Day 212

ISO 100, 105mm, f/4.0, 1/1000 sec.

Day 212 - Fields of Gold

The Willamette Valley is famous for it's agriculture. It never occurred to me that crops could be more than fruits and vegetables, but also flowers.

Today, thanks to our veterinarian we found a marigold crop. Acres and acres of marigold's. They were mostly past their prime, but I found a few worthy of some extra attention. I didn't have my beloved macro lens with me, but that was not going to stop me.

Day 211

ISO 100, 105mm, f/16, 1/250 sec.

Day 211 - Flight Plan

Only in Oregon. The plane will be on the roof of a new swimming pool. It is part of the aviation museum out in McMinnville, Oregon.

Day 210

ISO 200, 99 mm, f/4.0, 1/60 sec.

Day 210 - Sitting Dove

'Nuff said.

ISO 200, 105mm, f/22, 1/125 sec.

Natural Light

Daily Shoot: Turn the tables and make a photograph of a light source today. Light bulb, window, or even the sun (be careful!).

Day 209

ISO 100, 105mm, f/14, 1/25 sec.

Day 209 - The Bunny Run

Daily Shoot: The world is always in motion. Make a photo that conveys a bit of your own motion to your viewer.

I thought I would try panning tonight. I think it would have been more successful with something that stays on the ground. But then again, there is absolutely question that the hound dog is on the move.

Day 208

ISO 100, 50mm, f/10, 1/60 sec.

Day 208 - The Six Sixth Seasons

I dare you, try and say that one three times really fast.

Every night we watch an hour or two of our favorite episodes. Didn't take us long to figure out they were much nicer without commercial breaks.

So sorry Proctor & Gamble, we're missing your most recent soap commercials.

Daily Shoot: Today's theme is the number 6. Make a photograph of the number six, six objects, or express six in an alternate way.

Day 207

ISO 320, 100mm, f/2.8, 1/80 sec.

Day 207 - Teamwork

This has been the year of the bug. I suspect it is partly due to our cold, wet springinter.

We've always enjoyed the company of ants. Always. Because of the dogs I won't put any poison down, but I have bought cinnamon by the truck load. House smells good, but it is only moderately effective. Our killing sprees have mostly been bleach, Formula 409 and other similar cleaning products.

This last week-end a rather large colony of black ants moved into a crack in the patio.

A new idea has sprung forth. We decided to offer the ants a piece of kibble or two if they promise to stay outside. I think it is a reasonable request.

At 4 am this morning we put 10 pieces of kibble down, some just inches away from the crack, some as far away as 2 ft. By 7 am all but three pieces of kibble had been moved to the crack and 10 am most of the kibble had been moved down into the crack.

I have to admit, it was fascinating watching them work together, I could actually see them move the kibble.

ISO 100, 102mm, f/9.0, 1/60 sec.

Daily Shoot: Today's theme is the color pink. Find something that's pink and make a creative photo.

Day 206

Day 206 - Wild hairs, insanity, patience and disappointment

I got this wild hair and this was the week-end, all of the elements were in place: hot and dry, full moon, wheat field nearing harvest.

I have read all of the books that talk about the golden hour and although I have no reason to doubt anyone, I wanted to see for myself, so I put together my own little mini-project. I found a wheat field out in the open that was close to home.

I even defined mini rules for myself. I wanted roughly the exact same image at four different times in a 24 hour period:

1. When the full moon was at it's highest in the sky
2. Sunrise
3. When the sun was at it's highest mid-day
4. Sunset

I stayed pretty close to my set parameters and I learned a few valuable tidbits. I am completely sleep deprived. It was a week-end of multiple happy nappies, but never a full nights sleep.

And most importantly, I need to shout out a huge thank you to my partner Karen who has humored me all week-end with photo shoots at all hours of the day. Thank you Karen, from the bottom of my heart. You inspire, encourage and support me, I can't ask for anymore than that.

