2012.09.01
What a glorious day it was. Steve and I headed out to the Arboretum to spend a terrific few hours. One thing I have discovered today is that I should not try and take tiny birds! I have done a great deal of deleting this evening! The bird life in the Arboretum is abundant, from tiny pardalottes, firetails, robins and wrens to the much larger and noisier native hens and waterfowl of all descriptions, but it is the planting of trees and shrubs from around the world that is the main focus of this special place. This camellia is in the section near the carpark.
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| f/5.6, 1/800 sec, ISO 200, 300mm focal length, Centre-weighted average metering, Aperture priority, WB: Sunny |
Yesterday I picked a vase full of different daffodils from our garden and very late this afternoon I took some shots using the macro lens mounted on the tripod. I just used the natural light that was still coming through the windows.
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| f/5.6, 1/4 sec , ISO 200, 60mm focal length, Spot metering, Aperture priority, WB:Auto |
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| f/22, 8 sec, ISO 200, 60mm focal length, Spot metering, Aperture priority, WB:Auto |
We had a lovely spring day out today, resting and recuperating at Narawntapu National Park and both of us took many photos. However, Narawntapu is famous for the wombat population and I can't go past this last photo from today. This little fellow was merrily munching beside the road on the way out of the park with the late afternoon sun shining on him.
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| f/7.1, 1/500 sec, ISO 500, 260mm focal length, matrix metering, Aperture priority, WB: Sunny |
2012.09.04
We went to Launceston to visit a friend in hospital this afternoon and decided to take some photos in one wonderful block of old buildings. The late sun cast strong shadows through the terrace wrought iron lace-work which was lovely.
2012.09.08We went to Launceston to visit a friend in hospital this afternoon and decided to take some photos in one wonderful block of old buildings. The late sun cast strong shadows through the terrace wrought iron lace-work which was lovely.
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| f/11, 1/200 sec, ISO 400, 58mm focal length, Centre-weighted average metering, Aperture priority, WB: Sunny |
2012.09.05
Because the forecast was for the weather to turn nasty during the day, I grabbed the camera in the early morning spring sunshine before school between 7.30 a.m. and 8.00 a.m. This afternoon it is cold and miserable so I am glad I took the morning's opportunity. I loved the light peeping onto my flowers and I could not resist trying the half and half light in this polyanthus which also still sported drops of dew.
2012.09.06
Spring has definitely sprung! Our small flowering gum which we had planted a couple of years ago has been loaded with miniature gumnuts/flower buds all year and I didn't think that we would ever see flowers, however, in the past two days they have begin to burst forth. This afternoon, between rain showers, and despite the massive winds, I tried to get some shots. There was very weak sunshine. I put the camera off aperture and tried shutter priority but I still couldn't get the shutter speed fast enough, so I gritted my teeth and attempted manual priority! The speed caused the images to be too dark so I put a +4 step exposure bias on in order to lighten it a bit. I was very pleased with the result as these little flowers are only 1.5 to 2mm in diameter and when the spidery bits are added the maximum diameter is 6 mm ... and I measured a number with the ruler to double check! I also framed and wrote text in Picasa and then slightly highlighted it, and I am adding both; the one straight out of the camera and the one that I framed.
Because the forecast was for the weather to turn nasty during the day, I grabbed the camera in the early morning spring sunshine before school between 7.30 a.m. and 8.00 a.m. This afternoon it is cold and miserable so I am glad I took the morning's opportunity. I loved the light peeping onto my flowers and I could not resist trying the half and half light in this polyanthus which also still sported drops of dew.
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| f/5.6, 1/2000 sec, ISO 500, 300mm focal length, Centre-weighted average metering, Aperture priority, WB: Sunny |
Spring has definitely sprung! Our small flowering gum which we had planted a couple of years ago has been loaded with miniature gumnuts/flower buds all year and I didn't think that we would ever see flowers, however, in the past two days they have begin to burst forth. This afternoon, between rain showers, and despite the massive winds, I tried to get some shots. There was very weak sunshine. I put the camera off aperture and tried shutter priority but I still couldn't get the shutter speed fast enough, so I gritted my teeth and attempted manual priority! The speed caused the images to be too dark so I put a +4 step exposure bias on in order to lighten it a bit. I was very pleased with the result as these little flowers are only 1.5 to 2mm in diameter and when the spidery bits are added the maximum diameter is 6 mm ... and I measured a number with the ruler to double check! I also framed and wrote text in Picasa and then slightly highlighted it, and I am adding both; the one straight out of the camera and the one that I framed.
