100 Summer Days with My Lensbaby Weeks 11-14 plus 2 Days
Out the Window Day 73
Lone Tree Day 74
Summer Views Day 75
Macro Veins Day 76
Sunshine Day 77
Jessie Girl Day 78
Floral Wallpaper Day 79
Early Blossoms Day 80
Crossing Intersection Day 81
Ahead of Time Day 82
Cropped Color Day 83
Couple In Love Day 84
Mid-Day Sun Day 85
Harris Ranch Dusk Day 86
Palm Lane Day 87
E-Ticket Ride Day 88
Kayak Accents Day 89
Harbor Pano Day 90
Captain at the Wheel Day 91
Top Shelf Day 92
Childhood Memories Day 93
Spot of Sun Day 94
Fisheye Fun Day 95
Spirit Tree Day 96
Burst of Color Day 97
Breezy Blur Day 98
Monkey See Monkey Do Day 99
Lady Bathing Day 100
The best part of our 100 Days of Summer with my Lensbaby…the talented women who let me join them and of course–enjoying the world with my Lensbaby lenses and optics!
To celebrate our completion, we will have a Lensbaby Circle from one blog post to another. When we “go live” I will happily share the first person, so you can really see our summer across the globe with Lensbaby. Thank you to Ana Marie Rosenberg for her coordination of our project! See her amazing talent here: http://anarosenberg.net/…/100-day-of-summer-with-lensbaby
100 Days of Summer with my Lensbaby Week 6
Week 6–Northern California has enjoyed a “cool down” from over 100 degrees to 80’s and 90’s. A welcome change!
Summer Fun Day 36
Day 37 Two versions
Daisy Pops
Using Lightroom CC 2015
New Slider in “Effects” bottom slider “Dehaze” Modified Daisy Pops with +65
Flower Family Reunion Day 38
Luscious Green Bokeh Day 39
Repeating Bokeh Day 40
Under Day 41
Classic Words Day 42
100 Days of Summer with my Lensbaby Week 5
Wow! This time of summer is just moving at an alarming rate. Does remind me of how quickly summer vacation passed as a child. Here are the images I shared during Week 5 of the…
100 Days of Summer with my Lensbaby
Hi Riley! Day 29
Bokeh in Back Day 30
Opposites Attract Day 31
Drought Humor Day 32
Sunshine Globe Day 33
Long May She Wave Day 34
Light blue, white, and pink! Day 35
May your summer days be filled with joy and creating memories!
Nest Preparation
While waiting for the Amgen race to “whoosh” though Olema, CA was distracted by a little flutter and thought I’d share what I saw with you!
These images were taken with my Nikon D600 and severely cropped in Lightroom 4.
Don’t think anymore will fit!
Just perched there for a minute or so…
Under the Eve, she rests and waits
Nice to see the delivery.
Here it is, dear!
Not as crisp as I would have liked, but going for the complete story!
Nice to see both birds contributing!
Just to show how much I cropped, which explains the noise–here is the original size…
Complete View
This eve is above the same apartment room we stayed in, which was literally, “above” the town deli!
I will admit I tried to open the window screens–would have been a super view to shoot the Amgen!
The Deli even opened early for folks to get coffee!
Great place to visit!
This “room” is part of the Pt. Reyes Seashore Lodge which was built in 1988–this building is MUCH older! The grounds were full of such beauty–another blog to come!
Crocker Art Museum Visit
We have many local and smaller museums in the Sacramento area. After living here for almost 20 years, finally visited the Crocker Museum and fell in love with the art world. The museum has recently been expanded and a new wing added. Previously, I had little exposure to enjoy other art mediums besides photography. Just thought I knew where my interests and focus really were.
The new exhibit featuring landscape paintings by Kondos is entitled, “A Touch of Blue”. It opened on Sunday with a preview on Saturday for members. What a grand experience it was becoming acquainted with Gregory Kondos and his landscape work of our local areas. This is the first chance and exposure for me to see and really appreciate paintings of the Sacramento River, vineyards from Napa, and his Yosemite work. Looking at his paintings and knowing specific places where he stood to create his scenery was awe inspiring and empowering. Equally impressive was seeing the presentation of his work and the massive changes the gallery made to set up such a complimentary space to feature his paintings.
A benefit was the chance to not only view his work, but one could purchase his book and meet him face to face for his signature. What a kind soul…imagine it was a long day for him, meeting and greeting folks that appreciate his talents.
It was an honor and pleasure to connect with him for a few moments. Mr. Kondos was so polite and patient! I was taking photos of him and the signing process, as we waited in line for our turn. Another exclusive option were two screenings of a movie with the history of his journey as an artist. Loved it! So glad we were able to view this and I can’t wait to dive into his book and be immersed in the stories and tales that accompany his works of art!