ISO 100, 105mm, f/10, 88.0 sec. 12:31:17 am, Sunday, July 25, 2010

Lit by the full moon
I picked out this field earlier in the week, easy access and close to home but I didn't really scout out the location. Arriving at midnight with just the light of the moon (where was my flashlight, you ask?) was a bit of a challenge, but I had enough moonlight to set up the tripod.

It occurred to me that only an insane photographer would go out in the middle of the night into the middle of a field just to get "the shot."

I used the bulb setting and since I didn't have a timer of any sort, with every click of the shutter I counted to 100 or more. The hardest part of the whole thing was trying to manually focus. My car was parked on the other side of the highway, so I had Karen turn on the high beams and they just hit the top bar of the first wheel.

ISO 100, 96mm, f/13, 1/30 sec. 6:11:28 am, Sunday, July 25, 2010

Sunrise or shortly there after
Three hours of sleep and we were back up so that we could capture sunrise at the wheat field. I was there about 30 minutes early and really wasn't that impressed. The lighting was pretty darn flat, the skies were faded to a not so nice gray.

I watched as the sun came over the horizon and I still wasn't that impressed. I waited around and was walking back to the car about 20 minutes after official sunrise when I turned around and saw this.

I scrambled back to my spot, set up and watched as the sun gave me those famous golden moments. If I had left the minute the sun rose, I would have missed this. A little patience definitely paid off.

ISO 100, 92mm, f/22, 1/125 sec., 1:44:47 pm, Sunday, July 25, 2010

Under the mid-day sun
This one took the most tweaking in Lightroom, but I do think that full sun gets a bit of a bum rap. It didn't take too long to set up and get my image.

ISO 100, 75mm, f/8.0, 1/60 sec., 8:35:08 pm, July 25, 2010

Sunset, the last light of day

I was disappointed at sunset. I thought I had time to stop for gas, but I didn't. This was the only image I captured as the light began to fade fast with 15 minutes to go before actual sunset.

I hung around hoping to somehow redeem my sunset image, but it never worked, at least not with the parameters that I had set for myself.

Yup, lessons learned.

Day 205

ISO 100, 24mm, f/14, 1/3 sec.

Day 205 - Amused

Today was Scott Kelby's 3rd Annual Photowalk. Our chosen destination was The Oaks Amusement Park in Portland. Our fearless leaders were Laurie Excell and Sharon O'Keefe.

Despite the 2 am wake-up call, we had a great time, the weather was beautiful, the mosquitoes fierce and we even caught a few twinkling lights before the sun was too bright.

ISO 320, 73mm, f/4.0, 1/40 sec.

Daily Shoot: Skyline Vs. Shoreline

The Daily Shoot: Make a photo that uses negative space to good effect. Give your subject room to breathe, and balance it within the frame.

We arrived early this morning and popped down to the river front before anyone else got there. I walked out on the dock and was a little surprised at how much that puppy was moving. Good thing I don't get seasick.

This is on the Willamette River just north of the Sellwood Bridge over looking the Portland skyline.

Day 204

ISO 100, 105mm, f/4.0, 1/800 sec.

Day 204 - Grandchildren

Yes, it is true, I am officially old enough to be a grandmother. The weimaraner is Emma, we're dog sitting for a week while my daughter and her fiancé are on vacation.

Day 203

ISO 100, 28mm, f/22, 1/250 sec.

Day 203 - Upside Down and Backwards

Daily Shoot: Rotate your camera today a bit and make a slightly off-angle photograph. Use the angle to emphasize your subject.

I laid down in the grass on my back and looked behind me holding the camera upside down. It was really weird, but so effective.

When I rotated the image in PhotoShop, for me, it lost all of it's glitz. Here's my theory. Looking at the image upside down, the flare leads up to the starburst. When the image is rotated, the flare leading down to the starburst just isn't as effective.

Any other thoughts or ideas?

Day 202

ISO 100, 60mm, f/16, 1/100 sec.

Day 202 - Small Spaces

Today, I loved my job. One of our campuses was hosting a "Confined Space Rescue" training. I can't show names or faces, but I did get permission to post as long as no one could be identified.

This person is being extracted from a manhole that drops down into an underground series of 24" pipe tunnels. It was fascinating to watch the team work.

