D123: The Blues

I have a cold.  My first in over 10 years.  I have the blues.

 

Manual:  Read pages 123 to 125 "Preparing to print"

Images:  Viewed images in Craig Tanner's Blog. 

D122: The Back Road

The weather was absolutely gorgeous today here in Norcal.  The sky was clear, the sun was shinning and not a rain cloud in sight.   I took a drive along one of the back roads in Solano county.  One song came to mind while driving; "It's a Beautiful Day" by Bono.     Indeed it was. 

 

  

Manual:  Read page 121 and 122 "Direct printing from camera"

Images:  Viewed images by Photographer  Ron Niebrugge.  Beautiful images.  I love the image of the two bear cubs.

D121: Garlic Shrimp

I had Mexican food for lunch today.  There's a nice little place in Vallejo called Jalisco's that serves Garlic Shrimp with Rosemary and Basil. Served with Spanish Rice, Black Beans, Flour Tortilla and lime. Excellent dish.

 

Manual:  Read pages 120 "Formatting the CF card"

Images:  Viewed images on Flickr food group

D120: Welcome to Jesery

I saw these unusual signs while riding through Emeryville, California today.  Walk around the building and parking area, did not find one Newt.

Manual:  Read page 118 and 119 "Erasing images"

Images: Viewed images by food photographer Bill Brady

D119: Enjoying the Sun

The rain finally took a break today.  I woke up to a bright sunshine fill day.  Spotted this egret standing by the creek enjoying the sun.

Manual:  Read page 117 "Protecting Images"

Images: Viewed images in the "Tasra365" group on flickr.

D118: Blue skies and Windmills

Drove up highway 12 to shoot images for my cloudscape series and decided this was a better view.

Manual: Read page 116 "Viewing the images on a TV"

Images: Went to Barnes and Noble and looked at several different photography magazines.

D117: Daily Exercise

I love puzzles.  Every since I was child I love solving puzzles.  I remember buying those  big puzzle books and finding the hidden words. As I got older,  I purchased "Where in the World is Carmen San Diego"  and every game in that series.  Today, Sudoku is my favorite game.  I play at least one game every day.  I've  heard  it's good exercise for the brain. 

Manual: Read page 114 and 115 "Jump display"

Images: Viewed images by Lisa Wasserman.  beautiful work  She will be speaking at the local Smugmug meeting.  Looking forward to it. 

D116: Reflections

    While driving home today, I saw this pool of water with the reflection of the fence.  Thought it would make a nice pic of the day.
 

Manual: Read page 113  "Image playback:  rotating an image"

Images:  Viewed images from this months issue of Outdoor photographer magazine

D115: Rainbow Ends

Today, I went to the  Colusa Wildlife Refuge with my local meet-up group to photograph Snow geese.  When we got there, most of the road was under water due to 6 days of rain.  We then decided to go to the Sacramento National Wildlife refuge.  Here, we were able to take the auto tour. I saw lots of birds including snow geese, hawks, deer and coyotes.  As we came around  the bend, I look up in the sky and saw one end of a rainbow.  I thought cool, second one this week and continue on with the tour. Came around the other bend and there in the sky was the other end of the rainbow.  There was no pot of gold at either end so,  I played the lottery on the way home.  

I took both images and stitch them together in lightroom

Manual: Read page 112 "Image playback: Automated playback of images"

Images:  Viewed images in American Photo magazine

D114: Hole in the Sky

I saw this strange cloud hovering above San Francisco while driving down I80.  It rain all morning in the bay area and the temperature drop so low that it snowed in the marin headlands.  Around noon the gray clouds scatter and there was sunlight, at least for a couple of hours.  The sun tried to stick around longer but the rain clouds surrounded it and soon it was gone. Strange day.

Manual:  Read page 111 "Image playback:  magnified view"

Images: Viewed images in photo techniques magazine.

D113: Nostalgia

I spotted this record player (That's what they called them back in the day)  in the window while out on a walk.  It brought back some good memories of long ago.  I remember walking down to leopolds record store in Berkeley and buying  45's to play on that thing.  Man those were good times.  The  record player my parents own was a newer model.  It had an electric arm and a spindle where you could stack more than one record.   This one was cover in old Butterick and McCall patterns.  Not sure if either pattern making company is around anymore. I played around with the different presets and lightroom trying to decide which one I like best.  I could decide so I posted all of them.

