Photo Journey 2009 and Beyond

Playing with Fire

2012-02-07T23:25:00.001-05:00

xDSC_0134, originally uploaded by NedraI.

A member of our photo club set up this awesome demonstration for the rest of us to photograph. Considering I forgot my tripod my pictures turned out ok. I look forward to trying it out again sometime.

2012-01-17T22:41:00.000-05:00

First Joint Photo Shoot-What I learned

My husband and I were asked to shoot some family portraits at the family's house. This was our first joint venture. My husband has more experience with taking photos of people and using lights. I've always taken photos of nature. So, this was a great learning experience for me. I thought I'd take a few moments to reflect on what I learned.

First of all it's great to walk into a home and have the mom say she has some ideas on what she'd like done. We used four different locations in the house. I ended up taking the photos. My husband was a great coach. He made sure I had the camera set correctly and we went through test shots together to make any necessary adjustments. We used a manual setting: 400 ISO, 125 @ f11 or 16 depending on the room. We also set the light balance for flash. We have an old set of studio lights that my husband picked up at a garage sale many years ago. They worked great but we do want to get new umbrellas for them.

As I took photos my husband gave me reminders not to focus in too close, something I typically do with my nature shots. I need to remember to leave room so the shot can be cropped to 8x10.

I always shoot in RAW but my husband said since we knew the settings were correct I didn't need to make any adjustments. I learned something new about Camera Raw today. I learned I can set the crop for 8x10 and then save the picture as a JPG. I've always made my adjustments, then opened the pictures in Photoshop, made more adjustments if necessary, often it's not for what I'm doing, and then saved the picture as a JPG. So, that was a time saving tip worth learning.

What I need to do:

Continue to work on being more outgoing-I knew an outlet was going to be in the picture. I should have said something and made some slight adjustments and gotten rid of it.
Watch my camera angle. Way too many of my photos were tilted.
Look at other portrait photos and get ideas for shots. Not everyone is going to know what they want.
Don't take so many photos of the same pose. I ended up with 288 photos. I think I cropped and saved about 240 pictures. That might be too many choices for the family!

The family was cooperative and easy to work with which made this job very enjoyable. I think our first joint venture went well. I hope my husband thinks so as well.

January 2

2012-01-02T23:52:00.001-05:00

January 2, originally uploaded by NedraI.

Today I learned how to add a frame to a picture in Photoshop using an uploaded action. I don't know why they turned out different sizes. It took awhile but I also remembered how to to put two pictures on one page. These pictures are for a bulletin board titled Teacher's Pet. I may reprint them larger tomorrow night. I'm afraid they'll look lost on the board. I thought I'd get more pictures.

Abstract Macro What is it?

2011-12-31T15:33:00.001-05:00

Abstract Macro What is it?, originally uploaded by NedraI.

Today I listened to another Photogrpahy 101 podcast by Scott Witenberg at they gym. This podcast was on taking ordinary objects and making them look not so ordinary by using a macro lens. I found myself in a kind of blah mood this afternoon and I knew the best antidote was to pick up my camera and start shooting. Since macro is my first love this was an easy assignment to begin. I started by taking shots with my 105 macro lens. Then I started adding my extension tubes one at a time until I had all 3 added. This shot was with all 3 extention tubes. If you need another clue this is what a different side looks like: www.flickr.com/photos/nedrai/6608369349/in/photostream

Portrait Practice

2011-12-29T20:26:00.001-05:00

xDSC_0046, originally uploaded by NedraI.

I recently rejoined the gym. The bonus to this is that I'll start listening to more podcasts as I work out. Today I watched a video on portraiture by Scott Wittenburg on Photography 101. It was a good introduction and I'll watching it again to pick up more tips. I came home and asked my daughter if she'd be a guinea pig for me in our small basement studio. My promise was that I wouldn't post anything she didn't like. Our studio is in a corner and consists of an old light blue tablecloth for a backdrop, 3 lights with stands along with a powerbox and a flash unit. I'm sure there are more technical names but those will have to do for now. Yes, I'm a newbie to these things. I ended up taking about 200 shots. I'd say the first 30 were spent trying to get the flash unit to work and picture wise were not good at all. I finally gave up on the flash and just used the constant lighting and played around with different angles. I tried a few with a dramatic feel and I like the way they turned out. I don't like the way her arm casts a shadow on her face in the shot above. However, I like that expression a little better than this one:

Then she changed clothes and we tried some more shots. I ended up noticing some shadows and worked to adjust lights to get rid of the unwanted shadows. This is a shot after I got rid of a shadow under her right eye.

Then I remembered some photos I had taken of myself recently and how uncomfortable I was until I put my camera in my hands. So, I suggested she put on a hockey sweatshirt and grab her new stick. She chose a hockey shirt and jacket along with her stick and I could see a difference in her too. She was more relaxed and started playing around a little more with poses and I remembered I should be working on being bossy and telling her how to pose. All in all it was a fun experience. As she looked through the photos I posted on Facebook she said, "Hey mom, you could take senior portraits." I have a long way to go for that but I'll take the compliment.

