Monopoly

Here are 2 shots I took practicing different depth of field settings. I was very happy with the results of both but I think the lighting is a bit off.

Starting Out

These are 2 photos from the first serious batch I took. In the first I was playing with the aperture settings trying to actually catch some depth of field on the leaves. I didn't really get the result I wanted and a few of the pictures I took of this were burned by overexposure. This one, while not what I wanted, still came out nice.

In the 2nd picture I was starting to play with the shutter speeds. Not bad for a first attempt but, again, not exactly what I wanted. The car in this case was not going as fast as it appears to be going. I probably should have gone with a little bit of a faster shutter speed. I was also standing at a bad angle and instead of getting good focus on the car and anything behind it I was focused on the railing in the front of the picture. I could have moved a bit to the right and gotten a clearer shot.

My First Post

For a long time I have wanted to become a better photographer. I enjoy looking at pictures and believe they are one of the most precious things we can pass down. Pictures are a snapshot in time that in most cases can't be re-produced. I cringe when I see one of my kids (or anyone else) ruining a picture.

About a month ago I took the plunge and traded in a few years worth of AMEX points for a good pro-sumer DSLR camera (Nikon D5000). It was on its way to being replaced by a new model and I got a very good deal on it. I quickly learned that taking good photos is as much (if not more) a function of the photographer as it is of the camera. My wife treated me to a few lessons (by my Breslover Yoga teacher) and I am now on my way to my new hobby.

I created this blog mostly as a place for me to post some of the pictures I am taking and share my progress. I don't expect many people to read it but hey... why not.