Posted on by Anne Sandler · 38 Comments

Lens Artists Challenge #212: Motion

Patti’s motion challenge propelled (good motion word) me to try panning which is why this response is just a little late. My experiment of panning a car as it past by was a dismal failure. Therefore, there won’t be any panning in this post. But I will not give up! Someday there will be a panning image in a post!

So back to other forms of motion.

Stop action. A fast shutter speed usually works. I’ve even tried continuous shutter. Here are some examples.

Next is slow shutter speed which blurs the action. I do enjoy playing with this type of photography.

And I do like creating motion by zooming my lens. Try it when your at a carnival, out at night around neon signs or during Christmas time when all the lights are shining.

So there’s my photographic range of motion. Thank you Patti for this fun challenge. I will be working on learning how to pan and welcome any advice. When you reply to this challenge be sure to link to Patti’s original post and use the Lens-Artist tag. And thank you all for joining in with your groovy images last week. It was fun seeing what motivates you. Next week Amy will present the LAPC Challenge. Be sure to look for her post.

Interested in joining the Lens-Artists challenge? Click here for more information.

Posted on by Anne Sandler · 3 Comments

So what have you been doing? Wrapping up October

My October was busy with routine stuff and photo outings. However, these outings didn’t produce a super amount of images, well any that I would post here! But practice is great and I’m still learning. So I’m just going to separate them into outings.

Folsom Lake, late afternoon shoot. This outing was with our local camera store, Action Camera. They are great and are always willing to help.

The shoreline was rocky and expressive.
The clouds were beautiful.
Tire and bird tracks in the sand.
Rocky terrain.

Davis Ranch: This was with my All About Photography Group. We went out to Davis Ranch, in Sloughhouse, where all sorts of produce is sold. They are known for their delicious corn. At this time of the year, they also have a corn maze, a pick your own strawberry patch and more. And, of course, pumpkins!

I think this is a corn stalk.
I liked this pumpkin!
Small gourds. Imagine this as a puzzle!

Jensen Botanical Gardens: Marlene and I visited this garden in Carmichael. It would be beautiful in the Spring, but during the Fall, not much was blooming. It was a great exercise in shooting what was there!

This butterfly posed.
I didn’t have my macro lens with me.
But my walk around did well.
I love shooting flowers.

Carnival Pictures: My Camera Totin’ Tuesdays group took the day off and did a night shoot at the Citrus Heights Sunrise Mall’s small carnival. This was a great way to practice slow shutter speed and zooming. I was amazed to see everyone’s pictures and what they concentrated on. Some didn’t zoom, some did street photography. But I enjoyed zooming. I also brought along my neighbor and friend, gave her my D3100 and showed her how to do slow shutter and zoom. She was amazing, especially since I didn’t give her too much direction! You’ll have to guess what some of these were because I don’t remember. But I did have fun!

 

 

Posted on by Anne Sandler · 2 Comments

Go again next year? Water Lantern Festival, Folsom Lake

I saw the picture of the activity and thought, “I’d like to do that too.” The water lanterns glowed in the dark while their reflections glowed in the water. That’s what drew me into going to the Water Lantern Festival at Folsom Lake in Folsom.

Now, I do understand about expectations and how the environment can change our ability to get perfect shots. What I don’t understand is how an event of this size can be so mismanaged!

Arriving was easy. Photo buddy Ray and I got there about 5 p.m. (gates opened at 3 p.m.), parked in the second parking lot and immediately jumped onto a shuttle. This was easy. I was able to carry my camera bag, tripod, backpack, chair and dinner. We checked in and walked down to the beach, agreeing that getting right near the water was necessary for good photos. I took note, however, that the bathrooms were up at the top and the lake was down, leaving more beach to walk through.

We knew that getting that picture perfect photo wasn’t possible (didn’t keep me from trying) because of the wind blowing that day. So, we took pictures of our surroundings: families, kids playing in the water, anything that amused us. Of course, in the evening, I made the trek up to the bathrooms; I didn’t want to do that in the dark. We also got our lanterns ready for launching.

I think they started the kids games too late, because at dusk, they were still playing them and saying that the official launch would be soon. People being people started coming down to the beach to launch their lanterns before the official launch. Ray and I started shooting, hoping to get whatever we could. Slow shutter speed and a moving target just don’t do well together. It was difficult to get a single shot since the breeze had turned into a wind. Ray suggested I put the camera on “auto,” which I tried, but didn’t necessarily like. We did the best we could and decided to make the trek up the hill to where we could get the shuttle back to our parking lot.

Here’s where the worst began. We got there just as the shuttle left. It was about 45 minutes until it got back (Remember I was carrying my camer bag, backpack, tripod and chair.) with a load of people. I asked one woman where she came from. She said the parking lot. It took them 2 hours to get from the front entrance to the destination. We climbed aboard the bus which took us about 30 minutes to get to the very close parking lot because of cars leaving and taking up both lanes.

Once back to our car, another 30 minutes or more (I stopped looking at the time by then.) until we got to the entrance. So, would I go again? I don’t think so. One enjoyment from the evening are our photos!

