WW- Full Moon

So, this probably isn't the most impressive image of the moon that you have ever seen. I have seen many amazing moon images on photo blogs and Facebook this summer. But, since I don't have a clear view of the moon from my neighborhood, and bedtime around here is not and ideal time for taking off with my camera, I was kind of bummed that I had not had an opportunity to capture the moon in quite a while. 

So, last week, when I saw the moon shining bright as I was heading home from a family photo session, I pulled over to snap a few photos. I really didn't expect much since I just hopped out of the car with my 105 mm lens and no tripod. But, I was pleasantly surprised by the result. I even managed to capture a few stars in the frame (granted they are just tiny specs). So, no this isn't the most impressive shot of the moon, but I am still pleased that I managed to capture that luminous glow. Something about the moon just brings a feeling of peace doesn't it?

Have you captured the moon lately?

Here's my edit:

My sooc:

 My settings:

Thanks for visiting!

Linking up here:

Photo Feedback - Week 12

I'm submitting another photo for Kim's weekly Photo Feedback. If you haven't participated in the past, you should really consider linking up. It is fun and easy, and oh so very helpful to have some honest feedback on your photography. It also really helps hone your eye to critique the images that others create. So, why not join in this friendly link up? Come on, stretch yourself a little. It won't hurt a bit ;)

My photo this week was actually taken in my cluttered garage. Little Miss loves practicing with the seatbelt buckles on her stroller and as she was playing I saw the light catch her eyes and I snapped away. Garages are great for "open shade" like that. It was mid-afternoon on a sunny day, but we were inside the garage facing the open door. I cropped in to minimize the background clutter and cloned out the rest, then added a vignette to bring more focus to her face. I shot this with my 50 mm at f/1.4 and wish I had closed down the aperture a bit for sharper focus on both of her eyes. 

Here's my edit:

My settings:

And my SOOC:

Even if you aren't linking up a photo this week, please feel free to leave your honest feedback. I really do appreciate your thoughtful comments!

Thanks so much ;)

Photo Feedback - Week 10

A new week and a new pic! Time for another edition of Photo Feedback. I love hearing suggestions and critiques of my photos. It really is so helpful to hear different points of view. Thank you so much for taking the time to stop by and leave your thoughts. I sincerely appreciate it!

 Here's my edited shot. This was taken in the leavening on a sunny day under partial shade from a tree. It was about 6:00 PM. I shot this with my D5000 and 50 mm 1.4 about 8 feet away from my subject:

My SOOC:

My settings:

Stop by Kim's place to join in the fun! This linky is open through Friday.

Photo Feedback Week 6

Another new week had begun and that means it's time to link up for another Photo Feedback.

I am learning a lot from the critiques each week. I really appreciate each and every thoughtful comment!  And I am thrilled to see that more participants are joining in each week. If you haven't posted a pic yet, you should consider linking up. It's really not as scary as it might sound ;)

  

My photo this week is of the dogwood blooms in our backyard. I took this today, around 2 PM in full sun. Here's my SOOC:

My settings:

It was a bit blown in spots, but I liked the composition and wanted to try to save it. Here's my edit.

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Thanks for stopping in. Why not join the fun and link up below ;)

Photo Feedback Week 5

Hard to believe we're already in week 5 of Photo Feedback. I'm learning a lot from each critique and having a great time in the process. I really appreciate each and every thoughtful comment!  And I'm thrilled to see that more folks are joining in each week. If you haven't posted a pic yet, you should consider linking up. It's really not as scary as it might sound ;)

My pic for this week is one I took the other day of our pooch, Bella: 

This shot was taken mid-day in full sun with my 55-300 mm zoom lens. Here are my settings:

I removed a bit of the dirt and leaves from her fur in LR, then I punched it up a bit with Paint the Moon's PS action "A Little Zest" and sharpened for the web. 

My SOOC:

Thanks for taking the time to visit and leave your thoughts ;)

Rewinding on Monday

Good Monday to all!  I'm linking up today at Gina's for Monday Rewind and also thought I'd join in Ashley's Good to Wow photo challenge on Thanksgiving.

Here is a sampling of my pics from the past week:

I cross over these tracks several times per week and finally stopped to snap a shot:

I took this reflection shot during our last Girl Scout meeting after a rainy night:

Another reflection, Mr. Man jumping in a puddle:

The other evening I happened to look out our front window and see this glorious color in the clouds. I literally ran down the street with my camera and took this shot just before the sun slipped away. We don't see skies this color around here often. I just bumped up the clarity slightly on this. I don't think Mother Nature needed any help from me!

Shots from our Thanksgiving Turkey Bowl. The kids had a blast!:

And this is my SOOC for the Thanksgiving Good to Wow prompt:

I was pretty disappointed with most of my indoor Thanksgiving shots. I found that bumping up the ISO and trying to balance the shutter speed most often resulted in too much grain or blur. There was no natural light available and I was battling multiple light sources indoors. This is something I really want to improve on, so I was glad for the practice, but clearly need to refine my skills!! I'm really dying for a 50mm f/1.4 and hoping Santa brings one! ;)  I think the wider aperture would help a bit (of course, the f/1.8 would do nicely as well), but for now my best option is to practice, practice, practice.





So, that's it. I'll post my edit on Thursday. Thanks so much for stopping by and I hope you have a fabulous Monday! :)

SOOC Saturday

Welcome to SOOC Saturday {or Sunday} hosted by Marvelous Mommy who says: "Whether you are a professional photographer, an amateur photographer, or just someone who likes taking pictures, I encourage you to link up. This is a super simple weekend meme that doesn’t take up much time. Please join me! I’d love to see your shots."

There's a lot of excitement at our house this weekend with a birthday party and company visiting from out of town. All that socializing can wear a girl out!



Thanks for stopping by today! For more SOOC Saturday fun visit Marvelous Mommy.

SOOC Saturday

Welcome to SOOC Saturday {or Sunday} hosted by Marvelous Mommy who says: "Whether you are a professional photographer, an amateur photographer, or just someone who likes taking pictures, I encourage you to link up. This is a super simple weekend meme that doesn’t take up much time. Please join me! I’d love to see your shots."

Thanks for stopping by today! For more SOOC Saturday fun visit Marvelous Mommy.

SOOC Saturday

Welcome to SOOC Saturday {or Sunday} hosted by Marvelous Mommy who says: "Whether you are a professional photographer, an amateur photographer, or just someone who likes taking pictures, I encourage you to link up. This is a super simple weekend meme that doesn’t take up much time. Please join me! I’d love to see your shots."

Yesterday was a big day at our house. Baby girl crawled on her knees for the first time, rather than on her belly like an army man. And big brother rode his bike without his training wheels for the first time! I knew he was more than ready. It took him less than an hour of trying to be off and speeding away on his own.

Thanks for stopping by today. Your comments make my day :) Have a beautiful weekend!




Thanks for stopping by today! For more SOOC Saturday fun visit Marvelous Mommy.

SOOC Saturday

I love these pictures of my silly monster just being a goofy kid.

Ah, the carefree days of childhood.

"You can pick your friends, and you can pick your nose, but you can't..." well, you get the picture.

Thanks for stopping by today! For more SOOC Saturday fun visit Marvelous Mommy.