Using My +2 Macro Filter

Canon 20D, Raw, f/5.0, 1/1000, 58mm, ISO 200, +2 Macro Filter

I was looking for something to photograph today. I wanted some inspiration. I got it looking in my backyard at the Christmas Cactus. What changes it made in 2 days! I wanted to use the +2 macro filter with a very shallow depth of field. I am happy with the results.  I upped the green saturation a little and the contrast. I like what that did. I also like the angle of the sun lighting the leaves.

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An Antique Image of a Rose

Canon 20D, f5.6, 1/160, Nik Silver Efex Antique Plate II Filter with Curves and Levels adjustments

 This is an image of a rose I took that is blooming in my front yard. I love the effect the filter I used gave it. As I said the other day, I love these filters and the black and white effects they produce. I will be doing much more of it and sharing the images with you here.

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A Friendly Pink Rose

 I especially liked this rose because of the gradient pink and rose colors and the yellow towards the center. I have done a lot of flower photos this month. I will try to do more variety from now on. Look at how much darker the older rose got in the left of this photo. The life of a rose! I just wish it was a little sharper!

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Bachelor Buttons

These are Bachelor Buttons growing in Larry and Shelley’s back yard. I think Shelley started them from seeds. She has quite a green thumb! Isn’t the color pretty? We were over there for a little while this afternoon after having a birthday lunch for Willie’s dad. It looks like their sunflowers are going to seed – I guess they are done for the summer. I love the color of these flowers and they look so delicate! My mother used to grow flowers like these.

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A Still Life Photograph

As I was loading my dishwasher earlier today, this vase with sitting on the counter with the beautiful rose buds I cut yesterday for my photograph. I love the vase they are in. It was given to me by a very dear friend many, many years ago. I thought the roses looked so I pretty, how could I not photograph them!? I took the vase outside on the patio, changed my lens and took a few photos. I wanted to make sure I got the flowers and the vase, but nothing too distracting in the background.  I didn’t do any retouching on the roses – just a little vignetting. Do you like it?

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Back With My Lensbaby

I walked outside this afternoon and looked over at my rose bushes. I did a post a while ago where I stated that my neighbors have all the pretty roses. Well, I guess I was  wrong!  Isn’t this a beautiful rose? I used my Lensbaby +10 macro filter. It is so much fun to use. I think I finally got my diopter at the right setting. My focal point is closer to where I want it to be. I guess it will never be perfect as long as I have to wear glasses! I first wore glasses in the 3rd grade so I guess I am stuck with them!

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My HDR Orchid

 Not that long ago we thought the orchid was dying. I asked Willie to cut it down because it was getting so tall. He put off doing it and then, surprise, surprise, a bud appeared on the top! I thought it might be fun to try another HDR image. I got the tripod out and put a white board behind it. Willie held a piece of cardboard to try to block the breeze. It worked at the top but there is some movement at the bottom. I used five images in this process. That gives me more info to work with than just using three images.

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White on White

This photograph was taken with my Lensbaby 2.0 with the +10 macro filter. I showed you the buds the other day so now I show you the orchid as it is just beginning to bloom. To me it kind of looks like an alien space ship! Willie mentioned the body snatchers! I think it looks good and I like the white on white look. 333/365

Cosmos, Not the Drink But the Flower

Isn’t this a very pretty flower? I took this photo at Larry and Shelley’s. Shelley grew it from seeds and it is so pretty. I really like the thin, delicate stem. Shelley said you can buy them at a nursery already started but that the stems tend to be thicker and not as pretty. I agree, I don’t think it would be as pretty. It is a very pretty purple/pink color and this particular one is more purple. The leaves are a very beautiful deep green. Quite often it is difficult to take photos of flowers in nature because of the ocean breeze – especially one with a thin stem!

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Lensbaby Macro Shot

I am so proud of this photograph! I thought I would try my +10 macro filter on my Lensbaby 2.0. I had only used the +4 macro filter before. Now the +10 is  my favorite. I was finally able to get a good focal point and so lucky I was able to get this bee. Isn’t it great? When I went outside, there were a few bees buzzing around my basil plant that is very large and has a lot of flowers on it. I will work on getting closer to the bee next time, but they really like to buzz around a lot!

This is a great Lensbaby macro photo…

We had some of the fresh basil from that plant on the spaghetti I made earlier in the week. It was great! The day started out very overcast and even a little chilly. I have been waking up early, so when I went out to get the newspaper at 5:30, it was pretty cool outside, and oh so nice and quiet! Willie took the dogs for a good walk today at Central Park. He said Donnan was really good until they went into the dog park. Why can’t he learn from Kyla? Willie said Kyla kept an eye on Donnan and didn’t go very far away from him. The Dodger’s are playing the Cardinals – has not been a good series for them! We’ll see how it goes!

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Look What Is In My Own Backyard

This is a beautiful orchid plant a neighbor gave us over a year ago. Willie is taking care of it and as you can see, he is doing a mighty fine job of it. I always thought you had to take very special care of orchids and not just anyone could do it. I guess Willie has the special knack! He counted the buds today and there are 15, aside from what has already bloomed  and shows in this photo.

