They liked me, they really liked me! Schmap included my photo!

A while back, I received an email to my Flickr account saying the sender had come across a photo I'd taken at the Philadelphia Zoo and that they'd short-listed it for inclusion on their site. As if that wasn't fun enough, I got another email shortly after stating they'd actually chosen to include it! Hey, it's only 150 pixels, but it's still exciting, no?

Check it out here:

http://www.schmap.com/philadelphia/sights_zoos/#p=53317&i=53317_160.jpg

Fall leaves and a new lens!

Ah, well. I have a new toy to play with! And I must say so far, it's love at first shot. I was lucky and fortunate enough to receive the Tamron 28 - 75mm lens I've been looking at as a gift for my birthday. I can get a 2.8 aperture on this baby and that makes for some nice blurred backgrounds. I'm practicing, but here are two from this week I really like:

It does take some getting used to. The focus is a bit slower than I'm used to, and it is a tiny bit noisier than my Canon lens, but...wow. I really think my shots are more vibrant, more sharp and I really couldn't be happier with this lens!

The colors of Fall!

Fall is finally here and to celebrate, we made a trip to the orchard and pumpkin patch this weekend. This is by far my favorite season. The colors are warm and bright, and the air is crisp! My favorite Fall things follow:

Crisp, tart apples, right from the tree, what could be better? The orchard was challenging with the bright sunlight and shade mix. I like how the light falls on the apple here and the shadows from the leaves:

Exploring the pumpkin patch for the perfect round pumpkin! So many to choose from! I loved experimenting with the camera in this light. The sun was winding down for the day and I really think it gave a golden, warm effect here:

The orchard had bins and bins and bins of Fall gourds to choose from! The mix of colors was so eye catching:

And my favorite...Indian corn. I remember my mother decorating our front door and porch with these when I was a child, so these definitely say "Fall" to me. I am really happy with this one!

Lines are an important element in photography, and I've been working on capturing some!

My new obsession...the lines. The horizon, the lines on a bench or forest. The lines in a photograph can make it or break it. I shot a few focusing on the lines in mind lately, and thought I'd share.

The fence, the boardwalk and the bench. The lines of the fence set off the bench well, I think.

The cracks in the sidewalk! Love the look of this in black and white, and the grass coming up between the crack:

I had the honor of photographing a building dedication recently and could not resist this. The Fireman's prayer is proudly displayed on the bricks, and the flag in the background just finishes the statement to me.

Yummy cupcakes!

We are all about M-I-C-K-E-Y around here lately. After our trip to Walt Disney World this summer, my kiddo has become the mouse's biggest fan. It was only natural we'd do a Mickey-themed birthday this year. Of course, you cannot have a birthday without taking cupcakes to school, so last night I set about creating (and photographing) some!

It was late, and my only light source was the overhead light in our dining room. I compensated by choosing a wide aperture and a high ISO (1600) I wanted to capture the contrast between the vanilla and chocolate, as well as the details of the sprinkles. I really like how the green Mickey ring in the front of the photograph stands out, and my eye catches the reflection on the bottom of the aluminum pan. I'm pretty happy with this one!

Decisions, Decisions

Okay, so I have a birthday coming up and I’ve been asked to provide a few ideas, so I’ve been shopping for lenses. I’m currently using my kit lens most of the time, but also mix it up with the Canon 70 – 300mm when the need arises. I’m pretty happy with the results I’ve had from both, although the 300mm can be a tiny bit soft at full extension, and is kind of tricky to keep steady. Hey, I’m still fairly new at this, so I’m thinking I’d like a few more toys to play with. The question is, what do I want out of my lens?

I did some reading and research and I’ve narrowed it down to two.

First, the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Lens. You can find this online for $90. That’s not a typo. $90! This lens is all about the aperture. Reviews and photographers I’ve spoken to all say this lens is tack-sharp -even wide open- and that the bokehs it can produce are remarkable. Canon also offers an f/1.4 version for more than three times the price of this one, so I’m thinking this may be a good point for me to start with the option to upgrade later. Downside? It’s a prime lens. No zooming into a subject. I don’t think this is a deal breaker, but I’m having trouble visualizing myself without a zoom.

Second, the Tamron AF 28-75mm f/2.8 SP XR ZL Di LD Aspherical (IF) lens. A little pricier than the 50mm. Okay, a lot pricier. $370 ish, depending on where you look. More research and reading. Lots. Most reviews hail this as a great everyday lens, sharper in the corners and center than its Canon competitor. It’s got the versatility of a small zoom and covers most of the range my kit lens does. Not quite as wide, but it is slightly longer and I do tend to want to pull in for most shots. Most photographers say it’s great in low light. Cons? Well, no USM, so it’s a bit noisier. In addition, those with great love for the Canon lenses say this one feels a tiny bit cheap.

Well. I’ve written myself into a quandary. Both of these lenses sound great. Both could be great everyday lenses – just in very different ways.

End of summer sunset

When out to dinner one night this week, I could not help but stare at this boat through most of the meal. It was such an obsession that I kept peeking out at it in the hopes it would not decide to depart before our meal was through. It was lucky for me that I happened to have my camera and the light was just perfect. I'm really pleased with this one:



Well, we see how the sunset worked its magic on the subject above, but I think it was even more stunning looking directly into it. I love the capture of the reflection on the water. I finally understand the difficulties of shooting into the sun now! I'm happy with the end result here, but I would love some more practice some time soon.