Saturday, January 10, 2009

Sunday Stills - Closeup/Macro's


Just a few days ago, I ran across Ed's Sunday Stills blog where he poses a weekly photography challenge and gives helpful advice for us would be photographers. I'm going to try to join in with his challenges this year as I can. I'm really looking forward to it and hopefully learning more about techniques and my camera in general. This first weekly challenge that I have joined is closeup/macro pictures. My camera does have a macro setting but I don't know much about it yet. I have read the very small area of my instruction manual that pertains to this setting, but it sure didn't tell me much. My first thought was to take a closeup of the grain in our firewood. I don't have a tripod and don't seem to hold to steady, so all of those came out way to blurry. Next, the marshmallow and chocolate chip topped brownies that I just pulled out of the oven caught my eye, but the winter rainy light inside my house didn't work so well, so I headed Ed's advice and held a piece of Kleenex over my flash to make it not so harsh. That picture turned out okay, but just okay. Not good enough to show off here. I then decided to wander outside and see what I could come up with. The raindrops were glistening and dripping off the end of the rhododendron leaves and I took several shots of a drop hanging precariously on the edge, but that just didn't turn out right either. Finally, I liked how this one turned out, raindrops sitting on the leaves, just not dripping like I'd first envisioned. I also liked the texture of the picture below. This is a little shrub that's in our Secret Garden out back. Yes, I do know that it's Saturday, but I was excited and couldn't wait until Sunday, so these are my Saturday Stills instead.

13 comments:

gtyyup said...

Those are excellent!! Love the rain on the rhododendron bush...very pretty~~

Glad you could join us!

Ed said...

Very nice! And welcome to Sunday stills, You don't have a Macro setting? Look for a flower icon on your mode dial, it should be there.
Hava great day...Ed

Andrea said...

Hi! Thanks for stopping by my blog! It's so nice to have connected. Great shot of the raindrops! I love trying to capture those with my camera....which I am still trying to learn to use as well. It's fun though, don't you think!? :) Looking forward to visiting your blog often.

Adrienne said...

Gorgeous! Great shot. Thanks for the info about Ed's blog. I hope to learn a lot there. ~Adrienne~

Shirley said...

Good shots; I like the raindrops best. If you want to pre-post, you can go to the "post options" when you are creating your post and change the date and time .

Flo said...

Great pictures. I love raindrops on things, especially leaves and plants. Fabulous.

Far Side of Fifty said...

It is a treat to see raindrops! Thanks! :)

Country Girl said...

Great photos and thanks for stopping in my blog and saying hello. Isn't this photo challenge great!

Mary said...

Paula,

Awesome photos. I love the one with the raindrops.

My camera also has a macro setting but have no idea what it is for. Guess I'd better get with it. But right now my camera isn't working. I have to buy new batteries - again. I'm beginning to wonder if it's the camera. I hate to part with it though. It takes great photos.

Take care and enjoy your week.
Blessings,
Mary

Unknown said...

This is neat. I'm going to have to check out his sight.
I was messing around on the computer Friday & came acrossed some free wrighting lessons. They email you a lesson or two a week.

Jeni said...

I'd say you did a pretty darned good job on both but I especially loved the one with the raindrops. You nailed that one for sure!
I finished my first project of 2009 tonight and have a couple pictures of it on my blog now. Stop and check it out!

Tipper said...

Well you did a great job on both pics in my opinion!

Anonymous said...

Love, love, love your photos Paula. I'm going to check out the Sunday Skills blog. If only our cameras had an "Oregon" setting, eh!

PS... I'm not wearing my glasses, so the last pic I thought was a huge pot plant at first.