A 'lil HooHaa

Messing with the blogging world since 2005

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Photo Blogging Challenge (August 2014): Colorful

From people I have talked with, if this theme is any indication, we should have a pretty good turnout.

But before we worry about that.

Colorful is an interesting theme as it can be so many things. This month, my camera pooped out again (seriously), so I am mixing things a little bit here with my regular camera and iPhone.

I tried to give a variety of things… though there’s always a theme within a theme, it seems.

Anyway, I am truly looking forward to seeing what others came up with me and how they went with the theme. Until then, allow me to share my five for the month with the theme colorful.

And, as a reminder, we’re a fun little challenge community. So come back in a day or two and check everybody who linked up and drop a comment on each other’s posts… it makes it more fun. I’ll be making my rounds at the end of the weekend! Oh. and don’t forget to come back Sunday, Aug. 31 to see the theme for September!

1. Cameron

Like I wasn’t going to put one of these in here? I did a photo day with my nephew/Godson (and you can see more photos in a post I did about that by clicking here) all dressed up in Phillies garb. So I had to find one I hadn’t used… and here’s one of them.

One happy and colorful little guy!

One happy and colorful little guy!

2. Little League World Series

I went to the Little League World Series for the first time, earlier this month. It’s truly amazing how colorful it is, from the team uniforms, to the fans, to the fields and everything else. Here’s a view from where we watched one of the games.

 

Williamsport!

Williamsport!

3. Champions!

Our softball team won the league championship this year. It was a fun season and an interesting series, but we prevailed, which was awesome. A couple of days later, another team I played on (a few times) this year, won a league championship. Very cool stuff. Here’s the trophy and ball from the championship game from my main league.

photo 1 (5)

4. Sunflower 

I always love photos like this… so bright!

In bloom!

In bloom!

5. Ski lift

I am editing this after posting to make this my fifth… as I had forgotten about it. But this was an old ski lift in the middle of a city… saw it while finding a geocache nearby, of course.

Stopped.

Stopped.

That’s my five for the month. And, now it’s your turn.

If you took part this month, make sure you link up below. And for those who participated, make sure you try and get to other people’s blogs and comment and visit so we can continue to grow this challenge. Don’t forget, too, to come back tomorrow, Friday, August 1, and see the theme for August! NOTE: I also set up a Facebook group for those who participate in the challenge and are interested. I’ll post any announcements there and hopefully it can be a place where things are discussed and some interaction etc. You can access it here.

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog@gmail.com. Also, please “Like” HooHaa Blog on Facebook!

Photo Blogging Challenge: August 2014’s theme is…

august2014

Where has this summer gone?

It seems like yesterday I was posting the first challenge for this summer. And now we’re already into August? Oh my!

Before we get to this month … as of me writing this, it seems like the July theme didn’t go as I was hoping, which is a shame. Only a few people had popped in with their submissions. Hopefully more will before the link ends.  Alas, we move forward.

I’ve also decided to make sure I went a little more broad in themes. This one should lend itself to everybody and can be interpreted many different ways.

And maybe even get you outside to do it!

Enjoy the month and have fun. Don’t forget to come back at the end of the month to link up. If you haven’t join our Facebook group (link below) as I *try* to post updates and reminders.

The theme is below… I look forward to seeing what people come up with!

As a reminder of a few things, let me copy and paste this from last month:

  • I have an e-mail reminder list set up (which I haven’t used lately because nobody seemed to want it. I’d like to start it again, so please let me know if you want in on it). Basically, I’ll e-mail the group with about 10 days left in the month to remind you. When I remember, I’ll also shoot one out the day before the end of the month, as a reminder to post the following day. I can’t always guarantee that one though! If you are not on the list, let me know in the comments below that you would like to be on it. Note: I was bad on this … please join the Facebook group if you can. I update there more often!
  • Second, I set up a Facebook group for those who are interested. Reminders and maybe some discussions or other things can be done there.
  • If you haven’t already, attempt to check out everybody’s posts and consider commenting. These challenges are great for personal growth, but it’s also nice to be interactive with all the others in the challenge! That’s one of the best parts of this challenge — interacting and seeing other people’s work!

Before we hit up this month’s theme, for new people, allow me to refresh the rules a bit.

Here’s how it will work.

  • On the first of each month (or close to it), I’ll have a blog post here with the theme for the month.
  • Over the course of the month, participants will take photos with their interpretation of the theme. On the last day of the month (or close to it), participants should  publish their blog post, which will include five photos from the month. (please don’t recycle photos from the past … the idea is to hopefully challenge you to go out and take new photos each month to interpret the theme). And please only use photos you took.
  • I’ll have a link-up thing at the end of my post so people can come and post the links to their posts so, hopefully, everybody can go go check out and comment on other posts.

There is no rule on equipment or anything. Use a cell phone. Use film. Use a point-and-shoot. Use a DSLR. It doesn’t matter. Just make sure you publish your blog post on the last day of each month, come here and link up.

It’s simple!

