That’s just what I do. I’m following the light.
Whether it’s early in the morning while chasing a sunrise, or late at night when I’m watching that golden orb dip into the horizon…
I’m following the light!
To all my friends and family here’s my Christmas wish for you:
May the light of Christ be a beacon.
Not only during this Christmas season,
But for the whole year long!
Merry Christmas !
You know the old saying…
“You can’t see the forest for the trees”.
Well, the other day, I had trouble seeing anything beyond this one tree. Every time I tried to focus on something else, I ended back at this one tree. There was just something about the solitude of this tree just standing out there all by it’s lonesome.
But the beauty of it all, I didn’t need to see anything else. For me, this was gorgeous!
Make sure you head on over to Sweet Shot Tuesday and check out the rest of the entries.
While ogling over the other beautiful entries, make sure you show some blog love and leave a comment or two.
Until next time. . .
OK, maybe not a tequila sunrise, but most definitely a coffee sunrise!
It’s been quite a while since I took off in search of the perfect sunrise. This week kind of demanded that I take some time for myself. It seems that forces beyond my control were at work, and I was helpless. So, to remedy the ugliness of the week, I decided I needed a sunrise.
For me, a sunrise is a time of reflection, a time for warmth, and a time to start over. That’s what I did yesterday. I reflected on the ugliness and how it affected me, and how I was ugly to those around me. I was warmed by the sunlight and reminded of the warmth and love that my God provides. Last but not least, I declared the day a new start. A start over, with the intentions to do the right thing!
For your viewing pleasure, just a few shots from my epiphany of the day!
| ISO 100 18mm f/11 355 second exposure | ISO 100 18mm f/11 207 second exposure |
I think the 2 photos above are the longest exposures I‘ve ever done.
Look at that glassy smoothed water!!!
The filter I’m using is a B+W 110 ( 10 stop filter). The thing is so dark, you need to meter for light and focus before you put the thing on! At that point you need to figure out how long of an exposure you need. At first I created a spread sheet that gave me the appropriate time needed according to what light was metered. Kind of time consuming, but it worked.
Then I found this great app on ITunes for my IPod Touch. It’s an ND Timer that tells me exposure time based on available light, and also sounds an alarm when the time is complete. Cool!
Well, that’s it for today.
Until next time…
Well, that’s it for this today, until next time…
A while back I won a contest over at Sweet Shot Tuesday. My prize, a two week online course teaching the technical aspects of night time photography. Now all of my regular readers know I ♥ a good sunrise. I mean, come on, there is nothing like the warmth of the sun and the beginning of a new day to refresh your spirits. OK, a good cup of coffee usually does the same thing. So, when I’m shooting a sunrise, I have my coffee too. It’s the best of both worlds!
My instructor for this class is Kent Weakley, and you could not ask for a better teacher. He not only explains things in technical terms, but he has a way that has even helped me understand them. Shoot guys, the Dummies book series was written with me in mind! I would highly recommend that you look this guy up. Especially if you want to learn something! You can follow him at the following links:
Facebook ~ Photography by Kent Weakley
Twitter ~ KW_Daddio
Blog ~ Photography by Kent Weakley Learning Understanding Sharing
Website ~ Photography by Kent Weakley
There’s definitely some things I would do different next time. For example, once I find the settings that work, sticking with them. Also, make sure it is legal for me to be on the bridge! It seems they were re-sealing the walking part of the bridge, and I was trespassing. Once the police showed up, they asked me if I knew what the orange barrels, yellow caution tape, and the chain link fence meant?
They were very cool with it, and even commented that it was an awesome spot to take photos!
Live and learn, that’s what I say!
Until next time :~)
Sometimes that’s just the way I feel.
I want to shout from the bottom of my lungs,
“Hey you guys…wait up!”
Not always mind you, but sometimes it seems like there is no one around, and they’ve all flown the coop, and you are all alone. Today I’m home all alone nursing a runny nose, a sore throat, a fever and an incessant cough. Normally my wife is here pushing nursing me back to health. But this week she is in Oklahoma and I miss her dearly. Luckily for me, she comes home tomorrow…YIPPEE!!!!
So what do I do when I don’t feel good? I play on the computer editing photos and bloggin, or at least for a little while anyway. Then I just need to get away from it all and watch TV. Let’s see, I’ve watched the last 3 episodes of The Good Wife, and the last 4 episodes of The Walking Dead.
