Scavenger Hunt: 7-31-11

I want to be super motivated right now, but the heat has just been zapping it out of me.  The kids have been extra whiney and clingy this week.  Of course this means that my patience runs out faster than normal.  I don’t’ know why I am telling you this, but the impression I am getting from other blogs, friends on facebook, and people on twitter is that I am not alone. 

I am happy to be doing the scavenger hunt this week.  I haven’t done it for a little while, but I was determined to this week.

Walking Empty Streets

Honestly, it isn’t too hard to walk an empty street around me.  There are about 5 houses and we are pretty stretched out from each other.  This is Charley walking as we were heading to the ponds.

 

Repeating Patterns

I found repeating patterns everywhere! I wanted to do an image that I thought no one else would think (or want) to do.  So here is my air return for the A/C.  By the way, I cleaned it just for you guys.

 

Floor

Ah, to live the life of a dog.  This puppy can sleep through anything.  I guess he has to.

 

Then and Now

This past week was Cole’s 5th birthday.  Man, it doesn’t seem possible.  So I made him (really, I had to make him) sit in the same spot I took the first picture in to get this then and now.  And now I want to cry.  My baby. sniff, sniff.

 

Fingertips

Okay, I know I have posted this picture before, but it is one of my all time favorites.  I thought of it immediately when I saw fingertips was a prompt.  There was no way I wasn’t doing this one, even though I thought of other cool ideas.

There you have them.  I hope you liked them and I hope you pop over to Ramblings and Photos to see others and participate yourself.

July Still Life Stand Out

I am so excited about this new challenge.  It only happens once a month, so I think I can keep up with it.  My Reflection of Something, Perfect Imperfections, and The Mommy Matters are hosting a still life challenge.  It’s simple, upload your favorite still life from the month to their Flickr group (must be done for prize eligibility) or do a blog post.  You can read the detailed requirements on their sites.

This is my favorite (that I haven’t posted already).  I have no idea what these flowers are called.  I don’t know names, I just know pretty.  I added Kim Klassen’s Love texture to it and did a layer mask on the front blooms to keep them nice and crisp.

I am really happy with how it turned out.  I love it when the photo ends up exactly how I picture it looking when I push the shutter release. 

Why don’t you join in?  I bet you have a still life just waiting to be shared.  I would love to see you there. 

Creeping Up on a Frog

I told you yesterday how I haven’t been shooting as much because it is so stinking hot.  Well it is a good thing that even my road has a lot of stuff I can shoot.  You saw my lily pad bloom yesterday from one of the ponds on my road.  Well today I am sharing this guy.

He lives in a different pond on my neighbor’s land.  As I approached the pond, I saw him perched on this tube.  I got all excited.  Then I realized he would jump if I got too close.

So I did what any crazy person person with a passion for photography would do.  I laid down and crawled with my elbows (being extra careful with my new camera in hand) towards the pond.

You read that correctly.  I was doing a belly crawl, army crawl, whatever you want to call it to get a picture of a frog. 

So I was definitely “Down Low”. 

I just laugh at the idea of my neighbors looking out their window to find me doing this.  They would think I lost my mind.  We are much younger than any of the other people on our road.  Our kids are younger than their grandkids, if that gives you any indication.  But no one called my husband wondering what his batty wife was doing, so I guess no one saw me. 

You guys know I have no problem looking stupid. I did it for years with no real reason, so getting a good shot is reason enough for me. 

In case you want the specifics. I shot this with a 55-250mm lens at a focal length of 250.  The frog was 2.5 meters from me. The aperture was f/5.6.  ISO 3200 and shutter speed was 1/8.  There is a little more noise than I would like, but I didn’t want to lose any sharpness on this guy, so no post processing noise reduction.

I Actually Like Adding Textures

I always thought textures gave some images great pizazz.  Textures can completely redefine an image.  A texture can soften an image or give it more impact.

I honestly prefer a nice crisp shot, but I am really starting to dig textures.

I thought I knew how to do them by doing a search on google and watching some video on YouTube.  WRONG!  Last week I finished Kim Klassen’s Skinny Mini Course (it’s free, you should if you want to learn Photoshop Elements or Photoshop better).  Now I know how to do a texture.  It turns out I was doing it a way that doesn’t produce the best results for what I wanted to do.  I feel like an idiot.

So now don’t be surprised if you see more shots with some texture added. 

