Tuesday, January 7, 2014

7/365-2 A Natural Treasure



"Good Morning Sunshine"

I mentioned yesterday, Macro Monday, that I really thought the acorns on the tree out from would be a beautiful macro shot and that although I thought that, I couldn't think it into being.  Yesterday's acorn photos were not good.  When I saw today's prompt - natural treasure, loved, not artificial, outside - I felt that I was being given a second chance to do justice to the acorns.  I looked at yesterday's rejected photos and decided that perhaps the problem was that I had shot with my aperture too wide open.  So armed with my camera set way stopped down (f22), I tried again.

I will admit that I am a little happier with today's attempt.




I do love that the inside of the acorn looks like a sun.  They really are quite cheerful and beautiful.

From what I could see outside on my camera display, which is not always the best way to make a decision, I figured that I had something that would work for today.  As I started into the house, I noticed the sun gleaming through some fallen leaves that the wind was tossing around.  The sun almost looked like it was dancing on water.  That image looked like a perfect place to play with my Lensbaby.  I am still trying to get comfortable with it and its manual focus.

I'm sure I looked like an idiot to any of the neighbors who might have been watching.  There I was, laying on the ground in the freezing temperatures taking pictures of dead leaves.  Yesterday is was dead flowers; today dead leaves.  I think I need a therapist.  Oblivious to whatever else was going on in the neighborhood, I enjoyed the sights and sounds of the leaves and just playing with the possibilities of the new lens.

When I looked at the morning's images on the computer, the acorn photos were better than yesterday. That was good.  But, the leaf photos just made me laugh.  They kind of look like you are tripping on something but in a pretty cool way.  So again, the acorns are usurped as the daily photo by a dead piece of nature.

I love the colors in the picture of the day above.  Here are a few of the other "trippy" photos.


I posted this one on Facebook this morning with the comment, "This is what happens when you mix morning sunshine, dead leaves, a Lensbaby and two cups of coffee."


"It's All About Me!"

I have read online about the Lensbaby flare and what a cool effect it can be.  It is cool; but honestly, I have no idea how I created it in this photo and not the others.  Beginner's luck?  Idiot's Luck?  Having really no idea what you are doing?  Whatever the case, there you go.