Sights from the Beach

No particular order. Different cameras, different lenses and different photographers, but they are all in my favorites from our trip to the beach.

Sweet hubby took this one of the sea oats.

I think this one was by my mom or dad with their little Kodak. I just love those rich colors.

The "nice" camera with the "nice" lens. I can just feel the humidity again when I look at this.

Maybe a big kid's feet aren't as sweet as a newborns, but to a mom they're still precious.

Just love storm shots.

My fav of all. Snapped this really quick as we were unloading and Tropical Storm Claudette was headed our way for landfall. Just look at that water. Gorgeous.

If you've visited www.candisnaps.com, apologies for the duplication.

Not So Weekly Post

The beach just before a storm. Does it really matter which camera or settings you use?

Photowalk 2009

Check out www.candisnaps.com for a look at the shots that CBT and I took at Photowalk 2009 in Blue Ridge, GA.  We were part of a group of roughly 30,000 all over the world who took a walk and took pictures.

We had a blast.

What I've Been Up To

Yep.  I am pretty behind.  You can check out what I've been up to at www.norcrossamericanallstars.shutterfly.com and www.candisnaps.com.

Not sure I'll keep practicing here - there's enough practicing there.

Happy Picture Taking :)

Maybe when I said I would post something every week, I meant I would average weekly posts.  

I used to hate hydrangeas, but I have grown to love them.  There are so many different colors and variations.

This one came from our other house and it has bloomed for the first time this year (as have several others that we brought over).  It's truly summer time.

Took this with my 24-70 late in the afternoon...I think between 4 and 5.

Finally....something in Ps

I have been quite busy with CBT's baseball team.  Somehow I became the team photographer and have taken well over 1,000 photos with almost that many posted on a "team photo website."

Today I finally figured out how to do anything something in Photoshop.  It took me a long time, but I was determined to figure it out because I had seen it as part of an ad for the software.  I took the team photo today right before the tournament started.  Me Ra would cringe because it was about 11:30am and horribly bright.  You guessed it.  Out of the three shots I took (why did I just take three??), none had everyone with their eyes open.

After a very long time, I figured out how to layer two of the pictures of get everyone with their eyes open.  Unfortunately, not everyone had a least one "good" in one of the three, but I did get eyes (even if squinty.)

First shot - the two coaches on the right...closed eyes.

Next shot, virtually everyone else with their eyes closed.  But, those two coaches with their eyes open.

Go to Scott Kelby's Photoshop book, turn to page 295.  Tada...everyone's eyes are open.

Of course, if I had remembered his Digital Photography tip before I got back home I might not have to had to go through the 3 easy steps.  Oh, well.  Good learning experience.

It's Baseball

I have been so remiss.  Travel, crazy sports schedules and just being tired.  

Here's my favorite from the past couple of week of almost a thousand posted baseball pictures.  If you're really bored, you could check out the All Stars and All Stars Part II at www.norcrossamericanallstars.shutterfly.com.  Part III was more of a bust - I was tired of carrying around the 70-200 so I stuck with the 24-70.  Those distance shots just aren't as good.

Fast Fingers

I was taking a picture of the big group at the reunion and heard something like a very large bumble bee.  I looked around and saw two hummingbirds dive-bombing each other trying to protect the feeder.  Had camera in hand (only the 24-70, wished I had the 70-200).

Most were blurry - no suprise given how fast they move - but I did get one where one was still.  Wish it were more crisp, but I was happy to just to get it.

Tunnel Vision

Yes...it's been roughly a month since I've been here.  Travel, sickness, a wacky wireless home network, and more have all contributed to my absence.  

Admittedly, today's post is a little weak.  Another photographer told me about moving your lens, ie, zoom in or out, while you're taking a picture.  It is supposed to give you a sense of motion.

I tried it with my 24-70mm and got an interesting effect - I obviously need more practice, but it is kind of neat in its own way.

Unrelated note, Traci....can you send me what you told Molly about the focus not holding when you hold the shutter button halfway?  I have noticed that I am having the same issue.

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY, Y'ALL!!

CBT Pre-race

So....I've gotten a little behind on my once per week commitment.  I'll try to make up for it some with a bunch of pictures today.  Going to number then - curious in any comments.  These were pre-race yesterday between 10:30 and 11 am.  Used the 24-70mm L.  All the adjustment are in Lightroom.  I finally bought a book so I can figure out Photoshop.

#1  I applied Matt's Auto Adjustment (from Killer Lightroom tips) for portraits.   This is such a typical face for CBT.

#2  Used same preset.  It put a little more richness in the green of the grass and softened his face just a bit.

#3  Used Matt's Soft Focus Level I along with a slight exposure adjustment and some vignetting.

#4  Same soft focus preset as before.  He had definitely gone into "posing" mode.

#5  Christopher liked this one a lot.  "I've seen pictures like this before where the person isn't in the middle."  I think that was his way of saying it is slightly more artistic than mom usually is.  Used the Matt's Auto Adjustment again.

Maybe I can get back on track now - there are so many beautiful things around!

Easter Flowers

While we were out doing our Easter egg hunt, I tried to take a few other pictures.  I was contrasting taking flowers in sunlight versus shade.

These pink azaleas were awfully pretty.  I did find that I kept forgetting to adjust for the different light as I moved back and forth between shade and light. 

I definitely prefer the shade.  The color here is a little more washed out than the actual picture.  On this one, I kept going back forth on the aperture - between 2.8 and 3.5.  This one was with 2.8, ISO 200.