Your blog posts can be as simple or as in-depth as you want. I’ll likely talk a little about each photo. But if all you want to do is post photos, feel free. The idea of this is to give a small challenge and give everybody a chance to express themselves with photography, participate in a challenge and have something to blog about.

That’s it. Easy, right? So join in! Help us continue to grow this challenge by telling fellow bloggers/photographers about the challenge and hopefully it can become a great monthly thing!

For those still with me, this month’s theme is: Colorful.

I’m looking forward to seeing what everyone comes up with here. There are so many ways to do this and I think there will be some great stuff. I can’t wait to see.

Please make sure your blog post publishes Friday, August 29 (a little earlier this month!)

If you think you are going to take part in this, drop a comment below so we can see who all might be trying to tackle this challenge!

History of the challenge (past month’s themes – links to see everybody else’s posts are at the end of the linked post):

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog@gmail.com. Also, please “Like” HooHaa Blog on Facebook!

Photo Blogging Challenge (July 2014): Baseball

Baseball has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember.

It’s always been my favorite sport. Whether it be learning at a young age how to play, or through high school and such as a player, it’s always been something I’ve loved. I’ve kept at it – sort of—as I still play softball. Yes, I realize it is two different things – but the idea of the game is the same.

When I put this month’s photo challenge theme out, I knew I could capture baseball. But what best way to do it? My goal is to show how baseball has been an important part of my life, from growing up to current age.

I also look forward to seeing what everybody else has come up with as I know it would be a tough theme for some. But the beauty of this challenge is to interpret and find a way to conquer a subject and make it your own.

Without further ado, here’s my five for this month.

1. Childhood

I know a lot of people will talk about Little League – and I enjoyed our youth baseball program – but when I think of childhood and baseball, I think different. We weren’t a true Little League, so we had teams and just played. But I think of our pickup games. We had one place we played often (behind a neighborhood church) and others where we went. We’d use baseballs until the laces fell off. If we didn’t have a ball, we’d play Wiffle ball. And, of course we’d trade baseball cards and such. I played Legion ball when I got a tad older, too, but the “sandlot games” were always the best.

My childhood was filled with a lot of baseball things.

My childhood was filled with a lot of baseball things.

2. Pete Rose

Yes, I know he is banned from baseball. Yes, I know he’s not necessarily the cleanest person in the game. But growing up, Pete Rose was my favorite player. No matter his later life and what he did managing, he played the game the right way. Always. He played hard and he played to win. And he helped the Phillies win the World Series. He’s the only person I waited in a line to get an autograph from and I still love having this ball as it was one I watched him sign.

My childhood idol.

My childhood idol.

3. Beat Writer

When I was hired at the one daily where I worked, I was informed that if I got the job, one of my primary beats would be covering baseball, which included the local minor league team and many things at the National Baseball Hall of Fame. I was told this as though it was a punishment (apparently, writers in the past didn’t like the baseball beat), but I looked at it as a bonus. I was going to get paid to cover baseball? Score.

Some of the things from my time as a baseball writer.

Some of the things from my time as a baseball writer.

4. Dreams Park

In 1996, a small baseball camp (playing, not teaching) opened near Cooperstown. Fast-forward to the summer of 2013 and there’s more than 20 fields and more than 100 teams every week for 13 weeks straight. It’s a total machine and there is so much there. Last summer, as I needed work, I had the chance to work there as a photographer and I truly enjoyed it. I got some great shots, met some awesome people and really enjoyed my time there. I had debated going back this year on weekends, but with the new job and all, I’ve learned to cherish my weekends. Still, I’ll remember my time here fondly and have made some friends I’ll keep well beyond that one summer.

A great summer.

A great summer.

5. Summer of Baseball

This has been a Summer of Baseball for me. My goal was to hit 10 baseball parks and do whatever else I could baseball related. As of this writing, I’m at nine parks and plan on hitting several more. I always travel with my scorebook and a couple of other things so I can tell who we might be seeing on the field, especially at the minor league level. It’s been a lot of fun to do this during the summer and has really made me love the game that much more.

A lot of the items I'll take with me when going to a game.

A lot of the items I’ll take with me when going to a game.

That’s my five for the month. And, now it’s your turn.

If you took part this month, make sure you link up below. And for those who participated, make sure you try and get to other people’s blogs and comment and visit so we can continue to grow this challenge. Don’t forget, too, to come back tomorrow, Friday, August 1, and see the theme for August! NOTE: I also set up a Facebook group for those who participate in the challenge and are interested. I’ll post any announcements there and hopefully it can be a place where things are discussed and some interaction etc. You can access it here.

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog@gmail.com. Also, please “Like” HooHaa Blog on Facebook!

Photo Blogging Challenge: July 2014’s theme is…

july2014

When coming up with this month’s theme, I realized some people might shy away thinking it’s too specific — but it’s not. Though a direct theme, I think this is where we get to see what people can come up with. I hope this doesn’t scare people away, rather challenge you a bit more to think inside — and outside — the box. That is, after all, what challenges are for.

We have a great group who participates on here and I hope this challenges you some. If it works out well, I have some other ideas for specific … yet broad … topics to hopefully use in the future.

