Real fruity???

Are these real apples or not? As yummy as these look, I wouldn't recommend biting into one. These are fake apples purchased for no particular reason for me by my mother in law. My kitchen has a fruit theme and my dining room has 3 apple prints hanging in it. While out and about my mother in law thought these would be just right for me. Of course in true mother in law fashion, she had already decided where and how I should display these lovelies. I had other ideas and now they reside on my sideboard in my dining room in a Longaberger basket. So, while they look tempting, don't bite into them. This shot was taken with my new 50mm 1.4 lens. I think I'm going to like this little baby.

Settings: ISO 400, F 1.4, SS 1/80, focal length 50mm. Shot in RAW and processed in Adobe Lightroom.

Bananarama

Watermelon is my favorite fruit. Always has been, always will be. But, I don't happen to have any watermelon around the house here today so it's bananas for us. I'm very particular about my bananas. I don't like them too ripe and sweet. I prefer them while they are still a bit green. Strange I know, but that's how I like them. Once they ripen and get sweet they seem a bit mushier, I prefer not to eat them, but I will. Bananas, apples, oranges and grapes are the fruit staples we keep around the house so getting a picture of one of them is no problem. I love to eat other kinds of fruits, but these are the ones that are always here. I guess I'm just a little bit "fruity."

Settings: ISO 400, F 10, SS 1/8sec, focal length 200mm. Shot in RAW on tripod and developed in Adobe Lightroom.

Here comes Peter Cottontail...

Today's food is one of my favorites. I think it's one of my favorites because I can't have them all the time. They are synonymous with Easter...at least to me. I rejoice when I see these colorful little orbs make their appearance on the store shelves every spring. I'm sure I could get them the rest of the year somewhere...but I think it's better to keep traditional treats traditional. My favorites are the red, yellow and orange. Not so much the green. Definitely I could do without the black ones. Blecchhh. It's beyond me why they make entire packages of the black ones, but they do. They are the ones left over after I'm done and end up in the trash. To each his own I guess.

Settings: ISO 400, F 6.3, SS 1/20sec, Focal length 200mm. Shot on tripod in RAW and edited in Adobe Lightroom.

Time for Breakfast

It's Spring Break around here so that means no school schedule to worry about. My 16 year old daughter decided to make pancakes for breakfast this morning. She's quite adept at it and I don't mind in the least turning over my kitchen to her. This photo was shot this morning before digging in.

Settings: ISO 400, F 5.6, SS 1/8sec, focal length 78mm. Shot on tripod in RAW, PP'ed in Adobe Lightroom (love this program).

What have I been up to?

I've been absent for a while. Last week we took a trip to Tucson Arizona to watch my daughter play her senior year spring break softball pre-season games. It was a bittersweet time. We had fun, but we knew it would be our last spring break trip and her last spring break softball games. This season is going to be full of lasts for her as she graduates college and moves on with her life. I'm sure softball won't go completely away, it just won't be as big a part of her life as it has been for the past 17 years. I shot a ton of pictures of both softball and beautiful scenery. I shot all of my scenic shots in RAW so I have a bit of work to do before I can post any.

I'm back now and trying to get back on track with the POTD'ers. It's taken me until Wednesday this week to get into the groove due to something big that had been looming over me. It's this big, scary, nasty monster that makes it's appearance every year about this time. I hesitate to write it, but here it is...TAXES! Now I don't actually do our taxes, we have an accountant who does them for us due to us outgrowing my comfort level with dealing with all the forms and such, but I still have to get things prepared and in order for her. It is never as big a job as I always make it out to be, and dread, due to the fact that I'm pretty organized in this area. I have a file folder that any time we have a tax related item come about, I just drop it in this folder. No searching for receipts and cancelled checks. It works for me and really helps at this time of year. My trusty calculator humms along when I pull everything out and start to work on it. I would be lost without it, hence my tribute to my calculator today. I decided since taxes were an edgy subject, that I would make my photo a bit edgy using the LOMO technique on it. I have no idea where I got the instructions, but if you Google LOMO workflow, you will probably be able to find it.

Settings: ISO 100, F 20, SS 2.0 seconds, Focal length 110mm. Shot in RAW on tripod. LOMO process in PSE5.