So here is my first shot on the blog taken by my new camera.  I walked down to the end of my road where the ponds are and captured some lily blooms, frogs, and a dragonfly.  It is so hot that I really am not taking as many pictures as I want to.

Linking up to Texture Thursday at The Daily Wyatt.

Effects of Fostering on Children

I have been getting asked a lot of questions about foster care and being a foster parent.  That makes me happy that people are curious enough to even ask questions.  But I have gotten a few not so supportive comments.  Especially with Buddy going home this past weekend the comments have been coming about why I would expose my children to foster care?

The question has arisen about my children getting emotionally attached and hurt by foster children coming into and out of our home.  It has been said that the effects on my children outweigh the benefits for the foster children.

First let me say that we explain everything about foster care to our children.  They knew that Buddy was going to be with us for a short time.  It ended up being 7 months.  Which was in line with what the agency had told us.  They had fun playing with him, got very frustrated with him at times, and now miss him at times.  But they knew he was going to his mom.  They saw the excitement he would have when he would get to visit her.  They were there with him at night when he would cry wishing to be staying the night with his mom again.  They would ask him how much fun he had on his visits with his mom.  They got it.  They get it.

Kids get it better than we do.

My kids would be very upset if Little Lady were to leave our house.  We all would.  She is our family.  Period.  We don’t see her as a foster kid.  We are reminded constantly that she is by birth mom visits, meetings, and paperwork, though.  At night Cole will pray that we get to adopt her.  She is their baby sister, not their foster sister. 

So my kids are emotionally attached.  They miss their playmate in Buddy, but they are happy that he is happy with his mom.  Cole said he would be sad if he couldn’t get to live with me.  See?  They get it.

As far as not “subjecting them” to something as powerful and helpful as foster care, well sorry we have a difference of opinion. 

Do you let your kids help you pick out presents and wrap them for the Angel Tree at Christmas time?  Do you let your kids donate food for the hungry? 

Is it different if they actually see the faces of the afflicted they are helping?  Would you take your kids to volunteer with you at a soup kitchen?  Would you take your kids with you on a mission trip?

If you knew your kids would be safe, wouldn’t you want to teach them about the problems of our world and how they can make a difference?

The first night Buddy was in our home he could not sleep.  He just kept saying “This isn’t my bed. I can’t sleep here.  This isn’t my house.”  Cole climbed down from the top bunk and told Buddy that he could come up to his bed and sleep with him if it would make him feel better.  That is a child learning to touch a life and make it better. 

Now Buddy wasn’t missing his birth mom and her house.  Buddy was missing the foster family he had lived with for a year.  Turns out some things were gong on there that put the well being and safety of the children in question.  I was not privilege to the details.  I just know a judge ordered that all of the foster children be removed from the home. 

Foster care is a broken system.  Foster homes can be just as bad or worse than the original homes the children were removed from.  I know my home isn’t one of those.  I know that 2 foster kids are safe within my walls.  They get love, support, nurturing, and structure.

Exposing my kids to that isn’t bad, just different.  I hope they grow up stronger and more giving because of it. 

Head over to Things I Can’t Say for more Pour Your Heart Out.

I Have a New Baby

No, not that kind of baby.  I know you guys think I am crazy, but I am not that crazy!

This is my new baby.

A Canon 7D!  SWEET!

Now you are probably wondering why in the world I got this camera?

I am not a professional, so it isn’t an investment in my business.  I am not planning on becoming a professional in the near future.  One day I hope that I can hone my skills and take my love for photography to the next level, but I want to take my time and make sure that I am where I need to be (skill wise, time wise, and emotionally) to start a business like that.

I already had a nice camera.  I had a Canon XSi, which is a 12 MP digital SLR camera.  It is a nice camera and completely sufficient.

I could use the money towards so many other things.  Yes, yes I could.  I just did a post about how I have bought everything second hand and been frugal as I start my photography adventure.

But it comes down to my passion.  I have really fallen in love with photography.  I love being able to see beauty around me and capturing it.  I love being able to make a person look at life, even for a split second, the way I do. 

I am not eloquent.  I cannot weave a story and whisk you off somewhere in a time long ago. 

But I can make you focus on the tiny beauty of a small leaf in my backyard. 

This leaf is only 3 inches wide and long.  It was about 7 inches off of the ground in a group of weeds and growth.  This section of growth is in a spot in my backyard that isn’t easily seen.  Your attention immediately goes to the left as you exit our patio area.  This little leaf was on the far right corner.  If I took you into my backyard you would have never noticed it, let alone looked at the tiny beads of water suspended on its waxy smooth surface. 

