A new month is underway and I spent it at hospital having a day procedure. By the time we arrived home it was dark and so I decided that the only thing I could do was hold the camera in one hand and take a shot of the evidence of my day! I used spot focus on the identification band clip. I also decided to pop a border and caption on in Picasa as it really is a bland photo!
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| f/5.3, 1/40 sec, ISO 800, 45 mm focal length, Spot metering, Aperture priority, WB: Auto |
2012.05.02
On Doc's orders I have taken today easy, which has not been difficult as it has turned rather cold and miserable. I picked some flowers from the garden and used the tripod and the macro lens to have a go at spot focus and small f/stop in order to get a muted background.
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| f/3.5, 1/2 sec, ISO 100 Spot metering, Aperture Priority, WB: Auto |
2012.05.03
We had a long staff meeting after school this afternoon and so the sun was betting behind the clouds on the western horizon by the time I had the camera down at our local dog beach. I took a couple of shots without the ND filter and a couple with it.
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| f/22, 25 sec, ISO 100, 18mm focal length, Matrix metering, Aperture priority, WB: Auto, ND8 filter |
2012.05.04
After school today I went to the same beach as yesterday, but about an hour earlier. The tide was even further out and the dogs had obviously been exercising on 'their' beach, this being the beach designated for that purpose. I found some footprints in the wet sand almost at the extreme low tide mark and took some photos with differing aperture settings, but all on matrix metering. Having now seen them, I wish that I had also done some on spot metering and spot focus ... that'll need to go into the back of my brain to pull out next time I am in that situation, but having forgotten to change the white balance from Auto to Sunny, I may not remember! My tripod has sandy legs and I had to have a change of clothes as I was kneeling in the wet sand!
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| f/16, 1/4 sec, ISO 100, 42mm focal length, Matrix metering, Aperture priority, WB: Auto |
2012.05.05
We spent the whole day at Agfest today and this photo is taken out the front window of the car as we travelled back along the Bass Highway home from this great agricultural field day. I'm surprised that this turned out as well as it did as Steve was travelling at the same speed as all the rest of the traffic. There was no way that we could pull off the road and I did not want to miss this incredible sunset.
We spent the whole day at Agfest today and this photo is taken out the front window of the car as we travelled back along the Bass Highway home from this great agricultural field day. I'm surprised that this turned out as well as it did as Steve was travelling at the same speed as all the rest of the traffic. There was no way that we could pull off the road and I did not want to miss this incredible sunset.
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| f/5.6, 1/160 sec, ISO 250, 55mm focal point, Spot metering, Aperture priority, WB: Auto |
2012.05.06
I don't have the equipment for those wonderful closeups of full moons, but I loved the effect of tonight's "supermoon" rising above the clouds on the eastern horizon and shining brightly on the river.
I don't have the equipment for those wonderful closeups of full moons, but I loved the effect of tonight's "supermoon" rising above the clouds on the eastern horizon and shining brightly on the river.
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| f/6.3, 1/2 sec (tripod), ISO 500, 58 mm focal length, Matrix metering, Aperture priority, WB: Auto |
2012.05.07
Tonight, to give my hands a break as they were stinging, I put down the knife and took up the lens [after a thorough washing of said hands]. I was cutting up very finely a kilo of limes from our tree for soaking overnight to make into marmalade tomorrow. I put the macro lens on and used a spot focus. I took a number in colour and a number in B&W.
Tonight, to give my hands a break as they were stinging, I put down the knife and took up the lens [after a thorough washing of said hands]. I was cutting up very finely a kilo of limes from our tree for soaking overnight to make into marmalade tomorrow. I put the macro lens on and used a spot focus. I took a number in colour and a number in B&W.
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| f/4.5, 1/4 sec, ISO 100, no flash, Spot metering, Aperture priority, WB: Auto |
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| f/2.5, 1/10 sec, ISO 100, no flash, Spot metering, Aperture priority, WB: Auto |
2012.05.08
Having made my marmalade this afternoon, I decided this evening to have a go, using my macro lens, at spot focus on one word ... LIME! Because it was late, and the kitchen lights cast deep shadows, I had to have a second go using the flash.
Having made my marmalade this afternoon, I decided this evening to have a go, using my macro lens, at spot focus on one word ... LIME! Because it was late, and the kitchen lights cast deep shadows, I had to have a second go using the flash.
