Self Portrait

Day 30: Self Portrait
I took this of myself as I was laying on the lounge chair at the pool today.

Camera:	Fujifilm FinePix S1800
Exposure:	0.0071 sec  (10/1400)
Aperture:	f/3.1
ISO Speed:	64
Focal Length:	5 mm

Date Taken:	2011-06-30 13:12:00
Date Uploaded:	2011-06-30 16:46:13
File Name:	DSCF5576b.JPG
File Size:	2.77 MB
Image Width:	2590 px
Image Height:	1840 px
X Resolution:	72 dpi
Y Resolution:	72 dpi

Regal

Day 29: Black and White
The feature photo for today was taken at the St. Louis Zoo.  I was really struck by the way this big cat held himself as he relaxed in the shade.  Even in a relaxed state, he was very commanding and royal.

The rest of my shots were taken at local parks during a summer outing.

Camera:	Fujifilm FinePix S1800
Exposure:	0.0071 sec  (10/1400)
Aperture:	f/5.6
ISO Speed:	400
Focal Length:	75 mm

Date Taken:	2011-06-28 08:53:59
Date Uploaded:	2011-06-29 07:36:50
File Name:	DSCF5087bcd.JPG
File Size:	922 KB
Image Width:	1395 px
Image Height:	1157 px
X Resolution:	72 dpi
Y Resolution:	72 dpi

Flowers

Day 28: Flowers
I had a lot of fun shooting wild clover at a local park

Camera:	Fujifilm FinePix S1800
Exposure:	0.005 sec  (10/2000)
Aperture:	f/10.0
ISO Speed:	64
Focal Length:	23.6 mm

Date Taken:	2011-06-16 10:46:49
Date Uploaded:	2011-06-28 17:41:12
File Name:	DSCF3546b.JPG
File Size:	1,012 KB
Image Width:	2086 px
Image Height:	2843 px
X Resolution:	72 dpi
Y Resolution:	72 dpi

At A Distance

Day 27: From a Distance
A picture taken of a daddy and his little boy feeding ducks at a local park.

I love the feel of this one.  The far away look of the house makes the house look like it's maybe older than it is.  It also gives the feel of traveling a long distance on foot and finally making it "home."  At least to me that's how it feels.

I was really pleased with how this shot turned out.  It's a bird house and the wistfulness of the shot just really moves me.

Just someone sitting under a tree in a park.  I found the peaceful scene impossible to resist capturing.

Not my favorite, but this gazebo was visible at all points walking around a pond and it was fun to snap shots off from every vantage point.

Camera:	Fujifilm FinePix S1800
Exposure:	0.0133 sec  (10/750)
Aperture:	f/8.0
ISO Speed:	64
Focal Length:	12.3 mm

Date Taken:	2011-06-16 10:54:54
Date Uploaded:	2011-06-27 16:33:01
File Name:	DSCF3572b.JPG
File Size:	900 KB
Image Width:	2175 px
Image Height:	1485 px
X Resolution:	72 dpi
Y Resolution:	72 dpi

Gettin' Close

Day 26: Close-up
I have been waiting for this one.  I love close ups.  Here are a few of my favorites taken over the course of the last couple weeks.

Ever have a staring contest with a butterfly?  I have!  This was taken at a county park here on a day that I got to go out with just my camera!  Love alone time with my camera!

 A very interesting insect found in the wild flower prairie of a local city park.  I should know what insect this is, but sadly I have to admit I don't.

This is the criminal who has been eating my flowers in my flower garden!

I love close ups of flowers.

Mr. Frog let me take tons of pictures of him before he'd had enough and dived in the water under the lily pads.

Sleepy Turtle at Grant's Farm

Loved the way this turned out... it's a butterfly at The Butterfly House in Chesterfield, Mo.

Camera:	Fujifilm FinePix S1800
Exposure:	0.0063 sec  (10/1600)
Aperture:	f/5.6
ISO Speed:	64
Focal Length:	90 mm

Date Taken:	2011-06-16 12:23:57
Date Uploaded:	2011-06-26 08:29:48
File Name:	DSCF3624b.JPG
File Size:	1.77 MB
Image Width:	3367 px
Image Height:	2303 px
X Resolution:	72 dpi
Y Resolution:	72 dpi

Something Pink

Day 25: Something Pink
On Friday, June 24, the kids and I went to The Butterfly House.  Inside the butterfly environment there are many species of butterflies and tropical plants.  This is a fuzzy tropical plant that I always find very intriguing. 

Camera:	Fujifilm FinePix S1800
Exposure:	0.0133 sec  (10/750)
Aperture:	f/3.1
ISO Speed:	64
Focal Length:	5 mm

Date Taken:	2011-06-24 11:27:06
Date Uploaded:	2011-06-25 20:46:34
File Name:	DSCF4892b.JPG
File Size:	186 KB
Image Width:	940 px
Image Height:	643 px
X Resolution:	72 dpi
Y Resolution:	72 dpi

Camel Dignity

Day 24: Animal
I love photographing animals and I have tons of them.  On Wednesday, June 23, my kids and I went to Grant's Farm  It's one of my favorite places and I always get some good shots while we're there.  We had so much fun and I took over 300 pictures.  The first one I just love because we had so much fun with this camel.  He had such a funny personality and seemed to be hamming it up for all the visitors.

