Santa Cruz

Spent the weekend in Santa Cruz and took my camera with me.  The whole time there I was thinking of Scott Kelby's Shoot Like a Pro tour and thinking of travel photography.  What things are iconic.  What are interesting.  What tells the story.  I don't know how successful I was as a whole, but I think a few moments I was pretty close.  I think I'll take a stab and putting these in a mini photo book.

Here are a few of my better shots.

from our bed and breakfast; tucked away behind a garden and really cute grounds.

a pseudo pano of a church from far away.

I thought this wall was cool with the texture.

Also from the bed and breakfast.  The waterfall was very small.  I got to use slow shutter speed.  Not bad for my first attempt.

from the B&B - the water wheel in the river

RR Tracks to nowhere

I was amused

Saw some OK surfing going on.

It was hazy, so I couldn't get a good shot of the boardwalk.  And when I found a good location, I was done shooting for the day.

Sea lions under the pier on the wharf.  they let you get really close to them (and safely behind a fence)

My seafood tacos for lunch

Long Exposure and Christmas lights.....

Enjoying some fun with long exposure shots and outdoor lights.  I have so many more ideas in my head, but they'll have to wait until I have more time and can maybe pose the shots a bit.

Some are from church and some from home.

Enjoy.

Advent Wreath at church with snowflake bokeh lights

Advent wreath and lights on stage

Candlelight Service

Candlelight service

Luminary lights

Luminaries

Advent Wreath again

Fireplace, mantel, advent wreath

Christmas scene

Self-Portrait

Vacation Photos...

Just returned from a long overdo vacation.  Not only was it great fun and relaxing, but it was a chance for me to practice many of the photography techniques I read about and wanted to try or have been working on.  I took probably close to 1,000 photos, uploaded 200 to my flickr page, and have about 30-40 I want to share.  So I'll do this in phases and in no particular order.

Sleeping Baby; low-light
Nikon D3100; focal length: 52mm; Shutter Speed: 1/3 sec; F-stop: 5.6; ISO 3200

Spiral Staircase from below; low-light
Nikon D3100; Focal Length: 18.0 mm; Shutter Speed: 1/3 s; f/5.0; ISO: 3200

Leading Lines
Nikon D3100; Focal Length: 45.0mm; Shutter Speed: 1/200s; F/7.1; ISO: 100

Flowers
AUTO MODE: Panasonic DMC-FH20; Focal Length: 5.0mm; Shutter Speed: 1/125s; f/3.3; ISO 160

Flowers
Nikon D3100; Focal Length: 42.0 mm; Shutter Speed: 1/500s; f/5.6; ISO: 200

Flowers, hands
NIKON D3100; Focal Length: 40.0mm; Shutter Speed: 1/1000; f/5.6; ISO: 200

More Photography Exercises

I've finished reading the book Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson and a now super challenged to implement what I've learned.  His book is full of ideas and examples and challenges and exercises.

One technique I tried this weekend was intentional blurring.  Not necessarily implying motion, but intentionally blurring the subject of the photo.

This was accomplished with a slow shutter speed and literally spinning in a circle while aiming at a tree branch.  I'd like to try it again when it's not as bright (and with a lower ISO) out to get more detail and less light.
Shutter Speed: 1/4 s
F-stop: f/22.0
Focal Length: 18.0 mm
ISO: 1600

This was accomplished by focusing on the steering wheel of the car all the way zoomed out (using my stock 18-35 zoom lens). With a slow shutter speed I clicked and zoomed all the way in.  It took several attempts to get the zoom speed timed with the shutter speed.  I like the effect of moving super fast; but not so sure I like how sick this photo makes me feel.
Shutter Speed: 1/8 s
F-stop: f/22.0
ISO: 1600

Finally, I practice some silhouettes.

This was my first 'real' attempt at a silhouette.  I love the idea of it, I just need to practice a little more.  I also need it to be not shady right outside the window.  That greatly impacted my meter reading.  But for a first time, I like it.  This is Audrey, peeking out the window watching our neighbors play.
Shutter Speed: 1/8s
F-stop: f/22
ISO: 1600

What have I learned:

• I need to experiment more with my ISO when light sensitivity is an issue.
• toddlers are cute, but don't follow direction well; they aren't the best "posed" model

Slow Shutter Speed

I played with a couple previously unplayed with buttons and functions on my camera.

I found how to decrease the shutter speed as slow as 1 second and as I think how to move the focus, but I'm not sure about that specifically.

However, here are a couple photos with a slower shutter speed - 1 second.