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| f/2.8, 1/60 sec, ISO 100, Spot metering, Flash (compulsory, strobe return), Aperture priority, WB: Flash |
2012.05.09
I made a mess in my kitchen tonight while doing some experimenting with abstract style photography. I used light, water, food dye, vinegar, olive oil and bicarb soda. However the photos I chose to keep did not include any with the bicarb soda. I was as pleased as punch with the brilliance of the colour and the moving shapes. I had the camera set on vivid which enhanced the colours, but I had forgotten to change the white balance from last night's 'flash' to 'incandescent' or maybe even 'auto'. How this affected the final effects I do not know. I used my 60 mm macro lens with manual focusing prior to drops, movement, stirring, etc.
I made a mess in my kitchen tonight while doing some experimenting with abstract style photography. I used light, water, food dye, vinegar, olive oil and bicarb soda. However the photos I chose to keep did not include any with the bicarb soda. I was as pleased as punch with the brilliance of the colour and the moving shapes. I had the camera set on vivid which enhanced the colours, but I had forgotten to change the white balance from last night's 'flash' to 'incandescent' or maybe even 'auto'. How this affected the final effects I do not know. I used my 60 mm macro lens with manual focusing prior to drops, movement, stirring, etc.
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| f/3.2, 1/15 sec, ISO 500, Centre-weighted average, manual spot focus, Macro lens, Aperture priority, WB: Flash [not used] ... (Both photos) |
2012.05.10
As I had my macro lens on, and the late afternoon was getting a trifle chilly, I decided to have a go at B&W spot, and manual, focus on the organ keys, despite the fact that I find manual focus a bit dicey with my eyes. After uploading them from the camera I chose four to slightly sharpen and place a border around using Picasa. After a few shots I chose to use a flash but forgot to change the WB from 'Incandescent lighting' to 'flash'.
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| f/3.2, 0.62 secs, ISO 100, Spot metering, Flash (compulsory, strobe return), Aperture priority, WB: Incandescent light |
2012.05.11
After school this afternoon we grabbed the cameras as it was getting late and headed down to the beach where there was a surf going at high tide. Lots of young ones were out in their wetsuits on their boards which was great for my husband who had on his long lens. I ventured to the very narrow strip of sand at the high tide mark and found after I got home that one has to recheck levels with each shot as a tripod sinks slightly in wet sand after the shutter is released ... when I took a series of shots the first had a level horizon but with each succeeding shot there was a slight tilting! It is great when Picasa can come to the rescue!
After school this afternoon we grabbed the cameras as it was getting late and headed down to the beach where there was a surf going at high tide. Lots of young ones were out in their wetsuits on their boards which was great for my husband who had on his long lens. I ventured to the very narrow strip of sand at the high tide mark and found after I got home that one has to recheck levels with each shot as a tripod sinks slightly in wet sand after the shutter is released ... when I took a series of shots the first had a level horizon but with each succeeding shot there was a slight tilting! It is great when Picasa can come to the rescue!
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| f/4.5, 1/40 sec, ISO 100, 24mm focal length, matrix metering, Aperture priority, WB: Sunny |
2012.05.12
It was a wild and wintry autumn day today, but I was able to go to our lighthouse late this afternoon when it wasn't raining and get some shots of the lighthouse with its iconic red and white stripes in between showers. I tried it from all angles except right down on the rocks at water's edge [far too rough to try that today!] Because of the darkness I popped the ISO up to 400.
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| f/11, 1/30 sec, ISO 400, 32mm focal length, matrix metering, Aperture priority, WB: Auto |
2012.05.13
After yesterday's winter blast, today dawned clear and sunny, so after lunch we went for a drive. It was the only Sunday afternoon of the month that Steve does not have another service, and being Mother's Day, it was a lovely outing. We drove through some of the winding back roads, past farms and through bushland.
After yesterday's winter blast, today dawned clear and sunny, so after lunch we went for a drive. It was the only Sunday afternoon of the month that Steve does not have another service, and being Mother's Day, it was a lovely outing. We drove through some of the winding back roads, past farms and through bushland.