First Shoot

2011-12-11T17:06:00.001-05:00

Well, I think I'm going to change the focus of this blog. Think, is the key word here. We'll see.... I've decided that I have 5 years to come up with a way to make a little extra income. In 5 years I'll be elgible to retire from teaching and I have no desire to work as a sub. So, I'm looking for a way to make some money through photography. Nature photography, especially macro, is my first love. But today I tried something new. I did my first photo shoot and it's a good thing I decided to start early. I have LOTS of learning to do! My biggest problem today was the sun. Lots of shadows on faces and it wasn't always easy to see them in the viewfinder and that was due to the fact it was hard to see the viewfinder because it was so bright.

A few other thing I need to learn:
Be bossy-I tend to be timid
Learn to pose people
Leave more space around the outside of people-I can crop in later if needed

I would like to start using this blog as a place to learn. I'll read, watch videos and post reflections and shots I've tried based on the new learning. I want to document this new journey. This however will not begin until after the holidays!

November 18 Snow Day-Flake3

2011-11-18T23:53:00.001-05:00

November 18 Snow Day-Flake3, originally uploaded by NedraI.

We had a snow day today so of course that meant heading outside with the macro lens. There weren't a lot of good flakes but I did find a couple. :) We only had a few inches of snow but up where I teach there was 8-12 inches. A true lake effect storm. (Same flake just cropped in nice and close.)

Snow Clouds!

2011-11-18T11:05:00.001-05:00

Snow Clouds!, originally uploaded by NedraI.

I had to stop on my way home to get a picture of the sunset. We've had some beauties lately. I like how you can see some snow coming out of the clouds. It snowed on and off all afternoon. The kids at school were excited. A kindergartner even asked if tomorrow was Christmas! :)

Nov. 12 Hydrangea

2011-11-12T21:10:00.001-05:00

Nov. 12 Hydrangea, originally uploaded by NedraI.

The setting sun on the dying plants was beautiful this afternoon. I was trying to clean the gardens out but these beauties will stay a little longer.

Water Drop

2011-11-12T21:08:00.001-05:00

Water Drop, originally uploaded by NedraI.

Today's snow did not last long at all.

What is it? (solved)

2011-11-12T21:07:00.001-05:00

What is it? (solved), originally uploaded by NedraI.

I carved the pumpkin myself when I got home from school this year since no one else was around. It's your basic simple jack o' lantern face so I went for a macro shot in the studio once I brought it back inside for the night.

Maple Leaf

2011-11-12T21:04:00.001-05:00

Maple Leaf, originally uploaded by NedraI.

I went for a walk in the woods today. It was a lovely fall day and I enjoyed trying to capture the beauty.

Moose River Kayakers

2011-11-12T21:02:00.001-05:00

Moose River Kayakers, originally uploaded by NedraI.

This was the second year that I went up north with my husband to watch the kayakers come down the Moose River. Water is released from the Chain of Lakes in the Adirondacks and that results in some fun times for the kayakers. It was a miserable day for the spectators but the kayakers certainly didn't mind.

Tram's African Chicken Soup

2011-10-06T22:15:00.001-04:00

Tram's African Chicken Soup, originally uploaded by NedraI.

I stayed at school late trying to get things organized for rest of the week and the start of next week. Then I ran home and let the dog in the house and then headed to The Tram for photo club. Luckily, The Tram sells delicious food and coffee.

Deer Crossing Creek

2011-10-06T20:33:00.001-04:00

Deer Crossing Creek, originally uploaded by NedraI.

I took some shots down this creek then crossed the bridge and took a few on the other side. Then, as I turned around and planned on heading back to my car I looked the other way and here is what I saw! I was so excited. Of course I wished I had my longer lens on but I'm still pleased with how this one turned out. It was the first shot and the best of the bunch. I only cropped it a small amount. Funny how seeing this and getting the shot kept me pumped all day. I love my commute to work.

Fog on the Fields

2011-10-04T20:09:00.001-04:00

Fog on the Fields, originally uploaded by NedraI.

It was a beautiful drive to work this morning. Enough fog to make everything look mystical but not foggy enough to make driving dangerous. I had to make a few stops for some pictures. Not thrilled with the results but posting a few anyway.

Clematis after the Rain

2011-10-02T21:57:00.001-04:00

Clematis after the Rain, originally uploaded by NedraI.

This is my favorite shot of the day. The only problem is that with such great DOF you can see the siding of the garage in the corner. Tomorrow I'll try a little photoshop and see if I can fix that.

Rainy Sunset

2011-09-27T20:32:00.003-04:00

Rainy Sunset, originally uploaded by NedraI.

It was raining this evening and the north sky was dark gray but the western sky was a beautiful orange and cast a wonderful glow on the burning bush as well as other plants in the garden. I tried to capture the beauty but it just didn't work tonight. It's also hard to capture the sky from my house due to all the wires.

Summer is Fading Away

2011-09-27T20:32:00.001-04:00

Summer is Fading Away, originally uploaded by NedraI.

It was a beautiful summer like day to I took advantage of the sunshine and warm temps and headed out to the garden to take some macro pictures. I never made it to the back garden but just as well...the mosquitoes were bad out front so they would have been much worse out back.

