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I Love My Cameras

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Both kids were busy today on their own, so I had time to watch Shimelle’s video and then to create. Two posts in one day, after days of not being here at all! (Scroll down for the Pass the Book post.) The layout design was really inspired by several layouts on the video rather than today’s prompt, and I followed her ideas for collecting materials. In fact, one reason I signed up for this class was so I would begin to use the great papers and embellishments that arrive on my doorstep each month from Studio Calico. I did pull a few other items from my stash, but most of what I used is from the last several Studio Calico kits.

LoveMyCameras

I started with a full piece of patterned paper which is unusual for me and three photos I liked that would fit across the page. The patterned paper is American Craft by Amy Tangerine, and I already knew I wanted to use her camera stamp which I ordered a few weeks ago. The AC Thickers are also Amy Tangerine and were in the same order. Then I did exactly what Shimelle recommended and I HAVE NEVER DONE BEFORE. I chopped up other patterned papers from Studio Calico that I thought would be good accents. The little border of hearts along the bottom of the photos is actually a tear-off from the large patterned paper sheet. Those hearts prompted me to hand cut some little hearts of patterned paper to piece on the cameras. I popped them out on some Jenni Bowlin label stamps where I added the name of the camera over the photo that was taken by each camera. The brads were also in one of the Studio Calico kits. I used a Spellbinders Standard tag to cut the date which was stamped with sets from Papertrey Ink.

The journaling reads: Photos from my close-up/macro project for Shimelle’s Learn Something Every Day class. All my cameras take great close-ups.

Here’s a close-up of the cameras.

LoveClose-up

This is busier than most of my layouts, but I’m quite pleased with it, and pleased with the process as well. I’ve saved all the scraps, and will be using more of these papers as we work along in the class.

 

Project 64: Brick Red

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Project64

I love nearly every shade of red, so I’m always happy to see another red crayon emerge from the box over at Project 64! Because we’re in the midst of trying to get ready for a big weekend here, I didn’t have as much time to hunt as usual. The first two images were taken on the Cornell campus last Saturday. The ivy is turning red on the School of Industrial and Labor Realtions School.

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RedIvy2w

And finally, the top to my new (big splurge) teapot for the new kitchen—a black and white checked teapot with a red top. Our new kitchen boasts white cupboards, black counters, and red is the accent (red kitchen chairs, a red message board, etc.) I couldn’t resist the teapot, and we hated our old one.

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LSNED 2011: The Macro Project

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I’ve finally pulled together all of my shots for the LSNED Macro Photography project. In truthfulness, I had to take a few more photos this month to fill in for the days I missed. But I am happy with the format I devised for this project. Here’s a look at the mini-book that resulted.

BookCover

I’m not going to post every page, because you’d be shortly be bored, but I will share some of my favorite photos, and the things I learned. You can see all the photos (but one, which got lost in iPhoto somewhere) here on my Flickr account. I took photos with all three of my cameras:  my Rebel, my Canon S95, and my iPhone.

BookInside

The first thing I learned is the difference between close-up photography and macro photography. Macro assumes a 1:1 ratio between the image and the object (or greater). I like both, but I’m sure I’ll do more close-up photography than actual macro. My first image was definitely macro, and in reality wasat least twice as  large as the real flower.

HangingPlantw

Rebel with 60mm macro lens on tripod on my patio

Here, then are the things I recorded in my book, in the order I wrote them, interspersed with some of my favorite shots.

  • Macro photography requires time and patience.
  • Close-up photography is much more challenging “in the field.”
  • A point and shoot will get you a decent close-up.
  • Keep spare batteries for the remote cable release on hand.
  • Check to be sure the light source is evenly distributed across the subject.
  • Even at f/22 my focus is not tack sharp across the image. Light?
  • Composing a macro shot is time-consuming.

Photo below taken with my S95 at Val Kill–Eleanor Roosevelt’s retreat in Hyde Park (for some reason TypePad won’t let me type a caption under this photo!)

    Webw
  • A side benefit to this project is learning to use my tripod more efficiently.
  • The macro lens is great for card detail close-ups.
  • Even the iPhone takes a good close-up.
  • Close-up and macro photography causes you to see things differently.
  • A tripod would really help “in the field.” I hate carrying one!
  • Today I read about extension tubes. They’re not very expensive—good idea for my Christmas list.
  • This shot was handheld, but the focus and sharpness is good across the image.