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| f/22, 1/30 sec, ISO 100, 24mm focal length, Matrix metering, Aperture Priority, WB: Sunny |
2012.05.14
We visited Villarett gardens today. The autumn foliage was stunning. I liked the way they had planted the tree ferns in this gully and the way they lead the eye down the hill, past the rhododendrons and across the dam to the autumn tree. If I had Photoshop I'd take the road and electricity wire out ... but I don't!
We visited Villarett gardens today. The autumn foliage was stunning. I liked the way they had planted the tree ferns in this gully and the way they lead the eye down the hill, past the rhododendrons and across the dam to the autumn tree. If I had Photoshop I'd take the road and electricity wire out ... but I don't!
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| f/22, 1/10 sec (tripod), ISO 100, 52 mm focal length, Matrix metering, Aperture priority, WB: Sunny |
2012.05.15
This afternoon I spent some time at the eastern end of Coles Beach as the tide began to come in. There are many interesting (and quite sharp) rock formations there. I'd like to be there when the sun was either to the east or high overhead and not lower in the western sky as my kit lens does not have a hood and I messed up a few shots as a speck of light had crept onto the lens. I had my nd8 filter on as many of the rocks at low tide have narrow openings for the sea to rush in between them - I had to be careful that I wasn't cut off by the rising water! This photo is of the edge of the shelf where it meets the beach.
This afternoon I spent some time at the eastern end of Coles Beach as the tide began to come in. There are many interesting (and quite sharp) rock formations there. I'd like to be there when the sun was either to the east or high overhead and not lower in the western sky as my kit lens does not have a hood and I messed up a few shots as a speck of light had crept onto the lens. I had my nd8 filter on as many of the rocks at low tide have narrow openings for the sea to rush in between them - I had to be careful that I wasn't cut off by the rising water! This photo is of the edge of the shelf where it meets the beach.
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| f/32, 0.77 secs, ISO 100, 34 mm focal length, nd8 filter, matrix metering, Aperture priority, WB: Sunny |
2012.05.16
By the time I left school it was late and I popped down to the rocky beach near school. It was isolated and at low tide. I had my 18-55 lens on and the other lenses were in the car. Except for the fact that it was a hike back across the rocky beach and that the light was fading, I would have been better to have had the 55-300 lens on as there were many sea birds foraging at the waters edge! Unfortunately I left the nd filter on the camera as well as the ISO at 400 ... one of these days I am going to remember to check everything! I think that is why the photo is rather on the blue side tonight. I know this one is a bit too much half and half, but I loved the way that the Pacific Gull decided to take centre stage!
By the time I left school it was late and I popped down to the rocky beach near school. It was isolated and at low tide. I had my 18-55 lens on and the other lenses were in the car. Except for the fact that it was a hike back across the rocky beach and that the light was fading, I would have been better to have had the 55-300 lens on as there were many sea birds foraging at the waters edge! Unfortunately I left the nd filter on the camera as well as the ISO at 400 ... one of these days I am going to remember to check everything! I think that is why the photo is rather on the blue side tonight. I know this one is a bit too much half and half, but I loved the way that the Pacific Gull decided to take centre stage!
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| f/7.1, 1/60 sec, ISO 400, 48mm focal length, Matrix metering, Aperture priority, WB: Auto |
2012.05.17
I decided this morning that when I got home from school this afternoon I would do some spot focus practice on the bottle brush in the front yard. Unfortunately it had come over very dull, a bit chilly and rather breezy. I did this with my kit lens and not my macro lens ... again I was worried that I would run out of light so didn't take the time needed to change - I am sure that I would have done better if I had had the macro lens on as the backgrounds would have been more muted as I can reach a much smaller f/stop on the macro lens. This was as small an f/stop as I could achieve on the kit lens.
I spent a couple of hours wandering one small patch of the beach at Hawley while Steve was visiting the local Retirement Village. I played around with differing f/stops and with the ND filter both on and off. The afternoon went from brilliant sunshine (when the WB was set to 'sunny') to impending rain (when the WB was set to 'Auto') in the time I was on the beach. This shot is just as it came out of the camera (which was set to 'landscape' even though it looks as if it was set at 'vivid')! When you have colour like this you don't need to enhance the shot in any way ... I do love living in this part of the world!I decided this morning that when I got home from school this afternoon I would do some spot focus practice on the bottle brush in the front yard. Unfortunately it had come over very dull, a bit chilly and rather breezy. I did this with my kit lens and not my macro lens ... again I was worried that I would run out of light so didn't take the time needed to change - I am sure that I would have done better if I had had the macro lens on as the backgrounds would have been more muted as I can reach a much smaller f/stop on the macro lens. This was as small an f/stop as I could achieve on the kit lens.