I’d also really love to see us grow a little. So tell your blogging pals and all. You don’t need top-of-the-line photo equipment to participate. You just need something to take photos and the ability to blog about it. Let’s keep growing and challenging ourselves!

The theme is below… I look forward to seeing what people come up with!

As a reminder of a few things, let me copy and paste this from last month:

  • I have an e-mail reminder list set up (which I haven’t used lately because nobody seemed to want it. I’d like to start it again, so please let me know if you want in on it). Basically, I’ll e-mail the group with about 10 days left in the month to remind you. When I remember, I’ll also shoot one out the day before the end of the month, as a reminder to post the following day. I can’t always guarantee that one though! If you are not on the list, let me know in the comments below that you would like to be on it. Note: I was bad on this … please join the Facebook group if you can. I update there more often!
  • Second, I set up a Facebook group for those who are interested. Reminders and maybe some discussions or other things can be done there.
  • If you haven’t already, attempt to check out everybody’s posts and consider commenting. These challenges are great for personal growth, but it’s also nice to be interactive with all the others in the challenge! That’s one of the best parts of this challenge — interacting and seeing other people’s work!

Before we hit up this month’s theme, for new people, allow me to refresh the rules a bit.

Here’s how it will work.

  • On the first of each month (or close to it), I’ll have a blog post here with the theme for the month.
  • Over the course of the month, participants will take photos with their interpretation of the theme. On the last day of the month (or close to it), participants should  publish their blog post, which will include five photos from the month. (please don’t recycle photos from the past … the idea is to hopefully challenge you to go out and take new photos each month to interpret the theme). And please only use photos you took.
  • I’ll have a link-up thing at the end of my post so people can come and post the links to their posts so, hopefully, everybody can go go check out and comment on other posts.

There is no rule on equipment or anything. Use a cell phone. Use film. Use a point-and-shoot. Use a DSLR. It doesn’t matter. Just make sure you publish your blog post on the last day of each month, come here and link up.

It’s simple!

Your blog posts can be as simple or as in-depth as you want. I’ll likely talk a little about each photo. But if all you want to do is post photos, feel free. The idea of this is to give a small challenge and give everybody a chance to express themselves with photography, participate in a challenge and have something to blog about.

That’s it. Easy, right? So join in! Help us continue to grow this challenge by telling fellow bloggers/photographers about the challenge and hopefully it can become a great monthly thing!

For those still with me, this month’s theme is: Baseball.

I’m looking forward to seeing what everyone comes up with here. There are so many ways to do this and I think there will be some great stuff. I can’t wait to see.

Please make sure your blog post publishes Thursday, July 31. 

If you think you are going to take part in this, drop a comment below so we can see who all might be trying to tackle this challenge!

History of the challenge (past month’s themes – links to see everybody else’s posts are at the end of the linked post):

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog@gmail.com. Also, please “Like” HooHaa Blog on Facebook!

Photo Blogging Challenge (June 2014): Vehicles

When this theme was first announced, I wasn’t sure how I wanted to go about it. As the month went on, I had a couple of shots with my phone, but nothing really stood out. Then the idea came to me.

With having a new car since late December, I thought maybe I could do five shots with the car. Alas, I wasn’t feeling it — at least how I envisioned it. So I put it off until the last day, figuring I’d be able to force myself into something. Then a better option came along.

A friend stopped by today and he had a new car — so new it had fewer than 200 miles on it. Even better, it’s a car I’ve not had a lot of experience with (it’s a Mini Cooper), so it became the perfect subject, at least for me, for this month.

Below are my five shots, looking at this new car in different views.

For the record, this is a pretty nice car. They are surprisingly roomy inside (though I can’t imagine having four people in there) with ample legroom and it’s comfortable. The six-speed manual transmission is really nice and all the bells and whistles are quite cool. Even better is that it’s an affordable car. I’m not sure I could see myself in this car, per say, but it’s definitely nice.

Anyway, without further ado, here are my five for the month. The link for the challenge is below! Try to visit and comment on everybody else’s so we can see what everybody did!

1. New ride

Darren with his new baby — a Mini Cooper.

New ride.

New ride.

2. Parked

With the landscape of our local area in the background, it’s quite the nice little car. Roomy and pretty nice to look at.

Parked.

Parked.

3. Reflection

The backside of the mirror of the car provided a way to have a form of a portrait.

5

4. Six-speed

I am a fan of manual transmission myself, so it’s always nice to see when others like it as well. The shifter in the Mini is pretty nice.

Shifting.

Shifting.

5. Driving

The steering wheel is nice and compact, which is always good in small cars like this!

Steering.

Steering.

And that’s my five for the month.

If you took part this month, make sure you link up below. And for those who participated, make sure you try and get to other people’s blogs and comment and visit so we can continue to grow this challenge. Don’t forget, too, to come back tomorrow, Tuesday, July 1, and see the theme for May! NOTE: I also set up a Facebook group for those who participate in the challenge and are interested. I’ll post any announcements there and hopefully it can be a place where things are discussed and some interaction etc. You can access it here.

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog@gmail.com. Also, please “Like” HooHaa Blog on Facebook!