Kite flying was popular with families.
This was definitely an activity for families.
There were a few hopeful photographers.
The kids enjoyed the cold water.
Oh well, you know what kids do when near water!
I got a close up of a kite.
He’s building something.
The beach was crowded.
The music stand and where they played the kids games.
My lantern.
Disclaimer: I’m not an artist.
I’m a wordsmith.
These are the feelings I had while there.
Getting ready for launch.
Ray is taking a shot of his lantern.
Boys are posing with their lanterns.
A lake shot.
I was ready to take the shot when the heart lantern began to move away.

 

Posted on by Anne Sandler · 4 Comments

What, still no pizza! Downieville, California

I was looking forward to going back to Downieville and having the pizza that my dear departed photo buddy Greg Morris promised Marlene and I a few years ago. Located at the North Fork of the Yuba River, Downieville is a small town with a population of about 300.

When we were there last, no restaurant was open, especially the pizza place Greg bragged about on our way up. Fortunately, the grocery store was open and we were able to buy our usual lunch there. Well, the term lunch is being generous. I had a cup of noodles, Greg had beef jerky and chips and Marlene ate her emergency peanut butter sandwich.

So, I was not altogether surprised that there was only one sandwich shop, Jadaa’s Kitchen, open in town the day we were there, but I was disappointed. Even though it was almost tourist season, the stores were open only on the weekends. I guess we’d have to go during the summer to see if Greg was right about the pizza.

This time our visit to the small town was cut short due to a thunder storm. We stayed as long as we could, shooting as much as we could. Will I ever taste that pizza?

The visitor’s center!
The local Inn.
The bridge that takes you over the Yuba River.
The Yuba River.
We had lunch at Jadaa’s Kitchen. Great food.
The grocery store.
Yuba River.
I was trying to handhold while using a slow shutter.
The river.
A unique fence made from skies.
Imagination continues.
A rowboat planter!
Viewing a house from below.
An outdoor heat source.
Someone’s property that is quaint.
The court house.

The court house.
Someone’s property that is quaint.
An outdoor heat source.
Viewing a house from below.
A rowboat planter!
Imagination continues.
A unique fence made from skies.
The river.
I was trying to handhold while using a slow shutter.
Yuba River.
The grocery store.
We had lunch at Jadaa’s Kitchen. Great food.
The Yuba River.
The bridge that takes you over the Yuba River.
The local Inn.
The visitor’s center!

Posted on by Anne Sandler

We’re having a heat wave: Sundial Bridge at night, Redding, California

This week we are enduring triple digits every day. Relief may come on Saturday, and it’s only Tuesday. So here I sit, editing photos in my air conditioned office, trying to catch up. I’ve almost finished the San Francisco trip, I took with Linda, at the beginning of the month.

In the meantime, I’m hoping to opt in on some online courses. Yes, I’ve decided the next path on my photographic journey will be education–at least more than the free tutorials offer. When I realized that I knew most of what those tutorials offer, I felt accomplished. So now I’m moving on.

Triple digits are more normal in the Redding area than here in Sacramento. These photos were taken in May when the temperatures were lower and the weather beautiful. I’m posting some afternoon images of the McConnell Arboretum & Botanical Gardens in the Turtle Bay Exploration Park. This is a relatively new addition to this park which also is home to the Sundial Bridge.

When we came back to shoot the bridge at sundown, we were slightly disappointed. I called it a wimpy sunset. Furthermore, they didn’t have the bridge lit up. I was told by a staff member that it would be. Oh well, I did practice some slow shutter , smoothing out the water. I don’t think captions are necessary here.

 

Posted on by Anne Sandler · 8 Comments

Color and lights: Global Winter Wonderland, Sacramento

Liz made me do it! Okay, she didn’t exactly make me go to the Global Winter Wonderland at Sacramento’s Cal Expo. She asked. Since I hadn’t seen her in a long time, I agreed to go back to something I thought I wouldn’t.

I was there in 2o14 and was disappointed. The exhibits were blown up and held down with large ties. You couldn’t go in them. Yes, there was a lot of color, but the ropes and ties got in the way of photographing. I did try my had at slow shutter speed effects, and had fun doing that. But it wasn’t enough to go back.

I stayed away in 2015. However, Liz was enough to have me go back to the yearly event. It was a little better. The exhibits were smaller and not tied down as they were in 2014. Maybe they were weighted instead. They also had arches you could walk through. I tried to shoot the exhibits in an unusual way, and once again I had fun with the carnival rides.

At coffee afterwards, Liz was complaining that her photos were sort of “pedestrian,” and my comment was, “Well look at where we’re at!” I saw her images in her camera, and she did well.

For me, the fun was shooting with her and catching up. I’m so glad she sort of made me do it!

 

 

 

Posted on by Anne Sandler · 2 Comments

Digging it: Copp’s Quarry, Rocklin, CA

A very beautiful, local place, Copp’s Quarry, is making way for houses. Some call it progress, photographers call it sad.

One of Rocklin’s most productive 19th-century granite quarries, Copp’s provided granite for Stockton and San Francisco. Copp’s closed around 1915, but remained one of Rocklin’s most scenic quarries. It is soon to be seen no more.

On a recent Tuesday, we made our way to Copp’s Quarry and walked through it. The landscape was still beautiful. Unfortunately we couldn’t get down to the creek in many places, the small lake was covered in some sort of algae and houses lined the perimeter. But, the weather cooperated and clouds were in the sky.

We all enjoyed what was probably our one and only chance to enjoy the quarry’s beauty.