Skagit Eagles 2010

This year's trip included the in laws, getting up at 3am, and a 3 hour drive. We had a blast and saw twice as many as last year. After last year we decided binoculars would be a big help and it was this year. After this year, we decided we need to upgrade the camera with a longer zoom to capture the eagles without the graininess of my digital zoom. Perhaps next year, we will get the amazing in focus shot we so want to capture. In any case, we have memories of seeing them swoop down from trees and grab at fish in the water. We saw them down on the shores, not just in the trees. Something we had not seen before.

Lying in the grass

The other day, I posted a photo of my cat rubbing up against my camera. I never explained why I was lying the the grass to begin with. I honestly am not sure I can explain it. I was playing with the dog and was trying to get some photos of her without her looking scared. It's hard to do, because she was abused in the past and always looks scared when you look at her. I was trying to get on her level and trying not to intimidate her. While I was on her level, I saw this dramatic sky and pictured this photo in my head before I actually took it. It turned out just like I had imagined, something that rarely happens with me. It is amazing how you can get a great photo and you do not have to go further than your front yard!

puddles

Another post from my recent visit with Amy. I saw some leaves immersed in small puddles of water, so I decided to snap a few photos. I was pleasantly surprised with the outcome. We had a giant ice storm hit yesterday, and of course I worked. I actually pulled a double and worked from 7am to 11pm. I had a unique experience driving home from work that night. Check out my other blog to see what happened. I didn't have any photos to compliment the story!

How did we miss that?

While visiting my favorite person, Amy, we went to this little park that had some pretty neat views of the river. We were about to leave, when I looked over and saw this awesome tree. I wondered how we both missed seeing it when walking out to the viewing area. We were both drawn to this tree, and spent some time under and around it trying to find the best way to show off its uniqueness. I am going to try to convince Amy to post some of her photos as well. Be sure to check them out as well. Click here.

I lied

I lied, I do have a picture to post today. It was taken this evening at sunset from the parking lot at Target with a well placed bush.

playing with shutter speed

I admit it, I am still learning how to use my camera. I haven't studied the art of photography, I do not understand half of what my "guidebook", aka instruction manual, says my camera can do. I have had this camera for two years, and still need to whip out my guidebook on occasion. I also tend to read up on one thing, then try it out and see if I like it. The first photo, was me playing around with shutter speed....I think. The second is a stitched together photo using my panoramic function. I think I like the angle of the first photo better than the effect of the water, as a rule, I tend not to like photos that have running water looking like a white sheet. The second one, I like the water because it looks real, and I think it is hard to tell where it is stitched, but I am sure those of you that know how to use every function of your camera can spot it pretty easily.

On that note, it is my goal to get better at understanding my camera. Does anyone know of a good generalized book dealing with all the basics of photography?

snow makes everything pretty

As you all have figured out, I love snow! It makes the world seem pure and fresh, especially when you are the first one outside to make the first footprints in the snow! It can also make dead and dying weeds look more interesting. I took these two photos directly behind the parking lot of our apartment complex in part of the grass they do not bother to mow.

the obsession continues

What can I say, I love fall, and I love what shows up on my camera. There is just something special about the colors that exist in nature on a cool fall day. It's nice to find real colors that do not involve dye or manipulation.

101

Another fall post with an interesting leaf.

SNOW

I saw snow today...I saw snow today! woohoo! I saw snow today driving to work this morning. I am so excited to see some snow! I have been waiting for some good flaky snow to get some photos. Snow led me to think of Snowy Range in Wyoming, so I decided to post some shots from up there! I miss a good old fashion cold winter! I apologize for the quality, as they were film originally.

budding

While hiking a couple of months ago, I came across this budding little guy. I think it is interesting because you feel like you are part of that leaf in the foreground looking back at the bud you are apart of. You feel in the plant. Yes, I know I am strange.

sign of fall

Fall is here, judging by all the postings of leaves in various shades of colors. Another sign of fall are these dried berries. They jumped out at me and I just had to use my macro to try to get a decent shot. It was hard to get these little guys in focus as the wind kept trying to blow them away.

Fall Creek Falls

While visiting TN, I traveled to Fall Creek Falls, and Rock Island State Park. Fall Creek Falls is the longest waterfall east of the Rockies. I was very excited to see it, however there has been a drought in the area and very little water in the falls. As you can see from the first photo, the pool the water fell into was very sparse. So I mostly took leaf photos and some landscape photos of the mountains. The second photo is Twin Falls located on the outskirts of Rock Island State Park, I wanted to go downstream on the trail, but had to head home to be able to feed horses in the light. Maybe next time I will be able to explore a bit more.

Leaf mania

While in a state park recently I had the opportunity to get some interesting leaf shots. The best thing about my camera is that when you point it at the sun, you automatically get that great starburst effect, add in some colorful leaves and a unique angle and you get the first photo. The sunlight totally makes the second photo, you get the light streaming through the leaf, but also the shadows of other leaves not seen. It was a total fluke that it turned out.

The sun must come out

My first couple of days here in Little Lot were plagued with rainy overcast cloudy dreariness. I cannot complain because there has been a serious drought in the area, and was happy to see it rain. It messed up some of my travel plans for the week, but I still managed to get to a few places. You will have to wait for future blogs to see where I went. Speaking of which I got completely lost in middle Tennessee. A bit scary to say the least. On Thursday, I was outside feeding the critters when I saw the sun trying to break through the clouds right before sunset. It was causing light to stream across the sky in a most pretty fashion. I always try to capture streaming light like this and it never quite translates to photos the way I want. However, this time it work quite nicely. I added a few tree branches for framing and got a photo I am pretty pleased with.

natural framing

Another favorite motto of mine is "natural framing", and I love to find unique ways to use whatever is out there to "frame" my photo. Obviously, this is not a new technique or even an uncommon one, I just was able to do it without much effort and it seemed to come naturally to me. My eyes have always been good at seeing the natural framing usually available in tree branch form. The first photo was taken in Yosemite National Park, I doctored it a bit in photoshop, because my original picture was a bit washed out. The tree branch added a nice touch to what otherwise would have been just another nice waterfall picture. The second picture is from Zion National Park, and is using a rock formation, and a tree branch to form the natural frame of a rock formation in the distance. The sun also provided an element to this frame, as it lit up the distant rock formation , but was dark in the foreground of the photo.

buttermoth

I found this little guy on the window and he stayed there for quite a while posing away. How can one resist a slut of a insect?

yellow leaf

I have always been a fan of leaf pictures, I have tried to get some decent ones of my own, and always end up not liking what I get. My leaf pictures usually look fake or too green. This is one of the few leaf pictures I have taken that I like...probably because the leaf is yellow.

water lily

A couple of friends came to visit yesterday. We did some hiking in Caledonia State Park, drove up to South Mountain Restoration Center. Near there, we happened across this pond just covered in lily pads, and water lilies. This water lily photo was taken with my full digital zoom. It came out pretty nice. I think it was the best photo of the day. Although we also happened across many colors of fungus....that will be the next post.

bridge to nowhere

I know this is just a bridge, but I think the angle of the photo
"pulls" you in. It makes it feel like you are
there walking on the bridge.