2012.07.01
Late this afternoon we had a short drive out of town to some of the local vegetable farms as I wanted some shots of the rich soils and the rows of brassicas that are growing at the moment. The sun was very low and so the colours were intense. I loved the light and the stain of the red soil on this fence post beside the road.
 |
| f/5.6, 1/320sec, ISO 320, 55mm focal length, Matrix metering, Aperture priority, WB: Sunny |
2012.07.02
We had a lovely picnic at Warrawee Reserve at Latrobe today and enjoyed the wrens that flocked around. I had the camera set to a spot focus as well as spot metering, but this wren came right up onto the picnic table as we were eating and being so close, I probably should have had it as centre-weighted metering rather than spot.
2012.07.03
We had a lovely picnic at Warrawee Reserve at Latrobe today and enjoyed the wrens that flocked around. I had the camera set to a spot focus as well as spot metering, but this wren came right up onto the picnic table as we were eating and being so close, I probably should have had it as centre-weighted metering rather than spot.
 |
| f/5.6, 1/250 sec, ISO 500, 270mm focal length, Spot metering, Aperture Priority, WB: Sunny |
 |
| Slightly sharpened with contrast and colour tweaked minimally in Picasa |
Having worked on school work all day, I went outside late this afternoon, still with my 55-300 lens on. I deliberately kept the spot focus on to see how it would go. However, I changed the metering to centre-weighted average and that, in hindsight, was possibly not the correct decision (but, I am not worried as this is a learning blog challenge!) If I had had this on spot metering too, I think it would have only been the violet in focus as was my objective and that the leaf, too, would have been blurred. By not having the leaves blurred I've lost some of what I aimed for - everything leading the eye down from the green, over the rockery edge to the touch of purple. I was a little shaky today and the tripod would have made for a fully sharp flower image. I gave the slightest of tweaking for sharpness in Picasa 3.
 |
| f/5.6, 1/40 sec, ISO 500, Centre-weighted average metering, Spot focus, Aperture priority, WB: Sunny |
2012.07.04
We went for a short drive through some country lanes after school today looking for birds for Steve. I took this shot through the open window on the opposite of the car. I loved the effect of all the birds on the farm gate with the one that was different being in the spot focus. I cropped it to get the wires to the house out of the frame. I'll put the original and the cropped here to show the difference the framing makes. The light of the late afternoon sun is really mellow, but when I tweaked the contrast and colour in Picasa, much of the mellowness disappeared unfortunately.
2012.07.10We went for a short drive through some country lanes after school today looking for birds for Steve. I took this shot through the open window on the opposite of the car. I loved the effect of all the birds on the farm gate with the one that was different being in the spot focus. I cropped it to get the wires to the house out of the frame. I'll put the original and the cropped here to show the difference the framing makes. The light of the late afternoon sun is really mellow, but when I tweaked the contrast and colour in Picasa, much of the mellowness disappeared unfortunately.
 |
| f/7.1, 1/250 sec, ISO 400, 240mm focal length, Spot metering, Aperture priority, WB: Sunny |
 |
| Cropped and slightly tweaked in Picasa |
2012.07.05
We shot out to Port Sorrell after school this afternoon and were rewarded with, not only the setting sun, but also low tide on the Panatana Rivulet. I did some shots in Aperture priority with the boat reflections and then practised (played around with) manual settings directly into the setting sun over the mud flats. I was thrilled to bits with quite a few shots this afternoon. Unlike the past couple of days, I have not tweaked these at all. These two are straight out of the camera.
2012.07.06
We shot out to Port Sorrell after school this afternoon and were rewarded with, not only the setting sun, but also low tide on the Panatana Rivulet. I did some shots in Aperture priority with the boat reflections and then practised (played around with) manual settings directly into the setting sun over the mud flats. I was thrilled to bits with quite a few shots this afternoon. Unlike the past couple of days, I have not tweaked these at all. These two are straight out of the camera.
 |
| f/11, 1/25 sec, ISO 250, 55mm focal length, matrix metering, Aperture priority, WB: Sunny |
 |
| f/7.1, 1/2000 sec, ISO 250, 55mm focal length, Manual settings, matrix metering, WB: Sunny |
Because Steve's 150-500 lens came back from repairs yesterday, we again wandered country lanes seeking birds after school. This literally is a "Lane", named after the people whose farm is at the far end. This was late, only about 15-20 minutes before sunset and I loved the country lane feel, as well as the evening light. There really is something about Tasmanian light!
 |
| f/11, 1/40 sec, ISO 320, 55mm focal length, matrix metering, Aperture priority, WB: Sunny |
2012.07.07
We shot over to Bridport. This was taken at the caravan Park after sunset. Don't you love the colours of the rocks and the milkiness of the water in the ocean compared to the clarity in the rockpool?
