Monday, December 17, 2012

Tones on Tuesday #58 12.18.12

I tend to try to keep my work life and my blogging/photography life separate and only mention the fact that I am a teacher occasionally. Today, however, I feel as though I want to take a moment to express what the events of Friday have meant to me. It is hard to put into words the way it feels as a teacher to realize that what happened in Newtown, CT could have happened in any school including mine. I saw this on Facebook and feel it summarizes exactly how I feel as a teacher every day and especially at this time:

"To those who aren't educators, this may be hard to understand: Five days a week, we teach your kids. That means we educate your kids. Play with your kids. Discipline your kids. Joke with your kids. Console your kids. Praise your kids. Question your kids. Beat our heads up against a wall about your kids. Gush over your kids. Laugh with your kids. Worry about your kids. Keep an eye on your kids. Learn about your kids. Invest in your kids. Protect your kids. Love your kids... We would all take a bullet for your kids. It's nowhere in our job description. It isn't covered in the employee handook. It isn't cited in our contracts. But we would all do it. So yes, please hug your kids tonight, really, really tight. But on Monday, if you see your kids teacher, hug them too." - Author Unknown

To all the families of Sandy Hook Elementary who lost a child or a loved one or who endured that horrible day...to all the teachers who did their job and did everything they could to keep their students safe...to all the first responders - "the good guys" - who saw what they saw and did what they did, my thoughts are with you all.

I debated whether or not to do Tones on Tuesday today as I wasn't sure we were up for it, but I feel as though connecting with you through your photography is my way of continuing to move forward. And that is the only thing I can do. With that said, here are the showcases from last week and please note that this link up will be open for 2 weeks as I will not be putting a new one up due to Christmas. Feel free to link up more than once. Happy Holidays!

Mona at Mona's Picturesque
This looks like a Christmas card! I makes me want to go there and just stand in the quiet. Thank you for sharing Mona.

I love the snow against the blue sky, there is something vibrant and yet still about it. A beautiful combination! Thank you for sharing Yolanda. 

Ritva at Ritva's Art
Beautiful catchlights, lovely softness in the black and white and a wonderful expression captured. Thank you for sharing your photo Ritva. 


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

Settings: ISO 1600, 100mm, ss1/6, f/2.8 (on tripod)
"I hope that I serve by being a teacher." - Jenna Bush

Joining the link ups below. Be sure to check out the beautiful shots and join the Tones on Tuesday link up found further down!
 Sweet Shot Tuesday with Kent Weakley   and then, she {snapped} Weekly Top Shot 

Monday, December 10, 2012

Tones on Tuesday #57 12.11.12

Leovi at La Fotografia Efectista Abstracta
I love the softness of this image. The colors and texture have such a dreamy quality. Thank you for sharing Leovi!


Maboe
What gorgeous sparkle! I love the sunbursts. Thank you for linking up Maboe!

What an adorable photo! I love the depth of field and the mischievous expression. Thank you for sharing!

Leovi, Maboe and Life with Kaishon 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!
Disclaimer - By participating you give Scattered Horizons permission to share your photo on this blog. Photographers will be given credit for their work.

Usually it takes me a long time to find my holiday spirit. This weekend my family and I did decorations and I headed to the snow again. I think I found my holiday spirit early! There is something about decorations and snow that speaks of the season. Here is a macro from Steven's Pass. 

Settings: ISO 1600, 100mm, ss1/500, f/5.6
"The snow itself is lonely or, if you prefer, self-sufficient. There is no other time when the whole world seems composed of one thing and one thing only." - Joseph Wood Krutch

Joining the link ups below. Be sure to check out the beautiful shots and join the Tones on Tuesday link up found further down!
 Sweet Shot Tuesday with Kent Weakley   and then, she {snapped}





Monday, December 3, 2012

Tones on Tuesday #56 12.4.12


It was impossible to pick just 3 photos from last week. What amazing photography and amazingly talented photographers you are! I am awed by your images and grateful that you choose to share them here at Tones on Tuesday. Thank you! So, I decided to pick 5 photos. I hope you don't mind :o). 

The softness of the black and white works so well with the thoughtful expression captured. Thank you for sharing your beautiful photo with us Sarah!

Shiju at Cranium Bolts
What amazing color and clarity! I love the shape of the water droplets. Stunning photo Shiju, thank you for sharing it here!

