I offered to share with palofmine the results of my volleyball pictures (which I did not post), there was a lot of advice offered to me before taking these shots.

All pictures shot with the 18-55 EF-S canon lens, in manual exposure, auto focus, and ISO 1600, AI Servo, continuous shooting, no flash.

V 1 : AV 5, shutter speed 1/60

V 2 : AV 5, shutter speed 1/125

V 3 : AV 4.6, shutter speed 1/60

Critiques welcome and tips on how to do better (for palofmine now and for me, next year.)

Last of the pictures I took over the new year.

I made it into Denver between two storms. My mom being the wacky Californian she is had been waiting for me to arrive to go make a snowman. It was pitiful, but the dog had fun playing in the snow.

We went to the Denver aquarium, shooting through wet glass is harder then at the zoo.

I had originally taken this for the close up traditions challenge, but I never got around to posting it. My mom's new ornament.

Absolutely no photographic redemption on this next shot, just sharing how much double trouble have grown! They are playing with the see n says I got them for Christmas. I found the key to their hearts was my camera. Next year I am going to get them the playskool digital cameras.

This was the whole reason for buying the 50mm f/1.8 lens. The shallow depth of field is tricky when you really start getting into the low apertures.

Anyways, on to the pictures.
JV Bball
JV Bball 2  
V Bball
G V Bball

I think a flash is still in order for gym shots. I'll be saving up and doing some research. Any suggestions?

There have been some pictures that I wanted to share, but didn't get around to it.

Back in December my Christmas plans of flying into Denver got delayed and I spent Christmas Eve in San Diego instead.

My aunt had her house decorated with palm trees and christmas lights, but this fireplace stocking holder kept grabbing my attention:

Believe
My Favorite.

Both of these were taken with the canon 50mm f/1.8 - I was still getting used to it.

I've been ill and so I haven't found solace in my camera lately. Tonight however I was at a basketball game at school taking pictures of the game when one of the football players wandered by wearing a school logo'd bandana.

I really like the photo, except I wish I had tried it with a lower ISO, I just switched to him in the middle of taking pictures at the game.

Color
B&W (yes, photoshopped).

My question is does it look better in color or black and white. And what specifics do you look in a black and white photo for it to be 'good'.

The one thing about traditions is that they evolve with the changes wrought in each family. For years our family has celebrated at my parents house. With my family moving to Colorado, the SoCal base has changed.

But here is to New Traditions.

While waiting for basketball season to start, my cats were up for my practicing on them with the new lens.

For the challenge - Looking down, my own personal foot warmer.

Both of the cats love it when I watch tv, the usually come join me. Tazz decided to watch me instead.

I am really not sure about this shot, What do you think?

Ok, ok...I know everyone out there in camera land has had a new lens that they've had to play with and (hint hint) share the pictures.

I also had a chance to go practice with the basketball team in the gym this afternoon. Thanks Classy for recommending this lens for indoor shots, I think basketball will get as good of shots as football did.

However, my playing around with the lens photo: this is only a test.

I know, I know...I said I wasn't going to post any more football photos unless something really got better.

Well, football got better.

Currently we're 8-0 and Friday night, the team won the biggest upset of their careers. There is another team who we've never beat, ever...and the boys beat them this last Friday, 14-21.

As for me, I forgot my monopod on the way to the away game, but their lighting was so bright I actually overexposed some of my photos and was able to get my shutter speeds up into the 1/200-1/250 ranges.

If I remember correctly, this was a pass interception.
And a Forward pass. (The qtrback in the background is the 100 meter runner from my first post back in April).

My best shot ever:
Portrait of 3

A quick tour of the containers in my kitchen:

Salad dressing bottle.
Silver pitcher.
And my all time favorite Mt.Dew.

Last football story for awhile (if not the year unless I figure out the lighting!). The freshman quarterback helped me watch the plays. It was a tough game, but we won (I can't figure out the score, I think 21 - 14, our scoreboard wasn't working).

I think 20 is a wide receiver.

Usually on our plays, 20, 10, or 88 gets the ball, 32 running this in for a touchdown took me by surprise.

I can't figure out if I am learning very much about football as I take these pictures, but 3 caught the ball on a kick off and ran it in for a touchdown from the 20 yard line (is it called something different when it is the far one?).

The lighting on the field is very frustrating (and it doesn't help that our uniforms are orange and white), I noticed on the Bell game that the other teams uniform looked a lot closer to the actual colors, but ours pick up pink tones by the sidelines. Trying to change the white balance will have to wait until the next game, anything else I should adjust?

Critique, comment, help - all suggestions welcome!

The big rival game was last night for us. I had a great opportunity to become a student of photography. One of our VP's husband takes pictures at most of the varsity games. He and I teamed up so he could give me some pointers. Mostly on where to be looking for the action.

This is what I came up with:

running the ball and the
tackle.

We kept the bell with a score of 27-13.

Football?

This was my first attempt at taking pictures under Friday Night Lights. I struggled until I remembered I could change my ISO - 1600, then I could speed my shutter speed back up, phew!

The monopod worked amazingly well, the above photo was taken in 30 mph winds (and cold! You can tell it is football season!)

Today was long:

Freshmen game, they took care of business. This tackle was a little too close for comfort!

After that we had the Bell bonfire. Tomorrow night we play the BIG rivalry game.

There is something seriously wrong with this photo. I have no idea where that purple haze came from. Is it a reflection in the mirror somehow? Is there anyway to avoid that? Or alternatively fix it in photoshop? This was the best picture for both fire and crowd and I'd love to salvage it if I can for our yearbook.

Today at school I was invited by our Peer Helpers to come observe a workshop they call "Break It Down". It was a very moving experience for me and puts a lot of things about teaching in perspective.

The two pictures I am sharing fits 'joyful symmetry' - one of the activities the students did was called knee to knee, where they learned how to really listen. I love what I do on a daily basis and strive to be the best teacher I can be and make a difference, one student at a time. Watching them teach (several of the peer helpers are or have been students of mine) fills my heart to bursting.

Another activity was the importance of good touching = hugs. Three of the peer helpers did a cute skit demonstrating hugs. This picture is very blurry (no one warned me they'd be running in their hugs) but I really like the line down the right side of the white shirt where the photo is sharper then the rest.

With practice will I be able to pan and capture movements sharper then that? The blurry background adds to the picture (I think), but I would have liked the two boys a bit sharper (or at least sharper in the center of their composition). Or is there something else I should have done differently? Shutter speed was 1/150, aperture was 5.6

9:00 am Saturday August 26th, 2006 - Southern California, the traditional scrimmage between the JV and Freshmen football teams (Varisity plays Offensive against Defense).

Let's see some Orange!