A few images of Kondos signing and signing and signing. Felt honored to be in his presence and he was so generous with his time! Many admirers were snapping away with their phones. I brought out my Nikon and raised the ISO to accommodate the lack of flash. In the first image below, he caught my eye as he saw the camera, we were still in line with about 10 people in front of us–very kind to maintain his eye contact and to me it shows how “real” he is and can certainly connect with people.
Eye Contact
Yes, I did cut off part of his arms in order to not have other patrons appear in the image!
I asked for permission to take his photo when we finally arrived in front of him. Already determined the ISO I needed and snapped off two shots and thanked him. Surprising me–he asked if I got it–what patience and thoughtfulness he shared! I said that I had.
Looking Up
Another reason why it was a bit challenging to get his portrait was the glare from the windows! However, the black background was perfect.
I just love the contours of his hat and it sure suits him well. With the focus of his exhibit on blue–the striped blue shirt seemed perfect for him.
Concentrating
He was gregarious and focused when signing every book. The couple in front of us purchased four–gifts for their children, they shared. He chatted with them for a bit as he signed the many books.
When he was signing our book–I was thrilled to capture his hand with my lens. I shot quite a few images of his hands–interesting to note–he was signing books with his right hand and yet, in the movie he was shown sketching a river scene in charcoal and used his left hand for that! I have just started to read the book and wonder if his ability to use both hands will be mentioned.
An Artist’s Hand
The author of the book, Scott A. Shields is also a man with connections to the Sacramento art world. Another exhibit featuring the paintings of Kondos will open in April at the Sacramento City College Gallery. This will also coincide with his birthday, he will be turning a young 90 years old in April. Kondos attended the junior college as a student as well as Sacramento State University. He returned to the junior college as a faculty member sharing his knowledge and passion with the next generation for decades. Clips in the movie also showed him working with artists in the field–what a memorable experience that would be!
I will certainly revisit his exhibit soon, after I have spent some time enjoying the book and gaining more knowledge of his life story as an artist.
WINDOW VIEWS
Understandably, photographic images are not allowed on the second and third floors of Crocker in honor of protecting the artists and their work. I still had my camera ready for any non-art photo options and connected with the window view looking out into the courtyard separating the two portions of the museum. The first image struck me with the symmetry and shapes within the view.
Here are a few of my favorite window views….
Symmetry
On the first level, I was really fascinated by the floor to high ceiling walls of windows looking into the courtyard. The line to obtain his signature was long and not moving rapidly, so I had plenty of time to look from where we were patiently waiting to meet Kondos. So, had some fun with my Nikon and a few presets in Lightroom to share my viewless window images. I appreciate the ability to make images of the same subject from various angles and process with different results.
Added Grain
For the next image, I tried different lens corrections and liked the curve gained when I shifted the horizontal perspective.
Angles & Details
Equally fun was the elongated image I acquired with the vertical lens correction. The sepia tone gave me a greater shadow at the bottom, which I chose to keep.
Vertical Play
A few more window shots–some with a view of the courtyard!
There is such a lack of color with these shots that even the first image in “color” appears to be black and white.
Reservation Required
Amazing what a few preset changes and slider movements can really change in an image.
Building with a History
Be sure to check your local museums and look into becoming either individual members or a family membership.
We will be back soon!
Lensbaby Spark Fun
Winter Blues
According to the groundhog, “Punxsutawney Phil” we are due for an early spring…however, many states have endured horrific winter weather over the past week. In the Sacramento, California area our snow level dropped to 900 feet which is insane for us! Of course, the next day no clouds were in the sky and nothing but beautiful blue overhead. What these images can not share is the temperature–our morning lows have been 30 degrees or so with our day high nearing 60.
I decided to take my Lensbaby Spark out for a jaunt in the backyard to celebrate our chilly, but dry weather. The Spark lens is the lightest Lensbaby in my collection and easy to manage on my D600. The challenge and fun aspect of this lens (in my humble opinion) is that you do not secure your composition–hands need to maintain constant pressure on the Spark to keep the effect you desire.
My favorite aspect of using a Lensbaby is the fact you can achieve so many different results with the same tool. Creativity is unlimited. The next two images are of the same Oak Tree which towers over the backyard and yet appear so different, because of the lens flexibility.
Over Head
Love the look of swirls–especially with fall color but still creates a fun abstract result with bare branches.
Just a Twist
Some flowering varieties, one in various shades of green and the other with a splash of color.
Abstract Beauty
The light in this shot allowed the creative aperture of the “sun” to show through a bit.
Backyard Blooms
Anyone else ready for spring???