We shot over to Bridport. This was taken at the caravan Park after sunset. Don't you love the colours of the rocks and the milkiness of the water in the ocean compared to the clarity in the rockpool?
 |
| f/22, 8sec (tripod), ISO 100, 62mm focal length, matrix metering, Aperture priority, WB: Cloudy |
2012.07.08
After church in Bridport, we did some shooting around the coast and then at the port on the river which was at low tide. It was still and sunny!
 |
| f/22, 1/50sec, ISO200, 55mm focal length, Matrix metering, Aperture priority, WB: Sunny |
2012.07.09
I didn't have the opportunity to take any shots until almost sunset and as we were travelling past Boat Harbour we went down to the shore in the hope of getting some nice coastal shots. It was sunny to the west and darkening clouds to the east and this of course gave great colouring! Being so late, I upped the ISO and the shutter speed, but, if that is my shadow, I did not watch the shadows as well as I should. I know I did for some shots, but that does not look like the trunk of the pine trees growing along the beach front!
I didn't have the opportunity to take any shots until almost sunset and as we were travelling past Boat Harbour we went down to the shore in the hope of getting some nice coastal shots. It was sunny to the west and darkening clouds to the east and this of course gave great colouring! Being so late, I upped the ISO and the shutter speed, but, if that is my shadow, I did not watch the shadows as well as I should. I know I did for some shots, but that does not look like the trunk of the pine trees growing along the beach front!
 | |
| f/6.3, 1/1000 sec, ISO 500, 55mm focal length, Matrix metering, Aperture priority, WB: Sunny |
Despite the scattered showers we able to have a lot of time taking shots of the coastal scenery at Black River and Rocky Cape. For this one I had my variable nd filter on at a very windy, overcast Rocky Cape where we had lunch.
 | |
| f/22, 0.62 sec (tripod), ISO 100, 55mm focal length, Matrix metering, Aperture priority, WB: Cloudy |
2012.07.11
We wandered around some of the historic sections of Ross in the Midlands today and enjoyed the Old Ross Burial Ground set high on the hill overlooking the town. It was dark and on the verge of sprinkling and, unfortunately, this happened without my knowledge with small spits spoiling the last three shots. I felt the loneliness of those silent graves covered in long grasses and gorse bushes.
 |
| f/11, 1/100 sec, ISO 400, 22mm focal length, Matrix metering, Aperture priority, WB: Cloudy |
2012.07.12
Steve and I spent a wonderful lunchtime at the Domain in Hobart today. The 55-300 lens was on as there were many, many birds around. I took numerous shots using different apertures and speeds but for this shot, one of my favourites for the day, I had put the camera onto the speed programme. It reminds me of the ads for Rosella Soup from my childhood!
Steve and I spent a wonderful lunchtime at the Domain in Hobart today. The 55-300 lens was on as there were many, many birds around. I took numerous shots using different apertures and speeds but for this shot, one of my favourites for the day, I had put the camera onto the speed programme. It reminds me of the ads for Rosella Soup from my childhood!
 |
| f/5.6, 1/200 sec, ISO 1600, 300mm focal length, Matrix metering, Speed programme, WB: Auto |
2012.07.13
We travelled up the east coast of Tassie today under brilliant blue skies after the morning fog had cleared. This shot was taken of the Hazards at Freycinet National Park as the sun was setting. I think I kept the white balance on sunny, not yet knowing what is the best setting for this time of day. This was definitely one of those times where I would have liked to have had a wide angle lens!