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| f/9, 1/1000 sec, ISO 500, Exposure bias: +4 step, 60mm macro lens, Centre-weighted average metering, Manual priority, WB: Sunny |
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| Picasa 3 for frame, text and slightly tweaked highlights |
2012.09.07
If this is Spring, this afternoon has turned cold and very, very miserable ... there is definitely snow on the hills! After school, as we drove in the driveway, I noticed that the protea was speckled - half wet and half dry. The sun was out for five mins so I took some quick shots.
If this is Spring, this afternoon has turned cold and very, very miserable ... there is definitely snow on the hills! After school, as we drove in the driveway, I noticed that the protea was speckled - half wet and half dry. The sun was out for five mins so I took some quick shots.
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| f/11, 1/640 sec, ISO 500, 60mm macro lens, Centre-weighted average metering, Aperture priority, WB: Sunny |
We went for a drive and a bushwalk this afternoon ... or should I say bush slip, slide and slosh! We'd found a set of falls on the map and set off to find them. There has been so much rain in the past month that the track, the vegetation and the river were saturated! There were falls in the bush as the water was so plentiful it wound its way through the bush as well as over the falls! The track to the base of the second falls [well, we think they are the second ones], was so slippery that Steve didn't even finish it and wisely suggested that I didn't even try! However, I was happy fiddling with photos where the river/creek? continued to wend its way downhill.
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| f/22, 5 sec [tripod], ISO 100, 24mm focal length, Matrix metering, Aperture priority, WB: Auto |
2012.09.09
This has been a rush, rush day but on the way home from Launceston I managed to steal five minutes just as the sun was setting behind the hills near Parramatta Creek. I had my 55-300 lens on and did not have time to change it. Mind you, I did forget to change the white balance off 'sunny'! This is a very interesting little conservatory in the middle of farming land. Someone obviously keeps it nicely as the surrounding gardens are full of flowers.
2012.09.12
This has been a rush, rush day but on the way home from Launceston I managed to steal five minutes just as the sun was setting behind the hills near Parramatta Creek. I had my 55-300 lens on and did not have time to change it. Mind you, I did forget to change the white balance off 'sunny'! This is a very interesting little conservatory in the middle of farming land. Someone obviously keeps it nicely as the surrounding gardens are full of flowers.
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| f/11, 1/20 sec, ISO 1000, 55mm focal length, matrix metering, Aperture priority, WB: Sunny |
2012.09.10
I flew out of Devonport on the early (sunrise) flight. Unfortunately I was sitting on the wrong side of the plane to be able to take the sea of gold clouds half way across the Strait, but I did take a series of shots as the sun rose and the rays touched the differing cloud formations as I looked to the west. I also had fun trying to capture the propellors to make them look as if they were stopped still. I did this by lowering the f stop and upping the ISO and I accomplished it so that I could read the safety writing on the propellor. I was amazed at the greenness that now abounds across this vast land for the whole trip from Melbourne through to Sydney. This is one of the very early shots.
I flew out of Devonport on the early (sunrise) flight. Unfortunately I was sitting on the wrong side of the plane to be able to take the sea of gold clouds half way across the Strait, but I did take a series of shots as the sun rose and the rays touched the differing cloud formations as I looked to the west. I also had fun trying to capture the propellors to make them look as if they were stopped still. I did this by lowering the f stop and upping the ISO and I accomplished it so that I could read the safety writing on the propellor. I was amazed at the greenness that now abounds across this vast land for the whole trip from Melbourne through to Sydney. This is one of the very early shots.
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| f/10, 1/125 sec, ISO 320, 32mm focal length, matrix metering, Aperture priority, WB: Sunny |
2012.09.11
I grabbed a couple of shots of flowers on Mum's balcony in between the housework I was doing. Having looked at them tonight, I am not all that pleased but I don't have time to redo any now.
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| f/22, 1/30 sec, ISO 100, 60mm macro lens Spot metering, Aperture priority, WB: Sunny |
2012.09.12
After a hectic day and driving across a bigger range of Sydney than I thought I'd have to tackle, I didn't have much time, so I took a "memories" self portrait - a shot into the back of Mum and Dad's china cabinet with some of their special things with the reflectioon of a number of Mum's paintings and various family photos adorning their buffet behind me.