Tamar at Random-osity
The juxtaposition of the constructed building and the natural plants is lovely and played up by the beautiful life. Thank you for linking up with your wonderful photo Tamar!

Love the black and white of this adorable little guy! The catchlights in his eyes are exquisite and I love the lights in the tree in the background. Thank you for sharing your stunning photo with us Jaymi!

The way the light shines through the bee is just beautiful! What a stunning capture LeiShell, thank you for sharing it here!

Sarah, Shiju, Tamar, Jaymi and LeiShell 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!
Disclaimer - By participating you give Scattered Horizons permission to share your photo on this blog. Photographers will be given credit for their work.

This weekend my family and I went to our favorite tree farm to pick out our Christmas tree. Afterward my mom and I headed up to Snoqualmie Pass to spend some time in the snow. I was able to use the macro lens a bit more thanks to my rain cover, the best Christmas gift ever! Here are two shots I was able to capture. I am a bit disappointed in the second one as my focal point was a bit off. However, I love the composition of it and am still getting the hang of focusing with a lens that is macro and does not have image stabilization. 

Settings: ISO 1600, 100mm, ss1/400, f/2.8

Settings: ISO 1600, 100mm, ss1/320, f/2.8
"The true secret of happiness lies in taking a genuine interest in all the details of daily life." - William Morris

Joining the link ups below. Be sure to check out the beautiful shots and join the Tones on Tuesday link up found further down!
 Sweet Shot Tuesday with Kent Weakley    and then, she {snapped}




Sunday, December 2, 2012

Style Tips and Tricks: What Have I Been Shooting Lately?

I thought for my tips and tricks post this week that I would share what I have been shooting lately - a mix of sunset shots, landscapes and macros - and what I have been pondering. Lately, I have been wondering a lot about my style. I must say that I have a great deal of learning and growing to do before I am specifically able to define my style. However, I wanted to share a few things I have discovered about it so far.

1. True to Life - Don't get me wrong, I love presets, textures and other techniques that drastically change a photo from what was seen. However, I feel most accomplished and fulfilled when I am able to produce a photo that is as close to what I saw in reality as possible. 

2. Vibrant and Saturated - I love for my pictures to have vibrant and rich colors. At times I over saturate and use the vibrance a bit too much in my editing, something I am working on, but I feel that the world is full of such amazing color and I want my photos to show that. 

3. Details and The Big Picture - With the new addition of a macro lens I now find myself wanting to capture not only the big picture of the landscape, but also the little details. A variety of perspectives is something that is important to me in life and in photography. 

4. The Feeling of a Place - My goal has evolved as I have taken more and more pictures from capturing what I see to capturing the feeling of what I see. One of the things I love about travel is that each place I visit leaves me with a lasting feeling, whether it be the serenity of the beach or the awe inspiring beauty of a sunset, I always walk away with something. I strive to communicate that feeling in my photos. 

The concept of style has been elusive to me and I have only started to understand it as I have discovered photographers who inspire me who have a distinct style - something that makes me know a picture was taken and edited by them. I don't think I have that yet, but I am moving in the right direction :o). 

I would love to hear how your search for your photography style is going. Feel free to share in the comments or on the Facebook page!

Settings: ISO 400, 50mm, ss1/125, f/16
Location: Astoria, Oregon Riverwalk

Settings: ISO 800, 50mm, ss1/400, f/16
Location: Astoria, Oregon Riverwalk

Settings: ISO 400, 100mm, ss1/400, f/6.3
Location: Fort Stevens State Park

Settings: ISO 400, 50mm, ss1/640, f/10
Location: Fort Stevens State Park

Settings: ISO 400, 100mm, ss1/250, f/6.3
Location: Fort Stevens State Park

Settings: ISO 800, 50mm, ss1/1250, f/14
Location: Nisqually Wildlife Refuge

Settings: ISO 1600, 100mm, ss1/400, f/2.8
Location: The Summit at Snoqualmie Pass 


Settings: ISO 1600, 100mm, ss1/320, f/2.8
Location: The Summit at Snoqalmie Pass
“My life is shaped by the urgent need to wander and observe, and my camera is my passport.” – Steve McCurry


Coming up in the next few weeks for Tips and Tricks - 
1. My favorite iPhone and iPad Photography Apps (I will also be hosting a giveaway for the apps I feature)
2. My favorite photography blogs and photographers
3. Is there something you want to know about? Just let me know!