A gorgeous orchid in my own backyard…

I took a break from transferring files today to take Kyla to the dog park. She had a good time. I feel so bad that I cannot take Donnan with us. He does not understand why he is left behind. I do not know what to do. Can anyone help me? Saw the Dodgers beat the Mets today so that was good.  What are you going to do this coming week-end? I will be taking some photos Saturday morning of a friends 2 year old little boy at Central Park. It should be a fun morning. Not sure for Sunday. I may go to a friends “jewelry” party (kind of like a Tupperware party, but jewelry instead). We’ll see.

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A Staircase of Red Geraniums

I realized as I was downloading this image to my gallery page (I always do that first), that this is the fourth post in a row of a Lensbaby photo! I promise to do something else tomorrow. I thought the red flowers looked very pretty and appropriate for this 4th of July holiday.  These flowers are all in pots along a staircase, again at Fashion Island. They looked beautiful and I could not resist them.

Red flowers for this July 4th…

Well, the first firecracker went off at 4:35 P.M.  Both dogs are panting and we just turned on the TVs very loudly. Willie had the dogs over at Larry’s for a couple of hours running in their backyard and then took them for a walk. They were very tired when they got home (Willie included) but I tried to play games with them to keep them awake (the dogs). I want them all very tired for later tonight. A benadryl will help that. Help me get us through the night!

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My First Gladiola

This very pretty gladiola is growing in Larry and Shelley’s backyard. Shelley was not aware that it was there until it started blooming. Her mother has a beautiful yard and Shelley certainly inherited her mother’s green thumb! She has some very pretty flowers. Please check out all of my latest  wedding photos. I am very proud of them. I am hoping it will help me to acquire some new business. Do you have any suggestions that could help me?

A purpily/pink gladiola…

Willie took Kyla and Donnan for a long walk today. They should be home pretty soon. We are going to have Mexican Pizza for dinner. It will be good. We are both big fans of Mexican food!  I would love to have beautiful flowers in my yard, but I do not have the patience to give them all the attention they need. I am busy enough with photography, real estate, Willie and the dogs, that I don’t think I could fit any more into my schedule. Larry would not understand this – he doesn’t think I do anything!

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Another Lensbaby Attempt

Happy Father’s Day to all the fathers out there reading this post! We just got back from a lunch time barbecue at Larry and Shelley’s. It was some great chicken that Larry cooked with his own special rub and barbecue sauce. Shelley’s mother and step father were there along with Willie’s dad. It was a beautiful day with a nice little breeze. This photo is from their back yard. Shelley pointed out to me this one very small, almost hidden bright pink calla lily. I don’t think I have ever seen this color before.

Focusing deep inside the middle of this flower…

I had taken my camera and wanted to show Shelley my new lens. She seemed  interested as was her mother, Lorraine. I was trying to focus on the stamen and I think I just about got it! I think it is actually and little deeper inside, but I am happy with it! The Dodgers are playing the Angels right now on ESPN – no score. I hope you all have had a great week-end. A new week is starting and we all need to accomplish something really good. Let us all tap into our creative side and see what we can come up with! Have a good week!

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A Green Burst of Star Light

Isn’t this an interesting plant? Of course, I do not know what it is. I do like to photograph plants and flowers, however, I very seldom know what they are. I wish my mom were around to ask – she would know. I miss her every day. I took this photo at a friends yard and if I had had some scissors with me, I would have trimmed those few brown tips! I did up the green in saturation a little so they would stand out a little more. It is a beautiful plant even without that boost.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Have you ever seen anything this symetrical…?

It was another great day in Huntington Beach today.  A beautiful blue sky and some white fluffy clouds.  Willie worked a lot in the back yard and the dogs always like it when he is out there with them. As soon as he comes in they are whining at the back door, “Can Willie come out and play?”  There is quite a controversy building up about BlackRapid on DPS. Check out the review and then all of the comments. Some people are becoming skeptical about the product, including me. I am not the only one who has had problems with it. I am sorry to hear it.

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Another Unknown Lily

This is my second photo this month of a lily that I do not know what kind it is. Does that sentence make sense? Well, it is a plant from my mother’s funeral 18 months ago and this is the first time it has bloomed. It is sitting on our front porch. Maybe it would like a little sun – it doesn’t get any there. Anyway, as I am sure you can tell, I took it with the Lensbaby 2.0. I tried to put the focal point at the top of the stamen but I think it is at the upper edge of the petal instead. I did not use the macro lens on this one – just the standard 4.0 aperture. One day I will learn!

A beautiful white lily…

I am just about finished with the wedding photos, and they came out really good. I did an excellent job! It has been a lot of work because I want them to be perfect. I am going to put them up on my website soon so everyone can see them. Either that or I am thinking of trying Zenfolio. New subject:  I am tired of people arguing with me and not doing what they say they will do. BlackRapid said they would reimburse me for my broken filter two weeks ago, and now they just ignore me. DirectTV won’t waive an early cancellation fee for service they were unable to provide up in Green Valley Lake. Willie was going to do a few things for me yesterday and today that he didn’t do for me. Why is everyone against me?

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