Reverse 365: Natural Resources - Day 110/365 4.20.13

Settings: ISO 100, 18mm, ss1/160, f/18

Date: August 17th, 2012

Location: Wenatchee, Washington

110/365 - April 20th, 2013

“The nation behaves well if it treats its natural resources as assets which it must turn over to the next generation increased, and not impaired, in value.” - Theodore Roosevelt

Reverse 365: Not an Intrusion - Day 35/365 2.4.13

Settings: ISO 200, 55mm, ss1/50, f/9.0

Date: April 6th, 2012

Location: Tolmie State Park near Olympia, WA

"How strange that Nature does not knock, and yet does not intrude!" - Emily Dickinson

Reverse 365: Surrounded - Day 34/365 2.3.13

Settings: ISO 200, 250mm, ss1/640, f/13

Date: April 6th, 2012

Location: Tolmie State Park near Olympia, WA

“Beauty surrounds us.” - Rumi

Reverse 365: A World Full of Poetry - Day 33/365 2.2.13

Settings: ISO 200, 55mm, ss1/320, f/13

Date: April 6th, 2012

Location: Tolmie State Park near Olympia, WA

"The world is full of poetry. The air is living with its spirit; and the waves dance to the music of its melodies, and sparkle in its brightness." - James Gates Percival 

Reverse 365: Creative Spirit - Day 32/365 2.1.13

New month, new editing focus for the Reverse 365. I am working on becoming familiar with the gradient tool in Lightroom. I am still searching for something to work on in Photoshop. With this photo I was trying out the Zone System when shooting, which made the editing fairly simple. It only needed a quick pass with the gradient tool on the sky and mountains. 

Settings: ISO 200, 146mm, ss1/400, f/13

Date: April 6th, 2012

Location: Tolmie State Park near Olympia, Washington

"From inaccessible mountain range by way of desert untrod by human foot to the ends of the unknown seas, the breath of the everlasting creative spirit is felt, rejoicing over every speck of dust that hearkens to it and lives." - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Reverse 365: Calm on the Surface - Day 20/365 1.20.13

Settings: ISO 200, 250mm, ss1/500, f/7.1

Date: March 18th, 2012

Location: Kitsap Memorial State Park

Day 20/365 - January 20th, 2013

"Be like a duck. Calm on the surface, but always paddling like the dickens underneath." - Michael Caine

Project 52 - Week 3/52

I make no secret of my love of sunsets and if you have been following this blog for any amount of time you are well aware of this fact and have probably seen countless sunset photos. I love how each one is unique. I love the sense of contentment that I feel when I watch one. I love the connection to myself, the earth and spirituality that I feel when I witness the daily dance of the sun to the horizon. I love how it is an ending and a beginning all wrapped in one. And I love capturing the moment with my camera!

This sunset was on a trip to Port Angeles and the Salt Creek Recreation Area. After a hike around the park to find the perfect spot I headed down some stairs to the rocky tide pools with my tripod and my layers of clothing to keep me warm in the cold temperatures. Balancing among the rocks I listened to the waves crash and watched the beauty unfold. I was very lucky to have my mom and dog niece along to watch the tide as I concentrated on the shot. 

Settings: ISO 800, 50mm, ss1/100, f/11 (on tripod)

Settings: ISO 800, 50mm, ss1/13, f/11 (on tripod)

“Never waste any amount of time doing anything important when there is a sunset outside that you should be sitting under!”  ― C. JoyBell C.

         

Reverse 365: Peace - Day 16/2013 1.16.13

For the past few days, I have been sharing photos from Clark Lake Park. This park is a local park right in the middle of the city I work it. I found it on a day when work had been stressful and I wanted to do something peaceful, which for me is photography. 

