!

Thanks so much, Bruce!!!

Thanks, Bruce!!! That’s the highest compliment … that you came back .. and .. that you found something else you liked!!!! COOL!! lol

Ahhhhhh Billy!!!!!! To say you have me blushing is a serious understatement!!!! How I wish I could sit here with a smug smile on my face, nodding sagely and writing back to you “Billy .. you understand me … you understood all my motives for the colors, the light, the shadows and the composition in this piece!!!!!” But … oh … much as I’d love to, I cannot tell a lie!!!! This image is the culmination of about 3 days of shoots … arranging and shooting … rearranging … and shooting. I nearly gave up twice … nothing worked!!!!! Nothing looked right!!! This image is … truly .. the very last snap I took!!!!! (My back hurts just thinking about it!!!) But HOW I love reading your interpretation!!!!!! As to the numbers on the dice … well, actually they DO have a significance!!! How perceptive of you to wonder!!!!! Billy, thanks so much … you’ve made my day!!!!

Oh, Marjie!!!!!!! You have MADE my DAY!!! Thank you, sweetie, from the bottom of my heart .. this is one of my favorites and knowing you like it makes it all the more special!!!!!! A Feature in your wonderful group .. oooo … what a GREAT way to start my day!!!!! Thank you again and HUGZZZZZ!!!

thank you very much, John!

Hi Scott!!! Thank you!!

Hi Lynda!!!!! Oh, thank you, thank you!!!! Yes, it certainly has done well for me … honestly, all that time crouched over the tripod working on this shot has paid off I guess!!! YAY!!!

Hi Jonathan!!!!! Thank you so much for your great note!!!! I truly appreciate it!!!!!

thanks, Mary!!!!!! This one was a real learning experience!!!

Thank you so much!!!!!!

Laughing here … love the “off the rails” description!!!! Just LOVE it!!!! And I love that you liked this particular shot!!!!! Thank you sweetie!!!!!!!

Hi Glenna!!!! Thank you sooo much!!! Yes, I was completely addicted to the online solitaire of this … and I honestly think it saved my sanity during a very dark time in my life … so I have a very special place in my heart for mahjong!!! Now, if only I could get someone to teach me how to play the real game!!! LOL!!! Thanks again for visiting!!!!!

thank you very much!!!!

Hi Wayne!!!! Thank you, thank you so much!!

Jeff … thank you so very much!! This is probably my favorite piece … so I’m always so happy when others discover and enjoy it!!!! Thank you again!!

Oh, honey, there’s NO comparison between your work and mine … I’m still pretty far down on the old learning curve … but bless you for saying there might be. Still floundering around, trying new things and enjoying them all!!! I’m really glad you found this one, though … it took me days to get the composition to this stage … and pages of hopeless attempts … but what fun!!! Thank you … you’ve made my day with your visit and kind note!!!!!!

... I’m laughing out loud, here!!! Wow .. how old were you when you learned to play?? Honestly, until I read Amy Tan’s Joy Luck Club I thought mahjong was some kind of candy!! Then i discovered the online solitaire and went crazy!!! I’ve tried to learn the real game … there was an online tutorial … but … wow … complicated … and no one to play with. And yes, I’ve heard it’s like gin rummy. What fun to play with real humans!!! The set itself is glorious. Soooo smooth to the touch you just know whoever had it before me loved it and played it a lot. Thanks so much for visiting and for your note!!! I appreciate it!!!

Thank you, sweetie!!!! What a lovely thing to say!!!!!

Hi Etienne!!!! Thank you so much!!!! This is one of my favorites … always so happy when someone else enjoys it too!!!

Hi Clare .. thank you very much … what a lovely thing to say!!!!! I really appreciate your comment and visit!!

Hi Rosemary!!!!! Thank you SO much!!!!! What an incredible honor!!! I had no idea … very kind of you to come and let me know!!! WHEEEEEEE!!! Must go find my red dancing shoes!!!

thank you, thank you Sandra!!!!! WHEEEEEE!!!! Yes, I’m dancing … you getcha!!!!!! Sooo thrilled with the win … and with your kind visit and comment!!!!! Thank you again!!!! Hugzzz!!!!

Hi sweetie!!!! Thank you sooooo much!!!!! Pretty exciting stuff!!!! WHEEE!!

Hi Donna!!!!! Thank you soooooo much!!!!!!!! A great honor … there were so many fantastic images submitted!!!!!

Hi Milos!!!! Thank you!!!!! I only wish I knew how to play the real game, lol!!!!!

Thank you, Henk .. this is one of my faves!! So glad you liked it too!!

OOO Megs!!! Lucky you!!! You not only know how to play, but have people to play with!!! LOL!!! Thanks so much for stopping by!!

Thank you sooo much!!!!!!! This is one of my faves … so glad you enjoyed it too!!!

Trena!!!! Sweetheart!!!!! OOO Thank you thank you thank you!!!!!! I’m so thrilled!!!!!! Happy hugzzz!!!!!!

thank you so much for your wonderful visit and kind note!!!! I truly appreciate it!!!

Hi Steven!!! Thank you so much!!!! i have to laugh … yes … I kind of like color … lol … take a look at the rest of my portfolio!!!!!!