Anyway, that’s about it for today. If you get a chance, head on over to Love That Shot and check out the rest of the entries this week! Michelle and Misti have a wonderful blog/site that’s full of all kinds of information and resources for the photographer!
Adios!
Been a while since I’ve participated in Fix It Friday over at I ♥ Faces. It was really nice to see the photo loaded up early this week. Today is Wednesday, and I’m home nursing a runny nose, sore throat, and an incessant cough, and what better way to heal thyself with a good old photo edit! OK, now you know I’m really weird!
SOOC
So todays photo comes from Dana Suggs over at Dana Suggs Photography. Make sure you check out her site and her photography work. I really enjoy perusing sites like this, it feels my mind with ideas for upcoming photo shoots! Anyway, the photo above is SOOC (straight out of camera). No editing has been done to it.
Completed in Lightroom 3:
* Set white balance to auto
*Highlight recovery +16
*Black clipping +17
*Clarity +43
*Vibrance +41
*Sharpening +41
Completed in Lightroom 3:
*Cropped
*Brush adjustments-brighten eyes
*Switched to photo shop at this point
Completed in Photoshop CS5 Extended:
*Nichole Vans Color Pop Action
*Florabella Luxe – Glam Action @ 29% opacity
Completed in Photoshop CS5 Extended: with Alien Skin Bokeh 2 Plugin:
*Created a selection of child using quick selection tool in Photoshop
*Ran Alien Skin Bokeh 2 Plugin using a Nikon 50mm 1.4 lens effect with a half planer.
Final version
Edit #5 completed in Photoshop:
*Elizabeth Halford tutorial explaining how to work with Florabella frames and paper.
Well that’s it for this week, and guess what? I do feel better!
So maybe I need to do a little more blogging and photo editing! Until next time :~)
These are the days of Elijah,
Declaring the Word of the Lord.
And these are the days of Your servant Moses,
Righteousness being restored.
And though these are days of great trials
Of famine and darkness and sword.
Still we are the voice in the desert crying
Prepare ye the way of the Lord.
Behold He comes riding on the clouds,
Shining like the sun at the trumpet call,
Lift your voice it's the year of Jubilee,
Out of Zion's hill salvation comes.
And these are the days of Ezekiel,
The dry bones becoming as flesh.
And these are the days of Your servant David,
Rebuilding a temple of praise.
And these are the days of the harvest,
The fields are as white in your e world.
And we are Your laborers in Your vineyard,
Declaring the Word of the Lord.
Behold He comes riding on the clouds,
Shining like the sun at the trumpet call,
Lift your voice it's the year of Jubilee,
Out of Zion's hill salvation comes.
This last weekend I attended an event that has been going on for 146 years. Now I’m 51 and had never even heard of this happening until just a few days ago. The event I’m speaking of is the 146th anniversary of the Battle of Franklin. From what I’ve been told, this was the bloodiest and worst loss for the Confederate States of America. Well, every year to honor the fallen soldiers of this battle, the city of Franklin lights 10,000 luminaries on the Eastern flank of the battlefield. It was a pretty impressive display to view, and to think that each candle represented a life that was lost.
During this skirmish, over 7000 Confederate soldiers and 2500 Union soldiers lost their life. The Carnton plantation (upper right corner of the photo below) became a field hospital. When you take the tour of the planation, you can still see the blood stained floors in the house. After the battle was over, and the Union troops moved on to Nashville, Confederate General John B. Hood gave orders for the dead to be buried by regiment. The markers below are laid out by state. Over 1450 soldiers were buried in the field beside the plantation, while more of them are buried at the Stones River Battlefield site. To see the re-enactors move through the cemetery during twilight this last weekend was truly an awe inspiring and touching tribute!
Well, that’s about it for this weeks Sweet Shot Tuesday. Jump on over to Darcy’s site and show some love. She does an awesome job of educating, motivating and inspiring me on a daily basis!
With this week being Thanksgiving, I am reminded that we should be thankful for all we have and do! Me, I’m thankful everyday for the little things. I heard this statement once from a youth pastor at a retreat, about a million years ago, “If God can’t trust you with the little things in life, how can He bless you with the big things”. My life is a little thing in the scheme of things. It’s the little things that I’m thankful for. What about you?
