Days 59-62

Oops, I haven't updated this in few days so rather than doing separate posts, I'll add a few pictures to one post.

Sounds of Sirens:

The Daily Shoot assignment for the day was Make a photograph illustrating a sound that catches your ear today. As I was driving to pick up my daughter from a play rehearsal I couldn't help but notice the sound of the traffic and then even more noticeably the sound of two fire engines with sirens blaring and lights flashing as they went by. I pulled over (which is more than most of the cars bothered to do), grabbed my iPod Touch (since I had no camera in the car) and took the shot.

Date Taken: February 28, 2011
Camera: Apple iPod touch
Exposure: 1/432
Aperture: f/2.4
Focal Length: 3.9 mm
ISO Speed: 80
Flash: No flash

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Remnants of Valentines' Day:

These balloons were part of my daughter's Valentines' gift and they're in the office of our home. Nemo, our cat, is very afraid of them. If you want Nemo out of the room, all you have to do is move the balloons even slightest bit and he's out of the room like a flash!

Date Taken: March 1, 2011
Camera: Canon EOS 40D
Lens: Canon 50mm 1.4
Exposure: 1/60
Aperture: f/1.6
Focal Length: 50 mm
ISO Speed: 3200
Exposure Bias: 0 EV
Flash: Off

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World Spelling Day:

Every year in the Computer Lab, my students take part in World Math Day. This year not only was there a math day but there was a World Spelling Day and again, I had students take part. This photo was taken as my 6th grade class competed in this world-wide event.

Date Taken: March 2, 2011
Camera: Hipstamatic 201
Software: Roboto Glitter Lens, Blanko Film, No Flash

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My Shadow:

The Daily Shoot assignment for the day was Make a photograph that features a shadow as your subject today. I took a few shots with my iPod Touch at the end of the school day and this was the one I liked the best so it's my shot of the day. And, yes, unfortunately, that is my shadow.

Date Taken: March 2, 2011
Camera: Hipstamatic 201
Software: Lucifer VI Lens, Ina's 1969 Film, No Flash

Finding My Zen

Day 55: Finding My Zen, originally uploaded by Visions By Vicky.

Today's Daily Shoot assignment was Illustrate your idea of peace and harmony--or maybe just peace and quiet--today with a photograph. This is my attempt at illustrating peace and harmony.

I can often find inner peace and calm through music and this song, Some Good Years, just puts me in a good place. The harmony part? Well, have you heard The Cowsills sing? Definitely harmony!

Date Taken: February 24, 2011
Camera: Canon EOS 40D
Lens: Canon 50mm 1.4
Exposure: 1/320
Aperture: f/4.5
Focal Length: 50 mm
ISO Speed: 3200
Exposure Bias: 0 EV
Flash: Off

Learning Coppélia Waltz of the Hours

Day 54: Learning Coppélia Waltz of the Hours, originally uploaded by Visions By Vicky.

Rehearsals have started for the Spring show for the dance studio my younger daughter attends. This year the Intermediate and Advanced dancers will be doing excerpts from Coppélia. In addition to having rehearsals on the weekends, the beginning Pointe dancers are rehearsing their piece, Waltz of the Hours, during their Pointe class.

If you're interested in what the dance looks like, you can check it out in this video:


Date Taken: February 23, 2011
Camera : Hipstamatic 201
Flash: No Flash
Software: Roboto Glitter Lens, Ina's 1935 Film, No Flash

Waiting for 5pm

Day 53: Waiting for 5pm, originally uploaded by Visions By Vicky.

Today's Daily Shoot assignment was Make a photograph today that illustrates of the act of waiting. I almost took a picture of the download progress of a PowerPoint I used with my 7th grade class today since waiting for things to download or upload seems to be a way of life for me. But it was no download picture, instead, I took this shot as I waited for 5pm and the time to go pick up my youngest daughter from her rehearsal.

Date Taken: February 22, 2011
Camera : Hipstamatic 201
Flash: No Flash
Software: Roboto Glitter Lens, Ina's 1935 Film, No Flash

IncrediBooth Me

Day 52: IncrediBooth Me, originally uploaded by Visions By Vicky.

Today's Daily Shoot assignment was Who are you? Make a self portrait today and show the rest of us what you look like. Rather than pulling out my 40D, I picked up my iPod Touch and used the IncrediBooth App to snap a few shots.

Date Taken: February 21, 2011
Camera : IncrediBooth

Bourrées in Pointe Class

Day 40: Bourrées in Pointe Class, originally uploaded by Visions By Vicky.

If it's Wednesday it must be time for my daughter's pointe class. Since I hadn't taken a picture yet today, I took out my iPod Touch and took a few during the class. I didn't have any other camera with me so I took what I could get.

Don't know that a bourrée is? Watch the video below:

Date Taken: February 9, 2011
Camera: Hipstamatic 190
Flash: No Flash
Software: Lucifer VI Lens, BlacKeys B+W Film, No Flash

The View from the Computer Lab Door

Day 38: The View from the Computer Lab Door, originally uploaded by Visions By Vicky.

