A Stroll Through the Garden

Well...I went shopping this week...in the garden section.
I bought two varieties of Tulips and a Daffodil which you will see pictured below. When I planted my newly acquired plants in my Butterfly Garden I discovered these clover (below) and they were just too pretty to pass up.

 Just an old stump I use as a stepping stone...

Notice how the stigma of the flower below is blurred but the pollen is in focus, this is due to the limited depth of field in macro.

The Extraordinary of the Ordinary-An Expedition

Looking cozy and warm...

Okay...not so much. :)

Enjoying the beautiful fall foliage.

I used one of my favorite techniques, a long shutter-speed to "tame" the water.

Do you see the photographer in the bubbles below?

I studied this one rock (below) for over an hour...it just never got old. I loved watching how the the water flowed across the rocks, making ripples wherever one protruded above the surface. I loved how the water caught the scattered light from the canopy above and glistened like crystal in the morning. Sitting with my feet in the freezing water I watched as several leaves floated past, dancing in the current and clumsily bumping into rocks in the ballroom. These captured my interest as you can see, and provided some very intriguing subject matter. I was amazed with the water flowing over my bare feet, I thought about the intricacy of each drop of water, which on it's own seemed vastly insignificant but were it not for those tiny droplets we could not survive. Water is yet another magnificent aspect of God's creation, it is present in nearly everything, and can take on so many different forms. It moves, it ripples, and at times seems to have a mind of it's own. :)

There are countless photographic opportunities everywhere we go if we will but take the time to notice them.

Perspectives-Zoo Trip Part Two

Many people assume pictures must be taken right-side up and using straight lines. Is this true? Is straight up and down the only way you can take a picture? Just because that's how we naturally see the world doesn't mean that's the way we always have to see it. Sometimes by simply changing the angle, getting on your knees or standing on a chair you can "make or break" your picture. Sometimes you need to change your perspective and see things in a new way. That is the mission of the photographer, to capture the things others miss.

Take, for example, this picture of my sister. I could have taken it "normal" and it might have been a nice picture but by tilting my camera to the left it makes for a more interesting photo:

Using the "Aperture Priority" setting I experimented with an "indirect" method to photographing my family looking at an exhibit.

Using lines to draw your eye into the photograph this makes for an interesting shot.

Now, what would happen if I increased the depth of field?

Look for unusual angles and objects that you might not even consider photographing.

I really like the composition of the photo below even though my sister, Kathlena caught a patch of sunshine.

Houston Zoo Trip-Part One

Utilizing the "Aperture Priority" setting:

In the picture below I used two popular methods 1. the rule of thirds & 2. "storytelling".
What is "storytelling"? Beginning, middle, and end, the structure of any good story and oftentimes of a good picture. In this picture (below) the water is the "beginning", the duck is the "middle", and the grass is the "end".

Callaway Gardens-Day One-Butterfly Garden-Part 2

Water-endless possibilities

This is my personal favorite area of photography, water. There are so many different things you can do with water. There are endless possibilities!

My superlative photographs are the waterfall and creek pictures where the water is so smooth and silky that it appears to be a painting rather than a photograph. I didn't know how you accomplish that and assumed that it was just high-tech cameras. Recently I learned how it is done. It is actually quite simple, instead of using a normal shutter speed which captures every detail of the rippling water, you use 1/2 a second or longer to get that smooth, silky effect. Of course this requires a tripod to avoid blurring the rest of the photo.

However, not always does a scenic waterfall and the perfect lighting come as a package deal. In that case you may want to alter the shutter speed. A longer shutter speed lets in more light; a shorter shutter speed lets in less light. You can also change the aperture.

Aperture is the opening in the camera's lens that allows light to enter into the camera.
Aperture is measured in f-stops; because f-stops are in fractions and ratios the bigger the f-stop, the less light is let in, the smaller the f-stop the more light that is let into the camera. So when taking pictures of waterfalls, creeks, and other things that require longer shutter speeds, try to find a balance between aperture and shutter speed.

When you find a water scene that is to your liking, experiment with different shutter speeds, f-stops, angles, lighting, and other settings on your camera. There is more than one way to capture a certain scene. Experiment, you might be surprised with the results!