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!

Nurture Photography

I've decided to participate in the Nurture Photography Challenge here. It will keep me on my toes and hopefully be creative in the process. This weeks' theme is blue and/or breathe. It can probably be summed up in some wide open spaces with blue skies... But we'll settle for taking the dog to the park for a walk.

I like to photograph the geese here usually but loved watching these guys take a bath.

I love birds in bare trees.

It's so hard to get Oscar to cooperate for a shadow shot. But this wasn't too bad.

I did use split toning in Lightroom to make my shadows more blue on this one.

Falling

Sometimes you just have to laugh at yourself.
I'm not really old enough to be worried about falling, am I?
Tonight I walked Oscar because hubby was working late. He has his little routine down to the point he could 'walk' himself. (I fact he did one night.) It was getting quite dark by the time we were to the part where we both 'run back to the fenced area with food in the bucket' so he could eat and go to bed for the night. If fact dark enough that I didn't see the sprinkler head sticking up that caught my foot in mid air. Yup, flat on my face. I heard my neck crunch. I moaned and rolled on my back. After a minute I began to hear crunch, crunch, crunch. Oscar had come back to eat. (Yes, our dog is very self-centered.) I had my wits about me enough to take a few photos. (iPhone is always in pocket) But it was dark. I finally turned on the flash.
I always wondered why, when you do a face-plant, you can't get your hands up fast enough to protect your face... Well I seemed to manage to catch my cheek bone with my knuckle and get a grass burn on my face too. At this point, I'm hoping not to have a black eye. I'll never hear the end of it.

This photo was nearly black. Thought I'd try my new desktop version of Snapseed. It ended up with a lot of color noise, so I figure B&W would work much better. Then I opened it in Adobe Camera Raw via Adobe Bridge to get rid of most of the noise. Not bad for what would have been a for sure 'in the trash' photo.

Think I'll have a glass of wine and go to bed.