See?  I made you see a beautifully small part of what I see.  A part you may have never noticed.  The world from my view.

On the same note, that is why I love looking at other people’s photography.  I love seeing the world through their eyes.  I am amazed by images my eyes will never see in real life.  Perspectives I couldn’t see from my angle.  Stories that tell so much more than words really could.

So come and walk with me as I walk with you.

That is why I got the camera.  To fuel and grow my seemingly unending passion for more with this beautiful art. 

Plus, my amazing husband got it for me.    I can’t wait to start taking shots and sharing with you.

Something Brown

I have not taken any pictures this week.  Arg!  So I went to my massive collection of unedited photos that are just waiting for me.  I took this one a couple of weeks ago because I thought it looked cool.  I may be the only one that thinks fungus looks cool, but oh well. 

I have been taking Kim Klassen’s Skinny Mini course (it’s free, you should totally take it).  I have been learning some editing.  The course is emphasized for Photoshop Elements, but Photoshop has very similar things, so it is easy to adjust. 

This image is done without any actions.  Just my manipulation with layers.  I wanted to test out what I have been learning.  I still think I like to use actions more, but now I am learning stuff so I don’t have to rely on them as heavily. 

So here is my “something brown” for Foto Friday.  Fungus on a fallen tree.  I know, your Friday is complete now.  You’re welcome. 

Hosted by Cecily and Lolli

Busy Week and a Night Sky

This past week has been hectic.  I haven’t really taken many photos.  I took some for a craft post I did for No Time for Flash Cards (doesn’t really count) and then some nightscape photos of a really cool sky.  While I was getting eaten by bugs taking pictures after dark I managed to break my tripod.  Lovely.  It was a cheapy little $10 one, but it was mine.  Was being the operative word there. 

We had meetings for the baby.  I don’t feel like talking about those right now.  It seemed to be a lot of flip flopping and caring about a woman that didn’t even show up (nor did she show up for the last meeting, or her last two court dates).  Ugh, I am getting started and I am going to stop.

We finally got some definite plans for Buddy, other than reunification will happen within the next 4-6 weeks.  We had heard that for the past 3 months.  They decided to dramatically increase his mom’s visits and this is going to be Buddy’s last week with us, kind of.  He will only be with us for 3 days out of this week.  On Sunday I return him to his mom for a trial week basis and if all goes well, I do not pick him back up.  My emotions are mixed.  I will be happy for them and relieved to have three children (Buddy was quite a handful emotionally and behaviorally).  At the same time I know we are really going to miss him, especially Charley. 

 

On a blogging/photography note, did you guys happen to see I Heart Faces post on Saturday?  They were showcasing their favorites (it was a non-competitive challenge) for the “Summer Fun” Challenge.  Guess who had the very first photo?!  AAAAAAHHHH!  I almost screamed, but I didn’t want to wake the baby so I held it in.  Holding it in almost made me pee my pants.  I am joking, but almost too close to the truth. 

 

 

I wanted to join in Scavenger Hunt Sunday, but I didn’t take any photos.  Hopefully things will calm down and I can get some time in this week.  Not necessarily to blog about the pictures, just for my sanity.  You know what I mean.

 

So I thought I would share a shot of the night sky that I actually liked.  My hope was to get the moon, but apparently I have to read up on how to take a photo of the moon because my shots stunk!!! 

Here you go, the night sky that kept me out with the biting bugs.  Before I broke my tripod, of course. 

Any recommendations for a tripod?

Ranger Danger Dog!

I briefly introduced you to Ranger a couple of months ago.  He is our puppy.  He may be the only thing that grows faster than the kids. 

Ranger is a Miniature Australian Shepherd.  He is super duper soft and hyper.  He fits in well around here. 

Hosted by Cecily and Lolli

My Macro Lens

I have found a fondness for macro shots.  I am just loving the idea of zooming in really tightly on things, or just a nice close up shot. 

You all know that I am just starting to explore photography.  I am a hobbyist.  I make absolutely no money from photography.  That means anything bought comes straight out of the bank account.  The bank account that is supplied by one income (wonderful hubby’s job) and supports a family of six.  So you had better believe that I get creative with my options. 

I bought my Canon Rebel XSi second hand off of eBay (and got a fantastic price for it).  I bought my 18-55mm lens and my 70-300mm second hand off of eBay.  I got my 50mm f1.8 lens in an even trade and it was in absolutely perfect shape (for a lens that didn’t even fit my camera).

