RSS

Monthly Archives: August 2010

a bit of reflection

It’s days like these… when I’m home sick two days in a row sniffling, snotting, hacking away at this dry cough… When the sun forgot to come out and shine…. When Labor Day is in the forecast, which to me – means end of Summer….It’s days like these that I take time to reflect.

I was thinking the other day that it has been almost one year – one month shy – since I started this daily blog. It’s been a love / hate relationship with the blog. On the side of Love, I’ve met a lot of other bloggers in cyber-space who have inspired me to stretch my eye for the camera. I’ve received a lot of positive feedback from friends, family, and the blogger world to “keep clicking” and “You’ve got a great eye!”. It’s days like these that I feel really great about my progress in photography. It’s days like these that I feel like I’ve done a good job at pushing myself to keep clicking and post my progress.On the side of hate, I do have to say, “WordPress, sometimes you kinda SUCK it!”For some stupid reason I’ve always fantasized about being “freshly pressed”. And, it’s kinda ironic that some random bloggers who I follow and have found – one day become freshly pressed. Then I think, “Okay, I’m getting close! Maybe tomorrow it’ll be ME!”. Ha! Well, it’s been 11 months and all I have to say is “WordPress, you kinda suck!” And, knowing my luck, tomorrow morning I’ll wake up to this very post being Freshly Pressed!

It’s days like these that I reflect. My newest reflections are whether or not I’ll continue to blog for another year. And, if I do, if I’ll blog daily or just sporadically. Hmmm, … I’ll keep pondering.

 
Leave a comment

Posted by on August 31, 2010 in photography

 

pirates at Seaside

I hung out with a group of Pirates on Saturday at Hood to Coast. At first when I had heard that our booth was going to have pirates handing out all of our swag, I was a bit hesitant. But, once they arrived, in full costume and character..characters indeed I quickly became very entertained!

Plus, it helped to keep the day going since I was out at Seaside at 6am until 6pm. Thanks, Mateys!

 
Leave a comment

Posted by on August 30, 2010 in photography

 

hanging with me Mateys!

 
Leave a comment

Posted by on August 29, 2010 in photography

 

weekly photo challenge #17: Road

Wow it’s been a busy week! So busy that I didn’t get around to posting my daily photo yesterday. Boo. I’ve decided that I like being way busy from day to day rather than stagnant and nothing going on. It seems like my Life, since I moved into my new house back in may has totally picked up – compared to when I was living in the other house. I remember always feeling blue with nothing to do. Perhaps it was because I was still relatively new to Portland and didn’t know many people. And now I’ve been meeting so many more new friends and socializing a lot more. Wohooooo! Feels great!

Okay, so I’m rambling! We’ll call it “Rambling Friday”.

Today’s weekly photo challenge is – Road. Brought to you by the Canon EOS 40D. Sighhhhh… and someday very soon I will have one all to myself – for keeps! :)

Happy Friggen Friday, peeps!

 
Leave a comment

Posted by on August 27, 2010 in photography

 

Tags: , , ,

weekend favorites

A few of my favorites photos I took at the workshop.

Star

shoe-gazing

 
Leave a comment

Posted by on August 25, 2010 in photography

 

Tags:

Av = aperture

…or as I learned it… the amount of slices of bread you can clearly see. The aperture of a camera lens is the diameter of the lens opening. The larger the diameter of the aperture, the more light reaches the sensor. Aperture is expressed as F Stop. The smaller the F-stop number (or f/value), the larger the lens opening (aperture).

 
Leave a comment

Posted by on August 24, 2010 in photography

 

Tags: , ,

time value = breezy freedom

shutter speed set at 15

shutter speed = 15 (aperture 22)

One of the lessons I learned at the one-day photography workshop was about the Tv button on my camera. The Tv button stand for “time value” or shutter speed. Shutter speed is the length of time an aperture is open to allow light to hit the sensor inside the camera.

shutter speed = 15 (aperture 22)

The first two photos I posted are examples of a low shutter speed of 15 (and aperture set at 22). I set the Tv at 15 in order to capture a steady image of this guy I’d like to call Jerry Garcia – which would also create an action image. I like the first photo the best since it’s very airid. I’d like to call it, “breezy freedom.” The second photo is also very playful; the shutter speed was set just right in order to capture Jerry steadily riding around the intersection while the background has a wooosh effect.

shutter speed = 200 (aperture 8.0)

This last photo was a fun one I took while Jerry had appeared at the intersection. He called over to our group and said, “Hey! If you need a model, I’m a musician and used to taking my picture!” What a ham! :)   It was very easy for us to interact with him and request him to model while we click click clicked.

Thanks, Jerry!

 
3 Comments

Posted by on August 23, 2010 in photography

 

Tags: , ,

the photography workshop

A whole new world has opened up for me since I took yesterday’s “how to use your d-SLR” workshop at Newspace Center for Photography with Susan Bein. There were four of us – which was a great way to have more hands on learning opportunities with Susan and the others. I’ll post a few more blog posts this week to talk more in detail about what I learned.

Let me introduce you to the other workshop-mates.

This is Bernadette. Bernadette will be travelling in Costa Rica for 1 week then off the Israel for 2 weeks. She loves taking photos with her point-n-shoot and just upgraded to a Canon Rebel in order to take better quality photos on her trips.

This is Paula. Paula is a home stager, interior designer and an artist who wishes to learn more about how to use her new Canon Rebel that her father recently gave her. She also has interest in low-carb, no sugar diets and wants to take “food photos” to post on her future blog in order to better educate people on nutrition.

