Life: Through the Lens

Another Saturday night, and the wind howls and the cold penetrates our bones. Another Saturday night in March, in Michigan. It must be time to sort some photographs. I have enjoyed experimenting with shadow and light this spring. I love the way the light dances on brick and stone and aged wood. You read so much about how a "good" picture is one taken in even lighting, where there isn't much contrast between the various elements in your photograph. But I think there's a place for contrast. It's amazing the different feel you get from a black and white photograph than you do from one in color. There's a mood, an atmosphere, to the monochome image that's difficult, if not impossible, to attain in a color image. For instance, each of these four images were taken with light and shadow in mind. But the monochrome images are moodier...there's an "atmosphere" in the bottom images that the top don't have. As you look at your subject, think about w...

One of the requirements for the Lensbaby class was to take lots of photos of BOTs - a new term to me. "Bots" are botanicals - flower photograhy:). I love new terms so will add this to my list. Of course, February and March in Michigan are not generally conducive to flower photography. I ended up purchasing a potted plant, plantS actually. There were three different types of bulbs planted in the pot, so I shot as they bloomed. By shooting by a well-lit window, to use the natural light, I could pretend it was Spring for a bit! Enjoy.

The online course I'm taking, through the Picture Perfect School of Photography , is very interesting and forces me to get out and take photos, experimenting with new equipment and techniques. We had a lovely break in the winter weather the first week of my class, which really helped. I was quite pleased with some of the images and thought I'd share. The Lensbaby Composer, which is the new lens I am shooting with, has a sweet spot of focus, as it's called, and everything else goes soft. It's a bit tricky, but once I get the hang of it I do think I'll use the lens quite frequently. The look is different, allowing creativity without being tied to Photoshop or another image editing program. What do you think? If you're interested in more information about the Picture Perfect School of Photography , check out http://www.ppsop.com/ . Information on the Lensbaby line is available at http://www.lensbaby.com/ .

It's so much fun to face a new challenge in photography. For Christmas I received a Lensbaby, a special effects lens which gives a soft-focus look to your photograph. I'm taking a class to help be better understand how it works, and the weather has actually cooperated the last couple of days. Finally, a warm-up which is giving us hope that spring is actually coming. So we hit the road and I looked for subjects to practice using the lens. Here are a couple of shots which give you an idea how nifty this lens is, and the possibilities for creative photography.

We're not really winter people. We love to see the snow falling gently, the landscape blanketed in white....while sipping our coffee from the warmth of our home. The fireplace is a welcome friend, on these cold winter days. And a good book is hard to put down, particularly when you're snuggled under a fleece blanket, well insulated from the elements. How many mornings, as we nestle further under the covers, do we say, "We should be out taking pictures." The cold and crisp mornings produce fabulous photos ops - with ice crystals covering trees, crab apples, pine cones - forming fairy lands of pattern and glitter. The birds flock to our feeders, all puffed up and insulated against the cold. Their colors really stand out against the white of the snow, and the sharp blue of the sky. And so one morning as I lay in bed watching the sun come up behind a pine tree in the yard, I decided I better get up and dust off the camera. Just for a bit, I said; sunrise doesn't last...

San Antonio, Texas is decked out for the holidays, with hundreds of thousands of lights. The downtown area has a riverwalk system which you can walk, of course, but also tour by boat. The lights over the river, and many of the bridges you float under, are decorated with a twinkling wonderland of lights. Riding the river system, you hear music playing from a number of sources, everything from pan flute to guitar, solo or ensemble. Smells from numerous eateries waft through the air, and all your senses come alive. As photographers we were challenged to find some photos which would record the experience, and as tourists we just wanted to sit back and soak it in. We were traveling with our daughter, son-in-law and 2 year old grandson, so we did it all. It was amazing to watch the face of the little one as he looked overhead and pointed "lights!" everywhere we went. He also reacts to the music, and swiveled his head as we heard new sounds or turned another bend of the river. He l...

There are so many ways to give creative gifts. I have a really clever book which shows different craft projects you can create using photographs - from lampshades to lap trays. There are also wonderful photo books you can make, telling a story about a specific time or event, or creating your own story with one of your family members as the main character. I gave a book to one our granddaughters for her birthday this year in which she starred as the "princess" of her kingdom, and the "king" and "queen" loved her very much. I used photos of times we had visited with her, and photos from the wedding her dad and step-mom. The "princess" was also going to get a new brother or sister, to share her kingdom. The book was a hit, and will be there for her as long as the new brother doesn't get his hands on it!:) I also saw this year that you could create board books, for the younger set. So many choices. There are a number on online companies to check ...