Petal Play

Unfortunately, I did not have much of an opportunity to get outside and take many (different) pictures. However, I was able to compromise with some things around the house. One was this piece of decor that I really like. It is transparent faux petals that are bundled together and placed in wicker floor vase. I wanted to see how they would look from various angles and different lighting.

I came up with some cool images but I was looking for more than just a cool image. And this collage was what I came up with. Perhaps it's not photogenically pleasing if you are looking for vibrant colors or an exotic image of sort. But collectively I think it looks very beautiful.

Lastly, one of the blogs I follow has inspired me to pursue another 2010 Photography Goal, which is to participant in a project called 365 Days of Photos like this. I love the photos that he takes in his photography journal. When I first saw it I was amazed at the variety of images and different styles of photos. Then of course, I was thinking oh sure I can do that too! What a great way to keep my enthusiasm and interest in photography at a peak. But man, then I started thinking oh no I wouldn't have enough "things" to take pictures of EVERYDAY! I can't keep taking pictures of my kids and posting them for 365 days. Well, actually I have issues posting photos of my kids. Unhumbly, I will admit they are gorgeous, playful, and adorable kids (as all mothers should consider their kids). I just don't like the idea of posting pictures of them for random people to have access to over the internet. Yes, I know I am a weirdo.

So, anyway I plan to look into this challenge and start it up at the beginning of March. That should give me plenty of time to set it up the website and link it to this blog...although this blog could essentially become the 365 Daily Photo Challenge. We will see.

In the meantime, continue enjoying.

Let it snow, let it snow.

This morning I awoke to this magical winter wonderland outside my house.  I love the look of freshly laid snow. The scene looks peaceful and serene. But then reality hits me and I think beautiful to the eye but oh so cold to the touch. Cold weather is not for me.  So, I look and admire from afar...in my warm house.

Photo details:
1/30
f5
ISO 200
25MM
time of day: 10:32a

Here are other views from the day.

Motivational Poster

What's the saying..."Better late than never". Lately, it seems I have been behind on staying ahead or on top of my photography goals. However, the most important aspect is to achieve the goal, not necessarily when it gets done. That being said, here is my late motivational photo.

T R U S T ~ Trust is everything to me. I view it as having faith, unconditional love, acceptance, and integrity. Trust is an important element of how I interact with others and a major reason why I am a private individual.

Aside from my personal beliefs in trust, I have a responsibility to create an endearing bond of trust with my children. Instilling trust with them builds self confidence, stability, love, and mutual respect. They instinctively need to know they can always rely on their mother for all their needs (within my powers).

So, my commitment to developing and instilling trust with my babies is the premises behind my motivational photo. Enjoy!

Newly inspired photo

 

This photo was inspired by a beautiful picture taken by another blogger located here.  (Thanks Aura for the tip).  To keep up with my 2010 photography goals, one being keeping a folder of inspirational photos, I wanted to try my hand at recreating a similar photo.  The above picture was taken of my daughter's feet.  I'll admitt, I am pleased with the outcome.  I definitely think I need and WANT more practice with post production tasks.

Unfortunately, I do not have the specifics behind the picture regarding the aperture, shutter speed, ISO, etc. I am sure I will be doing more of these again in the future, so I'll be sure to take note then.

What I have been doing is getting into the details behind the basic concepts of photography.  I haven't posted many photos lately but I have been taking several, and reading and reading more about the foundations of taking really good pictures.  Also, I am finding out way more than I every knew that existed about post production tricks and techniques, having clean lines, positioning of foreground/background, and other great tips on turning a good photo into a great photo.  Yeah, yeah, yeah....you do have to begin with a decent picture and then build upon that. So, I'll work on those key elements first as well as make my way up that learning curve with Photoshop.

In the meantime I welcome all comments and suggestions.

Lessons Learned - Depth of Field

I am so excited that I learned something new about my camera! Well can't say it's specific to my camera, but more so about photography in general.  I learned more about Depth of Field (DOF) and how aperture affects the DOF in the photos. I'll admit it is a little confusing because I would think a larger aperture number would mean it's a larger number which would mean having a larger = depth of field. WRONG!

