Sunday, 31st January 2010 - Photo #31

Went over to see my Sister in Law today and her family, they have just moved into a new house. The children loved showing us their new big garden which was full of pidgeons, squirrels, different birds and a lovely ginger cat, UNTIL we all got out there and then the wildlife scarpered!!

Here are my niece and nephew instead.

Saturday, 30 January 2010 - Photo #30

Met Mum for dinner today and we shared a "Candy Mania" for pudding, it was HUGE!! Another collage I'm afraid.

Guess what? We almost finished it too.

Friday, 29th January 2010 - Photo #29

"Double Trouble"

Isn't it amazing what you find out when you read instruction manuals! I have had my camera about two years and never knew that it has a function on it called Image Overlay. Ok so it's not rocket science and the images go abit ghostly but it's fun and Kirsten enjoyed eating the chocolates!! (Thanks to Joyce down the road for the choccies).

Thursday, 28th January 2010 - Photo #28

Well I've finally cracked aperture (hooray), it's taken a while to sink in but I think I'm there. Played about with the girls Kokeshi dolls that they had from Max and Jude at Christmas. The aim was to get the doll at the back blurred but the doll in front sharp.

Wednesday, 27th January 2010 - Photo #27

Here is Hope with her Art homework, she has had to make a face collage using parts of faces cut from magazines. I had to use my tripod as flash bounced back off the paper but she struggled to keep the book still. It reminds me of those paintings of faces made up from different types of food by Arcimboldo, (ok, ok I'm not clever enough to remember his name I had to google it!).

Here it is in close-up.

Tuesday, 26th January 2010 - Photo #26

Meet Pixie, our rabbit. What a wonderful thing a Gorillapod is, I have tried all sorts of ways to get a picture of Pixie without much success. Stuck my camera in the end of her run on the Gorillapod and with my remote control shutter button hey presto. Mind you "live view" would be nice but hey ho!

Monday, 25th January 2010 - Photo #25

How do these ramblers/photographers do it? Ok I took Zac which was probably mistake #1 and he did a poo on the way there (so had to carry the bag etc etc). Then I get to the top of the hill overlooking the A50 wellies covered in mud to find the lovely landscape grey and boring doh! The only bit of colour I managed to find was this gorse bush. Right tripod out, not enough ambient light and the two big dogs that don't like Zac turned up! Argggh.

I'm off for a lie down.

Sunday, 24th January 2010 - Photo #24

Went for a walk around Elvaston Castle this morning and snapped this hungery chap on the way back to the car. I'm afraid I committed the ultimate sin of whacking my camera's settings to Auto because I didn't want to miss him and I'd had my macro filter on my lens and it was set up for that. If I had started messing about with it I am sure I would of missed him.

Saturday, 23rd January 2010 - Photo #23

Sorry this is another shot of Zac, but it's the technique I'm going for rather than the subject! Been reading about sports photography and how to get that sharp shot of the action. Carl threw the frisbee roughly to the spot I was focusing on (a couple nearly hit me!!) and I used continous shutter release. This is the best one apart from the trail of slobber on his frisbee and I like the shadow too.

Friday, 22nd January 2010 - Photo #22

"I didn't do it"

Finally managed to get some shots of Zac without flash (it makes his eyes glow orange like a devil dog!). Lying on the floor using a bit longer shutter speed and a gorillapod. Zac got fed up in the end and tried to lick the camera!

Thursday, 21st January 2010 - Photo #21

Today's blog photo nearly didn't happen, I am suffering either from fine dining last night or have a tummy bug. But I mustered up enough strength to try some more macro (love it). Found this ornamental ball thing and thought it would look great as a black and white shot but once I had done it there wasn't enough dark bits (contrast - eh get me!), used my reflector too. So I've left it coloured and am going to lie on the settee and feel sorry for myself.

Byeee.

Wednesday, 20th January 2010 - Photo #20

Been really busy today, ended by going for a meal for our friend, Jeff's, 40th birthday at a lovely restaurant called Ashfields in Earl Shilton where they live.

I was armed with big camera, gorillapod and even my little point and shoot. The low lights meant my arty shot of my dinner (partridge and haggis!) was out of the window unless I shifted everybody. Not really an option, so I selected candlelight mode on my little panasonic and this was the result. Sorry Jeff you are abit out of focus but the candles are lovely!!!

Tuesday, 19th January 2010 - Photo #19

Oh dear, went for a walk down the lane today with camera to Second Chance Rescue Centre to take some photos of the shetland ponies they have there. Got into position, to be honest they were abit far away, ready NO SD CARD. Arrgggh! Stomped back home and decided I don't like shetland ponies anyway!!

