October 26, 2011

of cinder block proportions....


i have writer's block. 
not like those cute little building blocks that toddlers play with, writer's block. 
no. that'd be too easy. 
instead my writer's block lives in the gravel yard with cinder blocks and bricks and huge natural stones that men wearing tight jeans and driving bobcats fill your backyard with as they do your landscaping.
~
what. men in tight jeans.
is it just me or does everyone get as distracted as i do when they start writing.



let's see. i'll try a different angle.
like how "my cup runneth over" from all the well wishes and wonderful thoughts that you're still sending my way from my surgery last week and how this photo above looks like a cup of sorts. 
use your imagine. a cup that mother nature made. in her first pottery class.


these photos are all sooc and that makes me really happy.
but now that i think about it, i don't think i ever told you that i got my new camera and i love it. 
instead of changing completely and going the nikon route, which is where i was headed, 
i stayed with pentax and bought the k-5. 
there's a great little site i use when comparing cameras. it's called snapsort and in the upper lefthand corner, click on "compare" and put in the cameras you're thinking about. it's quite addictive and has some really good information. 
just yesterday i ran across an amazing blog and his photos were out of this world. well he uses a nikon D3X which i hadn't even heard of. so i went over to snapsort and compared my camera with his. 
mine won. 
and his camera is 7000 dollars more expensive then mine. i'm not kidding. 7000 dollars more. who would spend 8000 dollars on a camera anyhow. and once again, it just goes to show you that's it not about the equipment. it's really all about your creative and artistic eye.


to keep the camera jargon going....i've been playing around with my very old 70-200 lens and i'm kind of falling in love with it. all of these photos were taken with it and what i think i really want is a 85mm 1.4 lens. so i'm trying to keep my 70-200 at 85 as i shoot. just to practice. but the big difference is that my 70-200 is a 4.7/5.6 so it's not really comparing apple to apples. but i do think it's totally eating up all the love i've been giving it. 



oh and one more thing regarding photography. the yellow leaf above was being bathed in sunlight as i approached it and with my first shot, it was completely washed out. 
so i lowered my iso and UNDEREXPOSED it on purpose and wha-la. 
a beautiful yellow leaf with a dark background and an sooc photo.
overexposing and underexposing my photos is something i do all the time. if you don't do this. try it.
too many times, i find that iso, aperture, shutter speed and anything else you want to throw into the mix just isn't the answer. but exposure is.
*

22 comments:

  1. Gorgeous pics and your so right it's about the user and artistic eye. I know someone who uses a point and shoot and captures amazing images that inspire me.

    ReplyDelete
  2. For being blocked, you are doing awesome. I am being scared as far as writing goes, do you want to trade? ;-).
    I love your nature walk photographs and the exposure is something I will look more into on my next photo adventure.
    Healing energy and loving hugs sent your way :-)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Loving your pictures. I have been playing more with settings and having fun and learning. Good to see you here today even with the blocks.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Loved this bit of talk on photography ... your photos were delightful, as always! Now, get your eye off those tight jeans!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I'd trade my writer's block for yours any day!! Maybe I need to find some guys in tight jeans to inspire me... (beautiful shots and thanks for the tips!)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Tight jeans don't do it for me. Way too many skinny cowboy types around here and they love those skinny jeans. I'd rather see a pair of looser jeans on a man....like the kind Brett Favre wears. Just regular Levis.
    I have a Nikon and use my 55-200 a lot. Sometimes I'm not sure if I like it. I've been considering a 70-300. So many lenses, so much money:-(

    ReplyDelete
  7. Thanks for these photo tips, Beth. I especially love the last two. Both draw the the eye so well and create mood. I don't think it's the camera that does that - I think it's YOU!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Beautiful photos, Beth. You and your camera make a terrific combination!

    ReplyDelete
  9. The joy of photography is the playing with all the perks a camera offers. Have fun!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Beautiful and lovely indeed.
    Blessings

    Celebrate you and surround yourself
    with people that do.

    http://jeannesbliss.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  11. Yes, love the photography talk. And, loving the pics. It sounds like you're having fun with that new camera! Awesome!

    ReplyDelete
  12. 85mm 1.4 is at the top of my wishlist right now. That and a lensbaby pro. Oh that list, it only grows with every purchase! Loving the bokeh in each of these.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Congrats on the new camera! These photos are great, but I do believe that the majority of good photography is due to the photographer and not the equipment. I have seen some people do amazing things with a P&S!

    The 85 1.8 is on my wish list at Amazon! I want that or the 100 so bad!

    Just recently I started experimenting with exposure in-camera. It does give some beautiful results when used correctly. :)

    ReplyDelete
  14. Great SOOC pics! I'm always trying different settings. I found out that if I underexpose my moon shots they come out so much better. It just takes practice and playing around.

    And, I totally agree with you on camera costs. I bought a very reasonable Canon Rebel that came with two lenses and I love it! It's all up to the photographer to get the cool shot!

    I disagree with your writers block, LOL! Seems to me like you're doing OK! But, I know what you mean... some days I just don't have much to say. And that's OK! I usually just post some pictures and my readers seem happy! Hopefully, you'll dig your way out from under all those blocks soon!

    ReplyDelete
  15. "exposure....blah blah blah....aperture....yada yada...iso...." it is alllll Greek to me but I just love seeing the results of someone smart like you that gets it all working for them!!! and,girl, I always enjoy reading what you have to say: writer block or not!

    ReplyDelete
  16. holy cow....those are amazing shots!
    Love the fluff:)
    Your new camera is a gem.
    And always, so are your eyes.
    And heart:)
    -Jen

    ReplyDelete
  17. These photos are stunning. There is no other word. Love the squirrel. Such an amazing capture as they are soooo speedy.

    ReplyDelete
  18. you always make me smile. these photos are all lovely. a camera is just like a paintbrush, it's a tool, it's the artist behind it that matters. and you have a wonderful artist's eye.

    ReplyDelete
  19. love the yellow leaf against the dark background. and yes... men in tight jeans ... mmmm

    ReplyDelete
  20. So glad you are doing well and feel like writing posts. Getting acquainted with your new camera is a diversion and a learning process that is good right now, don't you think? The photos are typically awesome and I like that you give your bits of advice to help amateurs like me.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Thanks for the link. My camera is stuck. Literally. Won't open, close, turn on. I'm thinking repair will be pricier than new. I'll check them out.

    Hope you're feeling well. Still thinking of you!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Your photos are beautiful and would be no matter what camera you used! I really should try experimenting more with my camera settings than I do...I love your hints:)

    My first SLR was a Pentax Spotmatic...I should have looked into the Pentax DSLR.

    ReplyDelete

**I love reading the comments you leave, as they make me feel like we're sitting in my kitchen, having a cup of tea, discussing life and wondering where all the time has gone ...beth