Via Flickr:
It was a beautiful summer like day to I took advantage of the sunshine and warm temps and headed out to the garden to take some macro pictures. I never made it to the back garden but just as well...the mosquitoes were bad out front so they would have been much worse out back.

Fort Herkimer Church

2011-09-27T20:31:00.001-04:00

Fort Herkimer Church, originally uploaded by NedraI.

I've been away from interacting on flickr and adding to my blog for many months. I'm going to try hard to make it a habit again. I miss the inspiration and interaction.

It was a beautiful day so I took off with my camera not sure of where I was heading. Along the way I saw a sign saying there was a living history event at this church this weekend. So I headed in that direction. There had been a civil war encampment but by the time I got there it was finished and most of it was packed up. So I took a few pictures of the church and discovered a bike/walking path and headed down the trail along the Mohawk River to enjoy the summer like day.

Via Flickr:
I've been away from interacting on flickr and adding to my blog for many months. I'm going to try hard to make it a habit again. I miss the inspiration and interaction.

It was a beautiful day so I took off with my camera not sure of where I was heading. Along the way I saw a sign saying there was a living history event at this church this weekend. So I headed in that direction. There had been a civil war encampment but by the time I got there it was finished and most of it was packed up. So I took a few pictures of the church and discovered a bike/walking path and headed down the trail along the Mohawk River to enjoy the summer like day.

April 26 Daily Shoot Choice

2011-04-29T22:43:00.001-04:00

April 26 Daily Shoot Choice, originally uploaded by NedraI.

Illustrate the word choice in a photograph today.

Hmmm, this summer we'll have a choice of what to take on those nice days-the Model T, the 'vette or perhaps the bikes hanging on the back wall. What would you take?

April 24 Tulip Bud

2011-04-24T20:26:00.001-04:00

April 24 Tulip Bud, originally uploaded by NedraI.

The daffodils and tulips might be blooming at the same time this year.

Daily Shoot Converging Lines

2011-04-24T19:57:00.001-04:00

Daily Shoot Converging Lines, originally uploaded by NedraI.

Make a photograph that emphasizes converging lines.

I watched a You Tube video today on making a vignette in Camera Raw so of course I had to give it a try, This is the wheel on our "new" car-a Model T hack taxi. So now instead of overdosing everyone on flower shots I have something new to shoot!

April 23 Daily Shoot Horizon

2011-04-24T14:16:00.001-04:00

Daily Shoot Horizon, originally uploaded by NedraI.

Make a photograph that features the horizon.

I took some photos at home today but none showed the horizon so tonight I took a few shots from the van as my husband drove along the arterial at 55 mph. Lots of ducks and geese call this marshland home.

April 23 The Crew

2011-04-24T14:09:00.001-04:00

April 23 The Crew, originally uploaded by NedraI.

My husband, on the left, and two good friends that own and love Model Ts. They provided the truck and trailer and help to get our new Model T Hack Taxi home. They'll also be helping to get it up and running. We'll be spending our summer weekends driving around central NY exploring the back roads. I can't wait for the new photo opportunities!

Caramel Colored Cream

2011-04-21T20:03:00.003-04:00

Caramel Colored Cream, originally uploaded by NedraI.

This is milk but I liked this color. I realize nothing is really in focus but I still like the shot so decided to include it.

Daily Shoot Motion

2011-04-21T20:03:00.001-04:00

Daily Shoot Motion, originally uploaded by NedraI.

Illustrate motion in a photograph today.

Today my new project was trying to capture a drop of water. I read up on it a bit and then started playing. I used plain water, this blue water, cream and cream dyed pink. I got the best captures with the blue water. I was using a turkey baster to drop the water. I wish I had something smaller. I think a cable release would also be handy. Many of the shots were out of focus. Maybe I should have tried a smaller aperture. It wasn't easy to try and shoot and get the water drops right where i had focused the camera. I had a light shining directly on the water/cream from the left and right. The bowl was on a black background but that made it too dark so I set it on a white paper towel instead and that helped. For a first attempt I am pleased with this shot. If you have any suggestions please feel free to pass them along.

Daffodil

2011-04-21T20:02:00.001-04:00

Daffodil, originally uploaded by NedraI.

April 17 Daily Shoot Low Key

2011-04-21T20:01:00.001-04:00

Daily Shoot Low Key, originally uploaded by NedraI.

Make a low-key photograph today.

I'll admit I wasn't sure what low key meant so I looked it up and did a little reading. Then I ironed up a graduation robe to use as a background, set up the lights in a different way and then starting playing with various objects. This was my favorite. This was a great project for a gloomy day. Make a low-key photograph today.

Joe Mama's Milk

2011-04-21T20:00:00.001-04:00

Joe Mama's Milk, originally uploaded by NedraI.

On our way home from looking at the Model T I found a brew pup, Keegan's Ales, thanks to Places on my phone. Mmm good! Love the grain that was a part of the bar counter top.

April 16-Model T

2011-04-21T19:58:00.001-04:00

April 16-Model T, originally uploaded by NedraI.