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| f/11, 1/2 sec, ISO 1250, 24mm focal length, Matrix metering, Aperture priority, WB: Auto |
Between the two trips up to the rehab hospital, and after Dad came home from his procedure and was having his afternoon rest, I took the opportunity to have a quick walk around the Retirement Village gardens with the long lens on, hoping to spot the elusive bellbirds which chime incessantly in the very tall gumtrees ... mission: Fail! So I turned my attention to the flowers, but I will go back another day with my macro lens on for better shots. I loved the starkness of this purple and yellow centred daisy against the white petals and the dark green foliage on this very overcast day.
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| f/5.6, 1/1000 sec, ISO 1250, 300mm focal length, Spot metering, Aperture priority, WB: Auto |
2012.09.14
After finishing the afternoon chores and before making tea, I noticed the Shelduck family out again in the setting sun ... it was the first day the parents had had the 11 ducklings out, but how long they will last is anyone's guess ... apparently the eels in this dirty, slimy, polluted little lake eat them!
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| f/5.6, 1/125 sec, ISO 1250, 200mm focal length, Spot metering, Aperture priority, WB: Sunny |
2012 09.15
Well they didn't last long ... only one duckling left this morning, so, instead of going down to look for the ducks and get some better shots, I took some macro on Mum's balcony of her tiny orchids and this lovely geranium.
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| f/7.1, 1/50 sec, ISO 100, 60mm macro lens, Centre-weighted average metering, Aperture priority, WB: Sunny |
2012.09.16
Today was a very hectic day with a long time at the hospital. I took the camera with me when I drove Dad up, intending to leave he and Mum alone while I wandered the streets to find a subject or two, but just to see them sitting there holding hands, I decided to take some black and white shots of their natural hand pose (without getting them to purposefully pose). I didn't have the tripod, so to have the shutter speed something I could handle without it, the ISO had to be very high as the ward was quite dark. I wouldn't mind trying this with the tripod!
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| f/5.6, 1/30 sec, ISO Hi 0.3, 60mm macro lens, Matrix metering, Aperture priority, WB: Auto |
2012.09.17
It has been a very hectic day! My brain is reeling and my eyes are falling out of my head, so I decided that tonight would be Mum's cupie dolls, one of which reminds me facially of a whimsical look that one of my grandsons gets on his face occassionally. I got out the tripod as well as the remote shutter release as I had to have the tripod extended in order to get a shot of these on top of the cupboard.
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| f/7.1, 1.6 sec, ISO 100, 60mm macro lens, Matrix metering, Aperture priority, WB: Tungsten lighting |
What a day! I have spent so much time on phones today helping to arrange the situation for Mum and Dad that I didn't get a photo taken until very late tonight! My sister-in-law [whose portrait I should have taken together with my mother-in-law when they visited me this morning], loved this particular painting of my mum's that is unframed on the loungeroom wall, so I took this shot for Jenny.
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| f/4, 1/100 sec, ISO 4000, 60mm macro lens, matrix metering, Aperture priority, WB: Auto Picasa 3: cropped out brick wall and framed |
2012.09.19
After a very exhausting day, I thought I had arrived home to be able to take a shot in twilight, forgetting that Sydney does not have a twilght! By the time I rescued dad's washing from the line it was dark, but the new moon was shining brightly so I had a go and discovered that, no matter what ISO I used or speed of shutter release I had UFO's in the shot. If someone can enlighten me as to why and how I can rectify this I would like to know!
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| f/11, 1/5 sec, ISO Hi 0.3, 300mm focal length, Spot metering, Aperture priority, WB: Auto |
2012.09.20
After dad went to dialysis this afternoon, I went for a walk around the grounds with the camera set at f/5.6 to get in some practise with this aperture setting. There were a few that I changed to f/11 as I was going and I did change the focus and the metering regularly. I thoroughly enjoyed the stroll as I really needed it.
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| f/5.6, 1/400 sec, ISO 400, 55mm focal length, Centre-weighted average metering, Aperture priority, WB: Sunny |
This evening I had 45 minutes between arriving home from the hospital and going to the Preliminary Final, and in that time I had to get Dad's evening meal, eat something myself and get changed! That said, today's shots were quick out the window or off the balcony shots, this being the colouring of the setting sun on the trees taken from the balcony.