Tuscaloosa Flowers

I'm trying to take advantage of any opportunities I see.  I got these shots right after JST's race at Lake Lurleen outside Tuscaloosa.  This wisteria smelled wonderful.  I used one of Matt's presets (from Killer Lightroom Tips).

Love dogwoods.  The blooms are on trees so it was hard to get as close I wanted.  Using a 2.8 really blurred out the background so it didn't matter as much.

I find the underside just as compelling a flower as the topside.  When I have a more time, I'll crop them to see if they get any more interesting.

CBT#4 Revised

I liked Traci's idea so....

This is the original picture a.k.a. CBT #4.

Traci thought it would look good b&w.  She was right.  I just used the standard low contrast b&w preset in Lr.

While I was at it, I always tried the antique light.  I just love that you can totally change these pictures with just a click.  Thanks for the idea, my friend.

CBT#5

Last one.   Which one was your favorite?  Curious what you liked and didn't like.

CBT#4

Okay.  Only two more, then I want to hear which one you like the most. 

CBT#3

Next in the series.  Love this one because he said this one was to remind me of how as an infant and toddler he would hold his ears when he was falling asleep.  

Light source was the window.  Not sure I like the light from the side.  I know I see it done, but I'm not so sure.

CBT#2

Here's my next choice.

Looked pretty good on the small screen, but on the computer screen you can tell his eyes are perfectly in focus.  Still have lots of work to do.

As an aside,  loaded Photoshop tonight.  Boy, is that overwhelming.  I also just noticed the colors aren't quite the same here as they were in Ps.  Never noticed that before with Lightroom....hmm.  Maybe Gretchen will weigh in and let us know if she's ever heard of that before.

CBT#1

This next series won't be nearly as interesting to you all as it is practice for me.  I am trying to winnow down to a few shots out of a whole bunch I took of CBT.  He has a lot of different facial expressions and I was trying to capture a handful of his more common ones.  I used natural light and y 24-70mm lens.

I really like his eyes in this one.  I think I should set a limit - let's say 6 out of the roughly 100 I shot.  This will be a really good test.

More Flowers

More rain.  More flowers.  The first one of these snowdrops came out kind of funky.  It's almost as if they are superimposed on a backdrop.  Shot them with the 24-70mm.  No editing - right out of the camera.  Cool story about these - CBT and I counted 6 different yards these have migrated from, but that's for a different blog.

Trying to force myself to shoot asymmetrically so this is tougher than it should be.  I am black and white, in the box.  I shot these graph hyacinths all the way around - the full 360 degrees (and kneeling on the ground).  All kind of things kept getting in the way - our house in the background, a tree, a leaf, etc, etc.  This was so much easier when I didn't know much.

Still have daffodils blooms - know I've mentioned it before, but I love them, especially on cloudy days.  I am so glad Kelby talked about shooting on cloudy days.

Snow in Atlanta

This was a new challenge - shooting in snow.  I tried to stay sheltered, but I couldn't resist getting a few shots.

These two shots are a comparison of the same picture with slight editing of the bottom one.  I cropped the original just a bit because I ended up with a bit more driveway than I intended.  In Lightroom, I took down the exposure (ie, made it a bit darker) and increased the contrast.  I also adjusted the tint just a teeny tiny bit.  (A very technical term.)   The adjustments give him just a little more color.

I like this one because we just never see this much snow here.  Not sure it's really that great from a photography perspective, but it accomplished what I was looking for.  Thick snowfall.

Flowing Stream

This is the lovely flowing stream in my backyard.  Well, not really.  It's the easement that only has water when it rains.

Shot it the same cloudy day as the past few posts.  I did find with the water it mattered a lot where I was because the reflection matter a lot.

What Is It?

I'm not sure what it is exactly, but it was really soft and very cool looking.  I took it with my 24-70mm late in the afternoon on a cloudy day.  I thin it helped the slightly off white color stand out more.  No editing.

Berries in the Rain

Remember these from a few weeks ago?  This time they are rain-soaked.  Focal point is the few berries that are darker.  If I were doing it over, I would probably up the f/ stop a bit.  I do like the contrast of the red against the green.  

Spring Finally

Kelby talked about cloudy days being a good time to take pictures (just not in the rain).  Yesterday in the late afternoon as he had advised I had a quick window with just a tiny bit of drizzle.  I snapped a few quick ones (avoiding getting down on the ground, sorry Scott)  using my 24-70mm for these.  It is really turning into my default lens.

Happy Batman

Maybe the 50mm is better inside - maybe it doesn't like being cold, like me.

C'mon Spring

I am determined to love my 50mm as much as everyone else seems to.  Today I went out just knowing that my daffodils would be in bloom because everyone else's are.

Almost.  Both with the lens and the daffodils.  The autofocus just isn't what I dream of, but the depth of field is cool.  I'm going to keep making myself use it.

Just Plants

Nandina berries

Firepower Nandina.  Hopefully, next pics are blooming flowers.

Pansies

More playing with the nifty 50.  I find it difficult to get it to cooperate sometimes.  It just doesn't want to focus sometimes.  It doesn't matter whether the subject is close or far...

Nevertheless, I am happy these little pansy bloom their little hearts out through the winter.

Unfortunately, we do lose a few to the deer, who are getting awfully bold.

Still think a macro lens would be awfully neat.