What does failure look like?

THESE KIDS? NOPE....

THESE? NOPE.

THESE KIDS? NOPE.

THESE BUMS? NOPE.

THIS CUTE BUNCH? NOPE........

Ok, so the top picture is decent, but that's because it was in the hall AND I put the camera in DUMMY MODE. See the others? They are ME, in the action mode, with my auto focus on motion, AND my ISO set at a higher speed for more light, and all the knowledge I could muster for my first really important function.

 It looks like a $500.00 camera with a $2.00 knowledge apparently, allegedly, unfortunately.

Yes, even after a somewhat "private" lesson from the Sundance photographer, this is what I turn out for Spencer's dance production; sad, frustrating and embarrassing. Hope he doesn't say "Mom, where are all the pictures I saw you taking in front of the stage"? well son, here's what I took...........

Weekend to St.George

So we loaded up last Friday afternoon and headed out, had a great drive down, I even kept my irrational car driving behavior "under wraps" so I'd not look like a LOON to my very good friend; who was nice enough to offer to drive, I mean SOMEONE had to do it.

We had heard that the weather was not going to be what we had wanted, but when we got there the breeze was nice and the temperature was very nice, maybe there will be some fluke, and it will be warm and sunny tomorrow.......................

NOT SO. Our morning was met with wind, rain and a whole lot of CRAPPY. GREAT. NOW WHAT?

Off to the outlet's, got a picture for my photography assignment and ALMOST made it out unscathed when wait; what's this? A KITCHENAID MIXER? and half the price? Hmmm... better finish looking whilst I, in the words of Pooh, "think, think, think"

I have made brownies, meatloaf and mashed potatoes, AND took PICTURES for added fun! :)

Sometimes, I CRACK myself up!

But seriously. All was not lost. I got to spend two day's with one of my GREATEST friends, We saw a few movies, shopped and used the driving time to catch up on life!

Shutter speed

Longer shutter speed

Stop motion

Last week's photography lesson focused on shutter speed. The shutter on a camera is like a door, it opens and closes allowing light to pass through the door. The longer the door is open, the more light comes in, the shorter it is open, the less light comes in. Changing the length of time the shutter is open helps you to control how much light hits the sensor, or film, in my case, sensor.

Our assignment was to take two pictures of the same thing, one in stop motion and one in full motion. If you we're taking a picture of a child running, you would probably want to freeze the motion and get them perfectly in focus, for this, you will need a very FAST shutter speed, but say you want to slow the water down in a fountain behind you, this will be a very SLOW shutter speed, where you will see the water almost "soften" and blur. This is a very cool aspect of picture taking, that you can slow down the movement that the eye sees.

I was pretty unhappy with the subject, but I just didn't get that "perfect opportunity" like I did with aperture, but I was glad that I had gotten the overall "concept".

Uncle J

My brother Jacob moved home last November after being away from us for 13yrs. We have missed him terribly, and he's missed a lot of growing up from his siblings children, the two oldest are 17 now, 18 in the fall, so Uncle J has been a sort of "rock star" for all these years as he would come in to visit and then return to Arizona again.

He is home now, where he belongs. It's been great to have him over for dinner's and basketball games, and he will go to the movies now with those older nephews that he's lived away from since they we're almost 5.

Time passes so very quickly; and yet the years have simply melted away as we have all re-connected "in person", thank goodness for text messaging over the last few years, this has allowed us to really still communicate easily, but there is NOTHING like the real thing, and I am so glad he is home.

Sunday night at McAfee's

More Sunday night at McAfee's....

Sunday, Callie

Sunday night, Ethan

Aperture and depth of field (DOF)

Aperture can be compared to the pupil in your eye. Go into a dark room and it dilates to let more light in, when you go outside on a sunny day, your pupil contracts to let less light in.
Depth of field is the area you see in the frame that will be IN FOCUS. The smaller the aperture, the larger the DOF, most everything in the frame will be in focus. As you open up the aperture, less and less of the frame is in focus, leaving the rest blurred.
More interestingly; the instructor pointed out that when you are taking a GOOD picture, you need to determine "what's the focus"? if you are trying to get the audience to look at a certain point, you would want to open your aperture, blur the rest and the focus becomes what you we're seeing through the lens. fascinating. In my layman thinking, I would have thought you would want everything to be clear, but I am now "educated", which was the point.
My homework assignment was to take two pictures, one with small DOF and the other with large, or wide.
I have spent a WEEK trying to "find" the right opportunity or "moment" for this; it finally happened this morning when Ethan was checking to see if his watermelon plant was sprouting yet.... if I do say so myself; COOL!

smaller DOF

larger DOF

5K!

I couldn't believe it! I only had 5 of the 12 weeks to officially "train" for running a 5k, which I've never done before. I am in good shape, but it's something new, and a few times I thought I just couldn't "take it".

Sore calves (still)

shin splints (still)

Why am i doing this? mostly because I enjoy a challenge, and this has been one, but I was able to rise to it and did very well. I came in at 38:45, a 12:28 min mile, I kept moving the whole time and felt good, I did give myself a 15-20 second break at the top of South Temple, but I was right back to running the final mile.

I was extremely proud of myself, I thought it was going to be hard and fairly unenjoyable, but I was pleasantly surprised with the ease of my pace and the relative pleasure I got out of the weather, the people and the new running clothes that my wonderful husband bought me to be the most comfortable, which I really was; thank you honey.

I did spend the afternoon with Tylenol and Advil, but it was well worth the accomplishment that I felt in completing the task.

Everyone (well almost) helping in the kitchen

Night time dancing!