Tuesday 26 January 2010

GARDEN BLOGGER BOOKS

Just having a bit of fun with manual settings. I couldn't resist popping outside when I saw the sky whilst I was washing up.

I am sorry if I haven't been keeping up so much with blogging friends but when I am quiet it is usually because I am busy with my other blog.

My youngest daughter thought it would be nice if she made me a book of my blog, mainly connected with the garden. She has been very busy loading onto her computer and recently showed me how it was coming along. I was most impressed it looks lovely and will be so nice to have a book to flick through and remember the garden in 2009.

I was 'speaking' with Charlotte of The Galloping Gardener recently and she pointed me in the direction of www.blurb.com This looks an excellent website and has a free download for making your own books and has lots of other information.

Recently Frances of Fairegarden has been busy posting about what happens to blogs when we cease blogging do check her recent posts out.

Perhaps we should start a fashion of publishing Garden Bloggers books from Blotanical could be quite something. Meanwhile though it would be fun just to have a personal copy of our favourite Blog posts.

What do you think?

Wednesday 20 January 2010

A BIRTHDAY BOUQUET

A birthday bouquet arrived from my brother and his wife for my 60th birthday what a wonderful surprise. I have always drooled over the David Austin cut roses when looking in their catalogue and at their stands at Hampton Court flower show. These are Miranda. I never imagined I'd ever receive a Bouquet. Thank you so much John and Barbara they are really wonderful and thank you also for the lovely rose Sophy's rose a beautiful light red or deep pink colour that repeat flowers.







This last photo was for Carolyn at Aiken House and Gardens, do pop over and see her beautiful collection of china but take time to scroll back to her lovely summer garden too.

Saturday 16 January 2010

WINTER WONDERLAND

I had to post these photos of our winter wonderland even though at last the snow has gone. We are so lucky to live so near to the woods and to be able to go out and enjoy their beauty.
All these photos were taken on automatic settings.



My faithful friend always stands where I want to take a shot.




For once Beth decides to look at the camera, probably rather inpatient with me keep stopping to take photos.



I hope you enjoyed our walk. These woods are frequented by deer but also pheasants which are bred on the neighbouring estate (competent hosts for Borrelia infection, Lyme Disease).
I still enjoy my walks in the woods where I would probably have contracted Lyme Disease but I go well booted and not in flimsy sandals or shoes as I had been known to do.
I just uploaded an excellent video to my side bar which I would recommend everyone watch, Seven Facts about Lyme, you never know when that information may help you or someone close to you.

Sunday 10 January 2010

PHOTO EXPERIMENTING 3

After talking with my daughter I realised that it was the White balance that needed adjusting on my camera. I had been playing indoors and not adjusted the settings back. So I decided to see how things compare by having the only differential the WB settings.
The first one is in fully automatic mode and from that I copied the settings just adjusting the WB so they are all ISO 80 Av 4 Tv 1/125.


The above was manual settings as Auto but also AWB automatic white balance still a very slight difference in the sky an improvement I think.

This was with WB set on daylight and perhaps my favourite although I don't remember the sky being so blue so perhaps an enhancement rather than a true capture.

This was with WB on the cloudy setting

This was white balance on fluorescent light setting which is meant for indoors but is very similar as the daylight

This one had WB set on Tungsten.

Saturday 9 January 2010

PHOTO EXPERIMENTING 2

In all the manual setting apart from the last three I have used Saturation in the edit function on the computer to try and reduce the blueness of the snow but always at the expense of the redness of the sky.
The first was M ISO200 Av 4.5 Tv 1/60


M ISO 200 Av 4.5 Tv 1/200

M ISO 200 Av 4.5 Tv 1/320

M ISO200 Av 4.5 Tv 1/80

A ISO80 Av 2.8 Tv 1/60

M ISO 100 Av 4.5 Tv 1/40

M ISO 200 Av 2.8 Tv 1/160

M ISO 200 Av 2.8 Tv 1/125

M ISO 100 Av 4.5 Tv 1/160

M ISO 100 Av 4.5 Tv 1/100

M ISO 200 Av 4.5 Tv 1/250

M ISO 200 Av 2.8 Tv 1/640

M ISO 200 Av 2.8 Tv 1/640

M ISO 200 Av 2.8 Tv 1/320

M ISO 400 Av 2.8 Tv 1/800

M ISO 400 Av 5 Tv 1/320

Friday 8 January 2010

PHOTO EXPERIMENTING 1

The sky was so interesting when I walked Beth yesterday I had to go back and get my camera . The sun was going down behind the trees so I decided to experiment with settings and where better to record this than on my blog
The first setting was Automatic (A ) ISO 80 Av 3.2 Tv 1/60
A ISO 80 Av 3.2 Tv 1/60

A ISO 100 Av 2.8 Tv 1/60

A ISO 160 Av2.8 Tv 1/60

A ISO 100 Av2.8 Tv 1/60

Manual (M) ISO 200 Av 4.5 Tv 1/100

M ISO 80 Av 4.5 Tv 1/20

M ISO 100 Av 4.5 Tv 1/20

M ISO 100 Av 4.5 Tv 1/20

M ISO 200 Av 4.5 Tv 1/20

M ISO 200 Av 4.5 Tv 1/40
M ISO 200 Av 4.5 Tv 1/40

M ISO 200 Av 4.5 Tv 1/80
M ISO 200 Av 4.5 Tv 1/30

A Iso 200 Av 2.8 Tv 1/60

A ISO 160 Av 2.8 Tv 1/60

M ISO 200 Av 4.5 Tv 1/30
Well not absolutely sure what I have learnt but hope this will be a useful reference for me.
I don't think the blueness is to do with the ISO perhaps it is the size of the Aperture any suggestions?
Wonderful what you can do with a digital camera and how it can influence the mood of the picture that's before even attempting to use a photo editing program.