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| f/5.6, 1/250 sec, ISO 400, 18mm focal length, Centre-weighted average metering, Aperture priority, WB: Sunny |
This afternoon I went flying with my brother in a small two seater! Because we had to be on the ground at a specific time and we left later than we'd planned, it was a forty minute joyride which was wonderful!! I took photos but was far more interested in what I was seeing than in the settings etc. I had to remembert to take shots!! However, I loved the effect of the golden sunset on the water and the contrast between the boats still in sunlight and those that had been overtaken by shadow.
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| f/4.8, 1/1600 sec, ISO 500, 100 mm focal length, Matrix metering, Aperture priority, WB: Sunny |
2012.09.23
After getting back late from the hospital, I had a 10-15 minutes window only to get some shots. Because it was getting darker, I popped the ISO way up.
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| f/5.6, 1/30 sec, ISO 5000, 300mm focal length, Centre-weighted average metering, Aperture priority, WB: Auto |
Home today! Although I was nearly falling asleep on the planes, I did take shots from the windows again. Lift off from Tullamarine in the Dash-8 saw the start of the last leg home!
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| f/5.6, 1/320 sec, ISO 400, 18mm focal length, Matrix metering, Aperture priority, WB: Sunny |
2012.09.25
I have been like a blob today; very tired, heavy limbs and fuzzy head, but getting down to the beach for 15 minutes with the salty wind blowing through me was a real tonic. I had to straighten this in Picasa as I was finding difficulty in even holding the camera with the basic lens.
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| f/11, 1/800 sec, ISO 400, 24mm focal length, matrix metering, Aperture priority, WB: Sunny |
After school, Steve picked me up and we went out to Hawley for a twenty minute wander on the beach, a great tonic for a pick-me-up! Even though it was overcast (and chilly) I put the nd8 filter on as I couldn't slow the shutter down sufficiently without it. The shot straight from the camera (first shot) is rather steely in colour (appropriate to the day) and so I played with it in Picasa, tweaking saturation, tinted sky, border to get the second shot. Lastly, and it should have been first I think, I played with the D-Lighting, the colour using filters in the camera and then gave it a frame in Picasa. Interesting differences!
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| f/22, 0.62 sec (tripod), ISO 100, 18 mm focal length, nd8 filter, matrix metering, Aperture priority, WB: Auto |
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| Tweaked in Picasa |
2012.09. 27
Exhaustion has just set in and after school I couldn't face going out, so took some shots around the backyard of the Spring flowers using the macro lens. I love the scent of these old-fashioned freesias!
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| f/11, 1/125 sec, ISO 400, 60 mm macro lens, Centre-weighted average metering, Aperture priority, WB: Sunny |
Getting home at 6.00 pm was a challenge ... did I take an indoor shot or try something outside in the darkening day? I tried high ISO with spot focus using my kit lens, then I used the polaroid frame on Picasa, which seemed to suit this shot of the moss growth amongst the succulents.
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| f/5.6, 1/10 sec (hand held!!), ISO 1600, 55mm focal length, Centre-weighted average metering, Aperture priority, WB: Sunny |
2012.09.29
Grand Final day! This is the photo I have taken this morning and edited in Picasa, and which will adorn my facebook page IF we manage a win [well, my team that is, not me!]
2012.09.30Grand Final day! This is the photo I have taken this morning and edited in Picasa, and which will adorn my facebook page IF we manage a win [well, my team that is, not me!]
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| f/29, 30 sec [tripod], ISO 100, 60mm macro lens, Matrix metering, Aperture priority, WB: Auto |
After church this morning we grabbed some lunch and headed up to Cradle Mountain uncertain if we would actually get there as the police site said some of the road was still closed because of the snow. However the sun was shining and we wanted to get out into fresh air. We were very fortunate that we could get right through to Dove Lake, but we stopped first at the car park at the Interpretation Centre and did a short walk there. We had a wonderful, if slippery afternoon. The clouds began to come in as we got to the lake ... five minutes earlier we would have had clear blue skies. I know that this mountain is an iconic image but as I had never had a shot with this much snow before I wanted to share it.
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| f/22, 1/6 sec (tripod), ISO 100, 20 mm focal length, Matrix metering, Aperture Priority, WB: Sunny |
And thus ends my ninth month of this learning challenge. One thing that I did learn was that trying to keep up a daily challenge when you are suddenly out of routine and very tired as I was for the fortnight in Sydney is very, very difficult. There were days up there when I was ready to throw in the towel but I made myself take a shot each day. My lack of time is obvious in some of those shots, but even they have taught me something!
And now there is only one quarter of the year left!
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