Coleus2w

Taken with the S95 at the Vanderbilt Mansion in Hyde Park; handheld

  • The S95 can focus within about ½ in. of the subject.
  • I’ve finally mastered all the knobs and arms on my tripod.
  • It appears (but I need to test this out further) that 4 ½ in. is about as close as I can get to a subject with my Rebel (60mm macro lens) and still have good focus.
  • Bryan Peterson recommends the Canon 500D close-up lens, but I can’t find one that will fit my Tamron macro lens.
  • While reading my manual, I came upon the “Live View” option which is recommended for macro. So much more to learn how to do!
  • Optical rule: The closer you focus on a subject, the larger the subject and the shallower the DOF.

Plant2Minnsw

Taken with my Rebel and 28-300mm lens in the Minns Garden on the Cornell campus; handheld

  • Today I learned about mirror lock-up. Recommended to use with any shutter speed below 1/15. Always use cable release as well. Another button to learn!
  • Once again, I wished for my tripod. Setting up a shot and getting sharp focus takes much longer when you’re hand-holding..
  • Close-up photography is great with newborns.
  • Manual focusing is becoming second nature when I’m using the macro lens. I never put it on AF any more.

Threadw

Taken with the Rebel, 60mm macro lens on a tripod

  • Needed my desk lamp as well as the window light for this shot. Just learned about a ring flash. Wonder if that’s what I need.
  • Today I learned about the Olloclip—a macro, wide-angle, and fisheye lens for the iPhone. Right to the top of my Christmas list.
  • So true:  “macro . . . requires patience, stillness, focus, and breath control.” A very different state of mind than my usual! Quote from a Mortal Muses post.

WhiteMumw

Taken with the Rebel; 60mm macro lens on the tripod

And the summary I typed up for the end of the mini-book.

Key Learnings:

  • Projects requiring daily obligations are not for me. I ended up taking 30 photos, but several were taken on the same day, and a few after the end of the month.
  • I understand the difference between close-up and macro. I like both!
  • The tripod DOES give you the sharpest shots, but I don’t often take a tripod into the field. It’s permanently set up in my studio now, so I reach for it almost every time I take a photo here. Nonetheless, some of my favorite shots for this project were handheld.
  • I learned a small aperture is critical for sharpness across a macro shot, and a tripod is essential for those shots.
  • Lighting is an issue for me indoors, and I’ve ordered a ringflash to see if that will solve some of the problems.
  • All my cameras—the Rebel, the Canon S95, and the iPhone—take good close-up photos.
  • There’s  a lot more to learn, and regular practice does pay off.

Butterflyw

Taken at the Wild Center at Tupper Lake with the Rebel; 28-300mm lens; handheld

I probably won’t do LSNED again, but I think picking a subject, a theme, or a technique to focus on for awhile is a good way to improve your photography.

Hands, and Contented Baby!

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I’ve got some more beautiful photos of Sylar Rose to share as well as a photo of her tiny fingers wrapped around Tracy’s hand. I’m posting it at the I Heart Faces blog for their Hands challenge.

Grandpa'sHandsw

Skylar is one of the most contented babies I’ve ever known. I’ve only seen her eyes once in the times I’ve visited her; she’s a great sleeper and is giving Betsy four-five hours of sleep at night. Tomorrow she’ll just be three weeks old!

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Off to the pediatrician’s

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We think she’s just the sweetest baby ever! I can’t wait for Matt to get here this weekend to meet her.

 

Project 64: Periwinkle

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Week 39 periwinkle


Last week’s color at Project 64 was Periwinkle. I thought there was an unusual amount of variation in the photos posted during the week, and my first two photos were based on some blog posts rather than the crayon I had on hand or the photo above. They’re not far off, but I’m not sure they’re quite “on” either.

Doorw

This one is a bit bright, but it’s definitely in the right family.

SchoolBusFlagw

This one is closer.

But this is the one I’m linking at Project 64. It’s a flower along a walk at the Wild Center near Tupper Lake in the Adirondacks. We spent last weekend in Lake Placid and stopped here on our way. The weekend was quite an adventure, but that’s a story for another day.

Flowerw

The adventure started last weekend, but the craziness has persisted all week long and has kept me from the computer most of the week. I hope to get to a recap of all that’s going on sometime this weekend. I’ve not had time to post nor to visit many blogs, but I will catch up soon, I hope. Have a good weekend! It’s supposed to be absolutely lovely here—warm and sunny! We’re hoping to find some time to be outside and enjoy it.

Project 64: Bittersweet

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Project64

The weeks are flying by, and I feel lucky to be keeping up with Project 64, even if it seems a bit harried at time.

Week-38_Bittersweet

I found some beautiful leaves this week on our walk that are a great match, and I think our homemade salsa is as well.

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BittersweetSinglew

Salsaw
 

 

 

Project 64: Sepia

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I feel like I’m constantly behind again. There’s so much going on. So here I am, linking up to Project 64 at the end of the week again.

Week 37 Sepia

Once again the wrapper for the crayon is a different color than the actual crayon. I see shades of sepia here in these artifical flowers I bought to hang on my kitchen door once the kitchen in complete!

