Fall on the Farm

After a full day on Saturday including a tea party/fashion show and some birthday shopping with Ani and Grandma we made it home right before dusk. Ani and I headed out with my camera to try to get some pictures of Fall on the farm. Unfortunately the lighting didn't corporate and my flash photography skills are not too strong so I gave up after it got too dark. But I got some okay ones that I thought I'd share. The top one is an impromptu hay ride that Ani got minus all the hay as Dad was moving the trailer. The next one is the best I captured of the foliage. Mom says that they really didn't get very many great color displays this year. In mid October there were a few weeks of vibrant colors which happened to coincide with the stretch of everyday rain so there wasn't much time to enjoy it.

This one is just a shot of the sky that I liked through the trees. It wasn't the best sunset to photograph either but you work with what you are given.














Ani was enjoying setting up my shots and finding the right angles. She kept calling out look at this old abandoned tire, or this old abandoned log, or the old abandoned fence. When she pointed out this weed and called it an old abandoned flower I thought she must be joking but it is the best example of an old abandoned flower I've ever seen.

Mike says that he is over the macro shots but I'm not yet. I just love catching the details and having the crisp image against a fuzzy backdrop seems arty to me. I know I'm definitely a beginning photographer but that's okay. I really didn't start to take pictures until the past year so I'm just a baby in the hobby. I think that macro is a cool way to develop my skills. It forces me to pay attention to all of the details, find the right backdrop, and really pay attention to the composition. As my skills improve I'm sure I'll be able to apply those things to the big picture too but for now I'm happy with capturing the little images.

Now for Some Macro

I thought I would share a few of my favorite closeups from the weekend. I do so love using the macro setting on my camera. It's so important to capture the details and I think a good macro shot is crucial for a good listing on-line. Macro helps the customer to reach out and touch your item in a way. Since they can't really touch it when shopping on-line, as I discussed in this post previously, than we need to help them get an idea of what it would feel like in their hands.

I really love the above scarf. It's made with Noro, my favorite yarn brand. I used what I call my "mistake" stitch. I saw something like it in a magazine on a sweater and I figured out how to get the look through dropped stitches. It gives a ripped or grungey effect that I like. The close up on the black and white scarf shows the drapiness and fullness of the scarf is I think.



This pink and white scarf was a bit of a departure for me. It was done in a simple lace pattern with the white and pink yarns that resemble lace themselves. There is a great shimmer to the yarn that I hope I captured in the shot.

I've started bringing some expired listings back from the dead and listed the cream scarf from yesterday. I'll list some more new items tonight. It was fun to actually list something new for the first time in at least 4 months. I actually got over 30 views on it last night and 1 heart which was a pleasant surprise.

Up Close and Personal

I started this post last week and got distracted but I have just a little more to share about our big trip. I have decided that if we commit to our decision to stay childless than we will be taking a big vacation every 2 years. We'll do some kind of long weekend trip on the off years but every other year we'll plan some kind of big adventure for a few weeks. As long as we can afford it I think it is good for us to get out and explore.

On this trip there was a lot of up close and personal time. We spent a lot of time just the 2 of us which was nice. We also had to stand in a lot of lines up close with people from all over. The most close quarters by far though had to be the Atlantis submarine ride we took in Cozumel. It was Mike's choice of excursion for the day. I am a bit claustrophobic but it was a once in a lifetime experience so I went with it. We were luckily on the end of the row but there were 48 people packed into 2 single rows. Here is a shot I took from my seat of the confined space. We went over 100 feet below the ocean into a coral reef protected park. It was the most blue and clear water you can imagine. We saw fish large and small, a few sting rays, and one diver which was funny. Most of my pictures came out blue and blurry but the diver shot was kind of interesting. We were down there for almost an hour and at least one person got a little too relaxed and made it quite uncomfortable for the rest of us. Yes, there is no where for that smell to go down there.

I also got to know my Macro setting much better. I've had this camera for almost a year now but I am just starting to feel comfortable with it. I really want to take a digital photography class this fall but in the meantime I'm just playing at it. I really love the top flower shot that I took on a nice leisurely walk through New Orleans Garden District. These bottom two I took in Cozumel when I was walking around on my own. There was a garden right in the middle of the pier that was surrounding by cheesy shops. I had spent about 15 minutes taking pictures when a shop owner asked if I wanted him to take a picture of me and I said the flowers were much prettier. He then started chatting me up so I left the flowers and the Pier behind after that. That is the last of the vacation stories and pictures that I'll bore you with!