 |
| f/22, 1/15 sec (tripod), ISO 400, 18mm focal length, matrix metering, Aperture priority, WB: Sunny |
2012.07.14
Today was a walk up to the Wineglass Bay lookout in brilliant sunshine that wasn't to last. It is a walk that is an hour to an hour and a half return, but there were birds for Steve and flora and landscapes for me, so it took us nearly three hours! We also went to Cape Tourville to observe the amazing coastal scenery around the lighthouse. It was a relaxing day which we thoroughly enjoyed. I have put this one in, another that really needed a wide-angle lens, because it is a scene I had never seen before, as the boardwalk around the cliff side of the lighthouse is a fairly new 'invention'. Now we need to go on a day that hasn't turned overcast!
 |
| f/22, 1/2 sec (tripod), ISO 100, 18mm focal length, Matrix metering, Aperture priority, WB: Cloudy |
2012.07.15
The last day of our holidays began in brilliant sunshine and it wasn't till after lunch when we were on the way home that the weather turned and Steve had to battle very strong winds. This is at Sleepy Bay, a pretty little part of the coast in Freycinet NP, which, being so red, reminds me of the gritty sand and interesting rock formations in some of the gorges in the Red Centre!
 |
| f/22, 1/3 sec (tripod, ISO 100, ND filter, 22mm focal length, matrix metering, Aperture priority, WB: Sunny |
2012.07.16
Between trying to write school reports and getting ready for an appointment, I thought I had best "grab a shot" when I made lunch, a delicious earthy soup I'd made and frozen earlier for such a day as this, sprinkled with blue vein cheese. I didn't set the shot up, just had it on the placemat made by one of our delightful grandchildren. I know a touch of green would have been better, but I certainly did not want it going cold!
 |
| f/4.2, 1/60 sec, ISO 800, 26mm focal length, Matrix metering, Automatic Food setting, WB: Auto |
2012.07.17
I made my gluten free bread, pizza and fruit loaf today. I cut the fruit loaf to have a slice for dessert and so I took my shots, practising with spot focus. Unfortunately I don't have my macro lens back yet and the kit lens does not have the width of range of aperture that I needed to blur the loaves and concentrate the spot as much as I'd have liked.
I made my gluten free bread, pizza and fruit loaf today. I cut the fruit loaf to have a slice for dessert and so I took my shots, practising with spot focus. Unfortunately I don't have my macro lens back yet and the kit lens does not have the width of range of aperture that I needed to blur the loaves and concentrate the spot as much as I'd have liked.
 |
| f/5, 1/25 sec, ISO 640, 26mm focal length, Spot metering, Aperture priority, WB: Auto |
2012.07.18
Today was one of those days I had dreaded ... by the time I was home from school and had a hot cuppa, it was both cold and late. However the sky was full of stunning clouds as we drove down to the beach. It had been a day where we had many passing, heavy showers. I took some shots into the setting sun but had them washed out [something I still need to learn more about] and then I put on the variable nd filter and did some experimenting. I'm not really happy with any from tonight, but it was definitely all a learning process. This is looking east with a mixture of lit cloud, storm cloud and flawless blue sky.
Today was one of those days I had dreaded ... by the time I was home from school and had a hot cuppa, it was both cold and late. However the sky was full of stunning clouds as we drove down to the beach. It had been a day where we had many passing, heavy showers. I took some shots into the setting sun but had them washed out [something I still need to learn more about] and then I put on the variable nd filter and did some experimenting. I'm not really happy with any from tonight, but it was definitely all a learning process. This is looking east with a mixture of lit cloud, storm cloud and flawless blue sky.
 |
| f/11, 0.62 sec (tripod), ISO 100, 48mm focal length, matrix metering, Aperture priority, WB: Auto |
2012.07.19
After school today I went into the garden. It was cloudy and latish, so I put the ISO up to 500. I used a spot focus with a centre-weighted average metering as I was concentrating on flowers. I still do not have my macro lens back and my shots would have been clearer with that lens. I wasn't happy with the colour of the azaleas after seeing them on the computer, and so I did some in-camera editing, changing to both B&W and Sepia. With the Nikon you have a range of three sepia shades and this shot is with the sepia on the "Lighter" setting.
