I should have used a smaller lens; the kit lens, F 24-105mm L lens, covers the camera logo and model number as well as more of my face.... which is a good thing given the number of "experience lines" that I have earned over the years.
This is image 1 of my 365 series for the year. I haven't attempted one of these since I started on flickr on 2008, but now that I'm not working I have a chance at actually succeeding. Don't worry, it won't feature endless self portraits - I'm not that self centered :)
Tags: JC Jill me SP Self portrait New Year's Day 1/1/2013 beginnings Canon EOS 5D Mark III camera 4B4A9081 1/365 2013 365: the 2013 edition 365:2013 Day 1/365 Day 1 01-Jan-13 100+VIEWS
© All Rights Reserved
Consistent with the weekly theme of "Beginnings" in the 365-2013 Group, I am creating a new workspace/playspace/office for myself. This used to be my oldest daughter's bedroom, but she moved out years ago and it has been sort of a dumping ground for exercise equipment and mismatched excess furniture and miscellaneous stuff. It is now "my space", complete with elliptical machine, which I use 30-60 minutes a day while watching streaming movies or DVD's, my favorite books and family photo albums, my new desk, laptop, camera equipment, framed photos, sewing machine, etc. I still need to order new shades, as the large bay window is cold in the winter time.
Tags: 4B4A9094 4B4A9095 4B4A9096 HDR tonemapped Photomatix office exercise sewing play room bookshelves books DVD's flatscreen Sony TV projects pictures photographs laptop Center G elliptical machine chair desk bay window 365: the 2013 edition 365:2013 Day 2/365 Day 2 02-Jan-13 100+VIEWS
© All Rights Reserved
Went for a walk in the neighborhood today with the goal of getting a new image for Day 3 of the 365 project. It was a bright, sunny day and I found many subjects, but the yellowish fronds of the palm tree at eye level provided an opportunity to experiment with selective focus. At F4, the widest aperture of my new lens, the DOF is very narrow, and it was interesting to stand there and shift the focus along the spine of the palm frond as you can see below.
I got some weird looks from a family nearby who probably couldn't figure out why that lady was standing in front of the tree with a camera....
After a bit of experimentation I decided that a narrower aperture, F14, was more effective.
Tags: Palm fronds leaves selective focus yellow leaf 365: the 2013 edition 365:2013 Day 3/365 Day 3 03-Jan-13 4B4A9141 Spine plant 100+VIEWS
© All Rights Reserved
The late afternoon light in winter is golden here in Northern Califorina, particularly on clear days like we've had this week! I visited one of my nearby walking parks, which is lush with grass and weeds and wildflowers in winter. I was trying to find a composition that screened out those blue port-a-potties in the distance, but couldn't make it work, so they are deliberately blurred.
I stood at the fence practicing the various focus modes in my new camera. The "AF" chapter in the 5D manual is about 40 pages long, and reading about it is only part of the learning process...
Tags: 365: the 2013 edition 365:2013 Menlo Park Bidwell Bayfront landfill dump San Francisco Bay fence winter January light afternoon 4B4A9224 clear day Day 4/365 Day 4 04-Jan-13 Bedwell 100+VIEWS
© All Rights Reserved
We received the information packet today for our upcoming trip to Machu Picchu and Galapagos. I just noticed that it is addressed to "Mr and Mr"... my husband doesn't have a brother, so I guess he'll be taking me instead !
We have wanted to do this trip for years, but the tours sell out early, and it's a big investment, so I always put it off... It's a fairly rigorous tour since Machu Picchu is at 8,000 feet elevation and Cuzco is ~11,000 feet, so we decided to do it now - before we get any older :)
Before April, I need to master my new camera, buy (or rent) a better telephoto lens, and increase my fitness level. I'm walking at least 10,000 steps a day, but it's hard to prepare for high elevation when you live at sea level...
We are NOT hiking the Inca trail...that just seemed like too much for us old folks... :)
Tags: Machu Picchu Vantage World Travel Galapagos tour Peru Ecuador Brochure guide itinerary 4B4A9237 365: the 2013 edition 365:2013 Day 5/365 Day 5 05-Jan-13 100+VIEWS
© All Rights Reserved