Settings: ISO 200, 18mm, ss1/100, f/22

Date: March 8th, 2013

Location: Clark Lake Park in Kent, WA

Day 16/365 - January 16th, 2013

“You have peace," the old woman said, "when you make it with yourself.” - Mitch Albom

Reverse 365: Reflection - Day 15/365 1.15.13

Settings: ISO 200, 55mm, ss1/200, f/11

Date: March 8th, 2012

Location: Clark Lake Park in Kent, WA

Day 15/365 - January 15th, 2013

"Everyone and everything that shows up in our life is a reflection of something that is happening inside of us." - Alan Cohen

Reverse 365: Earthly Teacher - Day 14/365 1.14.13

Settings: ISO 200, 18mm, ss1/30, f/11

Date: March 8th, 2013

Location: Clark Lake Park in Kent, WA

Day 14/365 - January 14th, 2013

"Earth teach me to forget myself as melted snow forgets its life. Earth teach me resignation as the leaves which die in the fall. Earth teach me courage as the tree which stands all alone. Earth teach me regeneration as the seed which rises in the spring." - William Alexander 

Reverse 365: Still Small Voice - Day 13/365 1.13.13

Settings: ISO 200, 100mm, ss1/125, f/22

Date: March 8, 2012

Location: Clark Lake Park in Kent, WA

13/365 - January 13th, 2012

“Whenever there is stillness there is the still small voice, God's speaking from the whirlwind, nature's old song, and dance...” - Annie Dillard

Tones on Tuesday #53 11.6.12

Be sure to check out my tips and tricks for Night/Low Light Photography!

I cannot believe that November is here and October is gone. Fall has begun to fade here, but the photos from last week tell a beautiful story of the season. I had to pick 4 instead of 3 this week, I hope you don't mind!

Mona at Mona's Picturesque

Fall is ending and this is a beautiful representation of that! I love the light and color in this photo. Thank you for sharing with us Mona!

Kathy at You'll Shoot Your Eye Out

The depth of field and framing in this photo is lovely. The colors of the leaves are beautiful as well. Thank you for linking up Kathy!

Meg at Pompeii Penguin

This was taken before Sandy hit the East Coast, luckily Meg had little damage but I know that is not the case for many people. My thoughts and prayers are with everyone still recovering. As for this picture, the colors are stunning! A beautiful capture of the calm before the storm. Thank you Meg!

Mock-Turtle at Jack's Paper Moon

Rounding out the fall theme this week is this photo of Jack. I love the light, the muted tones and the expression captured. Thank you for sharing Mock-Turtle!

Mona, Kathy, Meg and Mock-Turtle please go HERE to grab your showcase button.

Now it's your turn to share your photo with altered tones. Here are the guidelines for Tones on Tuesday:

• The basic idea is to share one photo where you have altered the tones. Such as a black and white, sepia toned, selective coloring or colored photo. Feel free to share the original and edit, or just the edit.
• Please share a photo that you have taken and edited yourself.
• One photo per photographer please. If you have more than one photo in your post please indicate which one is for Tones on Tuesday. If you link up more than once only the first photo will be considered for showcasing.
• Please link up with your permalink and not your blog address.
• Attach the Tones on Tuesday button or a link back here to your post.
• Leave comments for at least 3 other participants, share the love :o)!
• Have fun!

<center> <a href="http://scatteredhorizons.blogspot.com" target="_self"><img border="0" alt="Scattered Horizons" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH_U2oqLh1UmXZMxfX_WPVaPVWJYh_HuiqvmOJi2frJOmTvsFe8rQPCPuzZfqD9Rm5Lz1E9ijR7i5_09GjPNDZeIcGNOwpU1VlkboGqGPGHxc0q-s28fzb99utdKzU6TvONWyodJtseQ/s1600/tonesontuesday2.jpg"></a> </center>

Disclaimer - By participating you give Scattered Horizons permission to share your photo on this blog. Photographers will be given credit for their work.