After school today I went into the garden. It was cloudy and latish, so I put the ISO up to 500. I used a spot focus with a centre-weighted average metering as I was concentrating on flowers. I still do not have my macro lens back and my shots would have been clearer with that lens. I wasn't happy with the colour of the azaleas after seeing them on the computer, and so I did some in-camera editing, changing to both B&W and Sepia. With the Nikon you have a range of three sepia shades and this shot is with the sepia on the "Lighter" setting.
 |
| f/7.1, 1/40 sec, ISO 500, 40mm focal length, Centre-weighted average metering, Aperture priority, WB: Cloudy |
2012.07.20
We had a family gathering tonight before our daughter heads back overseas. Trying to get eight adults, four children and one dog into a family snap is hard work! After much hilarity, we had one where most people looked as they should. People just plonked them selves wherever they wanted, so this is very informal!
We had a family gathering tonight before our daughter heads back overseas. Trying to get eight adults, four children and one dog into a family snap is hard work! After much hilarity, we had one where most people looked as they should. People just plonked them selves wherever they wanted, so this is very informal!
 |
| f/3.5, 1/60 sec, ISO 800, 18mm focal length, Matrix metering, Flash (auto, strobe return), Portrait program setting, WB: Auto |
2012.07.21
We had a state conference meeting today. Our daughter was the main speaker and I took this shot from a distance in fairly dim lighting, but I love the profile view of a beautiful young woman.
 |
| f/5.3, 1/50 sec, ISO 800, 240mm focal length, Matrix metering, Aperture priority, WB: Tungsten lighting |
2012.07.22
We were only home for about an hour today and I grabbed a couple of shots in the garden between our two church services. However, I was not very happy with any of them, probably because I was rushing just to get one, rather than trying to increase my understanding of the camera and techniques! This was the first I took, as I had seen the play of the shadows on the back fence from inside the house, but I couldn't get the area I wanted into the shot ... garden stakes were in the way. This shot is indicative of the lack of time and care taken today and is, I think, the worst shot of the year so far. Back to the learning tomorrow! However, it is also a good reminder that the human eyes picks up all, but blocks out some of the surrounding aspects, and the camera only picks up what is in the frame ... a fact I forgot today.
 |
| f/11, 1/60 sec, ISO 100, 50mm focal length, Matrix metering, Aperture priority, WB: Sunny |
2012.07.23
On our way home from a funeral in Launceston, we detoured to the abattoir in Longford to get some meat for the freezer. One of the meats purchased was a few kilos of chicken wings, some of which I marinated for tea. I took the opportunity while they were marinating to experiment with some settings, and decided that the aperture, with a high ISO and the white balance set on Tungsten gave the most correct colour. I tweaked this shot on Picasa to see how it would go as a shot for a recipe and am quite pleased with the overall effect.
 |
| f/5, 1/50 sec, ISO 1250, 35mm focal length, no flash, Spot metering, Aperture priority, WB: Tungsten, Picasa 3: Straighten, sharpen, glow, border, text |
2012.07.24
It was very overcast this afternoon and the waves on the high tide were steely grey. Although this looks as if it may have been shot in black and white, this is the actual colour of the rocks and sea at our local beach today.
It was very overcast this afternoon and the waves on the high tide were steely grey. Although this looks as if it may have been shot in black and white, this is the actual colour of the rocks and sea at our local beach today.
 |
| f/22, 2 sec (tripod, remote shutter release), ISO 100, 55mm focal length, matrix metering, Aperture priority, WB: Cloudy |
2012.07.25
I left school late this afternoon and it was very dark and overcast. However, when I pulled up in the Reg Hope Park there was a slit in the clouds with light rays shining through and across the water. I only had time for a couple of quick shots before it went again. I had the white balance on cloudy, but wish I had set it to Auto as it came out of the camera slightly green tinged. I fixed the colour in Picasa and slightly sharpened it, but maybe I did a bit too much. I'll put both is and hopefully you can give me some feedback.
I left school late this afternoon and it was very dark and overcast. However, when I pulled up in the Reg Hope Park there was a slit in the clouds with light rays shining through and across the water. I only had time for a couple of quick shots before it went again. I had the white balance on cloudy, but wish I had set it to Auto as it came out of the camera slightly green tinged. I fixed the colour in Picasa and slightly sharpened it, but maybe I did a bit too much. I'll put both is and hopefully you can give me some feedback.
 |
| f/11, 1/40 sec, ISO 400, 30mm focal length, Matrix metering, Aperture priority, WB: Cloudy |
 |
| As above Picasa 3: Colour, contrast, sharpening and saturation tweaked a little |
2012.07.26
Again I was late after school, and again it was dark and gloomy as there had been stormy weather on and off for much of the day. After taking some shots across Bass Strait, I turned around to observe, not only another coming storm, but also the scene of a farmer burning off. I loved the drama of the white grass smoke against the blackness of the sky.