ICM–Intentional Camera Movement
Wow! It has been SO long since I have done a blog that WordPress has quite a few changes. Mostly, I have just been sharing my limited images via Facebook–but decided to keep a theme and share my recent new shooting technique. (New to me, not anything I invented!)
Have you ever had an image where you moved when your shutter was still open and it blurred your photo? Maybe–strong winds with your camera on a tri-pod without using a cord? I certainly have had my fair share of blurry photos due to unintentionally moving something I should not have while I was shooting.
Recently, I was reading an e-book, “SLOW The Magic of Long-Exposure Photography” by Andrew S. Gibson. I learned that there is a technique to intentionally create movement in camera and it is called–wait for it…Intentional Camera Movement (ICM). I had seen the results of images posted by others, especially with fall shots and didn’t know how to achieve it, but now I do! As Mr. Gibson suggests–you can look it up on Flickr and see some talented shots.
The technique is basically panning your camera as you shoot in Shutter priority with a long enough exposure–half a second or longer to create the movement, with abstract results. I found the coastal region of Northern California to be an ideal spot for this venture. 
- Pacific Ocean below a bluff
Silky Appearance
Liked the angle of the water
Black and White
Saturated Colors
The advantage of this shoot being at sunset was that I could get quite a few different color options as the sunset faded and the light show began. The above images were processed using Lightroom 4.3 and started as RAW files, so I would have more choices refining what I captured and wanted to share.
En route to the sunset location there was a grove of trees in their winter glory–no leaves and darker bark with sunlight hitting them just as I wished. so, here is actually my first attempt at ICM.
Quite Squiggly
Got a good chuckle, and decided I was pleased with my result. Clearly, there is indeed movement during this shot! Soon, I discovered it was much easier to pan horizontally than vertically! Hold camera and tuck in elbows to your body for a cleaner pan.
There was a field with such luscious green grass a herd of White-Tail Deers were munching away in the distance. The road was a good 50 yards or more from where they were located, and we were separated by a barbed wire enclosure. Here are a few shots of the pasture. The first two shots are from the same file–only difference is with the “Clarity Slider” in Lightroom. Same exact image with clarity at -100 for the second view–no other differences, but certainly changed the result!
Boosted Clarity to about 60
All clarity removed…
Lighter colors and details
One last view of the deer in the distance with a nice tree to provide a change in scenery!
Tree and Deers
Continuing with the theme of movement…here are two images that were not ICM, but I kept them due to their abstract result. If you know me, I am a great fan of Lensbaby Optics and love the abstract results you can create with them, so no wonder why I couldn’t part with these shots. To clarify–neither is a Lensbaby image!
Drawing of a Sun
What came to my mind as I first saw this image was that it reminded me of pictures that children draw with a sun in the sky with rays coming off of the center. OK–I still draw mine that way, am certainly NOT an artist in that respect!
This was taken at dusk…my intended shot was to get the hawks that were swooping down and making a meal of the bats that were coming out from under the specially designed bridge (designed for the bats, the previous one was lost in a flood). I used a WAY too long of an exposure to hand hold and the speed at which the bats were exiting and hawks swooping and snacking were much faster than the settings on my camera were!
Greenery
Look forward to working on my panning and ICM skills and writing more blogs to share with you!
Thanks much, for viewing–it is greatly appreciated:D
American River Stormy Views
I am an avid reader and enjoy reading photography books, blogs, e-books–anything I can gain knowledge from and enjoy the wonderful images others have created. Many times I have read that the best photos come from your location–knowing when the weather and conditions will get you an amazing view. Usually, this is written by someone who lives near Yosemite, in Hawaii, and other vacation destinations I’d love to live near.
This week in Northern California we went from 100 degree weather down to the high 70s–that was a delightful shift and much welcomed! There was also a threat of rain. I was watching the sky and the clouds and noticed they were getting very inviting for a photo outing. So, I went to the American River–one of my favorite locations and a 5-minute drive. Have been dealing with severe back and neck challenges due to an injury, so am very limited in what I can do and for how long. (This outing was less than 20-minutes and SO worth it.)
My Nikon 18mm is a wide angle prime and very light weight and has become my go-to lens. Do love the continuing “learning curves” of photography! When I got home, realized I had a very slight vignette in every corner of my images. (Have now taken the rubber hood off of my lens!) So, decided to embrace the vignette concept..having never tried it before–had a fun time with it:)
The first teasing drops of rain began as soon as I sat down to take a few snaps, so didn’t stay long, but did enjoy the ever-changing clouds!
A few green spots near the river
Played a bit with white vignettes to match the clouds
A small area near the shore with slower moving water, a haven for ducks
Took advantage of a full frame camera and just cropped these, so the vignette was not apparent. Know too much of a good thing can become boring, so no vignettes on these views!