Camera:	Fujifilm FinePix S1800
Exposure:	0.0167 sec  (10/600)
Aperture:	f/8.0
ISO Speed:	64
Focal Length:	12.3 mm

Date Taken:	2011-06-23 12:10:15
Date Uploaded:	2011-06-25 20:26:58
File Name:	DSCF4723.JPG
File Size:	2.58 MB
Image Width:	4000 px
Image Height:	3000 px
X Resolution:	72 dpi
Y Resolution:	72 dpi

Here are some more of my favorite shots (animals) that I captured on that day at Grant's Farm.  My favorites are the Capybara so that is what is first.  There there are the baby goats you get to feed, the funny looking rooster and the lemurs.

Sun Flares

Day 23: Sunflare

It took me a while to figure out how to do this, but once I did I had great fun with it!!!! 

Camera:	Fujifilm FinePix S1800
Exposure:	0.0029 sec  (10/3500)
Aperture:	f/8.0
ISO Speed:	64
Focal Length:	8.9 mm

Date Taken:	2011-06-23 17:10:05
Date Uploaded:	2011-06-25 17:47:40
File Name:	DSCF4803.JPG
File Size:	2.42 MB
Image Width:	4000 px
Image Height:	3000 px
X Resolution:	72 dpi
Y Resolution:	72 dpi

The creek that runs under the bridge to the entrance of Grant's Farm in St. Louis, Mo.   The lake in front of the Butterfly House in Chesterfield, Mo. (bokeh style)  The creek that runs through the garden in the "back yard" of the Butterfly House.  And, the Butterfly House building itself.

In Her Hands

Day 22: Hands

This is my daughter doing one of her favorite things: writing.  She just turned 12 and the teacher she had for Com Arts this year really helped her develop her skills in writing and she has found that she really enjoys it.

Camera:	Fujifilm FinePix S1800
Exposure:	0.0179 sec  (10/560)
Aperture:	f/7.1
ISO Speed:	64
Focal Length:	6.3 mm

Date Taken:	2011-06-22 14:57:42
Date Uploaded:	2011-06-22 17:33:59
File Name:	DSCF4302.JPG
File Size:	2.63 MB
Image Width:	3000 px
Image Height:	4000 px
X Resolution:	72 dpi
Y Resolution:	72 dpi

Here are my son's hands.  He is learning to use a camera.  This camera he has was mine until 3 years ago, then it became my daughter's.  It was passed on to him this past Christmas.

 This is my hand in the water of a water fall at a local park.  We went there today so both kids and I could play around with our cameras.

Faceless Self Portrait

Day 21 of the 30 Day Challenge: Faceless Self-portrait.  I had so many ideas for this it was hard to narrow it down.  I have two shots I'd like to share for this.  One was taken with my HTC Evo cellphone camera and the other was taken with my Fuji Finepix 1800. 

The first picture is my Evo picture.  It is me standing against a tree looking up at the tree.  I held the camera at about waist level.  The second one I took with my Fuji while walking through the woods.  I was standing on a footbridge over a creek looking down into the water.  The outline in the water is me.

Camera:	Fujifilm FinePix S1800
Exposure:	0.008 sec  (10/1250)
Aperture:	f/5.6
ISO Speed:	400
Focal Length:	55.4 mm

Date Taken:	2011-06-16 13:59:22
Date Uploaded:	2011-06-21 14:21:38
File Name:	DSCF3787.JPG
File Size:	2.10 MB
Image Width:	4000 px
Image Height:	3000 px
X Resolution:	72 dpi

Bokeh Play

Day 20 of the 30 Day Challenger: Bokeh
Ok, I have to admit, I had no idea what this was until I looked it up.  I did not realize this had a name.  I learned a lot about it, like there are different types of Bokeh.  I love it when I can learn something new.  I also was able to learn how to manipulate images using my camera and my picture editing software to create these types of photographs.  Here are some of my images.

The bottom flower was  done with just my camera.  The top I played around with the filters in my editing software.

Camera:	Fujifilm FinePix S1800
Exposure:	0.004 sec  (10/2500)
Aperture:	f/6.4
ISO Speed:	64
Focal Length:	5 mm

Date Taken:	2011-06-16 10:42:07
Date Uploaded:	2011-06-20 12:11:34
File Name:	DSCF3532bc.JPG
File Size:	366 KB
Image Width:	1422 px
Image Height:	1011 px
X Resolution:	72 dpi

Something Orange

Day 19 of the 30 Day Challenge: Something Orange

Camera:	Fujifilm FinePix S1800
Exposure:	0.0111 sec  (10/900)
Aperture:	f/3.1
ISO Speed:	64
Focal Length:	5 mm

Date Taken:	2011-06-11 10:29:03
Date Uploaded:	2011-06-19 16:43:32
File Name:	DSCF3285b.JPG
File Size:	247 KB
Image Width:	1361 px
Image Height:	934 px
X Resolution:	72 dpi

Shoe Pile

Day 18 of the 30 Day Challenge: Your Shoes... no, this is not the extent of my shoe collection, but this is where my shoes end up until the pile gets too big and I put them away.  So, here's my shoe pile.