We have friends that have Model Ts and have enjoyed going for rides with them. We decided we would like to join the fun and began looking for our own Model T. Last fall we drove to Chattanooga TN in one weekend to take a look at one! Today we drove to High Falls, NY, a mere 2.5 hour trip. We had seen lots of pictures of it and knew it looked promising. It was love at first sight for my husband. We put down a deposit and now have to figure out how we'll get it home. I'm glad frost season is almost over because my car is about to lose it's spot in the garage for now.

This beauty was in one family for 3 generations. Originally it was used to pick people up at the train station and take them into town. The family that owned it just drove it on their own property and didn't take it out in the rain. They put it out on the road in 1971 (I think) for their daughter's wedding. It's original parts and is in great shape. We are excited to welcome it to our family. We'll be taking it on the road and will have many adventures with it. I bet it will be used in a couple more weddings in the future as well.

April 15 Lake Ostego

2011-04-21T19:57:00.001-04:00

April 15 Lake Ostego, originally uploaded by NedraI.

I took a similar shot in the winter. I'll have to return for a summer and fall shot.

Daily Shoot April 15 Lone Goose

2011-04-21T19:56:00.001-04:00

Daily Shoot April 15 Lone Goose, originally uploaded by NedraI.

Make a photograph that features repeating patterns.

On my way to work I spotted this lone goose wandering around the corn field. He was pretty well camouflaged so I'm guessing another one was around and I just didn't notice it.

I'd forgotten what the Daily Shoot assignment was for today. I guess this will qualify-the patterns of the corn stalks or the patterns that are barely visible in the feathers.

April 12 Spider

2011-04-21T19:54:00.001-04:00

Spider, originally uploaded by NedraI.

As these spiders come out they must be hungry. They climb into the dog's water bowl but then can't get back out. This one would float on this piece of debris from time to time. The bowl is on the enclosed back porch-not inside the house-thank goodness!

April 12 Daily Shoot Texture

2011-04-21T19:52:00.001-04:00

April 12 Daily Shoot Texture, originally uploaded by NedraI.

Love the texture on this tiny rhubarb leaf. Now that I look at it here it looks more our of focus than it did in Photoshop. Hmmm. Oh well. :-) This will be ready to eat Father's Day weekend.

April 11 1st Daffodil

2011-04-21T19:50:00.003-04:00

1st Daffodil, originally uploaded by NedraI.

The first regular daffodil is just about to make an appearance!

Daily Shoot Wood

2011-04-21T19:50:00.001-04:00

Daily Shoot Wood, originally uploaded by NedraI.

Make a photograph the features a subject made of wood today.

I pulled this out of the china cabinet. This is something I've had since I was young. It is stamped on the bottom that it's from Germany but I really don't know the history behind it.

Columbine Leaf Buds

2011-04-21T19:48:00.001-04:00

Columbine Leaf Buds, originally uploaded by NedraI.

April 10 Daily Shoot-Central Point of Interest

2011-04-21T19:47:00.001-04:00

April 10 Daily Shoot-Central Point of Interest, originally uploaded by NedraI.

Make a photograph with a central point of interest today.

I almost missed seeing this tiny beauty today. It is growing in my front garden and I was working in my back garden but luckily I stopped to take some pictures of the crocus and spied this as well. We only had a few drops of rain and I was lucky enough to capture them in this shot.

April 9 Grain

2011-04-21T19:46:00.001-04:00

Grain, originally uploaded by NedraI.

A close up taken at the brewery.

April 9 Rohrbach Brewery

2011-04-21T19:45:00.001-04:00

Rohrbach Brewery, originally uploaded by NedraI.

This brewery had its grand opening for its downtown location today. We stopped by for a tour and a sample.

April 7 Daily Shoot-Low Contrast

2011-04-21T19:44:00.001-04:00

April 7 Daily Shoot-Low Contrast, originally uploaded by NedraI.

Make a low contrast photograph today.

It's the time of year that my photos will begin to be dominated by my garden again! I forgot to check but I'm pretty sure all the snow is out of our yard now! My challenge to is find ways to photograph the same thing in a different way. I was pleased with today's results. I like the little bits of orange pollen.

Cardinal

2011-04-21T19:43:00.001-04:00

Cardinal, originally uploaded by NedraI.

Some day I hope to get a good shot of a cardinal. The ones in my neighborhood are shy of the camera. This shot is cropped a lot but I was happy to at least try and get a shot of him. His partner was in the evergreen and i couldn't get a shot of her.

April 6 Daily Shoot Abstract Beads

2011-04-21T19:42:00.001-04:00

Daily Shoot Abstract Beads, originally uploaded by NedraI.

Make a photograph of something shiny today.
I put some beads in a tiny glass container for today's shiny shot. This is taken looking at the curved edge of the jar with a macro lens. I like the abstract effect.

April 4 Daily Shoot Unusual Point of View

2011-04-21T19:39:00.001-04:00

April 4 Daily Shoot Unusual Point of View, originally uploaded by NedraI.

Make a photograph from an unusual point of view.