Again I was late after school, and again it was dark and gloomy as there had been stormy weather on and off for much of the day. After taking some shots across Bass Strait, I turned around to observe, not only another coming storm, but also the scene of a farmer burning off. I loved the drama of the white grass smoke against the blackness of the sky.
 |
| f/11, 1/50 ISO 400, 68mm focal length, Matrix metering, Aperture priority, WB: Auto |
2012.07.27
Steve had looked after the grandchildren all day and I stayed late at school completing half year reports, so we both collapsed after we had the little ones to bed. The only photos were of Steve watching the footy!
Steve had looked after the grandchildren all day and I stayed late at school completing half year reports, so we both collapsed after we had the little ones to bed. The only photos were of Steve watching the footy!
 |
| f/5.6, 1/30 sec, ISO 1000, No flash, 62 mm focal length, Spot metering, Aperture priority, WB: Tungsten light |
2012.07.28
We took the littlies to Anvers today for a chocolate hit, having just collected my macro lens that had returned from Tamron ... [mind you, they did not send back a report on why it had stopped auto focussing!]. I took shots of each of the children with the macro lens on to test it out [it does focus again :-) ... phew!]. I decided to put this one in because of his concentration on the chocolate milkshake ... and because my six year old granddaughter didn't like the best one where she had such a great expression on her face!
 |
| f/9, 1/20 sec, ISO 400, 60mm focal length, Matrix metering, Aperture priority, WB: Sunny |
2012.07
After dropping the grandchildren back to their parents when they alighted from the plane in Launceston today, we had a bit of a quiet "old couple" wander! The old [by Australian standards] architecture of Launceston is wonderful, and this church is just one example. It was latish in the afternoon and the light was touching parts of the spire beautifully. I liked this angle where all the components seemed to be lifting the eye up towards the sky ... and for me, the symbolism of the church helping to lift the eyes on high could not be passed!
After dropping the grandchildren back to their parents when they alighted from the plane in Launceston today, we had a bit of a quiet "old couple" wander! The old [by Australian standards] architecture of Launceston is wonderful, and this church is just one example. It was latish in the afternoon and the light was touching parts of the spire beautifully. I liked this angle where all the components seemed to be lifting the eye up towards the sky ... and for me, the symbolism of the church helping to lift the eyes on high could not be passed!
 |
| f/11, 1/250 sec, ISO 400, 55mm focal length, Matrix metering, Aperture priority, WB: Sunny |
2012.07.30
I was rather late out today! This was taken about half an hour before sunset. The river was flat, as was Bass Strait and it was about a medium tide, and so I enjoyed the fact that today the notice was irrelevant.
I was rather late out today! This was taken about half an hour before sunset. The river was flat, as was Bass Strait and it was about a medium tide, and so I enjoyed the fact that today the notice was irrelevant.
.JPG) |
| f/11, 1/250 sec, ISO 400, 55mm focal length, Matrix metering, Aperture priority, WB: Sunny |
2012.07.31
It was a lovely "spring" day in winter today, and so I took some photos of the bulbs and perennials that are poking their heads through the weeds, finally using the macro lens which has been fixed. I don't know what these tiny bulbs are called, but their pale mauve with purple veins contrast well with the orange-yellow centre. They were growing in dappled sunlight and still had the dew drops on them.
 |
| f/16, 1/100 sec, ISO 200, 60mm macro lens, Spot focus, Centre-weighted average metering, Aperture priority, WB: Sunny |
And so I have completed 7/12 of my year's challenge, with the knowledge that I now know that I have so much more to learn than I even realised at the start. I am beginning to look forward once more to retiring so that I can really put in some time to read books, and maybe even join a Camera Club, but until then I shall plod along enjoying what I do. Again I ask for any feedback that you can give that will be beneficial to my journey.
See you in August!