Camera:	Fujifilm FinePix S1800
Exposure:	0.0192 sec  (10/520)
Aperture:	f/3.6
ISO Speed:	64
Focal Length:	7.6 mm

Date Taken:	2011-06-19 15:28:58
Date Uploaded:	2011-06-19 16:35:23
File Name:	DSCF4241.JPG
File Size:	4.43 MB
Image Width:	4000 px
Image Height:	3000 px
X Resolution:	72 dpi
Y Resolution:	72 dpi

My Evo

Day 17 of the 30 Day Challenge: Technology.  Just a picture of my Evo.  I LOVE my Evo.  It has become my life line.

Camera:	Fujifilm FinePix S1800
Exposure:	0.0111 sec  (10/900)
Aperture:	f/3.1
ISO Speed:	200
Focal Length:	5 mm

Date Taken:	2011-06-12 16:26:00
Date Uploaded:	2011-06-19 16:19:19
File Name:	DSCF3314.JPG
File Size:	2.85 MB
Image Width:	3000 px
Image Height:	4000 px
X Resolution:	72 dpi

Learning

Day 16 of the 30 Day Challenge: Long Exposure.  Ok, I am not really thrilled with this picture, but the assignment was to use long exposure and since I'm still playing catch up, I decided to just play with the longer exposure settings and see what happened.  And, while, the picture itself is not great, I am starting to understand the process of using these settings more, so it was a worth while exercise for me.

Camera:	Fujifilm FinePix S1800
Exposure:	8 sec  (80/10)
Aperture:	f/3.1
ISO Speed:	1600
Focal Length:	5 mm

Date Taken:	2011-06-19 15:04:55
Date Uploaded:	2011-06-19 16:10:26
File Name:	DSCF4235.JPG
File Size:	5.58 MB
Image Width:	4000 px
Image Height:	3000 px
X Resolution:	72 dpi
Y Resolution:	72 dpi

River Watch

Day 15 of the 30 Day Challenge: Silhouette
Our river waters are high around here right now.  The corps of engineers, park rangers, police, and fire and rescue people monitor the water levels and the current speeds while keeping an eye out for people who might be in danger when on the river.  I was able to catch this picture on a day right before a storm rolled into town, I love the dramatic contrast that the lighting of the stormy day provided.

Fujifilm FinePix S1800
Exposure:	0.0063 sec  (10/1600)
Aperture:	f/5.6
ISO Speed:	64
Focal Length:	48.1 mm

Date Taken:	2011-06-17 09:59:59
Date Uploaded:	2011-06-19 08:57:34
File Name:	DSCF4119.JPG
File Size:	3.83 MB
Image Width:	4000 px
Image Height:	3000 px
X Resolution:	72 dpi

Through a Cicada's Eyes

Day 14 of the 30 Day Challenge: Eyes

This was taken during my day exploring the county parks here that I had not been to before.  I found this little guy on the concrete slap to one of the picnic shelters.  Our area is having a Cicada year this year.  Parts of the metropolitan area are inundated with them and they can be quite noisy.  They are very striking looking because of their big orange eyes.

Camera:	Fujifilm FinePix S1800
Exposure:	0.0111 sec  (10/900)
Aperture:	f/6.4
ISO Speed:	64
Focal Length:	5 mm

Date Taken:	2011-06-16 14:24:13
Date Uploaded:	2011-06-19 08:41:02
File Name:	DSCF3869.JPG
File Size:	819 KB
Image Width:	1852 px
Image Height:	1381 px
X Resolution:	72 dpi
Y Resolution:	72 dpi

13 Things

Day 13 of the 30 day challenge: Me with 13 Things.  I'm not real happy with the quality of this photo, but I am happy with the composition of it.  It includes a picture of me that I brought up on my computer screen and 13 things that tell about me.  Those are: a camera, my kindle, my iPod, my Evo (cellphone), my wedding ring, my birthstone ring, my watch, LOST DVD's, a Scottie Dog Webkins, my computer, my Nickelback t-shirt, Bud Ice, and Diet Dr. Pepper.

Camera:	Fujifilm FinePix S1800
Exposure:	0.0222 sec  (10/450)
Aperture:	f/3.1
ISO Speed:	400
Focal Length:	5 mm

Date Taken:	2011-06-18 21:08:25
Date Uploaded:	2011-06-19 08:34:19
File Name:	DSCF4193.JPG
File Size:	1.48 MB
Image Width:	3463 px
Image Height:	2291 px
X Resolution:	72 dpi
Y Resolution:	72 dpi