My first year with the Rebel XS

Last August I purchased my Canon Rebel XS. It's the bottom of the line and I went that way because I thought it would be easier to justify going from a XS to a 50D or 60D than going from a T1i to a 50D or 60D. Not to mention $500 is a lot of money to begin with. So after a year I have the same camera body and kit lens with the 50mm f/1.8 lens. I would like my next purchase to be the Tamron 28-75 f/2.8. I think I'm going to follow a bit of advice and upgrade my glass before my camera body.

To be completely honest the majority of my photography time this past year has been all about getting organized. If you know me, that shouldn't be a surprise. I feel like I have a good backup system and while I am still learning LR3, I am comfortable with the program. I've worked out things with my blogs and I think I have my work flow established. So, after a year, I feel comfortable taking a photo, editing it, backing it up to my external and SmugMug, then watermarking to show all of you on this blog.

The first month or so I did try Av and Tv along with Manual. Now I shoot in Manual only. I'm getting better at knowing what settings (speed, ISO, aperture) I need under different conditions, especially around the house.

This next year I want to really focus on the photography. I feel like I know a lot but haven't had the chance to really apply that understanding. Bottom line, I need to take more pictures!

My focus is soft more than not. First, I need to test my lenses. Then I want to try focus-recompose (I toggle all the time) and back button focusing. Besides focus I also want to work on getting better exposure and white balance in camera. And if not in camera, how to use LR3 to make the correct adjustments. I'm also interested in learning how to create black and white conversions.

I have pulled together some of my favorite photos of this past year. Thanks for looking!

August 2010 (I took almost 900 pictures this first month)

These two were taken the first day.





This on really inspired me and encouraged me to keep learning and trying.





I was proud of the eyes here.


Picnik edit


September 2010

OMG - I was so proud of this photo


October 2010









December 2010

My new 50mm


LOVE!


January 2011

Pine cone macro using 50mm held backwards to camera body.






February 2011



March 2011





April 2011





May 2011







July 2011

First time using GIMP

This is my first time using GIMP. I just downloaded it about an hour and a half ago. My main use for this program is cloning. LR3 doesn't have very good cloning skills so I've been doing my cloning edits in picnik. I wanted to avoid loading twice to the internet. So based on a few recommendations I gave GIMP a try. It's free by the way at gimp.org. I think it will be useful for this particular part of my processing. It's different than picnik in a good way.

I'm happy with the results however the best thing ever would have been to MOVE THE NET!

June Photo Hunt

Updated on July 20th (with pictures) - I don't have everything but what I do have I'm proud of. I'm also ready to get "this" over with and move on. See below for photos :)

Updated on July 1st - Time got the best of me and I have nothing! However, these themes fit in nicely with my plans over the next week or so. I'll share mid month - June photo hunt in July! 

I signed up for the June Photo Hunt! The last time I participated was December. And that was before LR3. I am hoping to really push myself for this one.

1 sun/lens flare: eastern shore on the bay side.


2 a street scene: water tower at sunset.


3 signage: "street" sign in the water.


4 creative crop - no photo.

5 a fountain - no photo.

6 b&w with selective coloring - no photo.

7 cookout/picnic - no photo.

8 body of water: sunset on the eastern shore from the bay side.


9 great outdoors: harvey on the beach.



10 fish: one tooth trout.


11 roughin' it - no photo.

12 a different point of view: This is me, my first weigh-in for a weight loss challenge with some photog friends.

The Paper Mama - Black and White

Black and White is the theme of this week's photo challenge at The Paper Mama. This is from a recent trip to the park. We were on a large seesaw. Harvey was having so much fun. I did edit in LR3 with a LR preset B&W Creative - Look 3.

Follow this link for more entries!

North Carolina Country

We went to a wedding this weekend in North Carolina. Casey was in the wedding so we spent a lot of time at the wedding site. Here are some pictures of the landscape. I really am a city girl but the scenery in the country is so much better. I'm usually stuck with power lines and street signs or not enough space to capture the photo. I love the openness of the country for my camera.

Sunday Scavenger Hunt

Here are my photos for the Sunday Scavenger Hunt. I have a theme this week  - outside.

"Outside" is the word that I hear the most on the weekends. It is accompanied by Harvey's little hand banging the door. "out side, out side, mama." He pronounces the word like it's two - out side. I wish we could spend the whole day outside but it's not quite time yet.

Today I had a whole day to myself...going on twelve hours. So I spent some time outside with my camera. It's been nice but now that I am done with this post, I'm ready for my boys to be home. All these photos were from today.


1. capture the sky - above my home





2. everyday - evergreen





3. furry - lamb's ear





4. life - lilac bud





5. blurred - grass or weed?

Click below for more entries.