Messed about with my buddha oil burner but like this one best, just a simple tea light. Hooray I've managed to get it in focus.

Monday, 18th January 2010 - Photo #18

"War of the Worlds"

Met up with Mum at Costco this afternoon and took my camera just in case. I fancied taking some photos around Pride Park but whilst saying bye to Mum in the car park I noticed their floodlights. I stood underneath the lights and looked up (felt abit dizzy) but I like this one best especially in black and white. I thinks it looks like we are being invaded hence the title! (Have I really got time to be doing this?)

Sunday, 17th January 2010 - Photo #17

My Sister in Law, nephew and niece came over this morning and brought mine and Carl's secret Santa presents over with her, which she had brought back from France. We didn't get them at Christmas because the flights were cancelled due to the Snow. I love my Marilyn make up bag and make up. I made it black and white to give it a more 50's feel, but had to keep her trademark red lipstick.

Saturday, 16th January 2010 - Photo #16

At Mum and Dad's today and as it was raining most of the day, we started taking pictures of Mum's ornaments. Decided to use these photos as Dad had been showing the girls where Hati was on the globe because of the terrible earthquake there.

Friday, 15th January 2010 - Photo #15

"Just Dance"
Here are the girls playing on their favourite wii game. I wanted to catch "movement" but they were moving so quick that on a slightly longer shutter speed they were really blurry. As you can see the photos on the left of the collage are taken with flash and are clear but frozen. The large photo of Hope on the right has caught the light trail of the little blue light on the wii remote. (Obviously I meant for this to happen!!!)

Thursday, 14th January 2010 - Photo #14

Met my friends, Alison, Laura and Blair today in Starbucks and wanted to try focusing on the foreground with a blurred out background. Felt abit of a plonker crouched down between two chairs to get close to the mug but I suppose I will have to get over being self conscious to get that all important shot!! The original wasn't quite as blurry in the back ground as I would have liked so I have "enhanced" it a little (sssh!)

Thanks for the cake Al it was yummmmmmm!

Wednesday, 13th January 2010 - Photo #13

After last nights talk at photo club about flash, I was keen to try getting a natural look from ambient light only and not use flash. Here is Kirsten by the window but the daylight had about totally gone by the time we got to take this. This is on a tripod to give a longer shutter speed but Kirsten found it difficult to keep still. This was the sharpest which I have warmed up very slightly in Picasa.

Here it is in black and white for my mum!

Tuesday, 12th January 2010 - Photo #12

I know, I know another flower, but I knew today was going to be busy so last night whilst at Asda I picked up some roses that were on whoops! The chapter I am reading in my book at the moment suggested not waiting till summer for beautiful blooms but buying flowers that you want to photograph. Unfortunately, mine have wilted slightly (don't be a cheapskate) but it's given me good practice. I promise tomorrow's won't be a flower!

Monday, 11th January 2010 - Photo #11

I've learned alot this afternoon, firstly dogs are very impatient and not really bothered that you are trying to stand still so the photo you are taking of a rain droplet on a berry is sharp and not blurry, a quick frisbee in the shins soon puts a stop to that. Needless to say alot of photos have gone to the recyle bin quicker than an empty lager can! The other thing I have learned is you really do need a tripod when you don't use flash. Flash made the background black not a lovely muted green but without it nothing much was in focus. Oh well back to the books!

Sunday, 10th January 2010 - Photo #10

A miserable day today weather wise, so I decided on a technique day! Been reading about photographing flowers and thought "how hard can it be" - ha, VERY! Took me a tripod, black and blue material, the ironing board, macro filter (thanks Jamie), Hope's Hyacinth and about an hour and a half! Easy eh?

Saturday, 9th January 2010 - Photo #9

Hope had a sleepover last night and one of her new friends, that she has made since starting at seniors, lives at Melbourne. Because the snow and ice are pretty bad I decided whilst out in the car to take my camera just in case any opportunities arose. The roads were quite clear so we nipped in to Melbourne Hall. The lake is completely frozen over much to the disgust of the ducks and swans! Couldn't decide which photo to post so I thought I would try Picasa's collage function which is great and another panoramic just to show the frozen lake.

Here he is again, but I couldn't resist this one, he's trying to catch the snow - bless him!!

Friday, 8th January 2010 - Photo #8

Trying to master Sunsets but they disappear so quickly! The clouds were really red when I took this but I like the orange glow on the horizon. So today's lesson is don't mess about take that photo!