Guess what I did this weekend? I bought a new camera, well new to me! I have had my Rebel T1i for almost 3 years. It has been a wonderful starter camera and I have loved every minute of  using it and learning with it. It is time, though, for a camera that has capabilities that will allow my photography to continue to grow. I was very lucky to meet someone at both of the Clickin Walks I attended who was willing to let me test out the camera she was selling before buying. During the "test shoot" I used my macro lens to take a photo of some water droplets on a picnic table at a local park. I can't wait to take more pictures, explore my camera and learn more!

Settings: ISO 1000, 100mm, ss1/6400, f/2.8

"We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths." - Walt Disney

Joining the link ups below. Be sure to check out the beautiful shots and join the Tones on Tuesday link up found further down!

      

Landscape Locations Tips and Tricks

I am giving tips and tricks posts another try! Last time I focused on Sunbursts, this time I would like to share some tips I have about finding and shooting landscape locations. I love exploring the world around me and trying to capture the natural beauty I see. The world is beautiful and diverse in its landscapes and I feel blessed to be able to see a small part of it.

Tips/Tricks (see below for more details)
1. Locations Scouting 
2. Be ready to walk and hike
3. Get above it all
4. Wide Angle and Zoom

Settings: ISO 100, 25mm, ss1/125, f/8.0

Location: Muriel O. Ponsler Memorial State Wayside

1. Location Scouting - I use a few different methods to find places to take landscape photos, here are some of them:

• iPhone Apps - I love National, State and Local Parks for taking photos and I use Oh Ranger! to find ones near where I am. I also use the built in Maps app to find and navigate to parks. Yelp is great for when I find a park to find reviews and secrets about the park. 
• Google Images - I often find inspiration by searching images and find places I want to explore. I will type in an area I want to explore or a time of day I want to capture to find my inspiration.
• Go for a Drive - My favorite way to find places to photograph is to get in my car and drive. To go down the roads I drive by on a regular basis and never have time to explore or to go to unfamiliar places with no agenda or destination in mind.

Settings: ISO 100, 18mm, ss1/200, f/13

Location: Wheeler, Oregon

Settings: ISO 200, 50mm, ss1/100, f/7.1 

Location: Longview, Washington

2. Be ready to walk and hike - Many of my favorite landscape shots have been off the most obvious trail or have been discovered by walking around just one more corner. I love the discoveries of what is just beyond the bend.

ISO 200, 18mm, ss1/40, f/11 (sunlight wb)

Location: Lincoln City, OR - Siletz Bay

3. Get above it all - There is nothing better than seeing the landscape from a vista to capture the vastness of the land. While I am in no way the best at composition for these shots, I love the feel of being high above and looking out over it all. Finding these vistas is often a matter of just exploring back roads and taking turns that look like they might lead to higher ground.

Settings: ISO 100, 18mm, ss1/250, f/11

Location: Cliff View Restaurant overlooking the Port of Tacoma

4. Wide Angle and Zoom - It is somewhat of an assumption that you should use the widest angle lens you have to take landscape shots and often I agree. However, I am a firm believer in the power of perspective and I feel that sometimes zooming in on a part of the landscape can produce a beautiful picture.

Settings: ISO 100, 50mm, ss1/200, f/11

Location: Grayland State Park

Settings: ISO 100, 36mm, ss1/100, f/14

Location: Cannon Beach, Oregon

“One of the functions of landscape it to correspond to, nurture, and provoke exploration of the landscape of the imagination. Space to walk is also space to think, and I think that's one thing landscapes give us: places to think longer, more uninterrupted thoughts or thoughts to a rhythm other than the staccato of navigating the city.”  ― Rebecca Solnit

I would love to see your landscape and/or sunburst photos and your own tips and tricks. Please share them on my Facebook page!

Tones on Tuesday #37 07.03.12

I cannot believe that June is over! The school year ended, I closed down my classroom and said good bye to another group of students. It is always bitter sweet and usually comes with an illness of some sort. Hence, the reason there was no Tones on Tuesday last week as my body adjusted to the change in lifestyle.