Having a large aperture (means having a smaller numbers ex. f/2.5) decreases the depth of field and a small aperture (meaning having a larger number ex. f/22) increases the depth of field.

So, I took my newly learned information outdoors and shot the above photos.

The first photo was taken with an aperture f/32 and shutter speed of 1/30.

The second was taken with an aperture f/5 and shutter speed of 1/1000.

It's clear that the first photo with the has a larger depth of field allowing me to see beyond the magnolia tree, while the second photo at a larger aperture gives a more focused view of the tree and not the background.   Cool huh! Ok maybe just to me...but I love it!

As I have been viewing an analyzing other people's photos I realized many of my close up pictures show great detail (which I like) and have a blurred background (which I also like because it really helps to focus on the subject in the photo).  Well, just recently I saw a picture (photo to the left by Adam Clutterbuck) that illustrated a large depth of field. I was amazed at the focus of the foreground and background.  I always thought either landscape images (larger views) could only focus on the background view and the foreground would be slightly blurred. And vice versa with small depth of field images.  Clearly, I have been uninformed.  I know, I know.  After all, this is a learning experience for me and I am learning! : )

DPS Weekend Challenge - "Good Morning"

So, this weekend's challenge is to take a photo that represents the theme "Good Morning".  There are a number of images that come to my mind when I think of "good morning" including:

1. kids running into my bedroom waking me up
2. the sun rising
3. my running shoes for an early run
4. a cup of coffee or tea
5. sunny days

However, one concept of a good morning is having a clean fresh mouth.

Disappointing Views

I have been thinking that the pictures posted on my blog don't appear as bright and clear as they do when I view them outside of the blog.  I see different images in the background of the pictures on the blog that are not visable when I look at the picture from my hard drive.  Starting to think it was in my mind or it had something to do with the uploading of the image from my computer to the blog. But that just didn't make sense because I see so many other beautiful pictures on other people's blogs and on the internet in general.  Still, I couldn't put my finger on why my pictures are not clear and seem to have a dull appearance on the blog. WELL, I figured it out! While posting my picture for the "Blue" weekend challenge, I noticed the flower coming through the skyline of the ph.  It's my blog template that is altering the clarity of my photos! I can actually see part of the flower image in the photos.  NOT GOOD! So I have to make some changes. 

In the meantime, I will continue to post photos and remain terribly disappointed in the quality that is visable on the blog. *LOL*

Photography Goals for 2010

Here is a little list of 30 photography goals (kindly adopted from Christina N Dickson at DPS) that I think is absolutely on point for my photography quest...and maybe yours now.

30 Photographic Goals for 2010

1. Don’t leave your camera
You never know what opportunities will present themselves to you if your camera is always at your side. It may be a bit of extra hassle, but you will develop a greater sense of observation by being aware of your camera constantly.

2. Shoot a Photo a Day
No greater photographic progress can be seen than by a personal photo a day challenge. Watch your development over a period of 1-3 months and be amazed at how far you’ve come.

3. Smile: Photos in your daily life
Most New Years resolutions include spending more time with friends and family. Take a photographer’s spin on this one, and make it a priority to take casual photos of your friends and family on a day-to-day basis. Capturing memories for others is commendable, but capturing memories for yourself is priceless.

4. Prioritize your goals
Do you want to develop your business practices? Learn a new technique? Save for a lens? Allow your tasks and plans to filter through your long-term goals.

5. Read a photography book a month
Many professional photographers have tremendous resources for up and coming photographers. Check out this list to get you started.

6. Join or Start a photo club
Camaraderie between photo buddies and colleagues is a treasure worth investing time in. Gain invaluable advice, and accountability by joining a local photo club. And if you don’t have a photo club in your town – start one!

