Happy New Year!

Hi Sere here! I am celebrating the New Years with family right now. We are getting ready to eat and play some games. Hope your New Year is equally blessed.


Olympus Stylus Tough
Aperture F/3.5
Shutter Speed 1/2 sec.
ISO 250
No Flash, Straight out of the camera

My husband and I have been lucky the last couple of days to have spent them skiing and since I am not the best on skies I brought my point and shoot, shockproof, freezeproof camera to the slopes to be on the safe side, instead of my regular DSLR camera. My point and shoot definately has it's place in my world, but not necessarily for taking the best pictures, at least at low lighting conditions. Or I can't figure out how to do it the first time using this camera.

I was trying to show the ambiance of where we were in this shot. The champagne for New Years Eve, the fire in the background for warmth and the snow for our skiing adventure. We were in the "chalet" ski lodge for New Years Eve and the picture was facing outward to the hills. My connection to Brandi's shot was the champagne and/or drink.

Now I am off to enjoy family time! Cheers!

Cheers!

I hope everyone is preparing for a wonderful, safe New Year gathering.

From 3C1D - Cheers!

May 2011 be happy, healthy and wealthy for us all.


Nikon d40
ISO 800
aperture f/4.5
shutter speed 1/10 (not bad for hand held)

Goodbye 2010.

xoxo,
Brandi

Pine's a Little Different!

It's not often I look at the post before mine and immediately know what I'm going to shoot. Heck, I've made it obvious that I often shoot first and ask later, so to speak. This time, with Jay'me's lovely pine cone, I knew exactly what my subject was to be - my 4 year-old sons Christmas art project from preschool. He is very proud of it and when I told him I would take pictures he immediately beamed. I love the simple exuberance children possess.

You may not be able to tell but this thing is LOADED with glitter. And glitter is like sand - it gets in everything. But I simply had to shoot it. I fell back on an old habit and used my macro lens. I actually did take photos of the entire piece but decided I liked this one the best:



Canon 30D
Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro
Shutter 1/2000
Aperture f/2.8
ISO 100

I set-up my makeshift tripod and used one of my 500 watt hot lights to really set-off the highlights from the glitter. I used manual focus to ensure correct focus and adjusted white balance and contrast post shoot. All in all it came together fairly easily. I do want to try it again sometime as I already know what I'd do differently. But that's always the case. Happy New Year! See you all in 2011! Be safe and have fun tomorrow night.

Scott

Wordless Wednesday with Jay'me

Cannon Rebel XT
1/320
f 13.0
54.mm
No flash
ISO 400

The poster (that's me) will post a photo and it's settings. No other verbiage is allowed. The commenter's (that's you) will guess in the comments section below what ties Tuesdays photo to Wednesdays photo. It can be a setting. It can be a play on words. It can be a theme. It can be anything. In almost every photo there are numerous ties thus creating no right or wrong answer. Just simply make a comment below and you'll be entered into our drawing to be our next guest photographer.

No previous photography experience required. In fact, wannabe's like us, are encouraged. The only criteria; you must be able to take a photo (any camera will do), email said photo and allow 3C1D to publish the photo and follow the rules...

Only one(1) guess per person.
Ready, Set, Go.....

Winter Snow Crystals

Yes we did finally get some snow down south and yes I was out with my camera trying to capture it. Well that and a little sledding as well. I needed to get out and capture it fast because it will be gone in a day or so. No kidding, we are supposed to be 60 degrees in two days here. Crazy, crazy, so back to my picture.....



Nikon D90
Lens 18-200mm at 120mm
Aperture F/6.3
Shutter Speed 1/60 sec.
ISO-400
Off Camera Flash with orange filter, Nikon Speedlight SB-900

I knew that I was going to have to use a flash because I wanted to get the effect of glittering snow. I had to shine the flash through the branches of this weed, because that is what it is a weed, in order to do that. So I knew that I had to use my flash off camera and the Nikon D90 can be used in commander mode in order to control the flash. I believe the flash was turned down not quite as low as it can go, but close. I used the orange filter to soften some of the harsh blue/cool light that you get in the winter. When I first tried this, I had tried it on some leaves that were still on my tree and it actually gave the picture a very fally look to it. You can see that shot here if you would like to.

I love taking pictures of snow, especially if it is at all glittery and shiny. My connection to Brandi's is in the white, kind of glowiness look of both of them. A bit of a stretch, but I see it. Hope you do to. Enjoy the glitter of winter.

Sere

Playing the role of crazy lady with camera...

Is Brandi!
I was at it again today Kids. Putting myself in odd situations, talking with strangers and doing weird things all in the name of photography.
I went out this morning to run a few errands after dropping the 3 year old off at 'school'. I had my camera in tow (as I almost always do). I wasn't sure what I was going to photograph but I was on the look out.
There were more people out and about this beautiful Monday morning than there were on Christmas Eve. Seriously, people everywhere. Shopping, returning, watching.
I thought I should capture the moment in my own unique way.

Nikon D40 kit lens
shutter speed 1/20
aperture f/5.3
ISO 400
manual
natural light

How many of you were out doing this same exact thing? Special thanks to the random person walking out the door for the use of their shoe in this photograph.
I knew I wanted motion, I wanted depth and I wanted black and white. No reasons I just wanted it. A little toying, slowing of the shutter speed, upping the ISO for a grainier photo and adjusting the aperture to keep everything in balance and voila...

My tie in to yesterdays photo from my brother is the bizarre, abstract viewpoint. He wanted something a little different and so did I.

Now that I have made you all wait for the big announcement...
The winner of last weeks Wordless Wednesday.
Random.org has selected commenter 3. Jessi - I love this photo! It's beautiful. I see a tree in the picture from Tuesday. I hope that's a tree, I see. I think the connection is the tree in this one to the tree in Tuesdays.
Congratulations Jessi please email 3chicks1dudephoto@gmail.com for further instructions.

My real intent to connect the two photos together was the use of light. Scott's photo was all about the light. I was hoping to achieve a little more 'sunflare' than I did but when standing in 10'' of snow when not properly dressed you adapt your standards quickly.
Great guesses everyone. Can't wait to get to know Jessi better.

Sere is up to dazzle tomorrow. I hear she finally got some snow down south. Maybe we'll see some of it.
Keep it real Kids.

The Christmas after Christmas with a guest

Brandi here. I hope you're all recovering from the holiday extravagance. My wonderful older brother Mathew is our guest today he won Jay'me's Wordless Wednesday. Matt has a gift for words so I'll let him say it all.


Not two steps in the front door and Brandi is on my case about taking a picture. Apparently, I'm your guest photographer for the day. This is your punishment for not being good boys and girls all year.

I'll admit to a touch of panic when The Sister reminded me of my duties.

I said duties. I'll give you a moment.

Moving on. Panic subsided when I saw Scott XII's picture and reminded myself to keep it simple, we're not going for Ansel Adams quality. So the following is an on the spot and off the hip rendition of a nativity scene. Look at the shot and declare my damnation if you choose. Or just make the connection. Mother and father looking in adoration at their baby boy with a sheep and some fancy glass in the background.

My best to you all at the end of 2010. Be happy. Be lucky. Love one another.


Nikon d40 kit lens


Tune in tomorrow where I'll have the winner of this weeks Wordless Wednesday. This is the last night to get your name in the hat.