365project: Day 29, March 26, to Day 32, March 29.

Yeah, slack, I know.

Day 29, March 26.
Took no photos today, so here's one from March 29.


This photo is looking up the trunk of a tree. I think I captured the texture of the back and lichen quite well here.

Day 30, March 27.
Again with the not taking any photos. This was taken March 29 as well.


There's this garden on my way to work that has about 8 rosebushes, all much taller than I am, with about a score of blooms every time I pass. That's why there are so many pictures of roses in my collections lately. I really like how the droplets from the rain earlier that day were still on the bloom, and also the focus worked, yay! I think I'm getting better at tricking the phone into focussing what I want to - I still get it wrong, as the photos of red geraniums from this day show.

Day 31, March 28.
Took very few photos today. And here's one:


I liked the look of the broken rusty latch. I'm not sure I quite managed to capture the feeling of rundown antiquity it gives me, but I hope I've managed to evoke some of that here.

Day 32, March 29.
Took lots of photos today.


I love moss. I think it is awesome. This is a crack in someone's driveway. I liked the contrast between the white pebble crushing one end of the moss and the other moss still verdant and healthy.

And, because I love cats, here is a bonus photo of one I met on Tuesday while on my walk to work:


Taken while she was twining herself in and out of my legs. Very affectionate kitty.

365project: Day 28, 25th March

The sunlight that morning was just lovely, and I've been meaning to take some pictures of my clarinet for a while. This one, with the backdrop of that gorgeous blue sky, came out best.

365project: Day 27, 24th March

I liked the way the sun feel on this succulent. I think the photo was the best of those I took this day.

365project: Day 20, March 17, this time for reals.

Right. I found the missing day that was doing weird and not-so-wonderful things to my project tracking. I missed March 17, day 20 of the project.



My dearly beloved got me this flower because I was feeling rather down.

Screwing up my 365project, and general technology fail.

Somewhere in the last couple of weeks, I've managed to come a bit adrift and screw up my 365project. Sigh.

I'm going to go back through, figure out which day I've missed, and edit the day/date bits so that it's all fixed and sane again. And hopefully maintain a spreadsheet of all this, so I don't do it again.

Turns out it was the 17th of March, Day 20 that I managed to skip over. I've posted the photo for that day, and nearly caught up to today. I also now have a nice big spreadsheet with days, dates, and filenames, so hopefully I shouldn't screw up again any time soon. Does anyone have a better way to do it?

Argh.

Also, my email is screwed, my phone is screwy, and I'm generally not in the right frame of mind to be frantically writing an assignment right now.

Days like these, I really just want to say 'fuckit', go to bed and read a book. Also I would like new shoes, a new phone, a DSLR, a kindle, and some spare time. And a pony.

365project: Day 21, 22, 23, 24, 26 - Now editied for extra sanity.

So I haven't posted lately. I have been in a bad way, as most of those around me know. So I'm going to try to catch up a little here, and give a few days in one blow. I'll do the runner up post for the last week on the weekend. After that, I might go to monthly runner-up posts; we'll see.

Anyway, life has been exceedingly stressful of late, and I've not been coping. I'll blog about that later. My photography hasn't always happened every day, although I think I've at least managed most days. Without further ado:

Day 21, March 18.


Hard choice today. I had quite a few to choose from that I liked.

Day 22, March 19.


Not very inspiring today. I tidied up my tea collection, and this was the result.

Day 23, March 20.
I didn't manage to take any photos today. It was just one of those kinds of days. So, I'm backfilling with an awesome photo from another day.



The jewellery I wear on a regular basis. It is in some ways a very personal photograph - more personal than a portrait would be, as it reveals rather more of who I am. No particular art went into composition, but I do like how the focus has fallen.

Day 24, March 21.


The focus on this was just perfect. And it's a pretty flower, too. I especially like how the texture of the leaves comes through.

Day 25, March 22.


This caught my eye in the grass outside where I live. I like the sense of being different the lone mushroom in the grass has.

Day 26, March 23.


This house and gate features a bit in my photos. I just find it really interesting to look at. I think this shot captures a lot of the feel of the gate, with the rust, spike, twisted wires and background of dark green leaf cover on the ground.

365project: Day 19

One of several pictures I took of the flowering bush across the road from my house. Although there are focus problems here, it's not bad overall.

365project: Day 15, 16, 17 and 18

I've had a rough few days, as anyone who's been around me knows. Saturday I just ran out of time. Sunday I forgot my meds, and was pretty much useless the whole day. Monday ... well, apparently skipping a day of meds, taking my normal dose and then eating breakfast was a bad, bad idea, and I was punished with intense nausea for most of it. Tuesday I finally got to take some photos, which I am nominating as backfill for those days. My second-bests post will be a little anemic this week. Without further ado, here they are:

Saturday, Day 15.
(taken on Tuesday)


I was trying to take a photo of a new shoot coming out of the branch. Unfortunately the focus didn't go where I wanted it to go. So you get the gist, but the detail is blurry. Again, quite appropriate for how I was feeling that day.

Sunday, Day 16.


Today I did take photos ... of the G5 we're selling and of the lovely bruises on my arm. Clearly my self-portraiture has a ways to go. So you get an action shot of the G5 instead.

Monday, Day 17.
(taken on Tuesday)


An older frangipani flower that had fallen to the grass. I liked the slightly ragged look of this one - and I chose it because I was definitely feeling ragged on Monday.


Tuesday, Day 18.


This is outside what used to be a shop. I took it because I thought the texture of the stair was really interesting.

365project: Week 2 runner-ups

March 5, Day 8.


One of very few photos I took today.

March 6, Day 9.
No second-place for today.


March 7, Day 10.


