What was I thinkin?

spell check

Spell check doesn't always do a great job. A few people have noticed one of my short comings (lack of  ability to remember the meanings of then and than.) I have to look it up every time I use either word. I don't know why I can't seem to remember which is which. Does anyone have a memory trick for me?

Speaking of memory tricks - I have one for remembering desert vs dessert. (Dessert has two S's because you always want a second helping.) But, this memory trick didn't stop me from writing Dessert Botanical Gardens in my last post! (I think I fixed it.)

There is also the issue of typos. I've discovered that my right hand is a little quicker "on the draw" than my left hand, which causes problems like writing form when I intended to write from. Both are legitimate words; so, spell check doesn't alert me to the issue.

May I offer a big apology to all those who cringe when they come across bad grammar and missed spelled words. I hope you will find a way to overlook my flaws. : ) I try to fix them as soon as I (or another) notices the mistakes.

Have you ever seen...

An artichoke plant?

This artichoke was taller then I am.

If you have never been to the desert in the spring, consider putting that on your list of "things to do."

Several years ago Kevin and I went to a family reunion in Arizona. I discovered there is a Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix and in usual form gathered my family to go see it one morning at 7 AM (it was 10 AM EST). I was hooked upon arrival.  I had always considered the desert sort of a "wasteland" this botanical garden proved me wrong!

There is a feeling of reverence that comes with all carefully and lovingly tended gardens. You'll find people scattered throughout the gardens reading, meditating, and soaking in the "stillness."  In the desert this seems to be particularly true. May be it is the presence of life blossoming in harsh conditions?

When I heard that the cactus would be blooming, while we were in Mesa attending the CKC, (Thank you Sue!) I insisted that we had to return to the desert garden.

We were there when it opened at 8 AM. (It will open at 7:00 AM May - September) It was pure delight! They had expanded the garden. They added a beautiful new entry area, opened a new cafe, and created an enclosed butterfly exhibit.

Among the cactus, we saw a variety of birds, desert critters, and ate at the cafe.

Scene from our outdoor cafe table.

I am all ready looking forward to going back next spring.

An artichoke plant?

This artichoke was taller then I am.

If you have never been to the desert in the spring, consider putting that on your list of "things to do."

Several years ago Kevin and I went to a family reunion in Arizona. I discovered there is a Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix and in usual form gathered my family to go see it one morning at 7 AM (it was 10 AM EST). I was hooked upon arrival.  I had always considered the desert sort of a "wasteland" this botanical garden proved me wrong!

There is a feeling of reverence that comes with all carefully and lovingly tended gardens. You'll find people scattered throughout the gardens reading, meditating, and soaking in the "stillness."  In the desert this seems to be particularly true. May be it is the presence of life blossoming in harsh conditions?

When I heard that the cactus would be blooming, while we were in Mesa attending the CKC, (Thank you Sue!) I insisted that we had to return to the desert garden.

We were there when it opened at 8 AM. (It will open at 7:00 AM May - September) It was pure delight! They had expanded the garden. They added a beautiful new entry area, opened a new cafe, and created an enclosed butterfly exhibit.

Among the cactus, we saw a variety of birds, desert critters, and ate at the cafe.

Scene from our outdoor cafe table.

I am all ready looking forward to going back next spring.

Random Comment winner

Congratulations Shari and Jackie

Shari said:

When is it spring?  Not exactly on March 21, not when its warm for a day or when the sun is out.
Spring is the day that I come home and there is one single daffodil on the counter in a vase. The brightest yellows and greens born of the soil and love of Mother Nature. The FIRST daffodil that my husband sees growing wild on the way home from work.
It's worth the wait.  Still waiting....

And, since I could not resist her post, we have a second winner...

Jackie said:

I'm 35 years old.

I love to play ice hockey. In fact, I am the only woman on an otherwise all-male team. I'm only 5'3", but I can hold my own. Last night we just won our division championships. We're #1!!

But, my feminine side comes out with my other love: Scrapbooking.
Often, I've got my hockey gear and my crop stuff packed into my trunk. Ready for action.
How's that for diverse interests and random info?!

Both ladies will receive a Custom Monogram Kit of their choice!

CKC Mesa, Arizona April 18-19

The boxes have been packed and shipped!

Soon, Kevin and I will also be on our way to Mesa, Arizona!

I really love the Phoenix area. Some of my favorite Mosaics were made with photos taken at the Desert Botanical Garden (near the zoo) in Phoenix. The landscape is just beautiful there and when you add the unique plants and architecture it makes for some gorgeous scenery to create photo mosaics!