ISO 100, 45mm, f/10, 1/80 sec.

And for the Daily Shoot: It's summer in the Northern Hemisphere. Make a photo of a cool, refreshing drink. Go for something creative.

Day 201

ISO 100, 100 mm, f/13, 1/100 sec.

Day 201 - Talk to the Paw

Once again I am drawing on the greyhounds for a little help, work is keeping me obnoxiously busy.

Daily Shoot: Make a photograph that emphasizes a change in texture: smooth/rough, soft/hard, shiny/dull, etc.

Day 200

ISO 500, 200 mm, f/4.0, 1/200 sec.

Day 200 - Play Ball

It was that time of day and Flocko only had one thing and one thing only on his mind. It's time to play ball. No pictures, no ear scratches, no treats. Just PLAY BALL!

Day 199

ISO 100, 100mm, f/2.8, 1/100 sec.

Day 199 - Blues

Apparently the hydrangeas have been quite happy with the cooler weather this year. This is the best they have looked for a long time.

Daily Shoot: Sunday Challenge: Compose an image that has a soft and dreamy look today, and make a photograph.

Day 198

ISO 100, 105mm, f/8.0, 1/250 sec.

Day 198 - Sunflowers

Daily Shoot: Find something that's out of context today, natural or staged, and make a photograph.

We came across a beautiful nursery, Dancing Oaks Nursery, outside of Dallas. It was probably the nicest nursery I have been to. The grounds were covered with plants and flowers. I walked around the corner and there stood these beautiful glass flowers.

Day 197

ISO 320, 67mm, f/4.0, 1/25 sec.

Day 197 - Raw Addictions

Daily Shoot: Everyone loves food photos! Make a close-up photograph of food you're enjoying on a Friday. Arrange for good lighting.

Any excuse for sushi will do. We have our favorite stomping grounds. Fuji Rice Time, without a doubt, is probably the best sushi I have ever had. They know us well, have our order memorized and treat us like we are their best and only customers. They rock.

The Fold

ISO100, 100mm, f/20, 15.0 sec.

Day 196 - The Fold

The Daily Shoot: Get creative with abstraction today. Make a photograph of patterns and/or shapes that aren't recognizable objects.

Tough assignment today, abstract has never been my gig.

Day 195

ISO 500, 18mm, 1/320 sec.

Day 195 - Ty-grey-asaurus Hound

Daily Shoot: Make a photo from a low point of view. Go for a dramatic effect by changing the appearance of the size of your subject.

Disclaimer: No humans were harmed in the making of this image.

And as a side note, in one of David's Duchemin's e-books he talks about how he gets caught up in the moment occasionally and forgets to check his settings.

Ummmm, note the ISO, I was shooting indoors for work earlier. Sheesh. The help they hire.

Day 194

ISO 100, 60mm, f/9.0, 1/80 sec.

Day 194 - Round corners

From the Daily Shoot: Corners are everywhere. Make a photo of an interesting corner today, capturing its light and angles.

Merriam-Webster's definition of a corner: the point where converging lines, edges, or sides meet.

This wheel is part of the 1894 hand pumper used by the Lafayette Oregon Fire Dept.

Day 193

ISO 100, 105mm, f/13, 1/50 sec.

Day 193 - Bad Hair Day

Believe it or not, these fluffy little fronds belong to a clematis.


The Daily Shoot was a bonus round for me. Focus on a fragment of an object today. Make a photograph that only shows part of an object, not the whole thing.

I had opened the passenger side door and saw the tail light from the car next door reflecting in the rear view mirror. When I looked through the lens I noticed that I had the front end of the car in the frame as well. The two corners of the campus buildings just completed the assignment.

Day 192

ISO 100, 73mm, f/18, 1/100 sec.

Day 192 - The River Runs Through It

I am searching for a place on the Willamette River that I can see Mt. Hood.

It wasn't from this viewpoint.

Guess I'll be moving to Plan B, hiking to the bank on the other side of the river.

Day 191

ISO 100, 32mm, f/10, 1/100 sec.

