Stretching the Skills - ZOOM Blur

Still learning......Zoom Blur

Add Mayo, hold the onion...

Having been asked to be an admin on one of my favorite FB photog pages is an honor and a responsibiltiy.  And I had to think about this, as work alone has given me  plenty of responsibilities lately and did I want more.  Even the sort of what I am passionate about.
With thought, I said yes...

Now to come up with a lesson and a challenge. Something that I too will learn and grow from.

My first SLR camera was "semi" auto and I never learned shutter speeds.  Aperature, sure, easy...shutter speeds were like learning Latin.

The latest "challenge-lesson" was motion and exposure....

Again, I know some...as I have been shooting motorsports for awhile, but, I limit myself too many times to what's easy, which still gets good photos, but in being lazy, I have not learned the basics and get frustrated too easily.

That leads me back to my part in the next "challenge-lesson" for the group know as  TP Digital 101
please look us up and if you like what you see, please join!
coming this weekend...

These two images were shot on a tripod so I could keep steady as I manually turned my lens to Zoom out.  5 seconds and approximately 20mm of range.  Getting the light correct is the biggest challenge for me with the longer shutter speed.  I watched some videos and read some articles.  I'd be interested in what you think or if you have tried this.

Focus!

Christmas, around the corner

Frosty Morning

  It is December 21st and days away from Christmas.  Crazy busy and crazy season.  Trying to remember the reason for this season.  Trying to find the peace and contentment.  Between working full time, as most are, and prepping for Christmas, the shopping and so forth, I feel like I finally found a piece of "ahhhhh".

The Tree is Trimmed

Friday nights are our "date night".  With Friday being clean the house in the morning, then rush to work, to finish out the week of undone work.

I had the thought of going to Madonna Inn for dinner, since we have unused gift certificates.  But I called to make reservations, and not surprised, they did not have an opening until 8.  A bit late for us.  So I cleaned the house, went to work and closed up and went home.  We still decided to go for a cocktail at the bar, as they also serve from the steak house and the cafe.  We happened on 2 empty chairs, perfect for spectator watching.  Enjoyed some margaritas and local sausage and steak salad.

Then, what I was waiting for, the band started up.  They have a great dance floor, where you will always see older couples floating around the floor, from an era gone by.  We paid our tab, and thanks to a few dance classes we had years ago, twirled around the floor to a couple of numbers.

The Inn is magical at Christmas.  A perfect time to go, if you have never gone, it is an icon of our city.

It was the perfect end to a week, a perfect beginning of "ahhh" Christmas.  

December Friday Ahhh...

Thank you, my love, for a perfect evening.

30 Days of Thanksgiving | Day 30

Last Entry...was out for the evening

November was a good month, a very full month

A month of Thankfulness

 Thankful that some days were so full that I missed my entries

Thankful that I was blessed with another month

Thankful for my family

Thankful for my friends

Thankful for the beauty that surrounds us every day

Thankful for another breath, another day

See you throughout December

Please keep in touch, somehow, with me

I would love to hear from you

Ciao! novembre!

30 Days of Thanksgiving | Day 29

Pismo Beach at Sunset in Winter

the photo above taken with my iPhone 3, yes....3  had to get it, it was so beautiful

I am thankful for a walk at the beach before dinner

an honest conversation :/

a meltdown (really)

and an understanding husband

thankful and graced

day 29 down and out

30 Days of Thanksgiving | Day 28

Wednesday, and oops...missed yesterday.  Like I said, November is winding down.  A busy week at the office and misc. appointments through the week.

So, before this gets skipped again, I will  check this off.

I am thankful for...

the rain that has set in

The colors in the vineyards that surround our area, a bit later than the previous years but a colorful palette

a change of seasons

socks and boots

warm beds

hot showers

family and friends that check in on you

fresh eggs

sitting on the couch my hubby and dozing off together after a tiring day

And another day of blessings and thanks, just look around.  What you see?  I'd love to know.

30 Days of Thanksgiving | Day 26

Monday....Monday

reminds of an old song

Sunset Sorbet

I seem to be losing steam as the the month comes to the end

Or is it that the "Thanksgiving" holiday is passed and everyone has jumped feet first into Christmas?  I am lagging, not quite ready, maybe by the end of the week

Still, I am   thankful for...

the pink sky as I left the grocery store after work, it was only there long enough to load the groceries in the car and grab a shot on the phone, then it was gone

sit time

a good start in going through years of file boxes to ready for shredding

the change of weather and another chance of rain coming this week, we are so dry

Holiday Preview

and my friend this it for the day....tomorrow

30 Days of Thanksgiving | Day 25

Sunday...I think I have hit the end of the week

Time to reflect on thankfulness...not that there isn't many things to be thankful for...I am just plain tired

Japanese Glass Net Balls

Thankful for the time to put away my fall decorations, even though they are my favorite ... time to make room for Christmas

Thankful for help in going through boxes and boxes of files for shredding

Thankful for a call to come pick persimmons

Thankful for table time and conversation with our son, and laughs about some of the content of the files we came across

Thankful for phone conversation with our daughter to share the day

Thankful that I have a hot shower and clean bed waiting for me...I am ready

Thankful for another day, another week, another breath