View down the river
A patch of blue
Ironically, this is not a time I usually visit the river–in the middle of the day and during summer. Had to take these shots in between folks going down the river on rafts. Was reminded of this when I drove through the gate, to find limited parking. Am glad I went, though–certainly does validate the concept of finding great views in your own neighborhood:D
Poppies Popping
The state flower of California is the Golden Poppy.
In spring, they are abundant and can be found many places–on
freeway hillsides, in neighborhood yards and along the American
River, to name a few locales. Actually, my header on my blog
is from a few years ago. I had hoped to find both Poppies and
Lupine in bloom and took me quite a few trips before I found what I
was searching for. These are a few shots I got to enjoy when
hunting for them this year.
Front and
Center
Early Morning
Dew
On the
Side
Among New
Friends
landscape shot, so decided to enjoy both options! Do you have
a preference?
Multicolored River
View
Wide
Colors
vision even more impressive!
Catch Your
Breath
made certain I got to enjoy this amazing view. Taken on
Mother’s Day. Well worth fighting the traffic to get it.
Color
Carpet
stopped along this 2 lane highway to capture the beauty.
Who Wouldn’t Want
This View?
camera, the Nikon D800E. Have been waiting for a fullframe
camera for quite some time. The wait was worth it! Look
forward to sharing more photos with you taken with this amazing
camera:)
Rooster Hokey Pokey and Attitudes!
Fair Oaks is a small town nestled between Carmichael and Citrus Heights, near Sacramento, CA. The “Town Square” is a small park with local businesses surrounding two sides. What is most unusual are the feathered friends that roam through out the entire town. Roosters and Hens peck at the grass and root in the shrubbery and come near people–obviously, well fed!
I am sure many of you remember the song, “The Hokey Pokey”…one of those tunes that can get stuck in your head? What I noticed as I was processing my numerous rooster shots was they were “doing the Hokey Pokey!” So here goes a few views of these talented roosters and hens!
You put your Right Foot out!
What goes out…come in…
You put your right foot in!
And now, for the left…
You put your left foot out!
And you shake it all about!
You put your head in!
I must admit…did not capture anymore obvious views to the song…but I did notice some serious attitude as I got a little closer views. Some “head shots” with attitude and feeling…
Headshot
Snacking on grass
I'm talkin' to you!
Not in the mood!
Eye to eye!
Black and White Hen
This one, just seemed a bit wiser and older–reminded me of a “wise soul!”
Wise old soul
Any identifications are welcome! Of course, I “Googled” roosters and found a few identifications via Wikipedia…but none that looked familiar. I was surprised to see that “Fair Oaks Roosters” has a Facebook page…a non profit, so of course, I “liked” them–happy to help:)
Hope your day is wonderful!
Return to Mono
Surrounding Hills
If you are tired of visiting Mono Lake through my blog, I understand. Yes, this is the third post (in a row)…you may have guessed it–I am hooked on this amazing wonder. Think only additional visits might cure me–happy to try again!
Life lessons can be easy or hard to learn. My personal belief is that the harder ones to learn are those we remember. I sure as heck hope so. Because since my last post, I realized I shot every single photo from December 16-31 in jpeg–ONLY on my D300s. Son of a gun. How did I not figure it out sooner? Didn’t try to view a different white balance on a photo I already shot and was making very few changes in Lightroom 3.
I am now taking a Photoshop course through BetterPhoto.com which gave me enough confidence to finally try to process my images in Photoshop…only to realize ALL my pics were jpeg, which is why I couldn’t get them to open in Adobe Camera Raw. Originally, I figured I must have changed my setting by accident when I shot sunrise. Figured one day was only in jpeg. Nope–now recall the last day of work before vacation, I went to take a photo and didn’t want to waste space with RAW that I wouldn’t use. That one moment has cost me much in opportunities with editing my trip. BUT, I better remember to check my settings every time I put it away and pull it out of my camera bag. #lessonlearned Must say, this on-line course is really well-organized. Lewis Kemper is the instructor, it is a privilege to have a local accomplished photographer such as he!
So, I was viewing my photos with a new lens today and happened to find a few more worth sharing. Think the threatening weather added much to the clouds and saturation to the colors. Really so much more than I managed to capture. Next time, I sure as hell will have my camera setting in Raw and not jpeg!
A few views before sunset at South Tufa, Mono Lake…
Water's Edge
Further Back
Across the Way
Lighting the Way
Mountain Glory
Tufa Window
As sunset begins the color change–many folks will leave and miss the real light show that begins when the golden hour starts. 30 minutes after sunset, in my limited experience is well worth staying for.
First changes
Another view from sunrise the next morning…
Early Sunrise
Of course I now realize I should have used my (c) from 2011 instead of 2012–another lesson for future learning:)
Drmarm's Blog 