Practicing bokeh

Bokeh sounds like it would be an easy thing to accomplish, no? Have a clear subject in the foreground and a nice, blurry but interesting background. Simple? Um. Not really.

I did get a new Tamron 28 - 75 f 2.8 lens recently and it does make bokeh a teeny tiny bit easier.

I've been practicing a lot lately on my Christmas tree.

I have a lot more practicing to do.

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.

Philadelphia Zoo!

The zoo in Philadelphia is, and always has been, one of my favorite places. We had the chance to visit this week and of course I took a million and three photos.

When you arrive, you need to park a block or so away and walk to the Zoo entrance. Along the way, we passed this beautiful mural. The colors! I could not resist this capture.

Say hello to my leeetle friends. These are lemurs. They had the best time pouncing back and forth on their perches and playing games together. Their eyes were stunning and I think the background here really brings them out.

What's that? The giraffes are your favorites? Oh, mine too! Take a look at these guys, are they gorgeous or what? These guys were the perfect opportunity to try out my new 75 - 300mm lens. The first is shot at 75mm, the second at about 150, then the last at the full monty. I was pretty impressed! I do need to practice with it a bit more, though. I found it a little tricky to keep steady at the full 300mm. I can see where a tripod would have been a big help.

Of course, there are also some lovely sculptures at the Zoo. This fountain is just one example. The animals leap through the water as if they are dancing. The water crosses and plays off the sculpture, sometimes splashing passers by. I used a higher ISO to capture the water's motion. I'm really pleased with the results. Two of my favorites from the day:

This was a great place for me to practice and I hope to get back to the Zoo again soon!

Ah, a day at the beach!

Oh, I bet you all thought I fell out of blogland, just another victim of an evil tonsillectomy. Nope, you should be so lucky. I'm feeling much better, thank you! It's so good to be (almost) back to my old self!

Well, Summer has finally arrived, and we made our first visit to the beach this past weekend! Of course, my trusty Canon is like my Amex card. I can't leave home without it. I took about 190 shots! I'm making up for time lost recovering, and boy, did that feel good!

Here are a few favorites:

What's a trip to the beach without a sand castle or three? I love the angle on the water and how the sky and the blueness of the water and sky. To me, this really captures what a perfect beach day it was:

An important element to photography - the lines. I really like this one in black and white. The lines of the dock with the waves coming in and the broken slats on the base of the dock work well, I think. Next time, I think I'd like to capture more of the dock and pull back a bit.

This little guy was being quite evasive, so I had to bribe him to stay close. I tossed tiny pebbles in his direction, and he hung around, thinking I may eventually toss him some real snacks. Alas, it was not his lucky day, as I'd neglected to bring any. He did give me quite the dirty look once he realised the chuck wagon was not arriving. I'm really pleased with the bubbly effect of the waves coming in here, and that he is in mid-step.

Perhaps if Mr. Seagull had ignored my pebbles, he may have come across this guy, as I did. Again, I really like the bubbling water here. I also like the texture of the sand.

Shooting in bright sunlight really does have its challenges. Several of my first shots are overexposed because I'd neglected to adjust my ISO properly. I'd had it set at 800 for some snapshots I was doing indoors the day before. I lowered it to 200 and the results were much better!

Having your tonsils out isn't all bad.

Okay, that's a lie. It truly is as awful as they tell you it will be, at least as an adult. That's why I've had limited shooting time lately.

This morning, though, I felt up to a few shots.

There are some exceptions to the whole "getting your tonsils out is the worst experience ever" thing.

Exception A:

You have pretty drinks for breakfast:




Okay, maybe that's not the best idea of breakfast for some, but right now this is heaven in a glass for me.


Exception B:

Sometimes you get flowers:

These are both from a get-well bouquet I received. I love the light on the first one - the sun was just streaming in and light up all those pretty details. It almost looks like a backdrop, but it is not. Just a high aperture and light in the right places.