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| f/5.6, 1/8 sec, ISO 100, 55 mm focal length, Spot metering, Aperture priority, WB: Auto |
2012.05.18
It rained when I got home from school this afternoon and so it was necessary to do something inside tonight. I got out my great grandmother's Venetian glass vase [it is actually one of a pair but it went down another branch of the family after my grandmother gave one to my Mum and one to a niece of hers]. I played around with different apertures, different shot settings (vivid, monochrome, standard and neutral) and different light sources, (with some resulting in appalling colour)! My husband would have preferred the vase set straight on and being dead in the middle, but I prefer the off-centre positioning. What do you think?
It rained when I got home from school this afternoon and so it was necessary to do something inside tonight. I got out my great grandmother's Venetian glass vase [it is actually one of a pair but it went down another branch of the family after my grandmother gave one to my Mum and one to a niece of hers]. I played around with different apertures, different shot settings (vivid, monochrome, standard and neutral) and different light sources, (with some resulting in appalling colour)! My husband would have preferred the vase set straight on and being dead in the middle, but I prefer the off-centre positioning. What do you think?
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| f/4.5, 1/30 sec, ISO 800, 60 mm macro lens, Matrix metering, flash (compulsory, strobe return), Aperture priority, WB: Flash |
2012.05.19
Today I had the picture control on the camera set to vivid and had my macro lens on. I could not resist these wonderful autumn leaves set against the blue of the sky along the river.
Today I had the picture control on the camera set to vivid and had my macro lens on. I could not resist these wonderful autumn leaves set against the blue of the sky along the river.
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| f/9, 1/500 sec, ISO 100, matrix metering, Aperture priority, WB: Sunny |
2012.05.20
After the service at Don this afternoon we grabbed the cameras and headed onto the walking tracks in the Don Reserve to catch the last run of the Don River railway for the day. The sun was naturally getting low and the lighting was rather golden. I was trying to use spot focus with the dynamic focus point for moving objects, and I had the matrix metering on. Because there was deep shade I left the white balance on Auto.
After the service at Don this afternoon we grabbed the cameras and headed onto the walking tracks in the Don Reserve to catch the last run of the Don River railway for the day. The sun was naturally getting low and the lighting was rather golden. I was trying to use spot focus with the dynamic focus point for moving objects, and I had the matrix metering on. Because there was deep shade I left the white balance on Auto.
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| f/5.6, 1/160 sec, ISO 500, 55mm focal length, Matrix metering, Aperture priority, WB: Auto |
2012.05.21
This is one night where the photo is basically a record. I have fresh bread mix and it is making up into a beautiful loaf! I also, with this shot, tried a much larger ISO as it was just in the kitchen late at night. I also tried a spot focus (right in the centre) with a centre weighted average metering. The bread was still in the cooling down stage when I took this photo!
This is one night where the photo is basically a record. I have fresh bread mix and it is making up into a beautiful loaf! I also, with this shot, tried a much larger ISO as it was just in the kitchen late at night. I also tried a spot focus (right in the centre) with a centre weighted average metering. The bread was still in the cooling down stage when I took this photo!
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| f/5.3, 1/15 sec, ISO 1250, 44mm focal length, Centre weighted average metering, Aperture priority, WB: Auto |
2012.05.22
After school this afternoon I went down to the local beach. There had been a sharp shower of rain not long beforehand and the water was rather erratic (it is normally very flat) and the clouds were fairly ominous. The beach was empty except for some gulls that, like me, seemed to be battling the wind! I decided, as it was so dark and there was so much movement, to put the ISO up to 500 in order to get faster shots. For the same reason, I took a number of shots on f5.6 up to f/7.1, but this one, being a wider view I took on f/11. The channel marker for the river is visible on the horizon, and I'm certainly glad I'm not going out across Bass Strait on the ferry to Melbourne tonight!