And here is Star. Star is a mother of 3 teens. She enjoys taking photos of her teens. She recently bought a Canon EOS at CostCo in order to take better quality photos of the family.

And of course – there’s me. As you might know by now, I’ve been thoroughly enjoying the creative outlet of digital photography on my Canon Powershot for more than 2 years. I’ve been keeping this blog for almost a year. Almost a year!?!?! Wow! I have been given the opportunity at work to take event photos with the office Canon EOS 40D. It’s a big, hunky, intimidating camera and lens. So, I decided to take this class to learn how to use it – as well as especially accelerating my skills in photography. I have a vision of one day being a Full Time photographer. I’d like to focus my interests in photographing the queer community – ceremonies, weddings, life celebrations, etc. I think after taking this one class and already deciding on taking a few more at the Newspace Center – that I’ll definitely be able to excel in my hobby / creative outlet / skills.

photo by Kari

…more photos from this one-day workshop will be on their way this week. Stay tuned! :)

 
3 Comments

Posted by on August 22, 2010 in photography

 

Tags: , ,

photog class day

I am so excited! Today is the day that I take my very first photography class! Yipppeeee! It’s been more than 2 years since I started clicking away at the ole digital — I should give the camera a name. I’ve been blogging daily photos for almost a year, reading a few photography “How To” books here and there, following various photographers online and on wordpress to learn new ideas, tips, techniques, etc, .. and somehow today is a new start for me.

The course I’m taking is a basic photography class about, “How to use your d-SLR”. Although I don’t own a d-SLR I get to use the office camera which is a Canon EOS 40D – big, monstrous, intimidating machine. I’m really hoping that I’ll come away with a better understanding of basic fundamentals for using the camera as well as hopefully a few new techniques, tips, and ways to think outside of the artistic photographer box.

Wish me luck!

 
2 Comments

Posted by on August 21, 2010 in photography

 

Tags:

weekly photo challenge #16: cold

Call it how you see it. I see it as COLD. When it’s a warm summer day in Portland, Oregon – it’s quite challenging to think outside the box and capture “COLD”. Especially when I’m enjoying a Friday evening happy hour. This is the first thing that I was able to wrap my lips around and snap a few shots of. Enjoy!

Happy Friday, y’all!

 
Leave a comment

Posted by on August 20, 2010 in photography

 

Tags: , , ,

blueberries

I never quite realized just how much I like blueberries until I inherited a blueberry bush where I live. They have finally become perfectly ripe. Kari went out to pick a handful to put in her cereal and decided to drop them in a glass of water to clean them off. Of course I had to sneak a few when she wasn’t looking. Mmmmmm… Mmm. How sweet and tart they are!

This photo was taken with my iPhone 3G. I’m obsessed with the phone and the “camera Bag” app. Try it.

 
Leave a comment

Posted by on August 19, 2010 in photography

 

Tags:

Let me show you the world in my eyes

Let me take you on a trip
Let me take you on a trip
Let me take you on a trip

Let me take you on a trip
Around the world and back
Let me take you on a trip
Around the world and back
Let me take you on a trip
Around the world and back
Let me take you on a trip
Around the world and back

And you won’t have to move
And you won’t have to move
And you won’t have to move
And you won’t have to move
And you won’t have to move
You just sit still

Let me show you the world in my eyes
Let me show you the world in my eyes
Let me show you the world in my eyes
Let me show you the world in my eyes
Let me show you the world in my eyes
Let me show you the world in my eyes

Let me take you on trip
Let me take you on trip, trip, trip, trip

Let me show you the world in my eyes
Let me show you the world in my eyes
Let me show you the world in my eyes

-Depeche Mode

“Thank you! Thank you very much!”

 
2 Comments

Posted by on August 18, 2010 in photography

 

Tags:

a bee’s life

While out at the Coast this weekend, I thoroughly enjoyed watching all the elements and nature in all its glory. I especially enjoyed watching a few bees do what they do best. Pollinate.

~ ~ ~

 
2 Comments

Posted by on August 17, 2010 in photography

 

Tags:

we apologize for that commercial interruption

We apologize for that commercial interruption. I tried to post a photo or two yesterday in between all the fun we’ve been having with our pals from Nor Cacky. But, somehow wordpress was not working and I couldn’t post one. :( Boo hooo!

I’ve been eager to post some of these photos that I took during our side trip to the Oregon Coast. It was such a nice getaway since the weather has been in the scorching high 90′s in Portland, Or. Yikes! But no complaints here! I asked for warm weather and heat, I got warm weather and heat!

While staying out at Oceanside, Or – we walked and discovered all of the sea life in the tide pools like starfish, sea anemones, sea urchins, muscles, and even cute little hermit crabs.

It was such a treat to be within reaching distance of the sea life – Margo got a kick out of picking up a few sea stars and checking them out closely.

Kari got a kick out of appeasing me with my photo series of her running and leaping mid-air as I click click clicked away. :)

Now, I’m in complete denial since Margo and Mary are packing up and getting ready for the grand drop off at the PDX Airport. That means my staycation is OVER and I must report for duty tomorrow. Boo hooo! It was much needed and fun while it lasted!

 
2 Comments

Posted by on August 16, 2010 in photography

 

Tags:

holy mug shots!

 
2 Comments

Posted by on August 14, 2010 in photography

 

Tags:

 
Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.