It was a cloudy but warm afternoon. The rain had stopped when I got home from work so I spent some time doing the initial cleaning of the front garden. It is looking much better. Before heading in I laid down in the wet grass and tried getting a shot of the crocus by looking up at them. Not a favorite shot but it will do. What looks like water droplets is really sand from the winter roads.

April 2 Electric Car

2011-04-21T19:38:00.001-04:00

April 2 Electric Car, originally uploaded by NedraI.

While in Binghamton at a photo workshop I noticed this electric car on our way to lunch.

April 3 First Ride

2011-04-21T19:37:00.001-04:00

April 3 First Ride, originally uploaded by NedraI.

Despite the cool temps and the high wind the four of us went for our first bike ride of the season. We did 16 miles. We're all signed up to do the Ride for Missing Children next month. I'm still debating whether I'm up to this task or not. I have to make my final decision by the 15th.

April 3 Crocus

2011-04-21T19:36:00.001-04:00

April 3 Crocus, originally uploaded by NedraI.

I was trying to catch the light on the crocus but really waited too long. There was just a spot of light on it.

Daily Shoot Orange

2011-04-21T19:35:00.001-04:00

Daily Shoot Orange, originally uploaded by NedraI.

Make a photograph dominated by the color orange today.

Took shots of a few different things from around the house for today's picture. I decided this one best fit the description of "dominated by the color orange."

Daily Shoot Metal

2011-04-21T19:34:00.001-04:00

Daily Shoot Metal, originally uploaded by NedraI.

Make a photograph that features metal or a metallic surface today.

Just a quick shot with my phone before heading to bed. I love the look of flower frogs.

Daily Shoot Inside

2011-04-21T19:32:00.003-04:00

Daily Shoot Inside, originally uploaded by NedraI.

Make a photograph that illustrates being inside today.

This is inside my classroom.

Daily Shoot Black and White

2011-04-21T19:32:00.001-04:00

Daily Shoot Black and White, originally uploaded by NedraI.

Make a black and white photograph and go monochrome today.

March 26 Lobby

2011-04-21T19:30:00.001-04:00

March 26 Lobby, originally uploaded by NedraI.

It's not very often that I stay at a 4 star hotel but this was one of those times thanks to hotwire.com. I got a good deal for this beautiful downtown Pittsburgh hotel, Omni WiIlliam Penn Hotel. Not only was it a beautiful place with a huge room but the staff was very friendly and encouraged me to take pictures. How can you not love that?

March 26 Decisions, Decisions

2011-04-21T19:24:00.001-04:00

March 26 Decisions, Decisions, originally uploaded by NedraI.

We spent some time with family and then my daughter wanted to take me down to "The Strip" in Pittsburgh. We had a very enjoyable afternoon walking around and checking out some of the shops. Our first and last stop was at the Peace Love and Little Doughnuts shop. Here my daughter is deciding what to enjoy first. At the end of the day we bought bacon doughnuts as well as coconut ones to take back to my husband. He said they were great!

Daily Shoot Motion

2011-04-21T19:17:00.001-04:00

Daily Shoot Motion, originally uploaded by NedraI.

Make a photograph of something in motion. Use blur to help convey the motion you are capturing.

My nephew in law attends Carnegie Mellon and today we had the opportunity to meet Herb, the robot.

March 25 Cousins

2011-04-21T19:15:00.001-04:00

March 25 Cousins, originally uploaded by NedraI.

My daughter on the left and my sister's two girls. We don't see each other too often but thanks to social networking they stay in touch. Here we are at a former church converted to a brew pup/pizza restaurant in Pittsburgh . It was a great place!

Daily Shoot-Happy

2011-04-21T19:07:00.001-04:00

Daily Shoot-Happy, originally uploaded by NedraI.

Today, let's illustrate the emotion of being happy. Make a photograph that represents happiness to you.

I actually took this yesterday but I'm going to use it for today's topic. Happiness to me is being with family and I had a nice dose of family other than my own husband and kids this weekend. I had the pleasure of traveling to Pittsburgh to meet up with sister and BIL and both their girls and grandson as well. One of their girls moved to Pittsburgh last year so this was a mini reunion. I picked up my daughter up along the way and we all had a fun weekend. Here my niece from Chicago is having fun with her son. They both look pretty happy. :-)

March 24 Daffodils

2011-04-21T19:06:00.001-04:00

March 24 Daffodils, originally uploaded by NedraI.

The American Cancer daffodils arrived today. Since I don't have a window in my classroom I decided I best bring them home. Too bad I can't leave this little bit of sunshine in my car's cup holder! Typically by the time these die out the real thing will be close to blooming in the garden. Despite the snow they are up and I can see buds!

March 20 Daily Shoot-Circle

2011-04-21T19:05:00.001-04:00

Daily Shoot-Circle, originally uploaded by NedraI.

Make a photograph that incorporates a circle.

My husband is a collector and often he'll find something he wants to add to his collection but he's not sure if he has it or not. So to help him out I've taken photos of all his beer tappers. Now I'll be able to use my phone and search flckr to see if we have a certain tapper or not and avoid duplications.

Daily Shoot-Green

2011-03-15T17:51:00.001-04:00

Daily Shoot-Green, originally uploaded by NedraI.