After school this afternoon I went down to the local beach. There had been a sharp shower of rain not long beforehand and the water was rather erratic (it is normally very flat) and the clouds were fairly ominous. The beach was empty except for some gulls that, like me, seemed to be battling the wind! I decided, as it was so dark and there was so much movement, to put the ISO up to 500 in order to get faster shots. For the same reason, I took a number of shots on f5.6 up to f/7.1, but this one, being a wider view I took on f/11. The channel marker for the river is visible on the horizon, and I'm certainly glad I'm not going out across Bass Strait on the ferry to Melbourne tonight!
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| f/11, 1/250 sec, ISO 500, 18 mm focal length, matrix metering, Aperture priority, WB: Auto |
2012.05.23
After dealing with cold and very windy playground duty, I wrapped up as warm as I could when I left school this afternoon. The wind blew the door closed rather hard on my leg when I got in the car, so my husband left me to recuperate while he did the shopping. I sat in the car and played around with the 'live view' feature of the camera, and focusing on my eye area, I took a few "self-portraits" at arm's length - it was fun, if fairly unflattering!
After dealing with cold and very windy playground duty, I wrapped up as warm as I could when I left school this afternoon. The wind blew the door closed rather hard on my leg when I got in the car, so my husband left me to recuperate while he did the shopping. I sat in the car and played around with the 'live view' feature of the camera, and focusing on my eye area, I took a few "self-portraits" at arm's length - it was fun, if fairly unflattering!
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| f/5.6, 1/20 sec, ISO 500, 34 mm focal length, spot focus, centre-weighted average metering, Aperture priority, WB: Auto |
2012.05.24
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| f/14, 1/13 sec (tripod), ISO 100, 46mm focal length, Matrix metering, Aperture priority, WB: Auto |
2012.05.25
There was a small window of opportunity this morning when there was no rain and the light was not totally gloomy. The winter vegies have grown rapidly and the various greens looked terrific together. I grabbed the camera and took a few shots for the record only, but being that sort of day, this is what I have to share for tonight!
There was a small window of opportunity this morning when there was no rain and the light was not totally gloomy. The winter vegies have grown rapidly and the various greens looked terrific together. I grabbed the camera and took a few shots for the record only, but being that sort of day, this is what I have to share for tonight!
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| f/7.1, 1/50 sec, ISO 640, 28mm focal length, Matrix metering, Aperture priority, WB: Auto |
2012.05.26
We had a couple of hours in the bush at Henslowes Reserve in Ulverstone this afternoon - I will definitely go back! There were spots down beside the river (although I only explored one of them), there were different fungi all over the forest floor and there were birds flitting everywhere. This clump of very small fungi was growing against the base of a tree trunk. I liked the tiny fern spike peeking through and the way the leaf led to the clump. I had the white balance set to sunny and didn't think about the fact that I was in the deep shadow of the surrounding trees and therefore change it. I had the tripod down very close to the ground to take this ... contorting my body to see through the viewfinder!
We had a couple of hours in the bush at Henslowes Reserve in Ulverstone this afternoon - I will definitely go back! There were spots down beside the river (although I only explored one of them), there were different fungi all over the forest floor and there were birds flitting everywhere. This clump of very small fungi was growing against the base of a tree trunk. I liked the tiny fern spike peeking through and the way the leaf led to the clump. I had the white balance set to sunny and didn't think about the fact that I was in the deep shadow of the surrounding trees and therefore change it. I had the tripod down very close to the ground to take this ... contorting my body to see through the viewfinder!
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| f/22, 1/2 sec (tripod), ISO 100, 48mm focal length, Spot metering, Aperture priority, WB: Sunny |
2012.05.27
I love the look of country back roads in autumn that are planted out as if they were in Europe ... the leaves falling and the colour are a joy to see. I also love the allure of "the bend in the road" and in this case there was both the bend in the road as it rounded the corner and the bend of the camber on the road. I did do a "straighten" on Picasa because it does look a bit skew-whiff, but it looked all wrong being straight as the road is as this looks, standing in that spot in the undulating countryside, so I've left it as it was taken.
