Light, or Why I need a Macro Lens

Christmas Riv

Konehead

Buddy

This photo made it onto Explore on Flickr. I don't really understand how that works, mind you, but there it is.

Bella

Devonian Botanical Gardens

Friday May 22

Video from yesterday. Rivet missed two treats in the first few feet of this track, got off track, found and ate the two missed treats, and then found the track again. It doesn't look like much but I found it fascinating. Already she is learning to keep her head down and her nose going (I could hear it clearly but the video didn't pick it up).

Sleepy dog

You wouldn't know it to look at her but she's getting the idea about tracking. We went out again today and she nailed the (admittedly easy) challenges I set for her. It was fun!

Steve White HITT seminar

Spent the long weekend at a training seminar with Steve and Jen White learning about scent work and tracking. It was fascinating, if so much information that I'm surprised my brain didn't explode.

This little video of Rivet was taken near the end of the weekend. It kind of looks like she's just going along eating off the ground because at this stage that is more or less what is happening. If you look closely though you'll see her behaviour change when she's over the yellow grid. She's using her eyes to help find the treats here and she can't see them on the yellow paint.



See how the rate of her footsteps changes as she speeds ahead to the next place she thinks there is food? There were more treats on the yellow than there were on the plain squares in the grid but she misses many of them.

And yes, that is snow you see blowing around in the air.

Tinted Willow

I really liked the processing in a photo Kerrie posted recently and set out to try to create something similar. As often happens mine took a turn part way through working on it. I like how this looks old and wintery rather than new and springlike.

Gerbera

Reflecting

Swings

I've hardly touched my camera in months. Forced myself to pull it out today and filled the memory card. Mostly bad photos, mind you, but at least I took them.

Before, After, and Beyond

Prompted by the Shutter Sisters I have included three photos here.

Before: SOOC (straight out of the camera)
After: usual level of processing, for me (adjust white balance, sharpen, increase contrast)
Beyond: pushed the processing past my comfort zone (desaturated stone wall, increased contrast in copper, some burning)

This is a copper window on the powder shed at Fort George in Niagara on the Lake, Ontario. The powder shed is the only original building in the reconstructed fort. The building was carefully designed to minimize the risk of an explosion, including using non spark producing materials only and having a non flamable exterior. The window coverings and the roof had a marvellous patina.

Clamshell

Tinted Kona toes

Rivet's first bird

Riv, tinted

Frost

Morning sun

The sun shining through the mist was surreal this morning. I snapped off this photo quickly, not expecting it to turn out, and now I wish I had spent more time on composition. The trees look good but the parking lot in the foreground is kind of ugly.

Pretty stinkin' cool!

It's just a fish, right? A kids bath toy. Except that it is in my kitchen sink. Underwater. And so is the camera...

This is from a batch of test shots I just made to test my new underwater housing. I can't wait to play with this some more!

Fruit

B&W grass and Rivet

This photo was underexposed but I like it anyway - the texture of the grass and Rivet's outline as she checks out who has been by recently.

Flying ears

Birch trees

Lady's mantle in snow

2008 - the year in review

I love the way Melissa at Kelsi's Closet Jewelbox posts a review of her work from the last year. I didn't make enough jewellery last year to bother but then I thought it might be an interesting exercise to do with my photos. Here are 12 photos, chosen from my favorites, and while I didn't pick one-per-month I did spread them out over the year. I did eliminate the dog photos, since those almost always make it onto this blog anyway.

The spotlight is on Rivet

Thanks goes out to The Great and Wonderful Food Lady for suggesting that I try B&W with this photo.