Today’s Spotlight on the Patrons is on jnoriko, Jilly!
Where do you live, and what kind of photographic opportunities and/or challenges does that place present?
I live in the Sacramento, California. I’m lucky enough to live close to William Land Park which is also the location of the Sacramento Zoo, and a few beautiful gardens, like the WPA Rock Garden which I love to stroll in. I guess the challenge for me is being so far from my friends that I usually go out on my own to shoot. Most of my fellow photoheads reside in Chicago 
Choose one of your favorite photos from your stream and give us a little background about it.
Beware
My favorite is a private family shot took of my nephew’s little girl, but I still really love this one, it’s an opportunity that most likely won’t come around again. I was house sitting at my sister’s and found this huge Praying Mantis hanging in her yard. I was shocked that it let me hold it and didn’t fly off. I would take it off the bush while I was watering it so the little guy wouldn’t get soaked and the put it back after I was done. Because it was the middle of summer I usually waited until later in the day to do this task, and it just happened that there was a beautiful sky during the sunset. What else does one do during a beautiful evening sky but try and make a giant bug attack a house.
Where can you usually be found on Flickr?
P51 or Sacramento Photographers. PFO still holds a place in my heart. Sacramento Photographers is full of wonderful local talent, I even managed to join one of the meet ups.
Tell us about your rubber ducks. How did you get started shooting those?
Haha. I’ve always though rubber ducks were adorable. I found the light-up ducks at the grocery store and later I found a set of rainbow devil ducks that I just couldn’t resist. This led to my evil devil ducks vs. my niece’s laid back Hawaiian ducks shots. The whole concept of the devil ducks trying to take over the world, just kept going through my mind…hehe. When my niece gave me the mini devil ducks it all just fit … a new generation begins (okay so I’m not all there upstairs).
Tell us a little about something important to you in your daily life.
Murphy, plain and simple. My dog is my life. I think Criz can attest to that one! She’s joy, she’s frustration, she’s love, she’s barking, but most of all she’s my baby. I have a few diseases that set me back big time, and on my worst days, she’s always there to rest her head on my lap or the bed and comfort me. Which is why she’s so spoiled!
What is it about photography that is special for you?
At the lowest part of my illnesses (so far, keep your fingers crossed) I never thought I’d be able do function normally again. What started as a cheap hobby because I already had the camera, has become an expensive hobby that allows me to show people what I see. It helps me share a little of my life with others and in turn I get to see a little of theirs. It allows me to be creative, and let ideas in my mind come out, but most of all it allows me to be thankful for everyone and everything in my life. Thank you all!
Here are a few of the great photos in Jilly’s stream
