Signs of Autumn

Watery Fun

Do you ever get the urge to photograph something just to see what effect you can get? Like rain. I was sitting in the car at Walmart while it poured waiting while Rob ran in for one thing and I couldn't help notice the cool pattern the rain was making on the sun roof. Of course I had my camera, so I started snapping away. . .

Then I got the brilliant idea that something needed to be on the glass. So I dashed outside in the rain and grabbed a leaf off a near by tree and threw it up there. People in the surrounding cars--and I noticed a few--probably thought I was crazy! Oh well. Here is what I got for my efforts:

I like it. But I think I like the one sans leaf better. Then on the way home it was getting dark and I thought the lights looked really neat as they were distorted by the rain on the windshield, so a snapped a few pictures as we drove. Here are a couple that I really liked:

It just goes to show, you should always carry your camera. If nothing else, I was entertained while stuck in the car on a rainy day!

House Guest. . .

So I borrowed a 100mm macro lens from a friend and tried to take lots of lovely closeup pictures of bugs and things. I even found the cutest little white and orange caterpillar. Here is what I have decided. That macro is very sensitive. I had a heck of a time getting a good picture. The depth of field is shallow and the focus manual and my fuzzy friend never quite turned out how I thought he would. This is the best of the lot:

But then I gave the lens back and went back to shooting with my stock lens until I figure out which lens I want first. A couple days later I noticed this little guy on some daisies my four year old picked for me from my yard:

I pulled out my camera with the 18-55 mm lens that came on it and snapped away. I also spotted this guy in my yard and captured him too.

I am sure there is some learning curve to the 100mm macro. Perhaps I'm just not skilled enough to wield it with great success, but I think I will get a telephoto lens first and leave the macro for another day.

One Last Glimpse of Summer. . .

1/125 f/9.5 ISO 400

There is very little still blooming in my yard as fall sets in (not that you would know it was mid September with the unusual 90 degree weather we are having). But the Pansies are still going strong. I love the color in this miniature variety in front of my house.

Nesting

This nest, that we found in a dead pine tree in the yard, made me think of the time and effort we put into getting our house just the way we like it.

Fun With A Macro Lens

Otherwise known as trying my daughters' patience. I had the girls stand out in the yard as the sun was setting with light falling on their faces and snapped away. I used a 100 mm macro lens for all of them. Here are a few I really liked:

1/500 f/3.5 ISO 200

1/250 f/3.5 ISO 200

1/500 f/3.5 ISO 200

1/500 f/3.5 ISO 200

The first two are my favorite. I shot all these in Manual mode, which I admit I haven't been doing long, so I still have much to learn. I think I can do better, so I will keep practicing.

I need a Macro Lens. . .

I love taking pictures of things up close, like flowers and bugs. I took several pictures of my Hydrangeas over the summer and thought I would post a few. I have been on a quest to buy new lenses and have been debating the virtues of so many, but I think I would get good use out of a macro lens. In the meantime, here is what the little old lens that came with my camera is capable of. Taken with my Rebel XTi.

I took the first ones in July and then went back and took a few more in August when their color had started to fade. I still think they are gorgeous. I like to catch them when the sun in just hitting them in the morning.