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.