Today's color is green. Make a photograph dominated by green today.

The snow is melting away from the front of the house enough to show a row of hardy daffodils. Spring is coming!!

Daily Shoot Complementary Objects

2011-03-13T20:36:00.001-04:00

Daily Shoot Complementary Objects, originally uploaded by NedraI.

Make a photo of two complementary objects arranged in a pleasing composition, one large and one small.

Daily Shoot Technology

2011-03-13T10:06:00.001-04:00

Daily Shoot Technology, originally uploaded by NedraI.

Make a photograph that illustrates a role of technology in your life.

My first thought was to do my computer, phone, or ipod touch but decided to go with something a little different. I had my hair cut a few weeks ago and I now spend much more time getting ready in the morning. I don't leave the house without using this wonderful device to get rid of my frizzy waves.

March 12 Model T

2011-03-12T21:16:00.001-05:00

March 12 Model T, originally uploaded by NedraI.

This morning our friend picked my husband up in his Model T and they headed down to the St. Patrick's Day parade. My husband belongs to a group called the Utica Beard Council and our friend agreed to drive his car in the parade for the group. Despite it being a chilly day they had a good time.

Daily Shoot Water

2011-03-09T18:29:00.001-05:00

Daily Shoot Water, originally uploaded by NedraI.

Make a photograph that features water in one way or another today.

I took several pictures of this creek on my way to work today. I selected this picture because I like the way it shows water, ice and snow blending into each other.

Daily Shoot Outdoors

2011-03-08T21:15:00.001-05:00

Daily Shoot Outdoors, originally uploaded by NedraI.

Make a feeling that conveys a sense of being outdoors today.

This morning was beautiful! The sun was out and trees in low lying areas were covered in frost. I took my daughter to a doctor's appointment about 30 miles away and it was a wonderful drive. On the way home it was still early so I stopped to take some pictures and my battery was dead! I was so disappointed. I know, next time I need to take my camera bag so I'm prepared. So, instead I opted for a quick shot of the moon right after the sun set when I got home from the gym and before heading in to eat dinner prepared by my daughter who happens to be home on spring break!

This shot is cropped quite a bit.

Red Barn

2011-03-07T21:45:00.001-05:00

Red Barn, originally uploaded by NedraI.

Today's theme is red. Red hot? Red paint? Or something else? You decide. Make your photo and then reply with a link!

We had a snow day today but I had to go up to school to get ready for a sub tomorrow morning. So, on my way to school I kept my eye out for something red. I decided to go with this old barn.

Daily Shoot Shadows

2011-03-03T19:59:00.001-05:00

Daily Shoot Shadows, originally uploaded by NedraI.

Make a photograph that features a shadow as your subject today.

It was a very chilly morning but I made a quick stop for a shadow picture fearing the sun would be gone by the time I left work.

I'm not pleased with the shot but it will have to do.

March 2 Daily Shoot-Art

2011-03-02T20:49:00.001-05:00

March 2 Daily Shoot-Art, originally uploaded by NedraI.

What kind of other art do you appreciate? Make a photograph that celebrates it today.

I like children's art. Unfortunately as a reading teacher I don't get to give the student's much time for art but every once in awhile I try to sneak it in. This was just a quick shot before I left school today of one of my first grader's papers hanging in the hall.

February 25 Daily Shoot Strong Horizontal Lines

2011-02-27T19:11:00.001-05:00

Daily Shoot Strong Horizontal Lines, originally uploaded by NedraI.

Make a photograph featuring strong horizontal lines today.

I'll admit when I was on the plane I thought the Daily Shoot had said strong vertical lines. Oops!! I spent many hours in airports today trying to get back to NY. I really should have pulled my camera from the bag, rechecked the assignment and spent time taking some photos. Instead I plugged in and worked on editing pictures from my trip to AZ.

Leaving AZ at 6:15 AM meant I was able to view a lovely sunrise from the air. For most of the trip we were flying above the clouds.

Southwest did well for me today. When I arrived in Chicago all flights to Albany were cancelled due to a storm in NY and there were no seats available on any further flights until Monday because all the winter break vacationers were returning to NY this weekend. So, I was put on standby to Baltimore and then again on standby from Baltimore to Albany. I was very fortunate and made both flights! Fortunately a friend picked me up and let me spend the night at her house. The next day I had to return to the airport for my luggage. I was pleased that it came in on the first flight from Chicago. So then I was finally able to return home. It was a long trip but it could have been much much worse! Thanks Southwest!

February 24 My Nephew and the iPad

2011-02-27T19:02:00.001-05:00

February 24 My Nephew and the iPad, originally uploaded by NedraI.

My 3 year old nephew uses an iPad as a communication device. He is a quick learner and just a few of the tasks I saw him perform today were to ask for grapes, dried cranberries, milk and to have his shoes put on so he could go outside. He has no trouble moving page to page, finding the correct picture and pressing the button to have a sentence read. It is such a wonderful use of technology.

Daily Shoot Peace and Harmony

2011-02-27T18:58:00.001-05:00

Daily Shoot Peace and Harmony, originally uploaded by NedraI.

Illustrate your idea of peace and harmony--or maybe just peace and quiet--today with a photograph.