Day 191 - Fields of Lavender

This is the week-end for the lavender festival in Yamhill County and lavender fields are in bloom everywhere. They have maps that will drive you around to over 20 farms through the valley. It promised to be a beautiful drive.

We are also experiencing the hottest week-end of the year so far and I'm a wimp. One field, it was hot and I didn't want to play anymore.

Day 190

ISO 100, 105mm, f/4.0, 1/20 sec.

Day 190 - Sunset Matrix

Daily Shoot Assignment::Glass is a material that's used in so many different ways. Make a photograph of a glass subject today.

I have never really thought of Salem as a glassy kinda town. As we headed out for sushi date night, I grabbed the camera, just in case. One of the state buildings had reflecting trees in their windows and the plan was to head back over there after sushi.

The sun was beginning to go down and the lights began to pop up on the eastern exposure of St. Mark's Lutheran church. We sat and watched as row by row the stained glass windows began to glow with color.

I've driven by that church a million times, it will never look the same again.

Day 189

ISO 100, 100mm, f/7.1, 1/60 sec.

Day 189 - Hello

Just your average garden variety spider. He spun a web in between the recycling bin and the yard waste bin. He's safe until Sunday night when the trash goes to the curb.

I only wish he was doing his job and eating the millions of mosquitoes that are milling around our yard right now.

Day 188

ISO 100, 100mm macro, f/2.8, 1/400 sec.

Day 188 - Gone With The Wind

Nearly every night it is the same song and dance. Home from work, coffee in hand, question of the day "What the hell am I going to take for my photo of the day?"

And then, from across the yard, there it was. Glistening in the sun, what appeared to be a perfect dandelion gone to seed. Closer inspection yielded a chunk removed by the wind.

The Daily Photo assignment. Look for an area with a big differential in light. Make a photo exposed for the brightest area, isolating a subject.

Day 187

ISO 100, 100mm, f/16, 1/100 sec.

Day 187 - Glow in the Dark

Dear Orange Rose,

I am not done with you yet. Consider this a warning and a promise. I will be back.

Love, Me

Day 186

ISO 125, 88mm, f/7.1, 1/320 sec.

Day 186 - Sunny side up

Day off, absolutely nothing accomplished but hanging with the hounds.

An excellent day.

Day 185

ISO 100, 55 mm, f/4.5, 1/200 sec.

Day 185 - The Cherries are Perfect

Not only are we sharing our crop of bing cherries with the birds, but greyhounds are cleaning off the branches that are low enough to the ground.

Day 184

ISO 100, 24mm, f/10, 6.0 sec.

Day 184 - Happy 4th of July

For the first time in years and years we went out to watch fireworks tonight. A friend of ours has a home across the street from where they set the fireworks off. It is located about an hour west of Salem in the small logging town of Falls City.

I spent some quality time on the Internet reading about how to take fireworks photos and followed their recommendations.

The first thing I learned, we were way to close for a 24mm lens, a wider angle would have been very nice. It's impossible to pinpoint exactly where the starbursts are going to happen.

There wasn't much time to make many adjustments, so I set the tripod up and let it stay in the same place. Wish I had moved it around a bit more.

I used the bulb setting with the cable release, changing the length of the shutter speed to accommodate the bursts. That was really successful for me.

I backed off just slightly from infinity, used manual focus and left my aperture at f/10.

I would watch for the launches and try to anticipate when to release the shutter.

It was fun, I'd highly recommend shooting fireworks if you get the chance.

Be safe, keep the pets safe and sound and have a great 4th.

Day 183

ISO 100, 188mm, f/4.0, 1/320 sec.

Day 183 - Flo on the go

We had a really low key day today, just me and the doggies.

Day 182

ISO100, 105mm, f/10, 1/100 sec.

Day 182 - What goes up, must come down

Today's Daily Shoot: Construction seems to be perpetual: streets, sidewalks, buildings. Make a photo of something under construction today.

When I drove by this morning on my way to work, this pile of rubbish was a building. This is all that was left on way home at noon.