7. Subscribe to 5 new industry leader blogs
David Jay. Jasmine Star. Mike Cologne. Dane Sanders. Scott Roberts. Becker. Ron Dawson. The list of industry leaders who enjoy giving back to others is endless. Glean from their wisdom and experience as often as you can!

8. Compete!
Submitting your photos to competitions is one of the greatest ways to get your photos off your hard drive and into the sights of important judges and industry leaders. Remember, it’s not about who you know, but who knows you!

9. Plan a formal shoot a week
If you want to learn more about portraiture, schedule a months’ worth of weekly sessions with models, couples, or seniors. Take a few hours to set up a shoot with as many details as possible, and build your techniques and portfolio.

10. Share online
Facebook, Flikr, and other photo sharing sites are obvious ways to share your photos online, but don’t stop there. Set up private albums for friends and family on picasa albums, or other services that will enable ordering and downloads to the people you love.

11. Learn a new slideshow program
Windows Movie Maker and iMovie may be convenient, but they may not offer you all the tools you need to display your photos with wow! Take some time to learn another program for your slideshows to create the most professional look.

12. Create a photo book a month
What do you do with the photos you take every month? Instead of simply storing them on a hard drive, put them into a simple photo book. Use Blurb, MyPublisher, or Snapfish for easy and professional looks. You will be ecstatic when, at the end of 2010, you have 12 books featuring your work!

13. Build your website
Whether it’s a free template or a friend’s design, take the time to present your work on your own piece of the web. It adds to your credibility, and enables you to easily share your work with others.

14. Challenge yourself with flash lighting
Flash is bad – NOT! Flash may be a bit scary and intimidating, but a little bit of discipline and hard work, and you can become a flash pro. Check out some of these articles to join the ranks of the proud flash photographers.

15. Get a photography or business mentor
Sometimes it takes a little bit of assistance to get where you need to be in creative or business endeavors. Send

16. Inquire at a newspaper
Look for connections in unexpected places. Even if you don’t want to go into photojournalism full time, getting some work at a newspaper will give you some good connections, and provide opportunities you may not have had otherwise.

17. Display your work
Many local cafes and coffee shops are interested in supporting local artists. Make some appointments to sit down and inquire if the owner is willing to display your work on the venue’s walls. You may not be able to display them for sales, but you will generate additional interest and possible clientele.

18. Get published
These days, being published does not simply mean by paper medium. There are hundreds of blogs relevant to the kind of photography you want to create. Do some investigating. Make a list of a dozen blogs and submit your work. Then – be persistent! Be cordial, but follow through.

19. Take monthly photo walks
Do you take photo’s to relax? Sometimes amid the tension of photographing for business, or photographing for development, it’s easy to forget the enjoyment of photography. Return to the joy by scheduling an afternoon or an hour to walk through a new town, trail, or area and find inspiration. Your eyes will be opened in a new way, and you will remember the euphoria of creative discovery.

20. Plan a monthly calendar for next year
What one theme do you love more than anything else? Florals? Landscapes? Smiles? Eyes? Shoes? Find your favorite theme, and plan to shoot one photo a month in that theme, and put them together in a calendar for next year. Friends and family will love the calendar, and it gives you an excuse to display your work on the walls of homes!

21. Follow a regular photo blog-posting schedule
Photo-blogging weekly will develop your skills rapidly. Your readers will force you to be accountable to shooting consistently, and you will be able to see your development by leaps and bounds.

22. Teach a class
You are always one step ahead of someone else. Challenge yourself to host a photography class for a group in your area of influence. A church youth group class on composition. A low income after school program on creativity. A free reach out to professional amateurs on best business practices. You have something to offer, and sharing with others will also help you know your stuff as best you can.

23. Promote your work in an online Gallery
Can’t afford to print and frame dozens of pieces in a photo collection? Don’t have to. Using a hosting provider such as Zenfolio, Shutterfly, or Pictage, you can bring your work into the homes of others with the click of a mouse. Force yourself to use your photos instead of allowing them to sit on a hard drive, never to be used.