The daises almost have a milky, cloud-like feel to them. As if you were able to reach out and touch them, you know they would be soft and velvety.

Hopefully, I'll find more time soon for photos! I'm just itching to have a do-over shoot on that wine glass!

Bridges, windows and doors seemed to be a theme this weekend.

Just had a quick trip a few hours from home this weekend. We saw so many great architectural details in the old buildings and we crossed several small bridges. These are just a few of my favorites.

Bridge, shot from the window of the car (while in motion, no less) I'm digging shooting at odd angles these days - I think it can really give a unique look.

This was a walkway within The Crayola Factory in Easton, PA. I love how vibrant the aqua is against the background. More on that visit later.

I really wanted to capture the colors here. The bright fuchsia door caught my eye immediately - it stood out so much from the traditional red brick.

Look at the trim details - I love this green, and the reflection on the window. I also kind of like the angle on this, although I wish I'd been able to pull out just a little more.

Love the glass, hate the background

Ah, summer. Nothing like a lovely glass of wine on a balmy summer afternoon. I loved the color of this particular white, and wanted to try and capture it. I'm pretty happy with the wine. My choice of background is somewhat lacking, however.

Duh.

Next time, maybe I'll think to have the lawn in the background instead of the gate!

Social statement I can get behind

Yeah, more from my recent Florida trip. Expect to see more posts with photos from that trip, because I shot about 1050 images while I was there. You've been warned!

I had the great pleasure of visiting Disney's Animal Kingdom Park one day during this trip. Disney did a wonderful job with props and scenes in this park, in my opinion. There is great attention to detail and it almost looks as if you have stepped into a village in some far-away land.

While waiting for our safari ride to begin, my eye caught this painted verse on the wall.

I love the contrast in this image - the distressed look of the letters, especially. And I can certainly agree with the statement as well.

Just a few from the weekend

I really have not had much opportunity to shoot in the last couple of weeks. It seems that Mother Nature believes my town requires rain at least six days a week these days. I wish that was a joke. It's rained every day for the last week and I think it's in the forcast for the next year and half.

Ahem.

Anyway, I did get some light and a small window of time without a downpour and had a visitor in the front garden. Let me tell you, these little guys move fast. Amazingly fast for their big, round bodies. This guy was a bit heavy for these delicate flowers, so I had to act fast. Each time he stopped to grab what he wanted from a blossom, the blossom just about caved under him. I used a high ISO to stop as much motion as possible. I'm pleased with the result!



I wasn't kidding about the rain, see? I was able to catch a few drops on our Japanese Maple tree. I love how the light reflects on the leaves here.

I promise if I ever see the sun again, I'll be posting more.

Random photos from a recent trip.

I traveled to Florida (see Ocala horses post) recently and took oh.....1053 photos. Ahem. Not kidding. I was getting nervous that I would run out of space on my card and was pricing out a spare. Luckily, I made it home with a few to spare.

Share some you say? Oh, just twist my arm, whydontcha.

This is part of the atrium at the Marriott World Center Resort. I love the lines in this one, as well as the way the sunlight is casting shadows.





What is a trip to Florida without a stop at something Disney related? We enjoyed dinner at Downtown Disney a few nights. They offer a hot air balloon ride to see the sights. I wanted to capture the reflection of the balloon on the water.


We visited Disney's Animal Kingdom one morning and I captured this while waiting for the train to Conservation Station. Disney does an amazing job of creating a sense of an exotic atmosphere at this park and I really enjoyed shooting some of the details. I love how this image came together.

I'm still going through a ton of photos and I'll be sharing more soon! In the meantime, check out my Flickr link to the right!

The painted horses of Ocala, Florida

On a recent trip, we were introduced to these works of art in Ocala, Florida's Historic Town Square.

There are five horses in the square, each painted by a different artist. This project was apparently started back in 2001 and many horses can be found around town. I was fortunate to have time to capture these.

This is one of my favorites: