Somewhere in the skies

Clouds at eye level.

Somewhere between Maine and Arizona on a sunny Saturday afternoon, I saw these beautiful clouds. Just being in a plane looking at these clouds makes me think of how the astronauts must feel when they look down on earth. It gives a different perspective being above or at eye level with the clouds.

I still need to read thru my camera manual to be able to get the shots I’d  like, but I didn’t want to miss this unusual view. I’m looking for that perfect picture but in the meantime I will continue to practice taking new pictures.

3-D Clouds

No excuses now

I finally bit the bullet and got my new camera.  I got the Canon T3i and it’s my very first SLR so there is quite a learning curve. I’m excited but now I don’t have any excuses for not getting good pictures. Okay so maybe I can still come up with some excuses. The first excuse is that February with no snow is not the prettiest season in Maine. So it may be a challenge to get some good pictures but I’ll certainly try.

My first picture attempt was to try out the new lenses. The standard lens is an 18-55mm. This first picture is a view from our house. You can almost see some specks in the distance that are houses on the hillside.

View with 18-55mm lens

But take a look at the same picture using the 75-300mm lens.

View using 75-300mm lens

I feel like I am using high powered binoculars and can almost see inside the house. To get the best picture, the manual says it helps to have the camera on a tripod. I tried the picture with and without the tripod. This picture was without the tripod and I didn’t think it was too bad.

So my next step is to now start going thru the manual and learn what all these buttons and settings mean.

Saddleback Mountain

Saddleback Mountain with blue skies

When you travel to different locations, you can’t always get the perfect weather for taking photos. Such was the case on a recent trip to Rangeley, Maine. Blue skies with white puffy clouds make a picture of the mountains stand out. Unfortunately, we didn’t have them when taking this shot of Saddleback Mountain. The sky was overcast and less than outstanding. But to help me (call it cheating if you will) I like to turn to Photoshop for a few adjustments. A great plugin for adjusting pictures is Phototools. I love this plugin and it has a lot of effects you can use to boost the look of the photo. While this isn’t the best of pictures, I can assure you, it is much better looking here than the original shot. The clouds in the front of the mountain were actually there just hanging in front. It might have been nicer if they were higher in the sky, but it adds a little impact to the mountain.

Rangeley usually gets a lot of snow but you can see by the photo it has been a mild winter here in Maine. Good for some of us but not for the businesses that depend on snow to make a living.

Rockland Harbor in Winter

Rockland Harbor in the winter

I have a great view looking out my window at work. I don’t always take the time to look out and enjoy it, but it’s worth taking a break from the computer to enjoy the scenery. This is Rockland Harbor in the winter. Looking at all the masts and boats snuggled in for the season give it a totally different view. The ferry transporting people from Vinalhaven is a nice site as well. I have yet to get over to this island but hope to visit it sometime soon.

Ferry arriving from Vinalhaven

I’ve been researching new cameras. My next step up is from the point and shoot to a DSLR. So far my choice is either a Canon T3i or T2i. You can get a telephoto lens with the package which makes it very enticing. I’ve been happy with my Sony but it’s time to get a little more serious about picture taking. Anyone have any other suggestions for a new camera?

January Snow

After a January snowfall.

Learning new techniques and seeing what other people photograph is one way I try to improve my photographs. The Photographers Life website has some great ideas and the December photo challenge they posted has some beautiful pictures. Check out this site at http://bit.ly/zyT6xT. The one of White Icelandic Horse is really nice. You can also sign up for their enewletter “The Right Way to Travel”  to get some great tips. Their article on January 14 has some great tips for photographing in winter (http://bit.ly/wyYIHW). My latest snowfall picture shows a little too blue, but as you notice, Shelby likes to pose and be a part of the picture. I need to do a little more adjusting so the pictures isn’t quite so blue. Perhaps next snowstorm.

Morning Moon

A beautiful morning moon

Taking pictures is all in the timing. I walked the dog this morning and saw the most beautiful full moon at 7 a.m. Not having my camera I could only look and say, “Why didn’t I bring my camera with me?” I finally broke down, walked back to the house and got the camera. Naturally, the moon didn’t wait for me and it wasn’t quite as bright as when I first saw it. That will teach me to leave my camera home even in the morning.

Meet Shelby

Shelby posing for the camera

Shelby is now all recovered from his latest operation. We found a lump on his chest and not knowing what it was we opted for surgery. Lo and behold the vet found a porcupine quill embedded in his skin. He stepped on a porcupine 1-1/2 years ago so we don’t know if it was there for that long or a new one. There is a porcupine that resides in the field so who knows when he got that. But we’re happy to report Shelby is back to his energetic self.