Thirty Days of Leaves 06

The stately Sugar Maple. 

Taken in Nashville, Tennessee.

(Canon, very little edit) ISO100, 300mm, f/5.6, 1/500sec

Thirty Days of Leaves 03

And one more Honey Locust from Nashville at the Courthouse.

I had decided to put my long lens on that day and was glad I did. 70-300.

Weekend Walk

Yesterday's post was about how my iPhone just can't hold a candle to my Canon when it comes to the light. (Weekend Walk, iPhone Version) I love the iPhone for creativity and artsiness and sometimes it's just faster and I can do things sitting on the sofa or anywhere. Just saying… But my 'big girl camera'?… whoa! It just doesn't compare. I remember talking myself out of buying one for nearly two years because I just didn't want the complication and disastrous effects of changing lenses. Now I can laugh at that one.

I hooked my Black Rapid Strap and my long 24-300 lens to my Canon and headed out with Oscar for his evening walk.

Hubby stopped to talk to one of our employees who was installing a sprinkler down the street at the neighbor's. The glare bothered me as I looked through the viewfinder. Now that's some true haze! However, I really like how it looks on screen don't you?

These chickens moved in last fall and recently they've been coming close to the fence. Strangers must be feeding them because they have always been scared before. They actually come running now. I'll have to start taking seeds with me. I have enough shots of this guy that I think I'll try to make an animated gif.

The 'Unfriendly Neighbor' left his back gate open and Oscar decided that was an invitation. This neighbor is also new and so is this fence he's put around his fruit trees. Makes it hard to photograph them. But since the gate was open……. I was able to take one step in and get these next few shots. (Oscar was lightly scolded.)

I shot this perpendicular to the light. I'm not sure how the bokeh became streaked. Perhaps from the sun rays. Surely my lens isn't that dirty! If anyone knows, do tell.

It's funny the things you notice when the light is just right.

A robin waited on high I crept closer. They are getting quite thick around here. Currently we have Threshers, Mockingbirds, Red-winged Black Birds, Blue Jays and Red House Finches.

A lone donkey made this path. He is a story of his own. More about him and his space in the future.

The Friendly Neighbor's peach tree. This guy is very personable. I'll give him a 10 on the friendly scale. This was the only shot that pleaded for a texture. Another neighbor has the lovely Redbud tree below. I just realized I need to get my Lensbaby out to shoot these flowers. My gosh, I've waited all winter for this! Now I need to reacquaint myself with it.

Textured with kk_waterfront20 softlight 100,  kk_waterfront7 multiply 100.

Linking up with Kim for Texture Tuesday.

I'm linking up with Helen for Weekend Walks!

The Prairie Grass Tour

Now that the sun gets up later, it's much easier for me to go shoot a little early light. I just love the prairie grass around here. I almost ran over a jogger while gawking at the weeds in the ditch yesterday. It didn't help that he was on the skinny road running toward me.

Just a few slight Lightroom tweaks on the grass. I made a preset called Pop It, if anyone wants it. It effects only the basic panel. Download here.

 There always seems to be a few yuccas around.

These sunflowers were in the ditch near a place I went last year to do a self-portrait shoot in a skimpy wheat field. 

Nestled in with the flowers were the dreaded 'sticker burrs'. These are so not wanted in the yard but they make for a lovely shot facing into the sun.

The former wheat field was totally barren. The same is true for a lot of the cotton fields. I found that someone had thoughtfully dropped off a nice prop for me.

I couldn't resist.

I took this home with me.

Now here's the iPhone/iPad version.

Did you know that I love texture? These were all edited with Mextures.
I'm linking up with Helen today for Weekend Walk.

Have the most fabulous weekend, friends!

Friday Finds 7-19

From where I peck away on my computer (no, I should say click and stroke away on my Wacom) I have a perfect little view of part of my flower bed at my front door. Various birds will come to visit and if I remember to rise the blinds and keep my camera handy with the long lens attached, I can sometimes get a decent photo.
Well, this week a humming bird showed up! We rarely see them and to ever think I would get a shot at one is a million to one.
He didn't stay long at all. I don't think he liked the flavor.
I've seen two more check out my skullcap. Perhaps it's time to get a feeder.

Edited in Lightroom.

Linking up with Kim at the Cafe for Friday Finds.

Walk and Click -First Snow

We had a nice dusting of snow which can be very rare here. So I took advantage and went for a drive. Less than a mile brings me to sorghum fields and cotton fields with some semblance of stubble to attract the geese. We have bazillions winter over here in the north part of Texas. Armed with my iPhone and 70/300 lens, this is what I captured. (All DSLR photos processed in RadLab.

This lone tree is where I stopped. (iPhone, forgot what I processed this with. Must take better notes)

70-300mm, at 300mm

1/500 sec;   f/10;   ISO 800

As I scoped in my view, I discovered a few interesting things.

70-300mm, at 200mm

1/350 sec;   f/5.6;   ISO 320

iPhone, Picfx, Snapseed, I actually prefer this one.

70-300mm, at 90mm

1/350 sec;   f/4.0;   ISO 320

70-300mm, at 235.0 mm

1/350 sec;   f/5.6;   ISO 250

And right before I left I noticed the tree was full of birds. 

Calamity texture by Kim Klassen.

70-300mm, at 100mm

1/500 sec;   f/4.0;   ISO 100

Yes I most definitely took the blue bottles home with me. (But not because I'm a trash picker-upper)

Can't wait for some more snow!

Linking up with Walk & Click Wednesdays.