f22: 1/3 sec: ISO 100

I just finished reading Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson.  I got it out of the library thinking, “I already understand exposure but I’ll see if this is a good book to recommend to friends.”  There was plenty in the book that was familiar but I’m always interested in how other people describe things like aperture.  Mixed in with the stuff I already knew were many things I didn’t.  One of the chapters was about long exposures.  The photo above is a result of learning about long exposures.

Last year I was at this same waterfall.  This is the photo I took:

f13: 1/10 sec: ISO 100

This one was hand held at one tenth of a second.  In the first one, I put the camera down on a rock and used the self timer to trigger the shutter.  What I wanted to do this year was make the exposure as long as possible.  I set the ISO as low as possible and the aperture as small as possible and was left with the one third of a second shutter speed. 

Then, I forgot I had the timer on.  This is what happened:

It turned out to be my favorite.

I love fall.  The warm colors all around encourage me to carry my camera.  And this project pushes me to finish and share what I’m shooting. 

I love the feeling of hope a new year brings.  It’s not really different than last year, but changing the calendar gives me courage to make changes in myself.  She will be changing much more than I will this year.  She’ll start to stand and then walk.  She’ll turn her babble into sounds that she hears around her and we will hear what she has to say.  All I’m planning to do is clean the basement.

Canon 7D: 50mm 1.4: ISO 400: 1/640 sec: f/2.8A sweater, cords and muddy bare feet.  It’s not spring but it’s not winter either.

He didn’t want a haircut, but the yellow lollipop won him over.  I’m not thrilled with my  hair cutting abilities yet, but I’m happy to see his eyes again.  (I’m trying it!)

Recently, I was given a book called 101 Things to Learn in Art School.  It’s a little book with short lessons about art.  I was drawn to the pages about colors.  It’s not something I think about often.  I’m partial to black and white photography.  But there are times when I see how the colors are playing in a scene.  With my blue-eyed boy, I’ve noticed how a shirt or what is behind him can bring out the color in his eyes.  In the above photo, I liked how the red on the stroller also brought out the red of his pouty lips.  

Below is one of the first photos when I really saw the background color bringing out the color of my son’s eyes. (The background is a bedspread at the beach hotel we where we were staying.)

Look around as the spring warmth brings color out where it has been monochrome all winter and try it: play with colors.

I’ve been enjoying thinking about these Try It posts.  It pushes me to think more about my photography. I’ve been thrilled to see the photos showing up in the flickr group.  Thank you for joining me. 

We were at her big sister’s dance class and went outside to enjoy the beautiful day.  She’s been on swings before but the swings at the Irish Centre, where her sister takes her lessons, are much taller than any she’d been on before.  

I didn’t initally bring my camera with me.  It was in the car.  I had to take her out of the swing to get the camera.  At first I didn’t think it was worth it.  

I used to keep my pinkie fingernail long and sharp just in case I needed to scratch him.  But I don’t need that nail anymore.  Instead of plotting my next attack, I call him when I need advice on a business plan or just to talk to someone I know loves me and will probably make me laugh.

It gives me comfort when I see my kids pushing, pulling and scratching to think that in time (20 years?) they may be friends like we are.