Now we're cookin'

I know you may be wondering how a stove burner can make my life easier. Seems a bit odd (that's OK, I'm a bit odd too). In my 23 years of marriage I have lived in quite a few places and cooked on probably every type of stove that's out there...electric, ceramic cooktop, flat cooktop and gas. Gas is my all time favorite for cooking. I love the control it gives and how when it's off, it's off (try that with a ceramic disc cooktop). Now you may get the impression that I'm a gourmet cook, or even that I like to cook. Trust me, nothing could be further from the truth. If this week's theme was things we like to do, cooking wouldn't even enter into the realm of possibility. I just love my gas cooktop though, because it does make a chore that I don't truly enjoy just a tiny bit easier.

Settings: ISO 800, F 5.6, SS .30 seconds, focal length 80mm. Effects done in PSE5.

Anything that helps prevent confusion and/or fighting in a house with 4 kids (3 currently at home) is OK in my book. Our poor dog, she is loved and a best friend...up until mealtime. Then it's more like she is some unkown creature that has wandered into the kitchen. "It's your turn to feed the dog." "No, it's your turn." This became commonplace around here at 6:00. Finally, after 2 years I came up with a brainstorm. Assigned days for feeding the dog. The kids control the system trading days when they have conflicts. I'm out of the loop on this (thank goodness). So far so good. My youngest took the liberty of writing the assigned days on this magnetic calendar that resides on our refrigerator using first letters of names (or first and second letters for the boys since both of their names start with M) to keep track of who does what day. Wonder if I can get them to buy into a laundry person of the day?

Settings: ISO 800, F 5.6, SS 1/45, focal length 55mm. SOOC shot in RAW.

A ghostly occurrence

Do do do do, do do do do. (Enter Rod Serling) Imagine yourself, in a room alone. You are experiencing great joy in the fact that you finally figured out how to get the video head off your tripod so you could place your new ball head on the tripod. Imagine you are playing around with your new toy and decide to take a photograph in a relatively not well lit area of your home to test out your new tripod head. Moments later you have the settings on the camera ready to go and you push the shutter button. Then the unthinkable happens. You capture an etherial figure on your camera's sensor. OK, so not so etherial...it's a teenager who happens to walk into the front hall at an opportune time. It's along the same line as the kids don't need you until you are on the phone...or need to go to the bathroom. I could have been doing anything else at that moment and no one would even think of needing to find me. Such is the life of a mom. Anyway, I thought this photo had such a cool effect. My younger son tried to duplicate it but after several tries just couldn't get the timing exactly right. He wanted to be a ghost too I guess.

Settings: ISO 100, F 5.6, SS 1.5 seconds, Focal length 18mm.

Repurposing with a purpose

I was the fourth of 5 children, the only girl. My 3 older brothers were a bit older and pretty much did their own thing. My younger brother was basically my best friend growing up. We played together and were pretty much inseparable until hitting our teen years, then we drifted apart somewhat even though when asked which of my brothers I wanted in my wedding, it was no question. My younger brother died 10 years ago from a cancer that was supposed to have killed him 25 years ago so he did his best to fight for as long as he could. I do regret not having a better relationship with him in our later years. This photo is our toy box that we shared as kids. My mother kept it all these years in her home and it was passed on to me when she died. With my youngest child being almost 13, I really don't have a use for a true toy box. Those days are behind me until grandchildren come along. That doesn't mean that the old red toy box doesn't have a use in our house. It is still a reminder that I am a mother and children still live here. We use it for shoes. With 5 people currently in the house we have a lot of shoes that don't always make it to their appropriate rooms. When they are left behind, they get to go live in the toy box which sits in my family room. The photo inset gives you a peek inside. I couldn't think of a better use for a well worn, well loved old friend.

Settings: ISO 400, F 4.0, SS 1/15, focal length 33mm. Editing in PSE5.

Just call me a geek.

