Funnel cloud (I prefer funnel cake)

This is a funnel cloud across the street from my house from a storm this afternoon.  Note, it isn't a black and white picture!  It is a good example of ugly back-lighting.  The trees and everything else look completely black because of the strong light behind them.  I could probably have brought some of the color back if I had thought to adjust the settings (this was taken on full auto mode) but I was a bit freaked out. 

I've seen photos and videos that other people took of the storm, and they all showed some beautiful color, but they were taken from the back side of the storm, rather than looking into the brightness.





Canon 5D Mark II
Canon 24-105mm f4
105mm - ISO 125
1/100s- f/4

Spreading fear & terror

My original picture-of-the-day idea fell through, so I decided to fall back on an always-entertaining pastime - terrorizing the kitten with the flash.

Canon 5D Mark II
Canon 50mm f1.4
50mm - ISO 160
1/160s- f/1.4

Canon 580EXII
1/16 power
17mm zoom
Flash on camera, bounced up to ceiling

Pretty pretty flower

My friend Abby brought the most beautiful peony to work this week.  I couldn't resist the opportunity to immortalize it.  It is sitting in front of a window with light coming in from the overcast sky.  I like the way it almost seems to fade away into nothing.  I used the macro feature of my lens.  I find macro photography enjoyable because it has a way of taking the most ordinary of objects and finding something interesting in it.

I experimented with adding some flash fill to the right side of the flower, to brighten up that side, but I think it just detracted from the picture.  Sometimes, all-natural is best!

I could have set up a bounce card to catch some of the light from the window to fill in some of the shadows.  I think I will try that next time.

Canon 5D Mark II
Promaster 70-300mm f/3.5-5.6
300mm - ISO 400
1/30s- f/4.5

Fly away, dragonfly

Today I caught a windchime mid-flight.  It was a gray, cloudy day, so I was just trying to get the colors to pop.  All credit to the 5D - its image sensor truly is a thing of beauty.  The detail it caught on the chimes is just amazing.

Canon 5D Mark II
Canon 24-105mm f4
105mm - ISO 100
1/200s- f/5.6

A pile o' pots

I was in an old barn this afternoon, which was filled with dusty antiques and all kinds of treasures.  This tray of pots caught my eye as it was lit by the strong side light coming in a nearby window.

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

Words of comfort

This has been a tough week for my family, with the loss of a loved brother/uncle and a furry friend.  It has brought to mind my favorite verse in Scripture - Psalm 145:8.  It reminds me that God's love for me is ever-present.

I bounced the flash off the ceiling, and because I was using TTL, it narrowed the flash beam to work with the 300mm zoom.  That caused a nice fall of light down on my focal point, with little spill around the edges of the page. 

I couldn't have done it better manually.  I am learning a lot from TTL - both what to do and what not to do when manually adjusting everything.

Canon 5D Mark II
Promaster 70-300mm f/3.5-5.6
300mm - ISO 400
1/60s- f/5.6


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

Lonely hearts club

Today I was at the local hotspot for all the single cardinals in town.  The male (red plumage) is enjoying dinner while a lady (orange beak, sitting on top of the left-hand feeder) admires him from afar.  I know it is a bit difficult to pick the birds out of the background.  A longer lens would have helped, (by blurring the background) but I didn't have one with me.

Canon 5D Mark II
Canon 24-105vmm f4
105mm - ISO 1250
1/100s- f/4