Monthly Archive for April, 2008

Rough Greens

Published
by
mattp9
on April 30, 2008
in Photos
. 4 Comments

Much in life has a bland quality to it until you look close up.

Macro.

That’s what I’m talkin’ about here.

Not the best macro lens but pretty darn good for less than $100.

That’s one thing I love about Pentax cameras. I have one lens which is at least 40 years old, but works perfectly and in some photos looks better than a lens recently purchased. With an adapter, I can use thousands of lenses on my newly acquired K20D, and my veteran K10D. The K-Mount has added features over the years, but the same K-Mount lens, first made in 1975, will mount and be useful as the latest lens designed and manufactured. Older lenses using the screw-mount or M42 mount, first made by Zeiss Contax in 1942 will also work, with an adapter, on the Pentax line of DSLR cameras. I know - I have one from the 1960’s vintage and it’s colors are sharp, contrast is good and a delight to use.

Pretty nice when you think about it. =)

Just a green plant from my yard.

Pretty texture, isn’t it?

120 of 366 Self Portraits

Published
by
mattp9
on April 30, 2008
in Photos
. 0 Comments

Close to the 1/3 mark through my 366 self portraits.

This one taken with the Pentax DA* 50-135mm f2.8 ED lens. A beauty of a lens. I hope to own one soon. I rented this for the recent wedding. It served me and the wedding couple well.

Set my chair up at the edge of the sunroom. Put my wireless remote shutter on. Pentax on a tripod, elevated above my head looking down.

I tried to look neutral-to-Mona Lisa Smile-Like.

Not sure if I don’t look more intense than that. Oh well.

A bit of close up goodness in a self portrait for you today.

Have you noticed that blue is my favorite shirt color?

Carrying the Seed

Published
by
mattp9
on April 29, 2008
in Photos
. 0 Comments

Just a dandelion flower about to go to seed.

Letting the wind do the work of spreading the next generation around.

A view of the small world of this flower.

A weed, but one that has beauty, even as it damages the grass it invades.

A bit of green for you today.

119 of 366 Self Portraits

Published
by
mattp9
on April 29, 2008
in Photos
. 0 Comments

ID in the Window.

Manual focus on my ID badge in my office window.

I’m still finding myself very lucky to have windows at work. The computer folks among you know how rare that is. Most of us are in cubicles, and in many a building are in the basement or a windowless space - for security - so it’s thought. =)

I was looking out my window during lunch. Not something I usually do. I’m usually busy about on my workstation, even during lunch. Today was different.

The sky was blue and the sun was shining. I was luxuriating in that with my camera in hand, when I noticed my ID badge flicker in the window’s reflection.

Perfect self portrait, perhaps not, but I’m in there, even if the photo is about 5 years old.

Shine on the Prairie

Published
by
mattp9
on April 28, 2008
in Photos
. 0 Comments

I love these scenes of cloud cover broken by well defined rays of sunshine.

A bit of warmth in a drab scene.

The day was full of wind, and even a few snowflakes.

This sunshine warmed the inner self, if not fully the outer self due to the wind.

119 of 366 Self Portraits

Published
by
mattp9
on April 28, 2008
in Photos
. 1 Comment

Walking in the wind, outside my car.

The weather is truly odd.

Tonight there’s a frost warning. Thursday it’s supposed to be 76F.

Last Friday, Rain - tornado watch - thunderstorm. Saturday, beautiful low 60’s but lovely. Yesterday, Windy & Wet again.

Tonight as I left my building, there was a gust of wind which had me bracing to not get blown over. Amazingly strong gusts.

Wickedly weird weather.

The sun was peaking through near solid cloud cover as I drove home. The nearer I got to my street, the more compelled I was to head to my special open prairie location.

I listened to my muse.

As I was snapping away at rays of sun shooting through cloud openings, I thought of self portrait setup.

My Pentax K20D on the trusted Joby Gorillapod, attached to my steering wheel. Wireless shutter remote in and on. Set the exposure and walk out so far.

Turn around and start clicking, looking to and fro, while walking towards the car.

This one piqued my interest most.

The tall stranger, my shadow on the car hood, walking. Hair wind blown, looking towards the camera with interest.

I really had fun in Lightroom with the conversion to Black & White.

Reminiscent of a movie still. Not sure what movie, tho. =)

Not the Last Kiss

Published
by
mattp9
on April 27, 2008
in Photos
. 0 Comments

At the end of the day, at every wedding I cover as a photographer, I as one final question of the wedding couple.

“Do you have any other photo you would like to take?”

That question has served both me and my clients well. I’ve taken some really interesting “Last shots” as a result.

I don’t know it all, and this is their day, not mine. These are their lifetime memories, to cherish again and again.

And, they just might and frequently do, have a fun pose to suggest. All they needed was for me to nudge their memory by asking.

I asked Rob & Najah, and they requested a seated pose in this lovely parlor.

Here you have the magnificent results.