I'm a techie, I admit it. I love technology and computers. I hated the inconvience of carrying both a cell phone and either a palm pilot or planner so I convinced DH that I "needed" this phone. I love that it has my calendar in it, I can access my e-mail from it (very helpful when my DS was in the hospital for a week and I lived there during the days) and of course it's a cell phone. Not a very good one, but it works for the most part. What did we do before cell phones? I never leave home without it. I hate the feeling that my kids can't get in touch with me when they need to. I guess it's my security blanket. Of course I had to get the nifty leather case for my security blanket too. You might think that having a fancy schmancy phone like this that I am a highly important and organized person, but don't let it fool you. I am neither...but at least I look the part. ;-)

Settings: ISO 400, F 4.5, SS 1/250, Focal length 40mm. Desaturation and Cutout filter applied in PSE5. Click on photo to enlarge to get the full effect of the cutout filter.

I love quilts. Any shape, any size. The more colorful, the better. I love pieced quilts, appliqued quilts, Amish quilts...any quilt. I have a very small quilt collection but am on the lookout to expand it. I've even made a quilt. Yes, I...Jenny...have actually made a quilt. It was a small one but I made it myself. I do have lots of quilt books and would love to be able to sit down and make all the quilts I have earmarked, but I know that isn't possible. In my small collection two of my most prized quilts are ones that my mother gave me that were made by my grandmother. These are not pristine, prize winning quilts. Rather they are quilts made by a farmer's wife and well used on the farm by the family. There are worn spots in them but I don't mind. It adds to the character of these pieces of family history. This shot is a close up of one of those quilts. I just love the fabric with the little palm trees. These quilts were probably made during the 30's or 40's and it's facinating to see fabric like this being used in such a hard time. I'm glad that I have two of these quilts so I can pass one along to each of my daughters. I hope they cherish them as much as I do.

Settings: ISO 400, F 4.0, SS 1/8 (amazing that I handheld this and still got clarity in the shot), focal length 28mm. Unsharp mask and saturation boost in PSE5.

Don't Stand So Close to Me.

This week's theme is objects that tell something about you. Well, my first photo this week will tell you something that I'm not so sure I want to admit to. Yes, I have had to purchase lovingly referred to as "old lady glasses." I thought a few years back when I had my Lasix surgery that I was free from glasses and contacts. The world was my oyster and all I had to do was see it. Well, that joy was short lived. Being firmly implanted in my forties has made a difference. I just plain can't see things that are too close to me. So I have my stash of glasses pretty much all over the house. I buy these "readers" by the 3 pack at Costco just so I can have some in just about every room of the house. I have even (gasp) taken to wearing them on a suede string around my neck so I don't lose them. You see, even though I have at least 9 pair running around here, I can never find a pair when I need them. It really is a pain having to find a pair of glasses in order to read a recipe or label. But they are necessary, especially when working on the computer. I will survive...and I promise I won't get a chain to hang my glasses on yet, for at least another couple of years.

Settings: ISO 400, F 4.5, SS 1/250, focal length 55mm. B&W conversion in PSE5.

Really officer, it's for a message board assignment.

That's how I had it all prepared in my head. Would have worked, right? I decided while out and about I'd take a shot of my view out my front windshield. Don't worry I wasn't going fast. But it is a good thing I got the shot as I was drifting toward the side of the road ever so slightly. Who'd have thunk that taking pictures while you were driving could be dangerous? I'm just glad none of my neighbors were out as this was taken in my neighborhood. Next time, head to a totally different town where nobody knows you...and take along someone to hold the wheel. As you'll notice I cleaned my windshield for the shot as evidenced by the fresh solution on the left hand side. Also, if you click on the image and enlarge it and look really close you will see I need to stop for gas. Oh, so that's what that little gas pump light is for. While I'm at it I need to dust my dashboard. Settings: ISO 200, F 5.6, SS 1/350, Focal length 18mm shot in RAW.

I'm also throwing in a shot I took of just a basic road cone. I did a color pop on this and wanted to see what you guys think. Settings: ISO 200, F 5.6, SS 1/750, focal length 103mm, shot in RAW and color pop in PSE5.

Around town

OK, I'm giving you guys a break and giving you some real shooting. I went around town shooting this and that. I took this picture just kind of for fun because I liked how graphic the "open" sign looked. I decided to do a selective coloring conversion on this shot and I really like the effect of the brick in the B&W along with the bright color of the sign. PP'ed in PSE5 with B&W and selective coloring. Upped the saturation of the color a bit too.

Settings: ISO 200, F 6.3, SS 1/125, focal length 200mm. Shot in RAW.

Ummmmmm...OK.

