Poking around
I’m like most people – I rarely read the instructions unless I can’t figure something out or can’t find what I’m looking for. That includes how to do things on my camera. Never mind the fact I’ve moved twice in the last two years and the instructions for the camera are “somewhere”, just not where I can find them right now. And that’s not unusual for the moment, either.
While on vacation, I was bored one evening and decided to check out some of the features of my camera that were on a menu that I had only seen but never opened. Ooooo, looky, things to play with! A while back I mentioned to a friend that I was disappointed that on a digital camera there wasn’t anyway to do a “double exposure” like you could on a 35mm, where you could set the shutter but not advance the film. [A cousin of mine who was a professional photographer had taught me about that nearly 40 years ago and it was something I used from time to time.] But, there it was! Overlay. The only drawback is that it could only be done in RAW and not JPEG and I have seldom shot in RAW. Well, not to worry because I could shoot in RAW+JPEG and still use Overlay. I tried a couple of test shots and found it not too bad, but wanted to explore this in more depth later on. So, then I moved on to something else – a coloring effect. Ah, now THAT was fun, and opened up some interesting possibilities.
The other evening I went down to the Park to take some sunset photos, but wasn’t really happy with the results. First, I got there almost too late and felt rushed instead of picking my place for shooting and being relaxed. Photos taken in a hurry show that they were taken in a hurry. So, while I wasn’t real happy with the photos, it did give me a chance to play with the Retouch setting on my camera.
Here is the photo as I took it:
Sunset1
And here is the retouched [in camera] photo:
Sunset1 retouched
As you can tell there is a stark difference between the two, yet all I did in the retouch was adjust some of the colors to give it a greener “alien” kind of view. I seldom do any retouching of my photos, before or after, beyond cropping or resizing for email or to post here. On a personal level I prefer the bottom photo but then, I really like green and blue because those are the colors I can see the best. [I love being a color-blind photographer.] I will admit, however, that before I made any in camera adjustments I downloaded the photos to my drive, and then reinserted my card and did the retouch. Since I had never done anything like this before I wanted to make sure I did not lose any photos and I wasn’t sure how the retouch would affect the photos and end result saving.
So, always check out your camera for those “hidden” effects you can make and/or utilize. I have a number of post-shot effects to check out and will be doing so. These just open the possibilities of your photo taking experiences and helps you to enjoy photography a bit more.
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Back to my favorite “haunt”
I finally scraped together enough money so that I could purchase a Texas State Park Pass, allowing me to spend time at one of my favorite “haunts”: Cedar Hill State Park. There is a pond there that I enjoy going to and it’s there I take a lot of photos. Such was the case last Saturday late afternoon. Although in the upper 90’s, I barely noticed the heat, concentrating on and enjoying my photographic attempts. It was heaven. The photos in the previous post were taken that day. That day garnered me several wonderful photos. I had almost forgotten how much I enjoyed being behind my camera. For me, everything around me is shut out; it’s almost as though I have walked into the photo and all that is there is the subject and myself, yet everything is so alive in a surreal kind of way.
Now that it is September, I can’t wait for cooler weather, rain, and the leaves to change. It has been a very hot Summer here in Texas, and I haven’t been able to get out and take photos like I would have liked. Somehow sweat dripping from my brow into my eyes doesn’t make for easy photo taking, no matter how much I would wipe it away. Sweat, not the photos. Honestly, though, I don’t “do” heat well, but I sure know how to sweat – and sweat and sweat and sweat to the point that within five minutes my clothes look as though I put them on straight out of the washing machine. Cooler weather, cold weather are okay, but freezing weather, well, as I get older freezing weather is becoming much like Summer heat. That leaves me Spring and Fall, and part of Winter. I am not complaining.
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Another Man’s Flower…
… could just be a thistle.
Posted in Perspectives by Jason with no comments yet.
Worth the Struggle
It’s been a while since I last posted – during the Christmas holidays, actually. For one reason or another I haven’t been taking many photos. I have taken SOME, just not many. I did get my yearly bluebonnet photos, but that’s about it, except for some flowers here and there. I haven’t lost interest in taking photos, I just haven’t been able to get to my favorite “haunts” to do it. My photography is my stress release; thankfully I haven’t had a lot of stress lately. I really have no good reason as to why I haven’t been out, well, maybe I have. The weather has been warm and cold, up and down, with rain mixed it from time to time. I think Winter is finally giving up its grip, however. I love Winter, but as far as I am concerned, after Christmas or New Year’s at the latest, Winter should be over. Of course, all the neat flowers came out while it was raining. Makes it a bit hard for me to get out and take photos. Good old arthritis takes care of that.
I know that I am getting older and arthritis has become a hindrance. Getting down on my knees to take photos isn’t much of a problem, but getting back UP takes a bit of maneuvering. The worst problem is my left knee, which has the worst arthritis. Even going up steps can be a challenge some days. But, the goal is usually worth the struggle.
![DSC_6407c [800x600]](https://i0.wp.com/enrjyzr.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/DSC_6407c-800x600.jpg?ssl=1)
![DSC_6440c [800x600]](https://i0.wp.com/enrjyzr.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/DSC_6440c-800x600.jpg?ssl=1)
Posted in Seasons by Jason with no comments yet.
The “Season”
It’s been a while since I have written anything, and that has been for a number of reasons, one of which is I didn’t have much to write because I have not been out taking any photos, or, at least, not many photos. And now, I am beginning a move, which will mean that a new life begins for me after this move; a new year and a “new” life. I am excited about moving, but for a while I might still be limited in the ability to get out and take photos. Hopefully that limitation will only be short lived.
