Monday, November 30, 2009

The End

The photo a day challenge is over as of today. It's been a good experience. I don't know that I'm really any more familiar or better with my camera than I was to begin with, but it certainly has challenged me to get out each and every day and take plenty of photos.

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I found myself stretched to get an image that I liked which lent itself to the word of the day. For instance, abstract, above. I'd gotten a shot the previous day of a mowed corn field and liked the lines it created. I fiddled with it a bit on photo shop and thought I'd go back and get a similar shot on abstract day. But it didn't turn out nearly as well as the original, and then I got the spur reflected in the milk pail late at night when nothing else seemed to be working.

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My original thought for circles had been to use the lariat, and I tried that in many different ways during the day. Then I went to Beanie's to feed, and there sat this old bridle with a wire wound several times to create an O ring. I hung it on a white trailer door and took a handful of shots. I like the way it turned out.

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I learned what the word Bokeh meant! Do you know what it is? It's the light in the back of the photo. Don't confuse it with depth of field, because it's not the same. There should be circular light in the back on a bokeh shot. I played and played in an attempt to get what I needed. This was definitely a challenge!

Contrast, monochrome, expressions, and light were all words of the day this past month. If you enjoy photography, I'd highly suggest making a list of words, writing them on your calendar, and then trying to shoot that word on the day it's listed. You may be surprised with what you come up with.

Today, the last day of the challenge, the word was 'End'. I thought of the hind end of a horse, but was gone most of the day running errands and picking up hay, so I didn't get out to my barn for that shot. Besides...wouldn't that be too obvious? But as daylight ran out, that's what I intended to do. I snapped a pic of the hind end of a young Clydesdale on my way home from getting hay. Then, when I went to bring Beanie's horses in for her tonight, the clouds parted and I had a lovely moon above the valley, casting a glow to the fields below...a lovely ending to the day, wouldn't you agree?

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7 comments:

Linda said...

You have the gift!! I'm always amazed at what you shoot. And I love the self-portrait below. That is priceless.

Shirley said...

All wonderful photos, that last one is so peaceful. And I learned something- bokeh! Who'da thunk!

jane augenstein said...

Tracey, great pictures! The last one is priceless....The End of the Day! Gorgeous!

Unknown said...

Your shots are always so inspiring. It always makes me want to run and and buy a camera that can do all of that stuff [with my extra money]but my mind just doesn't think like yours. It takes someone special to see the end result in those photographs before they are even shot. We know where darling gets her talent. Thanks for always sharing.

Tracey said...

Ah, shucks, y'all...you're just too kind! Although, I am the best photographer on this blog (dare I say!) But there on the EPN forum? Wow...such an amateur! But that's okay, because it was fun, and I learned something new. My big ol' lens has a macro function! Learning just one thing made it worthwhile, and I hope to continue challenging myself with personal assignments.

Hey, maybe I ought to open this up to blog readers, eh? There's Sunday Stills already, but a photo a day for a month, or even week, could be interesting. We could all post to the same blog. Perhaps 6-10 people?

Paint Girl said...

Your pictures are always so beautiful! Love that moon shot! Gorgeous!

CTG Ponies said...

An excellent way to end.