59 Chevy

Recent Photos

Pink and Orange

Yesterday just after sunset there was a wonderful orange pink cloud. Here we could only see parts of it. I did manage to get a nice photo behind some palms.

 

Moon and Trees

The evening after the super moon decided to take a different view of the almost full moon. I set up and watched the moon rise behind trees. I again used my Olympus E 3 with the Sigma 50-500mm zoom lens. The lens set to 500mm. I focused on the trees of course. This made the moon blurry for a nice effect. I seldom use the big lens but for stuff like this it is fun to have.

Yucca

The yucca is the Mojave Yucca that grows in the American south west. Back in 06 we bought a bucket with three small plants and put them in the ground. They seemed to grow slowly and without our really noticing it they finally got big and multiplied. Last year some bloomed. This year we have seen several blooms.

 

 

Super Moon

Set up my 50-500 Sigma lens on the tripod and attached my camera ready for the moon rise. I got some nice shots. This year there seems to be a smoky haze east of here that may be from the fires. That may have been why the moon is has a golden cast to it...and it came up near sunset too.

Amaryllis

My amaryllis only had two stalks bloom this year. I need to repot the bulbs.

Reflection

Some of the Photos I've Taken this Summer

Was up early on one morning and watched the sky turn from dark to dawn. This is the blooming yucca in my front yard against the dawn's pink sky.

 

The photo of the yucca and humming bird was taken on a cloudy day. I used the sliders on the raw image to brighten the photo. Then I used Photoshop to remove the sky. With a copy of the original and a copy of the brighter version I used a mask in Photoshop to bring the two versions together for a I think better photo.

A mustard weed was growing in what was our lawn.  In summer with the water shortage our lawn is dirt. I liked the way it looked. The mustard was still in the sunlight while the background was shade from the house. The photo didn't seem bright enough so was going to photograph it again. The flowers were mostly gone so was stuck with my first photo. I used the sliders on the raw version to brighten the photo while keeping the background as dark as I could. I then used Photoshop to add the text.

 

Most digital cameras will let your take both jpg and raw at the same time. The jpg version just has some editing done by the camera. The photographer can adjust this editing and make very good photos. Still it is great to have the raw file to work with when making major changes to the photo. I always like having both the jpg and the raw. I always feel that while the jpg file is worth while and often good it is still pretty much set in stone. What you see is what you get. I like the freedom of choice the raw file gives me. Art is what you make it.

Kota

Our summer has been strange. Very hot for awhile and then thundershowers. Now the sky is overcast but the temps are hot and muggy. Not like our usual SoCal summer in Lakeside. I have been taking photos and post some to facebook. Thought would catch up here and post here too.

 

This is my daughter's dog Kota. He loves to drink from the swimming pool.