Fisherman

I took this shot before Thanksgiving, but was disappointed with the quality.  The man's face is slightly blurry due to the metering set incorrectly.  I've done some researching and corrected this mistake.  I still am not happy with the quality of the picture, but I like the subject, so here it is:

1/200s                      f/16.0              ISO: 400

Taken with: Canon Rebel T2i

11-05-2011 in Oxnard, CA

Thanksgiving 2011

I finally got around to looking at the few shots I took during Thanksgiving this year, but I am less than happy with them for the sole reason that I kept getting out of focus shots using auto-focus, which is infuriating because I can't use manual focus.  (I wear eyeglasses)

Watering Hole 

 1/13s                     f/10.0              ISO: 3200

Taken with: Canon Rebel T2i

11-24-2011 in Oxnard, CA

Dessert Table

1/50s                      f/10.0              ISO: 3200

Taken with: Canon Rebel T2i

11-24-2011 in Oxnard, CA

Maggie's new friend, Chico

0.8s                         f/4.0                              ISO:3200

Taken with: Canon Rebel T2i

11-24-2011 in Oxnard, CA

I finally discovered why all of my shots were coming out blurry; I had the metering set incorrectly, which cause the focus points to lose their sharpness.  (After a quick change of settings tonight, my test shots look great.)

Happy Thanksgiving

Or, technically, Happy Black Friday.


I haven't been posting for quite some time.  The past few months have been really hard on my work life.  I am awaiting impending lay-offs, and a pink slip is in my near future.  Unfortunately I was hired as a temporary employee, so I don't have the luxury of an end date or a severance package.


I have a lot to be thankful for this year, despite the hard times.  There are times in our lives that we classify as "good years" and "bad years".  Three years have gone by since that last "bad year", although you wouldn't know by looking at this picture.  My family is full of love, laughter and acceptance, and I am thankful for the joy they bring me.  This picture hangs in my cubicle as a daily reminder to be thankful.

The Story Teller

1/60s                   f/2.7                       ISO: unavailable

Taken with: Canon Powershot S3 IS

(Dad's camera, I purloined it for the event)
Taken on Thanksgiving in 2008
 Oxnard, CA

A photo story

A story of possible gluten intolerance and the epic journey to make a wheat-free pizza.

I get a wee bit cranky when I want pizza...

Make that hostile.  I was hungry.

White Rice Flour

Dry Active Yeast

Yeast with flour

No cornmeal?  No Problem!  

Almond meal

Salt

 Other ingredients

 Italian seasoning

 ACTION SHOT (cue electric guitar)

 Sugar

 Warm milk

 "Beat for two minutes with electric beater."  Really?  This is getting a little too involved.  Screw that, I'm using a fork for 30 seconds.  Then dropping it on the foil.  

 I'm pretty sure this is EXACTLY how Pizza Hut does it....

 Looks about right...

 Wait, what?!  I have to bake the crust before I make the pizza?  Damn, this is gonna take 10 mins longer than I planned on....

 Breathtaking, isn't it? I'm calling it "Ciselee Frommage"

  Oh hell yeah!  Le Pornagraphie du Frommage.

 Le Crust

Awesome Sauce

 Mmmm, raw pizza.....

Another agonizing twenty minutes I must wait for a beautiful pizza....

GORDON RAMSEY, EAT YOUR HEART OUT!

Ok, so she's not that pretty....  And it doesn't exactly taste like a Topper's Pizza, but it was pretty good.  No cheese in the crust, though.  The crust/cheese ratio wasn't right.   Next time I'll make it thin crust.

You will notice there is no picture related info or watermarks on these.  I don't care.  Steal 'em if you want to.    If you're wondering about the shot properties, go ahead and keep that wonder alive.  There are so few mysteries in life.  

Meet Cole

Full of energy and rarely serious.

1/100s               f/5.6               ISO: 500

Canon EOS Rebel T2i

Camarillo, CA

1/1600s               f/5.6               ISO: 3200

Canon EOS Rebel T2i

Camarillo, CA

Meet Cooper

There is nothing better than a good laugh and a cold root beer on a hot day.

1/800s                       f/5.6                              ISO: 3200

Canon EOS Rebel T2i

Camarillo, CA   

1/800s                       f/5.6                              ISO: 3200

Canon EOS Rebel T2i

Camarillo, CA    

Wee Buggie

Ladybug, ladybug, fly away home.

Your house is on fire,

and your children aren't home.

look like charred raisinettes.

Ok, so a poet I am not, but I couldn't resist posting this when my sister told me that her youngest son called Ladybugs "Wee Buggies" as a toddler.  I've had this shot for a long time, and it is the background for my Nook Color.  I hadn't thought to post it until now.  Thanks to my nephew, the picture now has a name.  

1/100s                    f/5.6                    ISO:160

Canon EOS Rebel T21

Taken on 04-03-2011 at Surfer's Point, Ventura County, CA.