FallFlowersw

And in the woodgrain of my desk chair:

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But my favorite from the week is Rocky, my niece Stephanie’s dog. We’ve been visiting since Tuesday and have had a lovely time. I’ll have photos later today or tomorrow of some lovely walks we’ve taken this week on two historic sites in Hyde Park.

Rockyw

 

Summer Scavenger Hunt 2011

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Rinda threw out a photographic scavenger hunt challenge for the summer, and I’ve had a lot of fun trying to find all the items on it. I still have a couple of days, but I must admit I don’t hold out much hope for seeing a pirate or a unicycle before Friday. Here are the 19/21 I found:

ScavengerHuntFinished

1. A rooster 2. A town meeting  3. A castle 4. My self-portrait  5. A forest  6. My country’s flag  7. A painted mailbox  8. A wooden bridge  9. A roadside memorial  10. A campfire  11. Mt. Hope Cemetery (resting place of Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglas) 12. Rain on the train window in Alaska  13. A tripod of handwritten messages  14. A glass and steel building (Vancouver Airport)  15. A woman sketching  16. A festival (The Clothesline Art Festival)  17. A museum (Museum of Anthropology in Vancouver)  18. A beehive  19. Graffiti art

Thanks, Rinda, it was great fun, and I look forward to another one!

Project 64: Blue Violet and LSNED 9.9-9.12

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Project64

The color for Project 64 last week was Blue Violet. I thought I had captured a few, but when I uploaded the photos, only the violet from my study window was the right color.

Week 36 blue violet

As you can see, the color of the wrapper isn’t exactly the color of the crayon. In the sunlight my violet more closely matches the wrapper, but away from the sun it is a good match, I think, for the crayon color. The blues and violets seem the hardest to match up. So here’s this week’s link-up:

Violet2w

Next, are four more pages in my LSNED album, the above photo being one of the photos.

9.9Book

9.10Book

9.11Book

9.12Book

Off to the dentist and two more appointments!

 

LSNED: Days 5-8 & Kitchen Construction

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Here are the lastest additions to my LSNED Macro Photography project:

9.5Book

I learned I need to keep spare batteries for my remote cable release on hand. I had to run to the camera store to buy new ones. (And a set of spares!) Most of the photos require shutter settings of several seconds, so there’s no way to handhold the camera. I added the camera settings to the tag after I took this photo.

9.6Book

I bought some flowers at the Farmers Market so I’d have some good candidates for macros. It’s been dark and dreary here all week, so the only light I had came from the overhead light in the dining room. It proved to be quite uneven, so I should have tried to set up some more focused lights. I’m really happy with the sharp focus in this one, though.

9.7Book

No matter what I did, I couldn’t get a sharp focus across the whole image in this one. I was at my smallest possible aperture for this lens, so I’m not sure what the problem was. Maybe light . . .

9.8Book

It takes me a LONG time to set up the camera and compose a good photo while using a tripod. I’m not used to manually focusing every image either.

The photo for September 5th is a jar of canned salsa. We had quite the haul from our garden this weekend, so I really needed to make some salsa. Since I don’t have a stove, it was a challenge. I thought I’d take this opportunity to share some photos of our kitchen construction.

  Kitchen9.3w

This was the way it looked this weekend. The drywall stacked against the wall kept us from getting into the kitchen from inside the house. We had to go out the front door and around to the side entrance. We must have amused the neighbors since it was raining, and we were going back and forth carrying supplies with an umbrella.

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Here I am chopping veggies for the salsa . . .

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. . . that we cooked on the camp stove.

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The front of our house isn’t all that pretty either. There will be a big bay window here when the project is completed. I can’t wait to have more light in the kitchen.

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Most of the time, we’re cooking in the dining room. Our refrigerator is there as well as the microwave.

DiningRoom2w

And the toaster oven, and lots of the stuff we had to move out of the kitchen.

DiningRoom5w

Needless to say, a lot of furniture from the dining room is now in the living room. I really thrive on a neat and clean house, so this is quite the challenge. One month down, at least another to go.

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On Monday and Tuesday we were without a sink. After the drywall went up, the sink came back in, and tonight my new stove was hooked up. I’m very excited to have a real stove (I’ve been cooking on a very small cooktop for 26 years). Tracy didn’t get home until really late tonight, so we went out for pizza, but tomorrow I’ll be cooking on the new stove!

 

 

Project 64: Melon

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Week 35 melon

When I first saw this color at Project 64, I thought it would be a difficult one, but I didn’t have much trouble finding it at all.

ZinniaCenterw

You can see it in the middle of this zinnia. Here’s a close-up photo that was taken with my iPhone.