         

Manual: Read page 110 "Image playback: Index display"

Images:  Viewed images in the latest issue of  Rangefinder magazine.  There's also an interesting article in this issue by John Rettie title "Does the iPhone portend the future of cameras?. good article

D112: Left out in the rain

While waiting in the drive-thru lane at my local Starbucks,  I saw this beauty sitting on the fence up ahead of me.  As we all know, a photographer never leaves home without a camera.   After paying for my purchase, I pull around front and parked.  It was pouring down rain, so I cover my camera and lens with a plastic grocery bag.  I pull my hood over my head and walk around to the fence and took several shots of the apple.  I had to stand half way in the drive-thru lane,  so I only took a few shots.  Standing in the way of someone waiting to get there morning cup of coffee is not a good thing.  :-)

 

Manual:  Read page 109 "Image playback: Histogram"

Images:  Viewed images by Jonathan Mathis .  Someone had tweeted his site.  Very interesting collection of images.  My favorite sets are "one of many" and "smoke signals"  The smoke signal images are awesome.  I also like the layout of his website. check him out. 

D111: Rainbow after the rain.

We had heavy rains hear in Northern California.  I love the rain.  I like walking in it and I love the fresh clean smell of the air after it stops.  Today's rain came with thunder and lighting and it show no signs of stopping soon.  I decided it would be best to do an indoor shoot.  As I was setting up the scene for the potd, the sun came beaming through the kitchen window.  I grab my camera and headed out the door to photograph some rain drops on flowers.  When I open the door and looked up,  Mother nature presented me with this beauty, two of them. 

 

Manual:  Read page 108 "Image playback: Shooting information display and AF Point Display"

Images:   View images by stock photographer Scott Stulberg .  

D110: Citrus and Berries

Today's shoot was tangerines and blackberries.  This was not the project I had plan for today but the weather force me to change them. I shot several composition of the fruit.  This one is my favorite or should I say the one that turn out the best.

Manual:  Read page 107 "Image playback - single image display"

Images:  Viewed images of fruit on flickr. 

D109: Breakfast at lunchtime

Another product shoot today.  I spent most of the morning playing around with different compositions. I later realize that I did not have the require props to shoot this the way I envision it. So in the end I decided to shoot a simple image, a bowl of oatmeal with bananas and a spoon. The only thing missing were the almonds.

Manual:  Read page 106 "Setting the LCD brightness"

Images:  Viewed food images on Epicurious website

D108: Can't Fail Cafe

I past this cafe several times a day and I just love the name. It also reminds me of something my mom use to say when I was a kid "Nothing beats a failure but a try"   I've tried photographing this place several times, but it sits on the corner of a busy street at the intersection of a traffic light. Today I decided to just wait until the traffic slowed down. After waiting for about an hour, the two cars that were park in front finally move.  My only issue then was taking pictures in between the passing cars and buses while waiting for the light to change.  I finally got my shot.  The food is good too.  Note:  Can't Fail Cafe will be feature on the Food Network show "Guy's Diners Drive-in and Dives" on January 25th.

Manual:  Read page 105 "Auto image rotation"

Images: Viewed at more food images on different websites.  I'm thinking about shooting all food images for the rest of January. 

D107: Bread and Butter

Had lunch today at one of the local restuarants.  I order the fish and chips.   Although it was delicious,  it was not photographic.  I did however take some shots of the bread and butter and the glass of water.  I think these came out ok.  My thoughts on what I could have differently:  remove the knife.  Diffuse some of the background light. Add another slice of bread.  I'm still learning.

 

Manual:  Read page 103 and 104 "Setting the image review time"

Images:  Viewed more food images on flickr and Lou Manna site.

D106: Yellow Beauty

The rain took a break today so I was able to go and shoot some of the flowers that were blooming.  I don't know the name of the flower, but it's lovely.

Manual:  Read page 102 "Using Non Canon flash units"

Images:  Viewed food images on Flickr ,  Keywords "dessert, cupcakes, and entrees"

D105: Shrimp Fajitas

When to lunch with my friend Cheryl today.  We decided on Mexican food.  I order the Shrimp fajitas with Spanish rice and black beans. The food was piping hot.

Manual:  Read page 100 and 101 "Flash Photography"

Images:  Viewed images by New York food photographer "Lou Manna"

D104: Windmills of your Mind

Like a circle in a spiral

Like a wheel within a wheel

Never ending or beginning

On an ever-spinning reel

Like a snowball down a mountain

Or a carnival balloon

Like a carousel that’s turning

Running rings around the moon

Like a clock whose hands are sweeping

Past the minutes on it’s face

And the world is like an apple

Whirling silently in space

Like the circles that you find

In the windmills of your mind

lyrics from the song 'windmills of your mind"

Manual:  Read page 99 "CF card reminder"

Images:  Today I viewed images of several different photographer sites.

