July 4th Fireworks

Finally getting around to posting some of my fireworks photographs from my trip home earlier this month.  On July 3rd every year there is a concert and fireworks celebration at a local college.  The concert every year is put on by the River City Brass Band.  They always do a wonderful job.  The location is the same every year at Westminster College.  This was my first time experimenting taking photographs of fireworks, and I'm very pleased.  I of course used a tripod.  I alternated with some taken using the self timer in manual mode and some taken using bulb mode.  I wish I had a remote shutter release, but managed to get decent photos without one.  It's definitely on my wish list though!!  I researched online about specific settings for fireworks.  I hope you enjoy!!

I hope you enjoyed these photographs!!  I'm going to Disney World in September for a conference and am looking forward to photographing the fireworks displays that they have.  So this was some good practice.  I learned some good lessons and can't wait to get back at it again.  

Until next time...

Linesville Spillway Trip

Another entry in my series of photographs from my trip home over the 4th of July.  We went to what's called the Linesville Spillway one afternoon to feed the fish and geese.  This was something we used to do when I was younger.  There are a ton of carp that live in the lake and they will swarm when you feed them bread.  It's also fun to try to get the sea gulls to catch the pieces of bread in mid-air.  It brought back fun memories to go and do something I enjoyed as a kid.  My parents really tried to do things I wanted to do while I was home, which was nice.

Flock of geese fighting the carp for attention.

Sea in mid-flight from the side.

Sea gull in mid-flight.

Closer photograph of the geese.

The carp swarming.

Sea gulls resting in a row on the railing.

One of these days I will finally upload my fireworks photographs.  And I still have some photographs on my camera that need downloaded.  So much to do and so little time to do it these days!!  Hope you all have had a great weekend.  

Until next time...

Sunset after the storm...

Here is the next installment of my vacation series.  There was a thunderstorm in the late afternoon of my first full day home.  I knew right away that if the sky cleared up there would be a nice sunset.  I was anxious to attempt to photograph a sunset for the first time.  And I was in luck.  The sky did start to clear up and there was a pretty sunset, which got prettier the longer I waited.  I played around with different settings on my camera to see what the effects on my photographs were.  The sky was even pretty opposite of the sunset!!

ISO 800 35mm -0.7EV f/2.5 1/2500
Taken looking the opposite direction of the sunset

ISO 800 35mm -0.7EV f/2.5 1/2500

ISO 800 35mm 0EV f/2.5 1/1250

ISO 800 35mm 0EV f/2.5 1/2000
Again taken looking the opposite direction of the sunset.

ISO 800 35mm 0EV f/2.5 1/250
There is a line of pine trees lining the back of my parents property.  I had to go shoot from in front of them to get a good view of the sunset.  I thought the pine cones looked cool as well, so I took a picture.

ISO 800 35mm -1.3EV f/2.5 1/4000

ISO 800 35mm -1.3EV f/2.5 1/2000

ISO 800 35mm -2EV f/2.5 1/4000
Again looking the opposite direction.

ISO 800 35mm -2EV f/2.5 1/1000
Again looking the opposite direction.

ISO 800 35mm -2EV f/2.5 1/500

ISO 800 35mm -2EV f/2.5 1/250

ISO 800 35mm -2EV f/2.5 1/50
And 1 final photograph looking the opposite direction.

ISO 800 35mm -4EV f/2.5 1/200
I love how the trees are silhouetted against the sunset.

I hope you enjoyed these photographs.  I had fun shooting them, and learned a lot about how different settings affect the photograph-coloring, brightness, sharpness,…Stick around for more photographs of my vacation.  I have some fireworks photos coming up soon!!!

Until next time...

Mom's Flower Garden

So here is the next installment of my series of vacation photographs.  Unfortunately now I'm back home to the real world and back to work.  If only everyday could be a vacation!!  So today I'm going to share some photos of my mom's flowers.  She's done a great job at building up some beds of perennials and has a nice selection of annuals in pots around the yard.  I even caught some butterflies in the flower beds next to the sun room.  I still haven't downloaded those photographs from my camera yet!!

I hope you enjoyed these photographs of my mom's gorgeous flowers as much as I enjoyed them in person.  More photographs of my vacation to see my family to come so stay tuned!!

Until next time...

Furry Friends on Summer Vacay!!

So I've been on vacation this week, and am enjoying every minute of it!!  Work has been crazy stressful, so this has been a much needed time to de-stress and relax.  I've also been enjoying playing with my camera and experimenting with different settings.  I'll post some of my favorites from the week on here.  Today I'll start with some of my favorite furry friends.  The top photos are of my parents' cat Gracie and the bottoms photos are of my cat Mudslide.

Man is Gracie hard to photograph…such an active kitten.

Don't disturb my cat nap.

Nope…not opening my eyes!!

Romping in the flowers.

Playing in the garden.

Love the excitement in his eyes looking out the window.

Must protect my banana.

One of my favorite photos of Mudslide ever!!  Might have to get this framed!!

No more pictures…must sleep.

Ok maybe one more photo.

Can't wait to enjoy the rest of the week.  Have lots of great stuff planned.  Getting my hair done, concert/fireworks, my nephew's 8th birthday party, and a baseball game/fireworks.  Just trying to savor every minute I'm getting to spend with my family, because it will all end way too quickly.  Happy 4th of July everyone!!

Until next time...