24. Give away monthly desktop calendars
There’s no better way to stay in the thoughts and mind of future clients than offering monthly calendar wallpaper for free download. Design something with a photo, and perhaps a special quote or verse. Post on your blog, and forward it on to friends and family. If it’s really cool, they’ll forward it on to others also. Suddenly, strangers will know who you are, and you will be competition on a different level.

25. Reach a hand
Get involved with HelpPortrait, or offer your services to a Boys and Girls club, or other nonprofit. These organizations are infamous for having low budgets for multimedia, and if you can offer your skills for their cause, it will bring your name out, and give you value and worth that you don’t otherwise have.

26. Develop a post processing workflow
Systemizing your work is the best way to a quick development for future work. Even if you are not in the business of photography, deciding on a good workflow for every single shoot will help you save time and energy in post processing.

27. Create a business plan
Want to start a business? Or already have? The best way to get a quick start on competition is to develop a business plan answering questions such as, “where do I want to go?” “What do I want my business to become?” and “who is my ideal client?” Even if you are not sure about starting a photography business, setting a few goals for jobs will help you pay for that new lens.

28. Experiment with new presets
Develop your own editing style by playing with presets. Start here for a good list of presets, and then adapt them to your own style. Your photos will become more cohesive and specific – causing you to have a brand with your images no one else can mimic.

29. Make personal postcards to send friends
Print mail is a rarity these days. Imagine how you would stand out if you sent out monthly postcards to select friends and family? No one can afford an entire Christmas List every month, but you can rotate the list of recipients by month. Your work will get out, you will bless others with your images, and once again, you won’t have images sitting on a hard drive, idle and wasted.

30. Take a workshop
There is no shortage of professional photographers wanting to give back through workshops. You can find workshops of all kinds, levels, and price points. Want to get away for a weekend? Or study at your own pace? You can find a workshop on location or online and continue the transformational journey of your photography in an unforgettable and rewarding way.

Blazingly Blue Skyline

I am not much of a Tweeter person, but I have found some really interesting groups on Tweeter.  One in particular is Digital Photography School.  I love how it is dedicated to connecting photographers and "wanna be" photographers -like myself- together with our common interests.  The tips are amazing and range from information on camera accessories and equipment to techniques and software managment.  In addition to all that, they pose weekly and weekend assignments for you to improve your skills and share among others in the DPS community.

This weekend's DPS challenge is "Blue".  The challenge is to photograph and share something Blue! The above picture is my submission. What do you think?

I think this is a colorful view of the sky with the sun setting and a tiny speck of an airplane traveling along the horizon.  The darkness on the ground really highlights the hues of the skyline because of the contrasting colors. 

The funny thing about this picture is I didn't take it with my SLR or my Sony point and shoot camera. It was taken from the car with my iPhone! Can you believe it!?! I was taken away by the beauty of the sky and didn't want to miss out on getting a picture of it. 

You are challenged to post 2 pictures.  Here is my 2nd picture.

Take a look at DPS's website to see what they have to offer you and your photography interest. 

Baby it's cold outside

Brrrr! The temperature is 20 degrees outside. It was almost impossible for me to take a picture because my hands were FREEZING!  However, I managed.  Although I am a huge fan of the warmer weather, I can appreciate the beauty brought by the cooler and colder seasons. 

This photo captures the essence of how cold it is with the crystalization of the frost on the metal furniture.  I love how the lines of frost are formed and spread along the metal. 

I shot this photo in the morning light using my Nikon D90 with an AF-S Nikkor 18-105mm lens.  I used the Landscape mode...but now I think I should have tried the Close Up mode to see if there was a significant difference in the details of the photo.  Overall, I think the picture is nice. 

Here is another photo I took today to illustrate the cold. Can you see the pond is frozen!  Cool but not as cool as the frosted chair.

This photo was shot with my Nikon D90 using an AF Nikkor 70-300mm lens, on the Landscape mode.

