Photo 110 - 365 A Child is Born

Merry Christmas to you all!
I was playing around with the art filters on my camera this morning. I took a photo of our Christmas tree. I was focusing on the "A Child is Born" ornament but when I saw the photo I realized I had two more ornaments in the shot, the Angel and Rudolph.  Christmas is many things to many people. To children it is a magical time when Santa rides his sleigh (sometimes lead by Rudolph) all the way around the world in one night visiting all the other children in the world and leaving gifts. To many, the story of this day starts with the Angel who told of the birth of Christ which brings us to the "A Child is Born" ornament. Today we celebrate the birth of Christ. It is a time to be with our families and friends. I've been thinking about what it means to give, because this is,after all, the season for giving. It is such a joy to be able to give. We've heard so many stories this year about people being kind to others and doing things like paying for purchases for people (paying off lay-a-way accounts and helping people at the check out counters).  I hope that the giving doesn't stop when the New Year starts. I hope that we can continue to give all through the year. Just because this is the season for giving, it doesn't mean we have to stop when this special day is over. Be kind this year and smile. Sometimes all we can give is a smile and sometimes that is the best gift to receive.
Merry Christmas to you all!

Photo 109 - 365 Vic

This was a very sad week for me and my co-workers and photography friends. We lost our good friend Vic who passed away suddenly on Tuesday, December 13, 2011. He was a good man who had a zest for life and was, as someone in our photography group put it, "a wicked good photographer". He would send us "photos of the day" almost everyday. Some were shot that day, others were from his files, but they were always great photos. He had a habit of photographing alligators. We called him our alligator hunter.

In honor of Vic I am posting a photo I took of him in September. I had just gotten my new camera and he was happy for me, knowing how much fun I was having with it.

It is sad knowing he won't be coming back to the office, knowing he won't be meeting with our photography group. Not hearing his chuckle.

Bye Vic. We will miss ya!  

Photos 107 & 108 Portrait of an Action Figure (or two)

I am working on a little project for my Nephew. He is 5 years old and is about to have his bedroom completely decorated in Star Wars stuff! How awesome is that? So, I took some portraits of Star Wars action figures that I will print out and frame for him. He will need something on his bedroom walls, right?

Photo 106 - 365 Purple Lantana

One of the things I love about Lantana bushes is that they bloom for so long. My purple Lantana bush is finally producing some pretty flower clusters. I still have 2 or 3 other bushes that have flowers though the cold nights are starting to get to them.  So, I have a little bit of color in my yard right now which is nice.

Photo settings are: f/5.6, 1/125 sec., ISO 800.  This was taking just after sunset this evening. Enjoy!

Photo 105 - 365 Maple Leaf

Look what I found today! Just gorgeous! The only leaf on our little Maple tree that had completely turned. I love it!

Photo 104 - 365 Window View

This is the view out my window today, November 5, 2011. The leaves are turning and falling. They cover the ground in our back yard. It's still early yet, the only tree that's really turning color is the Tulip Poplar. It's the giant yellow tree in the photo. I am looking forward to the leaves on the little Maple tree turning. Hopefully it will be soon.

I plan to take this shot again as the other trees start to turn. Also, need some practice with my lighting. I haven't taken a whole lot of photos looking outside from the inside. The lighting isn't quite right.

Photo settings: f/5.6, 1/200 sec., ISO 800, wide angle lens

Photos 101 - 103 of 365 Grapes and Bottle

I was playing around with the Artistic settings on my camera and took several shots of a bottle and some glass grapes hanging in the foreground.

The first one is with the camera set on "pinhole". This one shows a true color of the items although they are a little light.

The second photo was on the "pop art" setting. This one boosts the color so that it is more vibrant.

And the third was with the camera set on "dynamic". The dynamic setting is interesting. It makes shaded areas more shady and light areas lighter but it also adjusts the color and seems to make blurry items more blurry and focused items a little more sharp.

I think they are all interesting photos. I really had a hard time choosing a favorite to post for a contest. I ended up posting the last one. I think it works best with the theme which is selective focus. 

I haven't been taking many photos lately. But I just love my new camera. Every time I take it out of the camera bag I just smile. :) It's silly, I know, but it's just a neat camera.