  Zinnia2w

Another iPhone photo of a zinnia found on our daily walks around the neighborhood.

Flowerw

I’m not sure what this flower is. If you know, please leave a comment.

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A stunning rose; wish it was in my garden.

Sunsetw

As I was editing photos from our trip I came upon this sunset taken on the ferry between Victoria and Vancouver. Since I submit so many flower photos, I’m linking this one to Project 64 this week.

LSNED: Day 2, 3, & 4

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I’m loving the way this themed project is coming together for this class, especially since it’s something I’ve wanted to focus on for awhile, but has just slipped down on the “to do” list way too often. It’s easy to come up with a simple statement of something I learned each day. Not so simple to come up with a satisfactory macro or close-up photograph! Here are the latest three pages:

9.2Book

These flowers are actually very small. I’m guessing the photo is 1:3 or 1:4 which makes it a true macro. I used the tripod and manually focused which took a lot of patience. Of all the ones I took, this was my favorite. IRL you can see the tiniest of “hairs” on the flowers.

9.3Book

This is close-up photography taken with my Tamron 28-300mm lens at the Ithaca Farmers Market on Saturday. I don’t even think about manually focusing when I’m out and about. Something I ought to do, I’m sure. I find it difficult to spend the kind of time I should in a setting like this.

9.4Book

This was taken with my new Canon S95 point and shoot. I wanted a point and shoot that would give me more flexibility, and a friend highly recommended this one. I took about half my photos in Alaska with this camera (which fits in my pocket or purse) and you’d be hard pressed to tell the photos from this camera from the ones taken with the my Canon Rebel. The only drawback is the zoom lens. I would never have gotten any decent wildlife photos in Alaska with this camera. The animals were just too far away. But I was pretty happy with this close-up of tomatoes from our garden.

Learn Something New Everyday

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Although I’ve “taken” Shimelle’s course for several years, I don’t think I’ve ever come close to completing it. This year a comment Rinda made on her blog gave me an idea. I’ve had a 60mm macro lens for nearly a year, and although I’ve used it occasionally, I’ve never really explored its power. So this year I’m devoting LSNED to macro and close-up photography. In conjunction, I’m planning to read Bryan Peterson’s book “Understanding Close-up Photography: Creative Close Encounters With or Without a Macro Lens.” I’ve already learned a lot the first day, and you can see the tips I typed up below on the first page of the little book I’ve prepared to save my efforts and thoughts on the process.

Here’s the cover which I made from cardstock and covered with a Bo-Bunny camera-related patterned paper as well as a sticker border and round sticker from an accompanying set of stickers.

Cover

Here’s the first page with the photo tips I typed up from the first chapter. I’ve already broken a couple of “rules” with my first photo. I didn’t use my tripod or focus manually. Probably not a good start to the effort, but hopefully, we’ll see an improvement tomorrow! I’ll probably decorate the back side of the cover later.

PhotoTipsPage

Each page is a 4X6 piece of card stock and I snipped the ends off the left-hand side to match the tags that will separate each of the photos and serve as a quick journaling spot. As Shimelle suggested, I’m not binding this until the end, but my intent is to use just one book ring since the tags have one hole already. I think this will work since the pages aren’t very big.

9.1

I don’t have any idea how the prompts will work with this project, but when they are appropriate I’ll try to find a photographic subject that goes with the prompt. I’m hoping this will be a fun and productive month!

Project 64: Blue

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Week 33 blue

Blue, bright and clear, was the color of the week at Project 64. I found two good examples this week, and have a couple from our trip to share as well.

GreekFestPoster

We walked over to the Greek Orthodox church Saturday night to eat at their annual Greek Fest. The poster for the event was under the plastic table cloth. I took several shots of it with different iPhone apps, but this one is my favorite. This also qualifies for Rinda’s scavenger hunt, but I’ll have more photos for festival later.

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Vegetables laid out for sale at the local Farmer’s Market. This is the photo I’m linking to Project 64 since it seems to be the better match of the two taken this week.

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We celebrated our 38th wedding anniversary while we were on the cruise. They decorated our door, and the balloons hung there for the whole cruise. Made it easy to find our room!

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In Fairbanks, we got a chance to visit a spot where the Alaska pipeline runs. It goes from above ground to underground at this spot. The map was another great example of “blue.”

Project 64: Green Yellow

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I’m not sure why I’m so late in getting these linked up to Project 64. I’ve been busy with a project (check back tomorrow), but it’s been one of those weeks where I seem to have been doing more running around than accomplishing things at my desk.

Green yellow week 33

As you can see, it’s much more yellow than green. I thought these leaves were the perfect match:

  Leaves-RedFlowersw

And the trees in the back on the left-hand side:

Treesw
More Green Yellow is here.