February favorites

post # 372
        I haven't finished my photo favorites from 2017 yet, so that's where I'm going today. I'm skipping spring, for now, and instead going right to February last year. But since there wasn't much snow then, compared to this year, I plan to end today's post with a few photos from this morning....
         First off, four from the pond. I made these particular photos in conjunction with the semester photo class I began a year ago. In the first photo, I was trying to show wind. (This summer I had all that broom sage cut back. It indicates that the ground is not totally healthy, but in addition it got to be pretty depressing to see it all around me all winter instead of some vegetation variations, and the colors of snow.

The house and pond area:

cattails, winter mode, beloved by red-wing blackbirds in the early spring

the waterfall area:

winter green I

winter green II, and 2 family members

winter green III

 a different kind of winter morning, seen from inside the house:

     This winter, in December, a never-seen-before-by-me sunset scene,
 

    and a few views from this morning:

my trusty, empty barn

A complete change of subject:

        This afternoon I have also watched an excellent documentary on KET about John Lewis, Civil Rights Icon from Alabama, who has kept a lifetime focus on how to Keep Our Eyes on the Prize.  His mantra, from his mother, has been FIND A WAY TO GET IN THE WAY.  His life story reveals the extreme dedication required of our citizens to provide desperately needed social change, and I am awed by the loyalty to principle that continues to be so necessary.  I wish I had known earlier in my life that I could be a photographer to honor history being made -- to remind us how now we are the ones who must continue to make history.

Class Photos - as in "homework"

post #323
        I have survived another week of my university photography class. I even printed out those 3 contact sheets we learned how to do --- 60 photos in all. It's not as if there's anything like a whole biology book to learn, but taking a photo all the way to the printer kind of requires a committment to do regular work or else start from scratch every time. Luckily I am enjoying the experience very much, including confusing everyone with my lack of expertise when I actually have a reputation in town for being a good photographer. 

       My plan today is to highlight several of the photos I took during this initial process, and comment on each one for what I learned by taking it. All along on this blog I have shared my imperfect attempts along with my successes. I'm very comfortable with that. How else do we get better over time? I always appreciate the comments about what my viewers appreciate or what they don't understand. Thanks!

Thank goodness for my tripod -- using all manual controls is not my strongpoint! This photo is also evidence that I was the one doing the work....

One of FIVE photos in the dark: I have a security light at the moment, so I incorporated it into my night images.

This is my favorite photo from the project, taken through both a window AND heavy rain. Nothing like having an empty horse barn on my property just waiting to be photogenic.

The next morning, after some frustration with doing everything manually and arbitrarily (which is necessary to trying new things) I decided to go to the pond and shoot there, where I am used to being. I still did it manually and with a tripod, but it calmed me to be outside in early morning light, which has always worked for me.

This was just for fun. Or was it expressing my not always knowing which way to go or how to get there.....

To show: a pair of images. The first one is a reflection in the pond, while the following photo is the shed the roof is actually on.

A rebel moment -- after a visit to the art building to print out my completed contact print pages. I passed through a big construction project on campus, and I set my camera on automatic for shutter speed and F-stop, though the focusing remained manual. So easy!  I like to joke that I am at heart a street photographer, but I don't live anywhere near a street, especially when I am in the woods!

Behind me was the area where the building will rise. The MSU library is in the background. Notice: no snow!

It's appropriate, perhaps, to end with a snapshot.  This is my granddaughter, who's discussing with me the photos on my contact sheet that I would be taking to my class after her dad came to pick her up. I loved working with her nearby. We shared the sun coming into the room, and her imagination led her to one thing after another while I dealt with some mundane prep items. I don't get to have her there all that often, so it was a very special time.

 

discovering the worth of my own point and shoot camera

post #322
          I'm a student this semester in the beginning digital photography class at nearby Morehead State University. At last I am learning some of the basics and what they really mean. In my public personna as a recognized photographer, I'm often embarrassed by how hard it has been so far for me to explain how I do anything and why. I am now hopeful that the discomfort of feeling like a beginner will go away by the end of the semester. By then I might even learn to be a better photographer. 
         Here are two images that are part of my home work -- five of this same picture but at different f stops, then five with different "film" speeds (ISO) and so forth. Doing everything manually is excellent training that I have put off for years, and so I endure the slowness of it all as best I can.

one of five versions of this view, each one with a different F-stop

"Put the important object at the edge of the photo."

       Our homework is to present 55 of these prescribed photos by Tuesday evening, ready to put in a contact sheet, 20 to a page. I didn't even know colored photos could be printed out as a contact sheet. (I admit this as evidence that I have known too little for too long.)


         I have also taken up learning how my Canon PowerShot S110 works since it is so much easier to travel with than my regular camera.  Eureka! I finally used it in a happy way during the Denver trip. Today I'm sharing some of the photos from when I was there. They are similar to the iPhone images that I posted last week, yet they are better. Also, once I learn fully how to use the camera, I will even be able to mess with focus and depth of field and all that. I actually like that stuff, but it doesn't come naturally for me. I too often rely on having a good eye. I'm more often the dork instead of the qeek where my tools of the trade are concerned.

        So here are additional snow photos plus four grandchildren photos from the birthday gathering. Several readers let me know they really appreciated the happy faces. One of those readers was my roommate from freshman year at college -- who has been in the hospital. Thanks, Meg! So glad you are home now! Good riddance to that pesky appendix!
        While I am at it, I would like to say hello to whomever it is in Ukraine who has looked at my blog regularly for a couple of years. All I see is that at least 1 person looks from there every week, and sometimes others do as well. I'm not able to learn exactly where anyone lives -- just the country. I imagine you have more snow than these photos show from western Colorado. Here in Kentucky we've so far had hardly any snow at all.

upstairs window view, tracks on the far mountainside

living room window view of the same mountain

a sweet small tree, from above

Will's mom made "Panera" mac and cheese, per request!

Both kids enjoyed the "dart board" present, with magnets.

Audrey in the sunshine -- she turned 8 a month ago.