999 Happy Haunts

    Last Sunday I had the opportunity to go to Disneyland in Anaheim, California.  I took my camera along, and was able to get a picture or two I was pleased with.  The rest were all a part of the learning process.  I spent the majority of the time playing with either my shutter speed or aperture settings, and as a result almost every single picture came out over exposed.  The sad part is, I couldn't tell by looking at the display on the camera.  The mistakes only became clear when I uploaded the images to my PC.  Had I been able to see the mistakes I would have corrected with a new shot.  


    I would post the mistakes, but they frustrate me to no end, so I won't.  Instead, here is a low-light shot of the Haunted Mansion's Chandelier.  This was done in low light, and hand held.  

1/13S                    f/4.0                    ISO:3200

Canon EOS Rebel T2i

Taken in the Huanted Mansion at Disneyland in Anaheim, California

Not Exactly Pixie Dust...

I happened to see this tractor meticulously plowing the fields behind my home, the dust rising and catching the late afternoon sunshine as I wandered into my hallway.  I grabbed my camera and waited on the deck until I caught t he perfect moment.

It almost looks magical.

Almost.


I kept the foreground of the picture dark to help keep the emphasis on the dust.  I also manually cropped the image.  I do like to stay in "traditional" sized for portraits, but in nearly everything else, cropping to a nonstandard size can make a boring shot look great.

Not Exactly Pixie Dust...

1/320s                   f/32.0                    ISO: 3200

EOS Canon Digital Rebel T2i

Captured on 09-12-2011 in Oxnard, CA

Remembering September 11th, 2001

A Grand Old Flag

1/4000s                     f9.0                        ISO: 3200

Canon EOS Rebel T2i

September 11th, 2011, taken in Oxnard, CA

Video Test: Stereo Hearts

Until today I hadn't ever tried using my Canon EOS Rebel T2i's video function.  The videos were taken inside  a dimly lit room using my standard kit lens (EF-S 18-55mm).  The camera performed beautifully in the low light, and the sound recording does a decent job.  I will need to test out the conditions in bright sunlight.

My willing participant is ten year old Amelia.  This little girl young lady is has the ability to sing a Capella, a feat I find extraordinary.  My own singing, while not the worst in the world, is still terrible.  I am amazed that at ten she has natural vibrato in her voice, but doesn't over do it.   The song she is singing is "Stereo Hearts" by Gym Class Heroes, featuring Adam Levine's solo.

Canon EOS Rebel T2i

September 10th, 2011 in Camarillo, CA

Little Red Bird's Photography!

Remember Ducky from my last post?  She is an aspiring photographer like myself and is now posting to her own blog called The Little Red Bird. I can't wait to see what she snaps!.  When we met up at Disneyland, I had my camera and other gear with me.  Part of the problem of aspiring to be a photographer?  Getting your hands on some equipment to try it out.  I happily handed over my camera and gear to Ducky, and she happily snapped away and produced some fantastic shots!  Shots I never would have dreamt of!  So here they are, in all their glory:

 1/200s                   f/8.0                 ISO: 400

 1/320s                   f/8.0                 ISO: 100

 1/125s                   f/4.5                ISO: 100

1/100s                   f/4.0                 ISO: 125

Ducky!

One of my favorite people in the whole of eternity.  We met up at Disneyland in Anaheim, California. Ducky is one of the most kind, vibrant, and genuine people I know.  She always celebrates in triumph, no matter how small, and is an absolute sweetheart.

1/200s                                   f/5.6                                 ISO: 100
Canon EOS Digital Rebel
August 21st, 2011 in Anaheim, CA


This Stormtrooper appeared while we waited in line for Star Tours.  As people noticed, they quickly pulled out cell phones to snap pictures.  The Stormtroopers hassled them and chastised them for the pictures.  I caught this image at the perfect moment with the image on the guest's screen.  

1/125s                                   f/5.0                                 ISO: 100

Canon EOS Digital Rebel
August 21st, 2011 in Anaheim, CA

A Model of Perfection: The Getty

I've known this young lady for the entirety of her life, and for her tenth birthday we celebrated by dressing to the nines and having a photo-shoot at the Getty Center in Los Angeles, California.  This was my first location shoot, and extremely difficult due to immense crowds.  These are the shots that made it to the final cut.  Once again, the "Creative" setting was used to capture these shots, as it was quicker to set up with large crowds and a young model.

All photographs captured on August 13th, 2011 at the Getty Center with a Canon EOS Rebel T2i.

 1/125s                                     f/13.0                                   ISO: 3200

 1/250s                                     f/6.3                                   ISO: 3200

 1/250s                                     f/7.1                                 ISO: 3200

  1/400s                                     f/7.1                                 ISO: 3200

  1/400s                                     f/8.0                                 ISO: 3200

 1/1600s                                     f/8.0                               ISO: 3200

 1/4000s                                     f/10.0                               ISO: 3200