Play With A NASCAR Controversy

The above picture is my first attempt at using new technology and knowledge. I saw on TV that there was a controversy with Goodyear tires and NASCAR so I used that as my inspiration. Using my niece's Leggos I created a scene of a three-wheeler with tire problems. I shot this scene, eliminated the background of my photo, adding the background you see above. For fun, I added the conversation bubbles and presto! a fun picture. As I said, this was my first attempt. With time and practice I hope to use more serious subject matter. I hope you smile when you view it because it made me smile to accomplish the look.

I Found An Angel At Walgreens!

There is more than toilet paper and toothpaste at your drug store. This radically reduced-priced angel (2.99 total) came home with me. I used several techniques to capture the images above and I really like the results. If you look carefully, image one is a multiple exposure, while image two is one where I used a slight zooming technique (during a slow shutter speed). Image three is a setting on my Nikon 300 adding a "cyan" color. As far as the tone/color of the statue, I was able to change the appearance with different lighting in addition to changing the aperture and shutter speed. I was so enthused about these images that you will need to bare with me, as I photograph this angel again soon. I have some different ideas and tools that I want to utilize so she will be back!

Go Rats!

Arriving early, I was happy to take a picture of the arena before it filled with fans. I wish I had brought my fish-eye lens; however, I was happy with the lighting above.

I used this River Rat game as an opportunity to practice my camera's settings. The lighting is always tricky in places like the Times Union Center and so I was able to use different aperture and shutter speed settings. My inspiration below was to blur the image to show action as the two teams faced off.

Below is my niece Jenna's favorite player, number 11. He scored shortly after her expressing that number 11 was the player to follow! Sadly, the Rats lost the game but it was a thriller. Both teams scored within seconds of one another. At one point the Rats scored twice in 19 seconds!

What is a hockey game without Sponge Bob! Jamie has watched the show, drawn pictures and colored Sponge Bob for years, so she was happy to have her picture taken with him. Was he what she thought he would be in person? "No", she replied, but her smile said it was fun regardless. Thanks to my sister Sharon, and my nieces Jamie and Jenna, for joining me on Valentine's Day for a fun evening!

A Beautiful Day On The Lake

As I did a few weeks ago, I took off in my Jeep with a cup of coffee. I didn't have much luck today. I felt more like driving than I did taking pictures. The blue sky and bright sun was a welcome change to dreary and cold weather. I'm off to a hockey game! Have a great night!

The Many Forms Of Love

Tomorrow is Valentine's Day and though I may have reason to wish the day to pass quickly, I will not. I love my friends and my family. I love my job and nature too. There are many ways to love and many reasons to be grateful on Valentine's Day. I wish all those who read this to find love tomorrow. I bet you won't have to look far!

A Simple Shoot Using A Unique 'Tool'

I purchased a very inexpensive toy from the store the other day and I think I just may get some 'mileage' out of it in terms of photographic usage! You probably can't tell but the black and white image and the "blue" image were created utilizing that toy. In essence it is a bug-collector bucket with a magnifying-glass top. I placed the keys in the bucket and shut the lid. Then I photographed through the magnifying glass. You might not know from the image; however, the keys were indeed larger, and I was able to get closer than I would have. In the last image it also gave a natural blur-effect. To achieve the placement of the keys I simply shook up the bucket and let the keys fall in place.

Below, I hung the keys from my lamp's, on/off knob. The bright light from the bulb, only inches away, gave the keys good mood lighting. I closed my tan curtain behind the lamp so I would create the brown backdrop. This photo took me about 10 seconds to set up; I hope it doesn't look it though!

I chose to make the keys below blue because my Jeep is blue. Simple reason, simple shoot.

Finally, my niece Lindsey helped me with the photo below. That is actually her wearing the "Lucy" t-shirt. I added lens flare to make Lucy a star tonight! Thanks Lucy....Lindsey's nickname.

"A Spectacle(s)"

Brushing my teeth this morning, I noticed a shadow that my glasses were making as they sat on the toilet-tank. Not the most beautiful setting; however, the shiny white tank did a nice job of reflecting the lenses. The light is from the kitchen and so it was diffused nicely and came into the bathroom at an angle (high to low and right to left). Next, I played with the contrast and added "noise" from my filter selections to give the same object a slightly different look.

Glowing edges added even more drama to the image below, completing my series. I like finding the image of the day early...makes the rest of the day so much more relaxing! This series again reinforces for me the idea that a picture can be found when you least expect it.

Three Views Of One Station

I always drive past the train station and think how nice the building looks with the lights on. As I drive home, in day light, I always think how small and plain the train station looks. Today, I decided to take comparison photos. At 6:10 I took the photo above. At 6:20, the photo below.

Finally, the image below was taken at 3:20pm. I was fortunate to have a train pass at the same time as I snapped the photo; however, I still believe the train station is at its most interesting in the early morning.

The Sun And The Moon

Above, the sun captured from my mother's birthday flowers and below the early morning moon.
I didn't have a long lens, nor a tripod, so I did the best that I could. Not until I took the flower photo this afternoon did I realize that I took both extremes today. The bright colors and vivacious feeling of the image above contrasted with the moody, dark photos below. Life is much like this, isn't it? The highs and lows, the bright and low-key, the inspirational and the peacefulness of life all seen through light and colors.

The moon was strikingly bright this morning. So bright that without any manipulation or correction the moon gave off the 'halo' seen in the images. A day that began with me wondering what to photograph ended with a stress free feeling that I had done well today to capture something interesting.

Moral of today's story? For me, to learn that whether the day is bright and full of life, or sleepy and quiet, I should find peace and happiness. Living is about finding the joy in each type of day, knowing that tomorrow will bring new experiences and new opportunities and more than likely another "type".