Marvelous Mocha Cheesecake
Crust
1 box of 100 calorie Oreo Wafers crushed
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup SPLENDA® No Calorie Sweetener, Granulated
Filling
3 (8 ounce) packages reduced-fat cream cheese
3/4 cup SPLENDA® No Calorie Sweetener, Granulated
2 eggs
2 egg whites
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/4 teaspoons instant espresso crystals
2 (.55 ounce) packages Sugar-Free Swiss Miss Instant Cocoa Mix
Directions
1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2) Mix crust ingredients together, and press into a 9-inch springform pan. Place pan on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool to room temperature.
3) Reset oven temperature to 325 degrees F.
4) Beat cream cheese and SPLENDA® Granulated Sweetener together until well mixed and smooth. Add eggs, egg whites, cornstarch and salt. Mix until smooth. Add sour cream and vanilla; mix until well blended.
5) Measure 1/2 cup of the cheesecake batter and pour into a small bowl. Add instant espresso crystals and cocoa mix. Stir until well combined.
6) Pour half of plain batter over crust. Top with half of the coffee batter by placing rounded spoonfuls over the cheesecake batter. Gently swirl the coffee batter into plain batter with the tip of knife or spatula. Repeat with remaining batters.
7) Bake 45-50 minutes or until center is almost set. Remove from oven and gently run metal spatula around rim of pan to loosen cheesecake (this helps prevent cracking).
8)Let cool 20-25 minutes before covering and placing in the refrigerator. Refrigerate 4- 6 hours or overnight before serving. 16 servings.
Nutrition Info (per serving)
Calories 200
Calories from Fat 120
Protein 7g
Fat 13g (sat 8g)
Carbohydrate 14g
Fiber 0g
Cholesterol 65mg
Sodium 270mg
Sugar 4g
Never Alone
As the new dawn breaks,
A new day has begun.
Alone I stand,
Before your glorious Son.
For today is just beginning,
Time for a new start.
Alone I stand,
With Your word on my heart.
Your Son breaks forth,
Providing warmth for my face.
Alone I stand,
Preparing for the race.
As the day moves on,
I glance toward the sky.
Alone I stand,
As You reside on high.
As the sun sets low,
And the light disappears.
Never alone I stand,
Because You are here ♥!
Make sure you stop by I ♥ Faces for the rest of this weeks “Silhouette Challenge”, and show some love to the other entries!
That’s it for today, until next time!
A couple of weeks ago, I participated in the “Making Strides Against Breast Cancer” walk in Nashville, TN. All I can say is “WOW!!! What a wonderful and fulfilling event.
We walked in honor of one of my co-workers who was diagnosed with breast cancer last year. Over the past year we have supported Gloria through her chemo treatments and surgery, and now as a survivor! I also walked in honor of my mom, Mama Jo and my neighbor Valerie, who are also breast cancer survivors. But I walked for the memory of those who have succumbed to the deadly disease!
Like I said, what a wonderful event this was. When I arrived, the fog starting drifting in and I was worried. It was cold, damp, foggy and not turning into a fun day. Guess what? I was wrong. By the time the walk started, the beauty of the day shined through. The fog burned off, the dampness dried up, and the temperature moved into a comfortable temp that was just perfect for a 5 mile walk through the city!
I will say this, I cheated! I did not walk the pre-destined route for the walk…I walked more! As the walkers, all 18,000 of them, went one way, I tried to stay a little ahead of them. If was so much fun to get to a corner and have people ask how I got there before them ? I gave them answers like: “That was my twin back there”, or “It was the Starbucks I drank before the walk” or, “I’m just trying to find the nearest bathroom”.
People were screaming and yelling every time they saw the “pink bearded guy”. I loved it, I had my own fan club. I think I had my picture taken about 100 times!
One of the most fun things about the walk were the way people were dressed! I think I saw more shades of pink that day than I have seen in my entire life. And the names of the teams, funny! Here were a few of my favorites:
“BFF ~ Breast Friends Forever” (This was the team I was on)
“Team Mochas ~ A feel a day, keeps the ta-ta’s in play”
“Boot Scootin’ Boobies”
“These Boobs were made for walking”
“I’m walking with “A’s”,”B’s” and “Double D’s”
Well, that’s about it for this post, until next time ☺
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