This was not my favorite photo from today but I think it best illustrates today's assignment.

February 23 Trout Truck

2011-02-27T18:56:00.001-05:00

February 23 Trout Truck, originally uploaded by NedraI.

This truck pulled in the same time I did so I watched as trout were released. Our 5th graders participate in a Trout in the Classroom project. I thought these pictures might be of interest to them.

Daily Shoot-Natural Beauty

2011-02-27T18:53:00.001-05:00

Daily Shoot-Natural Beauty, originally uploaded by NedraI.

Beauty is all around us. Make a photo of some naturally occurring beauty in your area today. (@DeForestRanger)

These heron shots are cropped quite a bit so not as crisply in focus as I would like. However, they are a thing of beauty!

February 22 Cactus

2011-02-27T18:49:00.001-05:00

February 22 Cactus, originally uploaded by NedraI.

I like the curvy lines of this cactus.

Daily Shoot-Waiting

2011-02-27T18:40:00.001-05:00

Daily Shoot-Waiting, originally uploaded by NedraI.

Make a photograph today that illustrates of the act of waiting.

These oranges are waiting for me to pick them!

February 21 AZ Bird

2011-02-23T00:17:00.001-05:00

February 21 AZ Bird, originally uploaded by NedraI.

This is a cropped shot. This guy was sitting up on a post overlooking the tennis courts. He was making quite a bit of noise. I'm not sure of the name of this bird. If you know please let me know.

Daily Shoot Self Portrait

2011-02-23T00:16:00.001-05:00

Daily Shoot Self Portrait, originally uploaded by NedraI.

Who are you? Make a self portrait today and show the rest of us what you look like.

While on a walk at my mom's retirement village I stopped to take a self portrait. I laughed when I saw this one. One of the first rules of photography-make sure nothing is coming out of someone's head. :-) I decided to go by a different rule-Break the rules. :-)

February 20 Sunset

2011-02-23T00:15:00.003-05:00

February 20 Sunset, originally uploaded by NedraI.

Stepped outside my mom's house to take a few pictures of the sunset tonight. Due to a wall around the complex I can't get the horizon line. After arriving to clouds and rain it's good to see the clouds breaking up. I'm ready for some sunshine!

Daily Shoot Community

2011-02-23T00:15:00.001-05:00

Daily Shoot Community, originally uploaded by NedraI.

Make a photograph of something that captures a small bit the flavor of where you live or your culture. Today there was a home dedication for this couple and their children for their new home built by Habitat for Humanity. It's the organization working with the city, college students, community members and local businesses that made it a reality. I'm fortunate to live in a very giving community.

Daily Shoot Yellow

2011-02-18T23:45:00.001-05:00

Daily Shoot Yellow, originally uploaded by NedraI.

Make a photograph that features the color yellow in some way or another.

My husband suggested I start photographing all his tapper handles. He collects them and has many hanging in the garage and others are in boxes waiting to be displayed. I brought in one box tonight looking for a subject with yellow. So here is the first photo of a tapper. I told him I'd do it so I can put them on flickr and then when we're out and find something new it will be easy to check flickr on my phone to see if we already have it or not.

February 18 Full Moon

2011-02-18T22:42:00.001-05:00

February 18 Full Moon, originally uploaded by NedraI.

I was pulling out of the driveway to head to the gym when I caught sight of the moon. I pulled back in and grabbed the camera and headed out to the backyard. Not great pictures but it was fun to try. Sadly, I did not make it to the gym but I did do an exercise DVD instead.

Daily Shoot Old

2011-02-15T22:21:00.001-05:00

Daily Shoot Old, originally uploaded by NedraI.

Make a photograph of something old. Be sure to show us the character that age can give a subject.

We brought these angels back from my husband's parent's house a couple of weeks ago. I like the vintage look and I'm sure we had something very similar when I was a child. I'm hoping that birthday candles will work in the little holders next Christmas. If you look closely you can see the the L broke off at one point or another.

Daily Shoot Sky

2011-02-13T21:22:00.001-05:00

Daily Shoot Sky, originally uploaded by NedraI.

Look up today and make a photograph of the sky. Cloudy, clear, or somewhere in between? Tell the story of your sky today.

I think we were fortunate that it was cloudy today. It was above freezing and the sun might have made the rink unplayable. Instead the boys tore it up pretty good but had a great time doing so.

February 13 Hockey Boys Now

2011-02-13T21:21:00.001-05:00

February 13 Hockey Boys Now, originally uploaded by NedraI.

Here is a link to a picture of our rink maybe 10 years ago. www.flickr.com/photos/nedrai/5442199419/
My son has a group of friends over for an afternoon of skating on our backyard rink. Since he's in college he doesn't get to use it as often as he'd like but he came home this weekend knowing it's quite possibly the last time it will be in usable shape. We have spent many a February break shoveling slush off of it trying to keep it going just a bit longer. It was a little warmer than normal today so the rink is pretty well shot but it was worth it. My son is hoping it will still be skateable when he returns in 2 weeks.