Kevin and I are looking forward to meeting many of you in class - we are going to have a lot of fun! We have a surprise or two in store (I'd tell you but, that would ruin the surprise!)  Just know, that we are determined for you to walk away from class feeling both educated and inspired!

Please bring:

• Herma Dotto Removable adhesive (we will try to have a few on hand for purchase for those who can't locate the Herma brand; however, our supplies will be limited.) Scrapbook Pal usually sells the adhesive (for a great price.) Those who plan to take the class on Friday can buy it in their booth.
• Also bring your metal ruler with cork backing and
• craft knife or rotary cutter - (we will have a few tools on hand to borrow if someone is missing an item.)

This pink dispenser is one of many dispenser color options for Herma Dotto Removable adhesive. The main thing to look for is the word "Removable" - because they also have permanent - and, unfortunately,  the packaging looks pretty much the same.

If you can't find Herma another option is 3L E-Z Dots in a one time use only (disposable) dispenser:

Camera News - Introducing the Nikon P80 Superzoom

Not ready for an SLR but you want more flexibility in your camera?
Check out the Nikon P80.

Program, Shutter-Priority, Aperture-Priority and Manual Exposure Modes give you ultimate control over your pictures. The D-SLR-type mode dial on the top of the camera provides quick access to this greater personal and creative control. Now, you can adjust the camera's settings for any type of lighting conditions and get as creative as you want.

The Coolpix P80 will be available this month -MSRP of $399.99.

FYI - I do not get paid for this, I just like their cameras. : )

Shutter Speed

Which shutter speed you choose can have a big impact on your photos. If you're taking pictures of moving objects, you can decide to show the motion by shooting at 15 or 50 or you can decide to "freeze the action" by shooting at 500 or 1000. (1000 will stop all but the very fastest motion - won't stop an airplane propeller, but it will stop a baseball).

I think the best way to explain the difference shutter speed choice can make is to show you.

Compare the following examples:

I like taking pictures of water. It is a subject where shutter speed really shows off. There are times when stopping water in action can look really cool; but, sometimes showing the flow is much more appealing. Both of the above photos were taken with an ISO of 100. The first photo was taken with a slow shutter speed of  1/15 (aperture 16). The second photo was taken with a faster shutter speed of 1/250 (aperture 4).

I took the above photos in the morning on a foggy day. The brighter it is outside, the harder it will be to get a shot of "flowing water."

Taking good photos at an amusement park can really keep you on your toes. Photos of a swing ride offer another scenario of shutter speed choice priority.

The question is, do you want to show the motion or stop the action?

The top photo was taken with a shutter speed of 1/50. The bottom photo was taken with a shutter speed of 1/500. The top photo is an action blur - the bottom stopped the action.

You may have noticed how much darker the bottom photo is. This is where ISO comes in to play - these photos were both taken at an ISO of 100. In order to stop the action, at the same time getting a brighter photo, change the ISO from 100 to 200 or 400 (or wait for brighter lighting!)

Your camera is sort of like a child, the best way to really get to know and love your camera is to spend quality time with it.

Assignment:

Find some time to spend alone with your camera. Take your camera somewhere scenic, a botanical garden, a theme park...  a place with both beauty and movement would be great! Make sure it is just you and your camera so you won't have any distractions.

When you get to that scenic place, take tons of pictures.  Play with your shutter speed. Learn how to stop the action and learn how to let it flow. Make a series of adjustments and notice the changes.

Q. Would you like to share the results of your shutter speed assignment with others? E-mail or comment and let me  know.

Next time: Aperture.

EXPOSURE

Photography is all about exposure.

If your shot is exposed too long the photograph will be washed out.  If the shot is exposed too short the photograph will appear too dark.

In deciding how much light is needed for correct exposure, your camera employs a light meter that measures the amount of light reflecting from the subject. Taking into account the ISO (or speed of the film), it then sets the camera's controls for the optimum exposure.

In a low light situation your camera will want to use a slower shutter speed - but that may cause "the blur."

In a bright situation your camera may want to go into "aperture lock down," but, you might not have intended to create a silhouette of your subject.

The more familiar you are with how your camera works, the more creative control you will have.

There are three things that control exposure:

• ISO sensitivity - ISO affects how receptive the digital sensor will be to light. ISO controls the granularity/noise of the picture.


• Shutter speed - the amount of time the sensor (or film) is exposed to light.  It affects aspects of the image like "the blur" and for long focal lengths, sharpness.


• Aperture - the size of the lens opening that lets light into the camera. Aperture controls the amount of light hitting the sensor in a given amount of time. It also affects the depth of field, and overall sharpness of the picture.

