Green Abstraction

Day 36: Green Abstraction, originally uploaded by Visions By Vicky.

I headed over to The Daily Shoot and saw that the assignment for the day was Go abstract today and make a photograph that focuses on form and color rather than detail.

Now, I have a problem thinking abstractly. I am way too left-brained. My first attempt at this had me taking pictures of chocolate covered cherries and one of the hipstamatic shots was somewhat abstract and did emphasize a cherry color but I wasn't really thrilled with these.

I happened to glance out the window and notice the fronds on the fan palm under our lemon tree and went to get my camera and try again. I definitely feel that this is more abstract and focuses more on color and the lines of the palm frond.

Date Taken: February 5, 2011
Camera: Canon EOS 40D
Lens: Canon 50mm 1.4
Exposure Program: Manual
Exposure: 1/80
Aperture: f/2.0
Focal Length: 50 mm
ISO Speed : 400
Exposure Bias: 0 EV
Flash: Off

Raindrops on Leaves

Raindrops on leaves, originally uploaded by Visions By Vicky.

It's a rainy, cold (for us anyway) winter day in Los Angeles so I went out to try to capture some raindrops. This was taken in my backyard with a Sigma 75-300mm 4.0-5.6 lens that only works wide open on my camera. The optics in this lens are not the best but I wanted a macro feel so it worked. The picture had lots of purple fringing especially on the big raindrop but this was easily fixed in Photoshop. I wish I hadn't blown out the raindrop but I like the feel of the photo anyway.

Date Taken: January 2, 2011
Camera: Canon EOS 40D
Lens: Sigma 75-300mm 4.0-5.6
Exposure Program: Manual
Exposure: 1/125
Aperture: f/5.6
Focal Length: 300 mm
ISO Speed: 1000
Flash: Off, Did not fire

Week 28: Grasshopper on Mini Rose

Grasshopper on Mini Rose, originally uploaded by Visions By Vicky.

Once again my photo of the week wasn't taken on Friday but at least I did take one. This was taken in the front of our house on Saturday afternoon. I was trying to get a picture of one of the roses and moved it a bit and this guy surprised me and flew on to this flower. I just had to take a few photos of him at that point.

Photo taken: July 11, 2009
Camera: Canon EOS 40D
Lens: Tamron 28-75mm f2.8
Exposure: 1/800
Aperture: f/4.0
Focal Length: 75 mm
ISO Speed: 100
Exposure Bias: 0 EV
Flash: Off, Did not fire
Exposure Program: Manual

Week 24: 2009 Graduation Breakfast

2009 Graduation Breakfast, originally uploaded by Visions By Vicky.

Well, it's official I missed a week and this week's photo wasn't even taken on Friday. After taking hundreds of pictures on Tuesday and Wednesday for year end events at school, I just wasn't in the mood to take a photo on Friday.

Anyway, this photo is from the Graduation Breakfast. Each year we hold a breakfast for the 8th Grade graduates and their guests and the centerpieces this year were a 2-tiered display with the top holding rosebuds and the bottom holding strawberries. These were the roses on my table at the breakfast.

Date Taken: June 10, 2009
Camera: Canon EOS 40D
Exposure: 1/100
Aperture: f/2.8
Focal Length: 75 mm
ISO Speed: 1600
Exposure Bias: 0 EV
Flash: Off, Did not fire

Week 21: Happy Anniversary

Happy Anniversary, originally uploaded by Visions By Vicky.

This week's photo was not taken on Friday but it still had to be my photo of the week. This is a photo of one of the flowers I received from my husband in celebration of our 17th wedding anniversary. We both try to get something for the other that follows the recommended gifts for the year but this year that recommendation was furniture. We decided against furniture even though we really do need a new couch. He got me roses and I got him the new Sports Active game for the Wii.

Date Taken: May 24, 2009
Camera: Canon EOS 40D
Exposure: 1/80
Aperture: f/2.8
Focal Length: 50 mm
ISO Speed: 3200
Exposure Bias: 0 EV
No Flash

Week 9: Signs of Spring

Signs of Spring, originally uploaded by Visions By Vicky.

Friday after school I took a walk in my backyard and came up with some photos of the flowers currently in bloom. There's still a lot not in bloom but the colors are starting to pop!

Date Taken: February 27, 2009
Camera: Canon EOS 40D
ISO Speed: 400 on all
No Flash
Focal Length: 75 mm except lower right which was 63mm
Manual Exposure
Upper Left: Exposure: 1/60, Aperture: f/3.2
Upper Right: Exposure: 1/80, Aperture: f/4.0
Lower Left: Exposure: 1/200, Aperture: f/4.0
Lower Right: Exposure: 1/125, Aperture: f/4.0

I had a hard time choosing what to post this week which is why there are 4 different images here already and here's a bonus shot of a Lemon Tree too. This is actually our neighbor's tree but this branch hangs over in to our yard.

Date Taken: February 27, 2009
Camera: Canon EOS 40d
Exposure: 1/200
Aperture: f/4.0
Focal Length: 75 mm
ISO Speed: 400
Manual Exposure
No Flash

Week 5: A Walk Around The Yard

A Walk Around The Yard, originally uploaded by Visions By Vicky.

I planned to take a photo at school today and got busy and never took one so I put my 50mm 1.4 lens on my camera and took a walk in the front and back yards. I couldn't decide which photo I liked best so I created a collage of three.

The rose is on one of our mini rose bushes which are located in the front of the house right beside the garage.
Date Taken: January 30, 2009
Camera: Canon EOS 40D
Lens: Canon 50mm 1.4
Exposure: 1/320 second
Aperture: F1.8
ISO Speed: 400
No Flash

We used to have a tree in our front yard but that died years ago and we now have a variety of plants in that planter. The brown/beige plant is one of them. Anyone know what it is? I really liked the textures in this.
Date Taken: January 30, 2009
Camera: Canon EOS 40D
Lens: Canon 50mm 1.4
Exposure: 1/500 second
Aperture: F1.8
ISO Speed: 400
No Flash

Last but not least is one of the oranges on the orange tree we have in the backyard. Our oranges are very yummy and we still have quite a few left on the tree. I think I may just have to eat that one!
Date Taken: January 30, 2009
Camera: Canon EOS 40D
Lens: Canon 50mm 1.4
Exposure: 1/250 second
Aperture: F2.0
ISO Speed: 400
No Flash