New lens!

I just bought a "new" lens from a friend of mine who upgraded to a super fancy lens.  I was using a 50 mm 1.4 lens for pretty much all my pics.  I bought it about 3 years ago shortly after I got my camera.  About a year ago, I looked into buying an 85 mm lens but just could never pull the trigger and spend the money.  But when I found out my friend was looking to sell hers, I was all over it.  Here are some of the pics I took with it.

 I seriously love this pic of my brother's dog, Buddy.  So soulful.

 This one is slightly blurry mainly due to the fact that with three toddler boys, you don't have time to get the perfect shot.

Then, of course I had to get my favorite subject outside for some more practice.

Yeah, I am still practicing but I love it already and feel like my pics are instantly a thousand percent better than before.

For any of you Canon EOS users out there that want to know what settings I typically use, I almost always shoot in Tv mode since my subject is almost always the little Mister and he moves at the speed of light so I need the shutter speed to be fast.  I do adjust the ISO sometimes, especially if there is low light.  For the white balance, I just choose from the white balance menu depending on if I am in the sunlight, shade, inside, etc.  I don't use a grey card.  I NEVER use the flash.  And any lens I use has to be an auto focus.  Any editing I do is in Picasa because it is free!

Snow Fall

The first snow is here.  It was beautiful and quiet.  I took advantage of having my morning off and grabbed my camera to shoot the scene using different shutter speeds and exposures.



There is something magical about the first snow and I was happy to enjoy it this morning, alone with a cup of coffee.  Sometimes it is the simple things in life that offer moments of clarity and peace.  These moments make us feel more connected to everything around us, make our hearts swell and fill us with gratitude for life. 

Apples and Plaid

Is there anything that says fall more that apples and plaid?  Ok, you are right, maybe football.  But apples and plaid come in a very close second.  Fall is by far my favorite time of the year.  The air is crisp and refreshing, the smell of school supplies fills the stores, you get to wear more clothes, layers and scarves, we get to eat chili again and football wakes from its hibernative state.  And, it precedes my second favorite time of year, early winter.  Yes, fall is here!

This was taken with my new professionalish (of course that is a word) camera, a Canon Rebel T3i, thanks to my wonderful parents.  Every year my mom asks me what we want for our birthdays, which are both, now all, in November, and Christmas and I am at a loss as we don't "need" anything and we have a hard time thinking of what we want. Not this year, I put my request in early, August to be exact.  I wanted a nice camera or at least some money to put toward one.  About 2 weeks ago, I get a surprise in the mail, a check for a new, nice camera!!!!   (I realize I gave them no choice as I have one of their adorable grandsons in my possession and I do feel a little guilty about that)  I quickly ordered my camera online and it arrived about 5 days later.  So far I can only point and shoot but I am determined to learn how to use all the features, or at least try them all a few times.  Now, to find a photography class...anyone in the Madison area want to take one with me?