Awful lot of choice today. I chose this because it is rather a pretty flower, and I like the colours.



This is another view of my stairwell, although it didn't work quite as well as Light through the wall.

March 8, Day 11.


Today was hard - so many great photos! So you're getting a few. This first one was of a rose on the same bush as this day's winner.



A top-down photo of the day's winner.



A side on view of the rosebush, through the fence. For some reason, I keep thinking of the maiden, the mother and the crone looking at these three flowers - one just coming out of bud, one in full flower, and the last one slightly tattered and old.



I found these tiny little flowers off the bikeway. With the sun coming down and illuminating them I just had to take the photo. The lens flare was a fortunate accident. I have another photo of this flower, but the focus didn't come out *quite* right. It's here if you want to look.



Another one of those charming little yellow flowers that featured in Life behind bars. I like the contrast between the climbing flower and the rigid brick fence.

March 9, Day 12.


I really liked the feathery texture of these leaves. Another shot of a different branch, but looking up to the sky:



March 10, Day 13.


At first I didn't like this photo much, but I've come around. I really love the texture of the bark and how it contrasts with the softness of the seedling growing in it. The perspective and shading from dark to light also seem appropriately dramatic.


March 11, Day 14.


This was really the only photo today I felt worthy of a second place, after I cropped it.

Hope you enjoyed!

365project: Day 14

This one was the only one of today's photos that really worked, and I credit that to the subject matter rather than any skill of mine, especially since the flower in question was above my head, so this was taken standing on tip-toe, phone above the flower, trying not to fall over.

To DSLR or not to DSLR

I've been posting a lot of photographs lately, with this 365project thing. And I'm really coming hard up against the limitations of my mobile phone camera. Whilst not as bad as some, I can't adjust focus, or do much of anything else, really, and I'd like to start exploring the techniques of capture a bit more.

At present, I have a chance at a secondhand Canon 450D, which I know has been taken care of well. I am seriously considering it. I know it'll tie me to Canon lenses For The Rest Of Time(TM), but from what I've figured out poking around the net, it's pretty much Nikon or Canon, and at the levels I'm likely to go to, much of a muchness. I'm very very tempted to go with the Canon body available, as well, it's available.

Due to financial constraints, I'll probably go with a Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II lens to start off with, although I'd really prefer a Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM. Still, I figure I can always upgrade eventually, once I exhaust the possibilities, or get good enough so that it's actually an issue. I also have no idea where to source these things aside from random internet purchases (since brick-and-mortar are a ripoff). I could really do with some advice.

I'd also like a macro lens at some point, and for that I have NO idea whatsoever, yet.

Oh, camera bag and tripod. These would be nice. I am currently leaning towards crumpler for a camera bag, because I already have a crumpler bag which does me quite well. Tripod - I'd prefer something light and compact that still expands to a full size. I need recommendations, because my google-fu is weak in this respect, it seems. Advice on both bags and tripods would be great, if you've got some to share.

That's about it for now.

365project: Day 13

A stairway outside a particularly abandoned-looking house. I was proud of myself for noticing this patch of moss - it's not really obvious, despite being right on the footpath.

I've nearly made it two weeks - tomorrow is my summary post! I hope you're all enjoying this as much as I am.

I have topical posts in the works, but I'm largely waiting on data, so I can't really write yet. Hopefully soon.

365project: Day 12

The focus on this one was *just* right, and the contrast in colour between the foreground and the background rather striking.

365project: Day 11

Another hard choice today, because I took some stunners. I settled on this one because I took it thinking of my husband, who is awesome and wonderful. There will be lots of runner-ups in the weekly summary, though.

I really love the way the early morning sunlight glows through the petals, and how the light level combined with my camera made the colours just right.

365project: Day 10

Today's choice was really difficult. I didn't take any great photos, but I didn't take any bad ones either. They were all good, but ... no more than that. I ended up going with this rocking horse, found abandoned on the bikeway, because it is unusual subject matter (most of the rest were flowers, which, while pretty, are pretty standard). I cropped the photo a little, and I've also uploaded a desaturated version here. I'm not sure it worked well, as it's all the same approximate hue.

Tonight's goal is to post today's photo before it's tomorrow.

365project: Day 9

A peeled tomato. I thought it was interesting the way the veins in the tomato showed through the flesh. Also? First and last photo taking opportunity of yesterday.

365project: Day 8

My mother-in-law's siamese fighting fish, named Tommy. Also, the first photo I've ever taken with a DSLR.

This is a couple of days late. My only excuse is being tired and having unexpected things keep me out past my bedtime. I'll post yesterday's photo soon, too.

365project: Week 1 runner-ups

I'm going to post all the photos I consider second-best from the past week. I don't have any for a couple days, because I either didn't get a chance to take many photos, or the ones I did take are not worth posting here. If you're really curious, go to my full gallery.

Feb 26, Day 1.


This is a cropped version of one of the photos I took that day. I think it's better than the original.

Feb 27, Day 2.


This was a very hard choice. One of those days where I took lots of great photos. So I'm going to post another couple that I also really liked.





Feb 28, Day 3.


I liked this photo a lot, but not as much as the photo I chose for this day. The other photo I liked from today is this one, taken with completely the wrong whitebalance setting:



March 1, Day 4.


Today was a hard day. I disliked or screwed up most of the photos I took, but aside from my lizard-on-a-globe photos, I liked this one.

March 2, Day 5.


Another day where I took lots of really good photos. Here's a few more.







March 3, Day 6.
Nothing for today - I didn't get an opportunity to take enough so I had a second good one.

March 4, Day 7.


A bit of silliness at BTUB last night, which I fortunately caught on camera.


And that's all for this week, I think.