playing with picasa

I downloaded the picasa photo editing program on Friday, and have been playing around with
it a little bi. I like how it allows me to adjust/
change the colors in my pics, and also
allows me to change the focus/sharpness of some of my photos.

Here are just a few examples:

Manual Focus 2

This is the same type of bush as yesterday's photo, but a little different view.
I was playing around with the manual focus settings on my camera.

Manual focusing

My first bokeh. Some winterberries near my house.
Its nice to see some color when everything is brown.

In black and white

This is my first foray using the color selector on my camera.
I did take some shots in color, but really like how
it looks in black and white.

Favorite Winter Scenes

I haven't uploaded any pics the last few days, and although these are
not new, they are from around Christmas time. I hope you enjoy them. They are some
of the first I took when I got my new Canon Rebel ES.

Tree Bark

This tree is losing it bark, but I like how the sun shines around the trunk through the bark.
I wish I had a better background than brown grass.

Roses are Red...

This is a closeup of a rose from Valentines day. I was focusing on the contrast of the red and green from the rose with the yellow of the table. I also wanted to take a photo from an unusual angle with the flower. I like how parts are a little more unfocused, as it leads the eye toward the top of the rose.

This pic is just for fun. Libbs was napping on the couch and I was playing with my camera, trying to get a good shot of her sleeping. Of course, then she wakes up and has this monster yawn instead!

POTD, Monday, Feb. 16th

I was worried about how/where I was going to get today's (the technical FIRST day) shot.
I am home sick with a cold, and as such, my options are limited. However, being a dog mom times 2, I had to go out on a walk with the kids. Just as we were rounding the corner to come inside, I saw this lovely little spot of ice snuggled in amongst all the brown grass.

What caught my eye first were the swirls and loops in the ice itself, which makes for a cool design.
Secondly, was how thin, fragile, and clear the ice was.
Unfortunately, I was not able to really capture how the sun glinted off of the ice. I am not sure how to do that. I will have to continue to play around until I figure it out!

And so I begin....

So, I bought myself a new camera for Christmas, and have used it a little. I thought, a good way to familiarize myself with the camera, and its capabilities (or rather my capabilities) I should be taking photos everyday. What better way to keep track of my progress than a photoblog.

So. Here I am. I hope you enjoy viewing some of my pictures.

This is a shot towards the shoreline in Duluth.
Steam is rising off of the water of Lake Superior.

The sun is setting over the harbor in Two Harbors.

I love how the sun sparkles on the water, ice, and rocks in this one.