I have big plans this summer for the blog and my photography, including regular posting and keeping up Tones on Tuesday. So without further ado, here are the six photos from the last link up. Thank you for sharing your talent and beautiful photos!

Elena at Cropped Stories

What an adorable little girl and a beautiful photo! The softness of the black and white works perfectly with her curious expression. Thank you for sharing Elena!

Desirae at The Not So Ugly Ducklings

I love how the HDR effect gives such a mood and mystery to this photo. The color and composition are amazing too! Thank you for sharing with us Desirae!

Jaymi at Live, Love, Travel

The detail in this shot is amazing! I love the vantage point and the vibrancy of the colors. I love how Jaymi included information on how she used a polarizing filter to achieve this in her blog post. I am putting it on my list of things to purchase. Thank you for sharing your photo and your information Jaymi!

Mona at Mona's Picturesque

This photo does an amazing job of transporting you to this place and moment. The colors of lovely and the texture adds to the overall feeling of a breezy summer day. Thank you for sharing Mona!

Kelly-Marie at Our Footprints on the World

Could he be any more of a cutie? I of course love the beach backdrop and I love the expression captured. What a great photo! Thank you for sharing Kelly-Marie!

Laurie at Pride in Photos

The title of this photo is "An Aunt's Love" and that is exactly what is captured here. The colors are stunning, the moment priceless and I am so glad you shared it with us Laurie!

Elena, Desirae, Jaymi, Mona, Kelly-Marie and Laurie please go HERE to grab your showcase button.

Now it's your turn to share your photo with altered tones. Here are the guidelines for Tones on Tuesday:

• The basic idea is to share one photo where you have altered the tones. Such as a black and white, sepia toned, selective coloring or colored photo. Feel free to share the original and edit, or just the edit.
• Please share a photo that you have taken and edited yourself.
• One photo per photographer please. If you have more than one photo in your post please indicate which one if for Tones on Tuesday.
• Please link up with your permalink and not your blog address.
• Attach the Tones on Tuesday button or a link back here to your post.
• Leave comments for at least 3 other participants, share the love :o)!
• Have fun!

<center> <a href="http://scatteredhorizons.blogspot.com" target="_self"><img border="0" alt="Scattered Horizons" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH_U2oqLh1UmXZMxfX_WPVaPVWJYh_HuiqvmOJi2frJOmTvsFe8rQPCPuzZfqD9Rm5Lz1E9ijR7i5_09GjPNDZeIcGNOwpU1VlkboGqGPGHxc0q-s28fzb99utdKzU6TvONWyodJtseQ/s1600/tonesontuesday2.jpg"></a> </center>

Disclaimer - By participating you give Scattered Horizons permission to share your photo on this blog. Photographers will be given credit for their work.

I mentioned last time that I went to a place called the Quincy Wildlife Recreation Area in Eastern Washington near where I went to college. It is no secret that I love sunset photos, but my comfort zone with sunsets is the beach. I always fall into a rhythm that provides me with a sense of success. However, I have lately been wanting to experiment with sunsets and branch out from my typical scenery. Not only was the Qunicy Wildlife Recreation Area an amazing place filled with a ton of lakes and amazing wildlife, it was also the perfect opportunity to stretch myself. I shared another sunset photo taken on the way home here, but this photo was taken in the park before the sun had really begun to set.  My goal was to capture the sunburst and the color and texture of the sky. I had to brighten this up and do some work on the colors to make the sky pop the way it did in reality. I am very happy with how the serenity of the moment is portrayed in the photo, but I am a little unsure of the processing. I would love to know your thoughts!

Settings: ISO 200, 29mm, ss1/160, f/25 (sunlight wb)

"Once we believe in ourselves, we can risk curiosity, wonder, spontaneous delight, or any experience that reveals the human spirit." -  E. E. Cummings

Joining the link ups below. Be sure to check out the beautiful shots and join the Tones on Tuesday link up found further down!