When a friend of mine that I look up to for her fantastic ability with photography kept talking about wanting a macro lens, I looked into what one was.  Yes, that is how little I knew.  I got sticker shock.  At that time I only had the 18-55 lens.  Then I ran across some lens attachments that were supposed to give you macro capabilities.  I emailed my dear friend, Karina, to tell her about them.  I ordered some for myself and fell in love with the macro world. 

All of my macro shots are taken with these lens attachments.   Practically all of my close ups are these.  So the brown recluse spider, these.  The bee from Friday, these.  And all for under $11. 

To show you what these can do I did some shots today.  These are all completely unedited, uncropped, untouched in every way.  I even shot in jpeg to make sure of it.  Now I did have a wiggling, grasping, fussing, teething 10 month old in my left arm while doing these, so please keep that in mind.  These are supposed to be for example, not critique.

This is a dime shot with my 50mm.  I wanted to make sure I couldn’t zoom.  This is the closest I could get and allow my autofocus to focus.  I was about 18 inches away (guess).

 

 

This is the closest I could get with the +1 attachment on.

 

 

This is the closest I could get with the +1 and +2 attachment on.

 

 

This is the closest I could get with the +1, +2, and +4 attachment on.

 

 

This is with all four attachments (+1, +2, 4, +10) on. 

 

 

All of these were taken with an aperture of f1.8.  So you can see that you would need to tighten up your aperture upclose, because the focal point is minute.  When shooting with all four attachments I shoot a minimum of f4.

Now you can also just shoot with only one attachment.  You can just put on the +10 and get much closer than you would regularly without the magnification look of all four combined.  The possibilities are numerous with these. 

They come in various sizes.  I bought the 58mm for my only lens at the time.  Now I prefer to put these on my 50mm (which is a 52mm size).  Instead of buying a new set, I just bought an adjustment ring for $3.  Now I can use the same set on two different sized lenses.  Yes, I am that cheap.

The link above is to Amazon, but it is NOT an affiliate link.  I am not an Amazon affiliate.  Just sharing because I have received so many inquiries about what I use as my macro lens. 

Upclose and Personal

This past week I took a couple of the kids on a walk.  I had an opportunity to take some neat pictures of flowers and things spotted along the way. 

This is my first shot of a bee on a flower.  I don’t like the idea of possibly getting stung, so I tend to run screaming like a tiny girl avoid them. 

So now I feel super cool.  I know, so many people have been posting pictures of bees on flowers or even cooler things like them hovering around, but this is my first so I had to share it.  Can you tell I have been drawn to macro shots lately?  I love them!

                            Hosted by Cecily and Lolli

F is for…

 

Fuzzy Friend on my Finger.

I can’t help but share this at My 3 Boybarians, too.

 

Finding a Fragrant Flower while taking the kids for a walk.

I love this Letter Photo Challenge over at Captivus.  You really should join in. 

Next week is G.  I know, you’re thinking “Duh!”

Scavenger Hunt: 7-3

This week I ran with the very first ideas that came to my head for each prompt.  It probably wasn’t a good idea, but I wanted to stick with it.  I made myself work with each image and some I don’t really like, but I am following through with it. 

Pop of Color:

I have been buying the kids these and it was the first thing I thought of when I saw this title.  Get it?  “Pop” of color.  Okay, obviously I have been in a house full of small children for  little too long. 

Crossing Thresholds:

This is the one I probably had the most fun with.  I tried to make it look all creepy, but it was hard.  The day was so bright, beautiful, and sunny.  I think it is a tad creepy that the gate is open and kind of waiting for you.

X-Ray:

Buddy has been eating hot dogs, goldfish, and grapes for lunch the entire week (obviously his request).  So I immediately imagined what his x-ray would look like.  If my Photoshop were better this image would rock, but you get this. 

Toy:

Charley’s favorite toy outside has been the bike.  No girly bike for her.  She loves this red and blue one.  She saves the girliness for the boots.

Farm: 

I have a lot of farms around me.  The problem is that where I live is very hilly and has tall trees.  So getting a shot of a farm is tricky when they are behind a tree covered hill.  SO I snuck in part of a farm. 

 

Well, that is this week’s scavenger hunt.  I do have so much fun participating in this.  I learn more every time.  You should really join in.  Any skill level with any camera.  It’s fun!