For me, as a Christian, this is the season our Christ was born. At least, December 25th is when we celebrate His birth, even though it is estimated that He was probably born in September. I consider the fact I am moving into an apartment as an early Christmas present. I won’t be fully moved in by Christmas, but hopefully will be by New Year’s. At least that is the plan. About the only packing I have to do is where I live, and then I have to find someone to help me move the furniture out of here. After that I can worry about the storage sheds, but my concentration now is the place I am currently at.
I love Christmas. I love everything about it, well, for the most part. I don’t like most of the commercialism about the holiday [holyday], but I embrace the lights and some of the decorations. I really like the lighted trees – I can stand among them and revel in them and feel SO alive. They remind me of the Star of the East that guided the three wise men to where the baby Jesus was born. Christmas carols, religious and secular both, have people humming and singing and in a lighter mood, at least most of the time. It seems as though the month of December literally comes “alive” with sharing and good cheer, giving, bringing family and friends together. In some ways, it is a rebirth in us all. It is sad, however, that after the New Year all the positive energy fades slowly away and brings us back to the stress and reality of the secular world.
It is the season of celebration, a time of reflection, a time of renewed or new faith. It is not about receiving, but about giving. The giving doesn’t have to be an expensive gift, but can be a hug, spending time with loved ones or someone in the hospital that might not have visitors. There are many ways of giving, and giving doesn’t necessarily belong to one religion or another, one belief or non-belief.
This is a photo I took several years ago at Christmas time that I turned into a Christmas card. I share it now with you. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
From my heart to yours
Posted in Faith, Holidays, Seasons, View Point by Jason with no comments yet.
Pumpkin Patch Time Again
It’s October, time when harvest is over, most fields are bare and have been tilled for winter crops or waiting for spring, trees are in full Autumn color, temperatures have fallen from its summertime sizzle to hints of frost at night, the smell of campfires abound, and Hallowe’en is in the air. There is an air of “excitement” as the end of the year holidays return.
I love Autumn. And Hallowe’en. Pumpkin patches spring up everywhere – fields, grocery stores, road side stands – and no two are alike; some are round and squat, some are tall, some are bumpy, others are smooth. most are orange, some are greyish-white, and some are multicolored. Everywhere you look, pumpkins are sitting on door steps, around trees, sitting on hay bales and next to corn stalks. Carved pumpkins are waiting to be lit with candles on Hallowe’en night. And some kids are waiting to steal pumpkins and smash them in the middle of the street.
I recently got my chance to make the yearly trek to my favorite pumpkin patch in Flower Mound, Tx. The entire month of October a family dedicates the fields around their house to selling pumpkins and providing activities for the kids. And during the month they must have thousands of pumpkins to populate the fields. Corn stalks and hay bales sell out early in the month, but there is still plenty of hay for mazes and a tower for the kids to play in and on.
This year was different, however, because in past years my wife and I took one our dogs up to be photographed. So, this year I was just taking photos of pumpkins and some of the activities. It didn’t feel quite right, but it was okay. It got me out of the house and into fresh October air for a few hours, so that was good. By the time I left, I was tired, and my back was beginning to hurt a little. I took a little over 150 photos, which is pretty normal for me. Well, there is always next year to look forward to, and I am already doing that.
Posted in Holidays, Seasons by Jason with 1 comment.
Just for the fun of it
Life is too short
Fly!
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An Angel to Pray
In June I had the chance to visit a church that had this wonderful meditation area behind it. Well, actually, it was two meditation areas, one with a pond and the other with a little stream and waterfall. I had taken my camera with me just in case I saw some neat cloud formations because we had several storms in the area. I was hoping for a rainbow, but that never materialized.
I first went to the side with the stream which was covered over with trees and had a nice pathway with several stone
Angel praying
The pond area also had a nice pathway with stone benches, but the focus – and there was actually two – was the stone cross and the water fountain. Before crossing over the road to meditate on that side, I stood on the bridge and took some photos of the water fountain because it was very breezy that evening and the wind was producing a spray off the fountain. I got a number of really nice “spray” photos, but I got one that I really liked. I guess it would depend on your perspective, but I think the image in the spray looks like an angel praying.
I hope to get back there someday, maybe in late Fall, and get some more photos. This place is very calming, relaxing. I am glad I was told about this area because I hadn’t known it was there.
Posted in Faith by Jason with no comments yet.
Sunset after the storm
Late yesterday afternoon I took the dogs out to do their thing. It was sunny; hardly a breeze; a few big towering white clouds; pleasant temperature, for Dallas in July. So, I let Bentley in and then grabbed up Bailey and sat on the steps cradling her and rubbing her belly. She must have enjoyed that because she closed her eyes and had a contented look on her beautiful little fuzzy face. I must have sat there enjoying the time with her for about fifteen minutes before heading back inside.
After getting something to drink I sat down at my laptop to read some posts in a forum and it suddenly got dark in here. Now, I only have two windows and they’re both on the same side of this dwelling, and they face the sunset, so when the sun goes down or goes away, it gets dark in here quickly. I turned around to look out the window at the top of the door and I could see tree limbs and leaves blowing around like crazy and it was DARK. Somehow the sun ran away and a storm moved in. So, I grabbed my little camera [Nikon Coolpix S220] and went back out to the porch to watch the storm clouds pass by. I saw one bolt of lightning, and a “sheet” of rain pass by several miles away. I watched leaves blow off tree limbs and float
Sunset after the storm.
But, I did take a few photos, just to see what would come out. I had the camera settings on Auto Scene and just snapped a few photos of the clouds through the trees. Came out pretty cool, I think. The camera caught lighting I wasn’t able to see. With the storm moving out and the sun going down, there was a nice yellow lighting on the clouds. It’s neat when you get a photo you weren’t expecting. I’m glad I decided to head outside and enjoy the effects of the storm. It was worth it.
Posted in Weather by Jason with no comments yet.