Today's Daily Shoot assignment was Use a window or a door as a frame for your subject today in a photograph. I forgot to put a memory card in my DSLR this morning so I took this shot with my iPod Touch. We have a very pretty campus at school and the view out of the Computer Lab door is very nice.

I also took some shots through the windows at the Ballet Studio tonight during dance class. I liked some of those as well but ended up choosing this as my photo of the day.

Date Taken: February 7, 2011
Camera: Hipstamatic 190
Flash: No Flash
Software: Lucifer VI Lens, Kodot XGrizzled Film, No Flash

What's Wrong With This Picture?

Day 30: What's Wrong With This Picture?, originally uploaded by Visions By Vicky.

Today I virtually attended the EduCon2.3 session What's Wrong With This Picture? led by Dean Shareski & Darren Kuropatwa. During the session, attendees were charged with telling a lie with a picture or movie.

I failed at this completely with my DSLR. I could not get both my fingers & the palm tree in focus at the same time - not even close!

So, I tried it with my iPod Touch instead and wasn't thrilled with this one either. I'm never quite sure of the framing in the Hipstamatic app and this would be better if it were cropped. Oh well, I tried and I need a photo for the day, so this is it. Now I need to figure out how to really do this!

Date Taken: January 30, 2011
Camera: Hipstamatic 185
Flash: No Flash
Software: John S Lens, Pistil Film, No Flash

Race To Nowhere Revisited

Race To Nowhere, originally uploaded by Visions By Vicky.

In October, I went to see this documentary and blogged about it on my teaching blog. Tonight, I went to see it again. Why would I do that?

When I saw this for the first time, I said in my blog post, "...wonder if I can convince my younger daughter’s school to have a screening of the film...". Tonight my younger daughter's school did have a screening, so I went hoping for some conversations. Conversations about the homework load and limiting the pressure when applying for colleges and helping our daughters to balance their lives, etc. Unfortunately those conversations did not occur. I did have a nice discussion with another mom and I'm sure that if I had approached the administrators that were at the screening, I might have had an individual conversation about these issues but I was hoping for a larger discussion.

I have had a short conversation with my daughter about the film and will continue to bring up the issues it raised but I feel that so much is out of our control. If the school culture doesn't change, if teachers do not change the amount of homework assigned, if colleges don't change the way students are admitted, things won't change. Do I think they should change? Absolutely. Do I think they will? Unfortunately, I don't see it happening anytime soon but I hope I am wrong.

Date Taken: January 25, 2011
Camera: Hipstamatic 185
Software: John S Lens, Pistil Film, No Flash

Monday Ballet Class

Day 24: Monday Ballet Class, originally uploaded by Visions By Vicky.

As I sat at the ballet studio, waiting for my daughter's ballet class to end, I realized I hadn't taken a photo for the day. I pulled out my iPod Touch and started playing with different lenses and film in the Hipstamatic App.

I liked the candid moment (and the why are you taking my picture look from my daughter) captured in this shot as my daughter and her friend waited their turn to try a combination. I still have trouble with framing in this app and need to research some things to see if I can fix that but it is fun to take pictures using this.

Date Taken: January 24, 2011
Camera: Hipstamatic 185
Software: John S Lens, BlacKeys B+W Film, No Flash

Getting the Session Board Ready

Getting the Session Board Ready, originally uploaded by Visions By Vicky.

Tomorrow is the first edcamp in California and I am one of the organizers for this event. In order to schedule the day, a session board is created by the attendees using cards they fill about about the discussion they wish to have during the day. This is the blank session board (with one bright yellow index card on it just to check for size) that I put together. It was created using bulletin board paper and painter's tape to make the grid.

Date Taken: January 14, 2011
Camera: Hipstamatic 185
Software: John S Lens, Kodot XGrizzled Film, No Flash

A New Rug for the Computer Lab

A New Rug for the Computer Lab, originally uploaded by Visions By Vicky.

One of my Christmas presents this year was this rug for the Computer Lab. I unveiled it for the first time today and it was a hit with the students! It didn't matter what grade level came in to the lab, everyone wanted to type their name on it. Kindergarten students sat down on it to type and the older grades typed with their feet.

Here's a shot to show where I've put it in the lab and to illustrate the true colors of it:

Top Photo Information
Date Taken: January 12, 2011
Camera: Hipstamatic 175
Software: John S Lens, Pistil Film, No Flash

Ahhhh, Diet Coke

Ahhhh, Diet Coke, originally uploaded by Visions By Vicky.

I took a peek at today's Daily Shoot assignment which was Make a photograph today that features or uses a liquid as a subject. Since I was on my way to pour myself a glass of Diet Coke (a liquid), I decided to make that the subject of my photo for the day.

Rather than grab my 40D, I picked up my iPod Touch and I took this shot using the Hipstamatic App. A question for anyone else who uses Hipstamatic, is there are a way I can set things up so I can actually see what the resulting picture will actually include? Right now, I see only a small portion of the resulting image.

Date Taken: January 11, 2011
Camera: Hipstamatic 175
Software: Helga Viking Lens, Float Film, No Flash