One of the beautiful things about digital cameras is ISO flexibility. We used to have to buy a certain speed of film – what we put in the camera (i.e. 100, 200, 400) was what we had to work with. Now we can set the ISO and adapt to changes in lighting – photo by photo if necessary.

ISO is a rating of a sensitivity to light. An ISO of 800 is very sensitive to light, while a ISO 25 is not very sensitive to light. ISO is generally inversely proportional to image quality. Examples:

• You might need a high ISO like 800 to shoot basketball indoors without a flash, but the resulting pictures might be grainy (like a newspaper photo) and the color is not the best.
• If you shoot an ISO 25  you'll find that you have to have full daylight to take a picture, but the resulting images have very good color and very little grain.

The good news about high ISO (bad grainy photos) and new digital cameras is that they have added features to reduce the grain/noise. (So, you can take those basketball photos and not get so much grain/noise.) Just remember that you need to set your camera to the correct ISO - or it will give you "the blur."

Check your camera's manual for more information on setting white balance, ISO sensitivity, or High ISO NR.

Next: Shutter Speed 

Getting to know the Camera

I took my first photography course about 20 years ago. I thought I was taking a class to fill a requirement ; but, in no time at all I was hooked. I used a Cannon AE-1 with a 50 mm lense and a lot of Ilford black and white film. In a more advanced course, the instructor taught us about Ansel Adams' Zone System - that is what really hooked me. I came to a new understanding - that photography can be art.

Cameras are wonderful things, and getting to be more wonderful and more affordable all the time. There was a time when the amateur photographer had two basic choices - SLR or point and click. You either had to know how to use your fully manual camera or you just pointed to the subject, clicked, and got whatever you got. Things have changed - a lot.

There are many kinds of cameras and many different levels of functionalities. It is easy to buy a great camera only to find yourself with "more camera" then you know what to do with.

So, if you are feeling a bit like your camera can do more, I invite you to journey with me in "Getting to know the Camera". I will stick with the basics (using simple terms) and we will see where it goes!

To skip direct to "the camera blogs" just look for the "Getting to know the Camera" under the categories listing on the side bar.

Check back soon for the first in this series of blogs - I'll be talking about Exposure and ISO sensitivity.

...and feel free to ask questions : )

Plug in Cupcakes - comment and win!

Today it is all about being random. So here it goes...

I bought one of those scented plug in things. It isn't actually "cupcake" scented, I think it is supposed to be vanilla; but, what I smell is cupcakes - fresh hot out of the oven cupcakes!

You would think I'd get used to the smell; but, everyday I think someone is baking something sweet in the kitchen. I asked Kevin, "How I am supposed to be excited about eating vegetables when I smell cupcakes?"

Kevin told me that I could replace the air freshner with something that smells like vomit - then I wouldn't want to eat anything!

So, now it is your turn. Tell me something completely random about your life, talk about a smell, or simply comment about cupcakes - it's all up to you!

Comment for a chance to win...a Custom Monogram Page kit (your choice of letter and color!)

Comment close is Monday April 21, 2008 @8:00 AM EST - a random drawing will decide the winner.

So, now it is your turn. Tell me something completely random about your life, talk about a smell, or simply comment about cupcakes - it's all up to you!

Comment for a chance to win...a Custom Monogram Page kit (your choice of letter and color!)

Comment close is Monday April 21, 2008 @8:00 AM EST - a random drawing will decide the winner.

Feeling Good!

Have I mentioned how much I love spring? One of the best things about spring is, it is the beginning of longer, brighter, warmer days!

I have to admit I am feeling pretty good about being "caught up" with the year. It may not last - as things get busier during the summer months; but, with the foundation for my pages all done, I think there is hope for finishing this album as planned!

click on page for larger view.

This month I used a graphic floral stamp from my "clearly spring" stamp collection to create a sunny yellow pattern on the calendar page. I chose just a few of the floral shapes and added the William Lawson quote, "What was paradise but a garden," for an extra touch of green and additional interest.

I had more photos than I had spaces so, I used two half size photos (vs one large photo) to fill the large PaperTile in the bottom left corner of the right page.

FYI - Filling in blank calendar dates with small photos or strips (as shown) is simple using the 1/8 inch grid on your Mosaic Moments Mat - each square is 1 3/8 inch wide by 1 4/8 inch high.

 It is a great time to "spring" for our  "Clearly Spring Stamp"

During our I LOVE SPRING SPECIAL - Clearly Spring ,  reg 14.99 - is 20% off at snapncrop.com ($11.99) through Sunday April 20th.