Day 298- Going Green

This is one of those uninspired days. Thank goodness for Texture Tuesday and for Flickr topics- otherwise I would be even blanker than I am right now! One of the ODC topics this week is Going Green, so I took some photos of the green leaves in our yard and textured them with one layer of Kim Klassen’s cool grunge and another layer of peacock.

Day 296- It was intentional, seriously!

Yes, I intentionally took this photo OUT OF FOCUS!  It’s called Intentional Camera Movement (ICM)- probably invented by someone like me who struggles to get their photos IN focus! There are even Flickr groups devoted to photos taken this way- and some of the images are stunningly beautiful.  Anyway, I had so much fun trying it out- and had no clue what I was doing.  I ended up liking several and chose this one taken in my back yard (of course).

f/22, 1/6, ISO 160, 35mm

 

Day 294- Black and White

Grainy Black and White was today’s challenge- hmmmm…

I love black and white portraits- actually black and white images in general. My husband cooperated with me by looking away from his computer for a moment (he works from home), so that I could quickly snap a photo. He didn’t mind that I show his unshaven self to the world (how come men can get away with this and still look good?). I made some adjustments in Aperture 3 and then converted it to black and white in Photoshop. I struggled with the graininess part of the challenge, but did as much as I could to emphasize lines and shadows.

Day 292- White Pumpkins

White pumpkins! I don’t remember when I started seeing these in stores, but this year I bought three. The below is actually a macro shot; they are actually mini pumpkins.  I only took two photos and chose the second, so I really haven’t had my fill of white pumpkin photography yet.  Don’t be surprised if more white pumpkin images appear in the blog over the next week!

f/22, 1.3 sec., ISO 160, 85mm

I added two of Kim Klassen’s textures to this photo: tattered (2 layers) and just white.

Day 290- Colors

The colors in the web are what attracted me to this photo.  I was trying to quickly find some colored leaves this morning for a macro shot, but noticed the web. I added a texture because. . .well, the photo needed rescuing!  There were blown highlights I couldn’t recover- so I filled them in with texture.  I love Photoshop!

 

 

Day 288- Luck

A quick macro shot today- my lucky bamboo, which has been photographed for the blog before, but this time from the TOP!

I got the idea in response to the topic of luck for my Flickr group, Our Daily Challenge.  After yesterday’s YELLOWJACKET adventure (yes, I googled them- I was calmly standing in the midst of about 8-10 wasps!), I didn’t feel like venturing outside. Not going to push my LUCK!

f/4.5, 1/20, ISO 500, 85mm

Day 286- Just look!

Hadn’t done my photo yet, husband comes home wanting us to go to the gym, want to get a photo quickly, go outside, watch birds and squirrels, then come across THIS!

I know I’ve done webs and “fairies” before- but WOW- look at that bokeh! There was just ivy and a fence behind it, no water drops, no colored lights- no clue where all that bokeh came from.  It is amazing to me the things you see when you LOOK! And now- off to the gym! 🙂

Day 285- Leaves and Bokeh

Awhile ago, I joined a Flickr group called Bokeh Wednesday and haven’t participated. I like having a topic to fall back on for those days when my photography mind is blank (uh. . . that would be most days. . .).  A busy day is ahead of me, so I considered my options, grabbed my zoom lens, and went outside early this morning in search of BOKEH.

Of course, there has to be an interesting foreground subject as well- a little difficult in my backyard these days. After zooming in on boring green or bare branches for awhile,  I finally settled on the few colored leaves that are way up high in our oak tree.  And thank goodness there is a small degree of bokeh-ness in the photo as well- nothing to submit to the group, but the topic got me started today.

f/5.6, 1/100, ISO 320, 200mm

Day 284- Red!

I’m suffering from leaf envy right now looking at the beautiful fall foliage photos (there’s some alliteration for you. . .) on Flickr (more alliteration!- I’ve been teaching phonics to first graders today).  There are some colorful trees in our town, but nothing compared to the photos I’m seeing online.

I found some leaves at my school today (where I volunteer, now that I have retired) and use one as the subject of today’s photo. It’s Texture Tuesday with a RED theme, so I added a layer of Kim Klassen’s grunged texture. Check out Kim’s Cafe for some gorgeous texture work.