Hearts!

Just playing around with Conversation Hearts, my macro lens, and tripod! Trying to work on my focus, depth of field and light all at the same time!

And I stuck with the theme, too... both vertical and horizontal shots!

1st pic: Aperture Priority mode. ISO 800, f/5.6, 1/125

2nd pic: AP mode. ISO 400, f/2.5, 1/500

3rd pic: AP mode, ISO 400, f/2.5, 1/500

Any feedback is appreciated!! Thanks for stopping by!

Lesson 4: Fill Flash

After reading/studying lesson 4 of the "12 weeks to better pictures" course, I realized that a flash is not always a bad thing and by using one outdoors can greatly improve my pics by brightening up those dark areas and eliminating the unwanted shadows.  By using a flash on this cold, gray, snowy winter day, I was able to capture much better and brighter pics!

The first pic was taken with no flash, the second is with the flash. 

Both taken in Aperture Priority mode and ISO 200. 1st pic: f/4.0, SS 1/1600; 2nd pic:  f/4.8, SS 1/500

Aperture Priority mode. No flash. ISO 200, f/6.3, SS 1/400.

Aperture Priority mode. With flash. ISO 200, f/6.3, SS 1/320. No more distracting shadows!! WOO HOO!

Thanks for checking them out!!

Vertical

My take on "Vertical"... I will leave "Horizontal" for another day (when I can think of something to shoot!). This pic is of the railing on our deck. I thought it looked kinda cool with the sun just coming up and hitting it.

And this is just a vertical shot of the little one checking out the great outdoors! 

Kinda boring... but, thanks for looking! =)

LOVE

I've seen photos like this before and have always wanted to try it. With this week's theme being WORDS, I figured it was a good time to try! I just walked around my house and looked at everyday objects that could also double as a letter (ok, so I cheated with the O, it is actually an O taken from a word plaque).  The L is a little funky, I wish I could have shot it from straight on, but I was getting a nasty reflection in the picture.

I then made it into a Storyboard for the first time in Photoshop (PSE6- free trial for one month, I'm trying it out to see if I need it... I think I do!). What do you think? Let me know how I could improve it. I wanted to do a dark background, thicker borders, etc., but like I said, I'm an amateur!

The Most Important Words

This week's theme is WORDS. I took this literally and photographed actual words. These words mean the most to me... Family & Faith!

Shot in Manual mode. SS 1/60, f/5.0, ISO 1600 (hence the graininess!)

Shot in Manual mode. SS 1/160, f/9.0, ISO 200

Thanks for stopping by!

Week 3: Photoshop (er, iPhoto) Techniques

Unfortunately, I don't have Photoshop... yet! Hoping to get PE6 soon, but until then I'm using my iPhoto editing tools to spice up my pics!

Let me know what you think!! Thanks for looking!

After: The above was a little underexposed, so I tweaked the exposure and contrast. Also, increased highlights and shadows and sharpened. Not a big difference, but I like the way her eyes pop in the After shot.

The above pic, I lightened up, added more contrast and increased saturation. I then added an Antique finish. 

These are just some other faves...

Thanks for checking them out!!

Photography Lesson 2: Shutter Speed

1st photo: Slow Shutter Speed- blurs action

SS 1/50, f/8.0, ISO 400

2nd Photo: Fast Shutter Speed- Freezes Action

SS 1/500, f/4.5, ISO 400. I used the flash on this one because I didn't have quite enough light and I wanted to see the effect. My camera knocked the shutter speed down to 500.

3rd Photo: SS 1/1000, f/4.8, ISO 1600

Thanks for looking... Let me know what you think!!

Photography Lesson 1: Aperture

Practicing Aperture!

All 3 photos were shot in Aperture-Priority mode, the 1st at f/stop 4.2, 2nd at f/stop 8, and the 3rd photo was stopped down to f/22. You can see the dof change, but it probably would have been more obvious with my 50mm lens that has a more wide open aperture.

Week 2: Focus into 2008

For Christmas, I received a Nikkor 50mm f/1.8 lens to go with my Nikon D40. It requires manual focus (with my cam) and so I have been practicing and practicing to get that focus as sharp as possible.  Here are a few pics practicing that sharpness, and also playing with Manual mode.

Let me know what you think!

Profile: Shot in Manual: Shutter 1/80, f/5.6, ISO 400

Toys: Manual Mode: No flash, Shutter speed 1/80, f/2.5, ISO 400

Ducky: Shot in manual mode- no flash, shutter 1/25, f/1.8, ISO 800

Week 1: Hats off to 2008

So, this is my first post as I begin this new journey on a year to better picures!  I decided to join this "challenge" for fun and to, hopefully,  learn a little and become a better (and more diverse) photographer!  

As it stands now, my most frequent subject is my 15 month old daughter... *maybe* this challenge will give her a break from the lens every once in a while.

Just had to sneak one of the kiddo in...

Representing our Ohio State Buckeyes who will play in the National Championship game tomorrow night!  

Go Buckeyes!

Themes!!

2008 POTD (or, week!) Challenge Themes

12/31- Hats off to the New Year 
1/7- Focus into 2008 
1/14- Photoshop (B&A, Techniques, etc) 
1/21- Words 
1/28- Vertical vs. Horizontal 
2/4- Aperture 2/11- Love
2/25- Interaction 
3/3- Cropping 
3/10- Animals 
3/17- The color green 
3/24- Faith 
3/31- Spring 
4/7- Natural light 
4/14- Guess this 
4/21- Children 
4/28- Water 
5/5- Important women in our lives 
5/12- Catchlights 
5/19- Happiness 
5/26- Flowers 
6/2- Using flash 
6/9- Important men in our lives 
6/16- Windows 
6/23- Summer 
6/30- Patriotic 
7/7- Rule of thirds 
7/14- Landscapes 
7/21- Nature 
7/28- Sunflare 
8/4- B/W vs. Color 
8/11- Reflections 
8/18- Lines 
8/25- Family 
9/1- Shutter speed 
9/8- Vehicles 
9/15- Architecture 
9/22- Shadows 
9/29- Autumn 
10/6- Panning 
10/13- Pathways 
10/20- Graveyards 
10/27- Halloween 
11/3- Angles 
11/10- Your choice 
11/17- On the road 
11/24- What are you thankful for? 
12/1- Portraits 
12/8- Food 
12/15- Winter 
12/22- Christmas 
12/29- Favorite moments of 2008