D103: Cherry Coke

Played around with shooting this glass of coke today. I had some cherries in the refrigerator and thought it added a nice touch.  It's still not the shot I had in mind, but I'm ok with the outcome.  I want to re-shoot this again with a different type of lighting.  Have to purchase more props.  When I re-shoot this I will add the ice cubes at the very end of the shoot.  I had to wipe the glasses several times.

Manual:  Read page 98 "LCD Panel Illumination and Using the Eyepiece Cover"

Images:  Continuing viewing images by Annie Leibovitz

D102: A Slice

Manual:  Read page 97 "Mirror Lockup"

Images: Viewed images in Annie Leibovitz book " A Photographers Life"

D101: Daily Serving

Played around with shooting products today.  The fruit at the local supermarket was not that good.  I like this composition, but viewing it on the monitor, I think the banana would look better on the end.  I quickly re-shot this image but I ran out of available light and did not want to use flash or strobes.  The second image came out slightly blurry because I did not have time to setup the tripod.

 

Manual:  Read page 97 "Mirror lockup"

Images:  Viewed images by local photographer Thomas Hawk

D100: Talking to Mickey

My nephew was sitting on the bed talking on the phone with Mickey Mouse.  I threw a black sheet across the door behind him for a backdrop. I then called his name and when he look up,  I snap this picture. The lighting is not that great but not bad for a quick portrait shot.

Manual:  Read page 96 "Bulb Exposures"

Images:  Finish reading and viewing images in American Photo Magazine.

D99: 3 5 8

Third image in my Number series.  Saw this address post while on a photo outing with my friend Karen.

Manual:  Read page 95 "AE lock"

Images:  Went to Barnes and Noble today.  Viewed images in Shutterbug, Outdoor Photography and American Photo magazine.

D98: Swan Song

The lake at Dover park in Fairfield has over 30 ducks but just two swans. The two swans always stay together, in the water and on land. I have visited the park several times over the years and  I've never seen them apart.

Manual: Read pages 93 and 94 "Auto Exposure Bracketing" 

Images:  Viewed images in the current addition of Lenswork magazine.

D97: The Cathedral of Christ the Light.

The Cathedral of Christ the Light is the Roman Catholic Diocese of Oakland, California. It is the first Cathedral built in the 21st century to replace the Cathedral Saint Frances de Sales which was irreparably damaged in the Lomo Preita earthquake.  I must say the interior of this church is magnificent. I plan to go back and shoot  more of the interior when there are less people..

Manual:  Read page Read page 92 "Setting exposure compensation"

Images:  Viewed images by photographer John Cannon

D96: Lake Merritt

Took a stroll around  the lake this afternoon.  The weather was gorgeous.  Just right for an afternoon stroll.  A seagull was flying  just above the frame. I waited till he flew into view then snap the shutter.  Picture perfect.!  He almost looks like a hawk.

Manual:  Read page 90 and 91 "Manual Exposure"

Images:  Viewed images by Rebekka Guoleifsdottir .  Awesome photographer.  Check out her self portrait work.  She was also the guest photographer on  TWIP.  Good interview.

D95: Believe

Manual:  Read page 88 and 89 "Aperture-Priority AE"

Images:  Viewed images of photographer Sean Busher I saw a link to this guy site on Scott Kelby's blog.  I really like his work.  check him out. 

D94: Hand prints

Went to Doyle Street park in Emeryville today to check out the art work of local artist  Masayuki Nagase.  The image below is part of a large granite bolder carved with hand prints of children and adults.  The hand prints remind me of a poem I remember reading years ago.  I think I saw it on a mother's day card.

 Handprints

Sometimes you get discouraged

Because I am so small

And always leave my handprint

On furniture and wall

 But everyday I'm growing

(I'll be all grown someday)

And all those tiny hand prints

Will surely fade away.

So here's a final hand print

Just so you can recall

Exactly how my fingers looked

When they were very small.

  T. Lambert, Jr.

Manual:  Read page 86 and 87 "Shutter Priority AE"


Images:  Viewed portrait images by Lisa Bettany.  She was a guest on the TWIP podcast with Fredrick Van Johnson.  Good interview. I like her lifestyle portraits. 

D93: Happy New Year

I hope 2010 brings you Good Health, Peace and Prosperity.

My New Year intention is to Live well, Laugh much, Love often and enjoy life. 

Manual: Read page 83 - 85  "Program AE"

Images:  Viewed New Day images on Flickr.