Picture d'jour

As I mentioned in my previous post, I intend to post picture(s) each day of something that has given me great inspiration or illustrates great beauty.  I HOPE to give a background description that includes time of day (to hopefully understand lighting concepts), lens used, shutter speed, etc. 

The weather in my area has been extremely cold for this time of the season.  So, I thought a nice photo of my backyard showing frozen ponds and frost covering the ground would be beautiful. Unfortunately, I couldn't withstand the cold weather long enough to get a decent shot before I felt like I was freezing to death. The cold weather left little to be inspired by.

However, my photos today are an amazingly delicious "low-fat Cranberry Orange Muffin" from Dunkin Donuts.  (*smile*).  Having run several errands all before 9am, I was starving and desparately needed something to fill my stomach.  As a huge fan of these muffins I can't believe I waited 20 minutes to eat it until I got home, just so I could take a picture of it!  I thought the sugar crystals beautifully accents the top of the muffin and would make a beautifully delicious photo. So, clearly today I was inspired by this muffin. Enjoy!

What I am working with...

I didn't realize how much I enjoyed taking pictures until I noticed I am always equiped with a camera no matter where I go. Generally, I keep my small point and shoot camera in my purse at all times because I don't want to miss uncaptured moments in my kids' lives when we are out, hanging around, or just whenever. Also, since I am such an admirer of nature, art, and unique objects I don't want to possibly miss out on capturing such opportunities.

For my photography exploration I use a Nikon D90. Oh how I love that camera! I will forever be grateful for that beauty of a gift. It is sooo amazing, and I don't even know how to use or aware of all it abilities. BUT oh how I intend to learn...along with my wonderful lenses!

Now, for all my other "everyday" general shooting I use a Sony Cybershot, which I am very happy with its general functionalities.

I think having these two different but very useful cameras will provide me with all the necessary equipment I need to get a my photography "fix".

For the purpose of keeping this blogging as well as "journaling" my journey into becoming a better photographer, I will post a picture(s) daily (or very often) of things that have intrigued and inspired me in some manner.   Do feel free to comment and offer suggests.  The greatest way to learn and become knowledgable about anything is to accept feedback and learn from others.

New blog...new background

Although I am excited to get started with the blogging, I have COMPLETELY gotten side tracked with creating an original template for the site.  I began with Photoshop, which I already had but rarely used before.  To my surprise, it is somewhat convoluted to figure out.  Finally after spending days on creating my original background template and heading....the image does not fit on the blog page!  It is too short.  I am using the 1 megabyte file size to upload the image to Photobucket and all the other little tips to get the image to fit properly.  But I refuse to purchase the "Premier" service from Photobucket just to make the image fit.  So all those countless hours of creating my "masterpiece" background I have resorted to the idea of just using a free template that someone else created (big thanks to pyzam.com).  Afterall, I am not blogging about creating blog templates.

Check out the templates I made below. I really wanted to use the one at the top, but just couldn't get it to fit across the webpage.  I started thinking the fitting had something to do with the quality of the image, and the the number of layers used (which all have nothing to do with the background fitting across the site) and therefore I settled for the other three. Looking at my current background you can tell none of the other backgrounds work either.

What do you think for my first attempt at creating a background?

Now that I have gotten away from the background rampage (may return when I figure out the fitting problem), I can begin my exploration into the world of photography.

Happy New Year...with a new BLOG!

I am joining the ranks of so many others in the virtual world to begin blogging! I am ecstatic about starting this blog into my journey of discovering and sharing elements of life from my point of view. When I speak of Elements of Life Viewed I am referring to "any" perspective of life from a pictorial view. I have a sincere appreciation of photography. In another life time, I would love for this to be my calling. Fortunately, it is a hobby that I intend to develop to its finest. In addition to my personal photos, I will likely post beautiful and interesting findings from other people.

It's a new year and the beginning of a new decade, January 1, 2010. This seemed like the perfect prelude to focus on this interest and to share with others. I look forward to seeing the growth in my skills and changes in my style of shooting.

So, Happy 2010 New Year and happy blogging!