Day 35

Day 28

This may be a little more abstract and impressionistic than my shots usually are, but I thought it was kinda cool. It's a climbing structure at the park down the street. Hubby and I just took Baby G on a nice little walk down there to swing on the swings. Perfectly wonderful thing to do on a lazy, sunshiney Sunday afternoon.

Day 21

Ugh! Am totally not feeling a post today, so check back later.

*Edit* This afternoon, on our way home from church (65 miles away), we decided to go check out a back road and signs that pointed towards a reservoir/dam/lake. We never found the reservoir, but we did discover some North Dakota landscape that we really hadn't got much of a chance to see yet. It was basically badlands and it was incredible! In the middle of all this prairie, we went off the beaten track and found a whole different set of scenic views- bluffs, ravines, draws, brush, ponderosa pines. It was pretty cool. And beings we drove about 15 miles off the main road on a windy, sometimes-almost-two-track, gravel road, it really felt like we were "out there". We crossed over 6 cattle grates (yes, we counted), drove through multiple cattle pastures, and saw 3 places of human inhabitance. It was great! And so beautiful!

And that, of course, is where I got this shot. In black and white it looks like it was taken 100 years ago. And, other than the fence line and the two-track going through the foreground, I doubt this land has changed too much since then.

This. This is what I love about the West. Or western midwest, depending on who you are. Wide open. Much unchanged. Lonely. Probably the same reasons a lot of people love the West. I'm just very thankful that not everyone who loves the West has moved out here. I mean, what point would there be? It wouldn't be the West anymore. Or, at least, it would lack a lot of what we love.

And without those things- without the wide openness, the raw naturalness, the loneliness- would it really be the West anymore?

Day 16

Here's today's photo for you guys! I was going to work on some night photography today, but on my trip out to the farm this evening, well, um, my battery died. So I guess you'll have to be content with this sunset.

*Edit* I had a whole blog post written up in my head to accompany this image but while I was posting last night, I simply drew a blank.

I was gonna write something about how I've been shooting completely in 'Manuel' mode. And it's an awesome feeling! When I first got my D80, I thought there was no way I would ever learn how to use all the settings. And I still don't know how to put all the great things in my camera to work. But the fact that I can actually shoot fully manual and know what I'm doing? That's totally, like, cool! Excuse me for sounding like a teenager. Being a teen actually wasn't that long ago for me, so you'll have to excuse me.

First I stayed in 'Auto' mode. Then I began to wander over into 'Aperture' land because I have this thing for awesome bokeh. But the high ISO (grainy pictures) started to rear it's ugly head, so I had to learn about that. And recently I've been working on shutter speed. So where does that leave me? Entirely manual, thank-you very much! And it case it sounds like I'm patting myself on the back- I am. Pure and simple. But seriously, this is such a huge step for me. Something I never thought I'd accomplish! But then, once you've managed to birth a baby, everything else is peachy easy.

And about my battery dying? Yeah, I know, "Bad photographer!" But I have always been told that letting the battery, in anything, go completely dead is better, even if you only do that once in a while, than plugging it in while it still has a small charge. So there. I did it for my camera.

And I forgot.

Day 13

So sorry I didn't get my photo posted yesterday. My hubby only had to work a half day yesterday so I hung out with him all afternoon, rather than my MacBook. And then in the evening we were invited to our South African friends' place to play Monopoly. Oh, and to treat a foot which had just had a 4-inch nail pulled out of it. Yeah, that wasn't so pleasant, poor guy. Woulda maybe sent him to the ER, but he had a tetanus shot 3 months ago, so really what more could they really do?

And then we played Monopoly. Actually, it wasn't even standard Monopoly- it was Monopoly City. A lot like the old standard Monopoly but with some definite twists. And it involved batteries. What is it with all these old board and card games coming out with new, battery-operated versions? Seriously, I liked the old versions just fine-WITHOUT the beeping and blinking and whatever else. Wow! I just totally sounded like an old person there- scary! And I promise- I promise to you on my D80- that I am not that old! I'm not even approaching middle age! Just call me old-fashioned.

Anyways, so I am known as the Super.... well, um, mean, nasty female dog of Monopoly. Simply because I financially ruined my husband. In the game that it- not real life. I hope. But there is a difference people! A huge difference between Monopoly and real life. I just happen to very shrewd when it comes to Monopoly. No rent-forgiving just because you happen to be married to me. He still loves me, thank goodness. He even warmed up my side of the bed last night before I came to bed! *hugs and kisses* Love him!

I suppose I should add a note about the actual picture in this post, rather than just blogging about my Monopoly stardom.

It has been so beautiful all week here. I'm pretty sure this classifies as Indian Summer. Temps in the 50s and 60s. Lovely sunshine. Yesterday was no exception. I took hubby's lunch out to the farm (because he fordot it) and had to try to shoot the sky. The clouds were calling my name. The blueness contrasted against the white cottoney texture were just begging for me to try to capture their serenity and grandeur. Don't we serve an awesome Lord who created these things? All creation praises His name and I just want to join in!

But, you know what? It's another amazing day out there and I'm going to take Baby G to the park. It is the Sabbath after all. I would love to be in church, but with the hubs working and our chosen place of worship an hour's drive away, it just didn't happen today. So I'm gonna take G and my camera out and enjoy the weather. Then maybe we'll come home to G's Bible story book. And, maybe, by then hubby will be almost done working! Ok, nevermind. They're working cattle so I dream on...

Day 6

Well, I figured that ya'll might be getting tired of the macro-esque, still life type stuff, so I decided to change it up this morning. After all, I'm guessing part of the 50/50/50 challenge is to show how versatile a 50mm lens can be.

I caught this landscape shot as I was driving my hubby to work (his truck broke down a couple of days ago). I just loved the pink reflection of the rising sun of the clouds. In my opinion, cloudless sunrises (and sunsets) are pretty, but clouds just add some much more drama and a whole new dimension!

So I hope you like it! Landscape is not my strong point, but I'm working on it!

Welcome!

Hello everyone! Welcome to my photoblog! I can't believe it- I'm starting my own stinkin' photoblog!

I'm starting this page so you all can see some of my work and get an idea for my photography style and taste. If you see something you like, give me a holler! And if you see something you don't like or could use some improvement, do the same!

If you REALLY like what you see and are interested in having a family, senior, children's, bridal, or engagement session with me, let me know and will see if we can work something out. It would help a lot if you are somewhere in the southwestern North Dakota, northwestern South Dakota, southwestern Montana, or even in the northwestern Wyoming areas.

And unless you really, REALLY like me, have complete confidence in me, and are very forgiving, I'm not offering my services for weddings at this time. However, I'm shooting my sister's wedding next month, so we will see how that goes and if I'm more confident about actually doing weddings on a semi-regular basis.

I hope you enjoy watching my journey from amateur to semi-professional photographer.