Photo walkabout...

Yesterday I went for a photo clinic, and the instructor did not show. I guess the wind and snow deterred him so instead of standing around, or leaving like a few people did I decided to soldier on...I dressed for the weather and I had committed the time so why not.  By the end I had walked 3 km and it was the slowest 3 km walk I think I have ever done as it took almost 2 hours. I would have gone again in the other direction for more photos (176 in total in that 3 km) but I only had 1 camera battery and it was finished...note to self...buy couple more batteries to keep on hand.

My goal was to take some nature pictures, working with both telephoto and macro lenses and a variety of settings to see what I could get.  My camera is a Nikon D3200 and I love it...I love that the guide book is in the camera...I love the picture quality and I love the results - this is my first camera that is not a point and shoot and it has met and exceeded all my expectations.

Below are some of my pictures from yesterday and  description of "what" I was doing and where I know it the "why" as well. At present all these photos are unedited.

So this was taken with my telephoto lens at about 150 feet. This is better than I saw them with my eyes and I have 20/20 vision.  I set the shutter speed to 1/2000 as I had hoped I could get them to fly off...they didn't but notice the ripples in the water.

In this picture (again telephoto) I was attempting to use nature to frame the steeple at St. Joe's...no it is not meant as a statement of nature vs. religion or any such nonsense - I just thought it was an interesting point of view shot.

With this next one I was noticing the colours...the reds, the yellows, the browns and grays and thought that would be a great painting...gotta say I really like this shot. The colours would go so good in my house...I may have to get this one blown up and printed on canvas. This photo was taken with a change in perspective from the usual standing perspective meaning I squatted to get on the same plane as the top of the grasses - I think it works... (again telephoto)

The next one is not a pretty picture - it was just an attempt to capture the flow of water 1/2000 shutter speed - I think that is so cool and I can't wait to take this camera to Jasper and the Maligne Canyon trail and Athabasca Falls this summer...gonna be some AMAZING photos!!! (telephoto)











Here I was trying to use the arrangement of the photo (telephoto), with all the snow at the bottom and large cranes at the top to illustrate distance and size - it will be interesting to see how that view changes once the new hospital is built...














Ohhhh...another sign of spring....

...buds on the poplar trees (macro lens) at less than 2 feet.  I love how it blurred the background and brings the buds into sharp focus.

I spent a good 10 minutes watching a couple of crows play in the wind, while they played I played with camera settings mostly shutter speed this is 1/2000.  Notice the wind tips - still a little blurry... (telephoto)

And while that damn post jumped into my picture the setting on the shutter speed was 1/4000 and notice the wing tips this time...this has some advantages for sure...just have to be more aware of posts/obstacles in my field of view...if I had just thought to step in front of it...





First the ducks...now the Canada geese...

and here ends my first photo field trip...I think getting out and playing with my camera will be the best way to  learn the settings and figure out what I want to do with it.

Namaste,

Amber