I love the look of country back roads in autumn that are planted out as if they were in Europe ... the leaves falling and the colour are a joy to see. I also love the allure of "the bend in the road" and in this case there was both the bend in the road as it rounded the corner and the bend of the camber on the road. I did do a "straighten" on Picasa because it does look a bit skew-whiff, but it looked all wrong being straight as the road is as this looks, standing in that spot in the undulating countryside, so I've left it as it was taken.
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| f/11, 1/125 sec, ISO 100, 18mm focal length, matrix metering, Aperture priority, WB: Sunny |
2012.05.28
Late this afternoon we went for a wander around Don Heads. I took shots out in the sun but when I went on the walk around the lagoon I forgot to change my f/stop as well as my white balance away from sunny, despite remembering to put the ISO up because of the deep shadow of the hill and the old planting of trees. One day I'll remember everything ... hopefully! I chose to put this shot in tonight as the colours and trees remind me of a McCubbin painting. I was surprised that on this f/stop it wasn't all out of focus!
Late this afternoon we went for a wander around Don Heads. I took shots out in the sun but when I went on the walk around the lagoon I forgot to change my f/stop as well as my white balance away from sunny, despite remembering to put the ISO up because of the deep shadow of the hill and the old planting of trees. One day I'll remember everything ... hopefully! I chose to put this shot in tonight as the colours and trees remind me of a McCubbin painting. I was surprised that on this f/stop it wasn't all out of focus!
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| f/4.5, 1/60 sec, ISO 800, 55mm focal length, matrix metering, Aperture priority, WB: Sunny |
2012.05.29
I was pretty disappointed with the shots I took this afternoon in our garden. This is a rose that really shouldn't be blooming now but I like the way it looks like a bouquet of red roses from this angle, so this is my contribution to my blog for today!
I was pretty disappointed with the shots I took this afternoon in our garden. This is a rose that really shouldn't be blooming now but I like the way it looks like a bouquet of red roses from this angle, so this is my contribution to my blog for today!
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| f/7.1, 1/125 sec, ISO 200, macro lens, Metering: Centre-weighted average, Aperture priority, WB: Sunny |
2012.05.30
It was rather late after school and our protea was in shade despite the fact that the sun hadn't set, so I remembered to change the white balance today! I had my macro lens on and used my tripod, but I probably should have used a higher ISO as there was the occasional burst of breeze which made a number of shots out of focus, despite thinking I had waited for no movement! This shot is of the new buds bursting forth where a protea flower had been picked last year. I love the patterned look!
It was rather late after school and our protea was in shade despite the fact that the sun hadn't set, so I remembered to change the white balance today! I had my macro lens on and used my tripod, but I probably should have used a higher ISO as there was the occasional burst of breeze which made a number of shots out of focus, despite thinking I had waited for no movement! This shot is of the new buds bursting forth where a protea flower had been picked last year. I love the patterned look!
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| f/9, 1/2 sec (tripod), ISO 100, 60mm macro lens, Matrix metering, Aperture priority, WB: Cloudy |
2012.05.31
It was even later after school this afternoon and it was definitely in shade when I spent more time out in the front garden using the macro lens trying to find what is the best aperture to use with close-ups of seeds in pods. Although this is f/32, I was very pleased with my f/7.1 and f/11 shots. I put the ISO up , having learned from yesterday afternoon, and I was more than pleased with the results. I used spot focus with the centre-weighted average metering. I was working on different stages of the seed pods on the flag iris. Afterwards I used four of today's shots with two taken last spring when the flowers were in abundance and made a collage which I will pop in as well as one shot from today.
It was even later after school this afternoon and it was definitely in shade when I spent more time out in the front garden using the macro lens trying to find what is the best aperture to use with close-ups of seeds in pods. Although this is f/32, I was very pleased with my f/7.1 and f/11 shots. I put the ISO up , having learned from yesterday afternoon, and I was more than pleased with the results. I used spot focus with the centre-weighted average metering. I was working on different stages of the seed pods on the flag iris. Afterwards I used four of today's shots with two taken last spring when the flowers were in abundance and made a collage which I will pop in as well as one shot from today.
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| f/36, 1/3 sec (tripod), ISO 800, 60mm macro lens, Centre-weighted average metering, Aperture priority, WB: Cloudy |
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| Collage using PicMonkey |
And so we come to the end of the fifth month of my year of exploration. I hope you are enjoying my journey.