Daily Shoot Out of Focus

2011-02-13T00:09:00.001-05:00

Daily Shoot Out of Focus, originally uploaded by NedraI.

Sometimes what’s out of focus can make the shot. Create a photograph today where some/all of your subject isn't in focus.

I don't cut back all of my garden plants just so there's a little something to look at in the winter. This is about all that's showing these days.

Daily Shoot Unusual Point of View

2011-02-10T22:48:00.001-05:00

Daily Shoot Unusual Point of View, originally uploaded by NedraI.

Change your point of view. Make a photograph from an unusual point of view today.

Just a quick shot tonight. I have a collection of Snow Babies. This one is looking through an ice hole. So tonight I let it hang off the cabinet so I could get low and shoot up at her face.

Daily Shoot Leading Line

2011-02-09T22:10:00.001-05:00

Daily Shoot Leading Line, originally uploaded by NedraI.

Make a photograph that features a leading line through it today. Draw the viewers eye through the image.

My drive to work was a winter wonderland this morning. On days like this I wish I could just keep driving and taking pictures and go for a hike.

February 7 Barn

2011-02-07T21:52:00.001-05:00

February 7 Barn, originally uploaded by NedraI.

Now that I stay at one school I don't get to see my favorite local barn anymore. :-) Today I had a car following close behind me on snowy roads, so to ditch him I turned down this road again and stopped to shoot the two barns that I miss.

I especially like the tractor next to this barn.

Daily Shoot Door Frame

2011-02-07T21:47:00.001-05:00

Daily Shoot Door Frame, originally uploaded by NedraI.

Use a window or a door as a frame for your subject today in a photograph.

My plan was to take a picture of a barn but it didn't work taking the shot from the driver window. So I went with this shot out the passenger window instead.

Daily Shoot-Plug

2011-02-06T23:14:00.001-05:00

Daily Shoot-Plug, originally uploaded by NedraI.

Power plugs are ubiquitous. Can you make a creative photo of such a common thing? Try it today!

OK, I know I'm cheating today! I forgot to check the assignment until tonight. But there are plugs in the corner. :-) The adorable baby is my friend's grandson. We were lucky enough to spend time with him this weekend.

February 6 Wilco

2011-02-06T23:12:00.001-05:00

February 6 Wilco, originally uploaded by NedraI.

The only pictures I took today were at a friend's house. All but two of the pictures were of a baby. The other two were of the Wilco. I figured he needed a little photo attention as well.

February 3-I-80 Iowa after the Storm

2011-02-06T19:53:00.001-05:00

February 3-I-80 Iowa after the Storm, originally uploaded by NedraI.

This was 2 days after the big storm that swept across the country Feb 1. There were about 20 semis in the ditch along Interstate 80 between Davenport and Durant Iowa. I'm thankful we were able to stay in the house all day and night!

Daily Shoot-Sky

2011-02-06T19:50:00.001-05:00

Daily Shoot-Sky, originally uploaded by NedraI.

Look upward today. Make a photograph with a low horizon and that emphasizes the sky.

It was a bitter cold morning as we left Iowa. The Mississippi was very steamy and these cool rainbows could be seen on either side of the bridge.

Daily Shoot-News

2011-02-04T22:25:00.001-05:00

Daily Shoot-News, originally uploaded by NedraI.

Pretend you're a stringer for your local newspaper today. Make a photo that captures something newsworthy to you.

Wind and snow will make for hazerdous travel this morning.

This Texas truck doesn't know what to think of this weather!

February 2 Fence Line

2011-02-04T22:23:00.001-05:00

February 2 Fence Line, originally uploaded by NedraI.

We ended up being stranded in Iowa due to the storm. This is my favorite picture from my walk this morning.

Daily Shoot Fill the Frame

2011-02-04T22:22:00.001-05:00

Daily Shoot Fill the Frame, originally uploaded by NedraI.

Fill the frame of a photograph with a single subject today.

I went out for a walk before the storm hit this morning but it was so windy and cold I ended up with this being my only shot.

I was trying to get all the squirrels that were running through this tree.

February 1 Drifting

2011-02-04T22:21:00.001-05:00

February 1 Drifting, originally uploaded by NedraI.

I'll take this shot again tomorrow morning to compare the size of the drifts!

Of course I forgot to take a shot from the same spot. Oh well...

Daily Shoot Repetition

2011-02-04T22:20:00.001-05:00

Daily Shoot Repetition, originally uploaded by NedraI.

Make a photograph that features repetition.

The I-280 bridge between Iowa and Illinois.

January 31 Eagle

2011-02-04T22:19:00.003-05:00

January 31 Eagle, originally uploaded by NedraI.

We're back in Iowa so of course it means a little time looking for eagles. Today I only saw two. Nothing compared to a month ago. But thrilled to seem them none the less.

Daily Shoot Communication

2011-02-04T22:19:00.001-05:00

Daily Shoot Communication, originally uploaded by NedraI.

Make a photograph that illustrates an aspect of communication.

When we go by Erie PA we always take the Peach St exit to see if the Hot Light is on or not. This simple light communicates whether the doughnuts are nice and fresh or not! My husband was lucky this morning and he had fresh doughnuts for breakfast.