Day 210- Just walking around

I try to get out with my camera at least once a week and walk around town- some weeks are better than others. I am getting over my self-consciousness about lugging this big camera around- most of the time- but do get funny looks from strangers sometimes as I squat down to take a photo of a flower or a fencepost.

Today I set out specifically to take fence photos. There are several Flickr groups devoted solely to fence photography, and I am always drawn to those photos. In fact, there is a phenomenon known as Fence Friday (fence photos submitted, if not taken, on Fridays).  So I thought I would take a few fence photos and submit one.

My fence photos are okay, but here I am again with a flower closeup! I just really like the flower against the brick wall. The fence and flowers in this garden were spectacular, but this image is just the one. . .

f/8, 1/125, ISO 800, 200mm

Melinda2 Comments

Day 209- Macro Mirror

It’s a ” OMG, it’s 4:00 and I need to take a photo” kind of day.

I actually photographed the details on this mirror a couple times earlier in this project- and didn’t use any of the photos (at least I hope I didn’t. . .).  Seven months in, I realize that I know a little more than I did back then- AND I have a macro lens. SO I am glad I waited.

f/10, 1/100, ISO 400, 85mm

I didn’t use my Texture Tuesday image in my blog this week (ran out of time), but you can see it on Flickr. It’s the textured roses.

Melinda2 Comments

Day 207- Water Lilies

A visit to the Ruth Bancroft Cactus Garden today provided me with a zillion photo ops.  I posted many of my favorite cactus photos to Flickr so that my grandson (a big fan of cacti) could see them. I like the abstract quality of some of the cactus images, but I am much more a fan of lily pads than cactus. My favorite photo today was of the lily pond in a shady nook of the garden.

f/5.6, 1/640, ISO 400, 200mm

Melinda4 Comments

Day 206- Soft Pink

Macro Monday again!

Today’s photo was taken using my tripod- and a display board (given to me by my photoblogging friend, Carol) with white paper on it as a backdrop.  I felt like I was impersonating a professional photographer!

f/7.1, 1/160, ISO 3200, 85mm

Even in front of a window, I couldn’t get enough light at the aperture setting I used for my desired depth of field without using a high ISO. Eventually I realized that I could lower my shutter speed (hello- tripod!), so later photos were taken at a lower ISO.  But this ended up being my favorite.

Melinda2 Comments

Day 205- Looking down

Waiting outside at Broadway Plaza today while my husband picked up some Art of Shaving items, I searched for something to photograph.  We were there in the heat of the afternoon, so my eye was drawn to the cool water of a nearby fountain.  I took several shots and liked this one which shows the patterned base contrasting with the dark water.

f/9, 1/400, ISO 500, 44mm

Melinda2 Comments

Day 203- Diagonal

Yesterday I took 171 photos; today I took 3. It’s called balance. . .

Since I’m still editing (and deleting many of) my Carmel photos, I haven’t been too inspired today- so here are some early morning shadows on my deck. I think they make an interesting composition.

 

 

 

Melinda1 Comment

Day 202- Garden Gate

Carmel! My husband had to go to Carmel for an appointment this afternoon, so I tagged along to take photos (171. . .).  Carmel is beautiful and picturesque to say the least!  I have dozens of shots of beautiful flowers, windows, and walkways, but the image that seemed the strongest to me today was this simple closeup of the top of a garden gate.  I can’t really defend this choice other than- I just like it!

Melinda2 Comments

Day 201 Dragonfly

My friend and photography buddy, Carol, came to town today for lunch and a photo shoot. We decided to go to the park to try and see the bald eagle and ospreys, but didn’t take into account the ninety plus degree temperatures.  After walking the mile or so to the lake, we discovered the raptors were smarter than we were and were sheltering themselves from the heat.  We did find a sweet robin and her babies to photograph, as well as this dragonfly (which seemed to be the only thing flying around today).

f/13, 1/400, ISO 640, 300 mm

Melinda3 Comments

Day 200- Desaturated

It is Texture Tuesday again!  I knew I wanted to do flowers again- but our flowers are fading fast, and I didn’t have the time or inclination to go out looking today.  I ended up shooting our much photographed Gerbera Daisy and desaturating it in Aperture.  I was going for a faded yellow tone, but ended up desaturating it more in Photoshop, because I didn’t like the green background. Eventually I went for a sepia processing before I added my textures. The assignment today was to use Kim’s aurora texture (the one with the script), and I also added golden and february magic edges.

Melinda4 Comments

Day 198- Osprey

When we were at Yellowstone, one of my photography goals was to photograph a bald eagle.  I have a very tiny image of one I took last year with my kit lens, so this year I took my longest lens hoping for a good shot- but no luck.  I found out recently that a bald eagle has been spotted hanging out at a small lake a mile or two from us, so today we took a walk, hoping to see him.

Almost immediately we saw a red-tailed hawk circling a field- and then three osprey, as we neared the lake. A fellow photographer (a Canon shooter) pointed out the tree where he had seen the bald eagle earlier in the day- and said he had photographed the eagle trying unsuccessfully to steal a fish away from one of the osprey.

Long story short- no bald eagle was seen- which calls for a return trip!  I did get many shots of the osprey flying overhead.

f/7.1, 1/800, ISO 200, 300mm

Melinda4 Comments

Day 197- Community Garden

We were out and about early today- heading over to Starbucks after saying good-bye to Matt.  A drive by the Community Garden yielded this shot of a basket of petunias in among the veggies.

f/4.5, 1/125, ISO 640, 170mm

Melinda1 Comment

Day 196- Cute!

I’m deep into a novel, so sat outside reading this morning with my coffee- and, of course, my camera.  I was rewarded by the presence of this cute little guy, who sat on the retaining wall for the longest time- beak open, as if wishing mama would come back with a worm for him.

f/5.6, 1/1000, ISO 640, 300mm

Melinda3 Comments