OK, I promise this is the last of my potty humor photos here (that's not saying I don't have more in my stash though). This one was just too good to pass up. I had to do a bit of playing around with the picture (OK, a lot of playing around) because the shooting conditions as they were basically were terrible. Picture a small federally run visitor center bathroom on top of a volcano (Haleakaka). There is this crazy lady in the dimly lit, small stall trying to take a picture of the sign above the toilet without making fellow tourists think there was funny business going on (OK the giggling may have been a tip off to the funny business). I likened this accomplishment to a Tom Cruise like moment in Mission Impossible. OK, maybe just more like a crazy mom with a camera everyday moment, but you get the picture...and so did I. Anyway, I don't think this sign needs any explanation. I am glad they put it there though, because I was sorely tempted to just dip me out a sip of cool water. I mean, doesn't everyone think of the toilet as just another water dish? ;-)

Settings: ISO 400, F 5.6, SS 1/30 (hence a lot of camera shake that forced me to beautify this in PSE5), focal length 78mm. PPed in PSE5 using plastic wrap filter among other things.

Snicker, snicker

This sign is on Maui on the famous (or infamous if you've ever driven it) road to Hana. This sign has elicited many giggles and grins from my children every time they see the picture. If you are having trouble seeing the joke, just pronounce the A's like "ay" and the i's like "E". Sorry, it's bad I know...but of course I had to take a picture of it.

Settings: ISO 200, F 6.7, SS 1/180, focal length 105mm. Stylized and saturated in PSE5.

Signs of the times

I love signs. My family thinks I'm a little off my rocker because I'm always stopping to take pictures of interesting or unusual signs. These images speak to me (no pun intended). I guess it's just my sense of humor coming out in my photography. This photo was taken on the Big Island of Hawaii in the lava fields. The lava is from the most recent flow on the island. The lava flowed over Chain of Craters road on it's way to the sea leaving me with some interesting photos and probably leaving more than a few tourists scratching their heads (or grinning like me).

Settings: ISO 400, F 6.7. SS 1/180, Focal length 45mm. Image SOOC.

Trying to see in black and white

I haven't had the chance to post any pics in a few days so I doubt anyone will be disappointed that I'm not on task for today either. I'm trying to work on my black and white conversions in PSE5. This is a shot I took last night in RAW and I did the conversion in the RAW workspace. I like the bit of grain the 800 ISO that I used gives for this shot, but I'd like to know if you think it works. I'd really appreciate any HHCC on this that I can get. I love the look of B&W, I'm just not sure if I know what a good one looks like. I figure if I can get landscape and scenic stuff to look good, then I can move on to work on portraits. I posted a second shot here of the bear statue by the river (frozen). I wanted to try out a daytime shot too. This is one of my shots I accidentally took with the WB set at tungsten which made the photo blue. Who would have thought that this would make it good for a B&W conversion? This pic was taken in JPEG, hence the problem with the tungsten setting. It was converted within PSE5.

Settings for branch shot: ISO 800, F 5.6, SS 1/20, focal length 90mm.
Settings for bear: ISO 800 (oops), F 5.6, SS 1/4000, focal length 18mm, WB tungsten (oops again).

My view these past couple of days

This is the view outside my office window here at home. This is where I spend my days working and playing. I have this beautiful maple tree there. This week it has taken on a whole new look. An ice storm that hit Monday and Tuesday has transformed my whole neighborhood into this icy wonderland. I love how it looks and just can't stop taking pictures. This is a study of my maple tree outside my window. The ice makes such a beautiful sculpture. The first shot was taken with my fisheye lens out of my office window. In the last shot you can see a reflection of other branches in the ice. Way cool.

Icy steps - 5 ways

Today I combined my facination (or obsession) with icicles with the challenge of photographing an object from 5 different angles. These are the steps that lead from the driveway sidewalk to the deck on the back of our house. The snow on the house melting has given me some beautiful ice art. Unfortunately this is also the pathway that my 2 driving teenagers like to take into the house. As you can tell, they have to find a new path as this one is quite hazardous at the moment. Oh well, they are young and will survive. I just like looking at the pretty ice myself. All photos were taken in AV mode and ISO 200. The skies here are grey today so the WB may be a bit off but I wanted to post these SOOC to see what ya'll think. Critique away!