Early Father's Day

My sisters were in town this weekend from out of state, so we decided to celebrate Father's Day early.  My dad is getting into metal detecting, so we got him a treasure chest for all of his loot.  Nothing really scientific going on here, just a nice candid moment.  It's a reminder to always have your camera with you, because life is full of special moments like this one.

Canon 5D Mark II
Canon 24-105vmm f4
60mm - ISO 3200
1/25s- f/4

First rose of spring

This is the first rose of spring blooming in my garden.  We had an early heat wave that starting things going a bit early this year.  I missed perfect focus on the bloom, but it was actually just a few inches off the ground, and I was trying not to get all wet in the muddy flowerbed.

Canon 5D Mark II
Canon 24-105vmm f4
105mm - ISO 100
1/60s- f/4

Shooting sparks

Blogger (the service I use to host my blog) was down all yesterday, so I'm sorry for the missed post!  It is kind of funny too, because yesterday I took my picture within a half hour of getting up in the morning, unlike most nights when I get around to it in the evening!  I was super-advance-prepared and then it was down.  Oh well!

Yesterday's picture is an example of what happens when you have a short in your curling iron and you plug it in.  I was holding it my left hand when I plugged it in, and sparks shot out of it!  I dropped it and screamed.  I wasn't burned, but there was black stuff all over my hand!  Who knew beauty could be so dangerous!

Canon 5D Mark II
Canon 24-105vmm f4
105mm - ISO 100
1/80s- f/4

Canon 580EXII
TTL
On camera, bounced up to the ceiling

A portrait of frustration

Taking a self-portrait by myself tonight proved to be the longest, most frustrating shoot of the year.  You have to set everything up essentially blind, guess on the focusing, pose, hit the remote, run around to the back of the camera, look at it, adjust lights, adjust settings, rinse, repeat, ad nauseum.  I finally got the lighting close to where I wanted, although I could have used a separation light on the background, but no matter what I did, I couldn't get rid of the reflection in my glasses.  So, I gave up and just made faces at the camera.

Canon 5D Mark II
Canon 50mm f1.4
50mm - ISO 100
1/200s- f/2.5

Canon 580EXII
1/16 power, 105mm zoom
8' to left and above subject, shot through diffusion panel 


Nikon SB900
1/16 power, 17mm zoom
2' to right of subject, bounced off of white wall 

Bloomin' vinca

I love the drama of this hardy vinca vine, which puts out just a very few flowers every year.  They practically glow in the dark.

Canon 5D Mark II
Canon 24-105mm f4-5.6
105mm - ISO 2500
1/60s- f/4

Little pearls of relaxation

A little sprinkling of bath pearls lit by a flash bounced off of a reflector to camera left.

Canon 5D Mark II
Promaster 70-300mm f4-5.6
300mm - ISO 100
1/25s- f/18

Canon 580EXII
1/8 power
17mm zoom
Flash on camera, bounced to the left off of a reflector

Hope's fragile leaves

I start morning glory plants from seed in Februrary-March each year, and then plant them outside so they can grow up the trellises that I have stationed around the yard.  Beginning in August, they bloom non-stop for several weeks.  This year I didn't start them until the middle of April, and only two have survived so far.  They have a lot of growing to do between now and August.

I have been under the weather again this weekend, so didn't get out for a nice picture.  So, tonight's picture is an example of how you can use a pop-up flash for some dramatic lighting. 

Normally I hate the blasted look created by the pop-up flash.  So, when I have to use it I like to put some tissue paper or even a Kleenex over it to diffuse the light, which helps bring down the intensity. 

In this case, I stuck the metal rim of a work light (with the bulb removed) around the pop-up flash, directing the majority of the light up, so it fell softly down onto the plants, letting them glow out of the darkness.

Nikon D90
Nikkor 18-105mm f3.5-5.6
105mm - ISO 800
1/60s- f/5.6