Friends

05 October 2014

Pic and Mix

I have been a bit lethargic lately, not even bothering to dig out the camera and take a few shots. So the other day I took myself in hand and started to really study the camera's settings. Hitherto I went for the auto shots, this time I experimented. Some examples are shown below, but there are also some on-the-spot pics taken with the iPhone. 

I made a note of the name of this butterfly and promptly lost it.
Never mind losing the pic, I think I'm losing my memory!!
Cones on our Christmas Tree (for want of a better name!)
A feather, the property of either a Magpie or Wooodpigeon
Pampas in full show at the front of the house
Apples in the garden
Young lady collecting for charity, namely ponies for the handicapped. She stood in the rain hoping people would give money, which most did. I came out of the store and saw someone else taking a photograph so I pulled out the iPhone and jumped on the bandwagon. 
It goes without saying that this is a shot of the sky!
Our new bird feeding station
See how the squirrel sits neatly on a wrought iron ring? 
This is the only place he can get to on the new station. 
Why? Because I covered the poles with Vaseline.
This iPhone pic shows a vegetable cart that was at a restaurant we went to,
obviously advertising a show.

Well, that's all folks. I will try and play with the camera again.
Who knows, I might even get the hang of it.

19 comments:

  1. May I just say that you did exactly what i did back in France in the summer? We have a new camera (well, hand-me-down one, really but it's still new) and I didn't know how to use it properly. So I got an afternoon off for myself at our cottage in Bordeaux and started to fumble with the camera and the results were amazing.

    I loved your shots and I look forward to more.

    Greetings from London.

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  2. "Hitherto I went for the auto shots, this time I experimented."

    You GO, Valerie! And what GREAT photographs! Isn't it fun to experiment with the manual settings of your camera? I find that the more I do it, the more I learn.

    The shot of the sky is brilliant!

    And I love the photograph of the young lady collecting for charity. How CUTE is that pony!

    Thanks for sharing, dear lady. Have a super Sunday!

    X to you and Joe!

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  3. this is a website that I find has very useful information and helped me to get my camera off the 'Auto' setting. http://digital-photography-school.com/

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  4. Ron, it will take me a long time to catch you up... you take BRILLIANT photographs.

    Yes, the charity worker was one of those 'happy' people with a genuine smile ... and isn't that pony a beauty?

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  5. Cuban, for the last few years my cameras were the aim and shoot sort so the new one is a whole new ball game... smiles.

    Hi Elliott, how are you? Thank you for the link to the photo school, I look forward to visiting.

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  6. I see your garden is holding up very nicely. That poor pony probably doesn't want to stand there in the rain all day. And I love the vegetable display!

    Mersad
    Mersad Donko Photography

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  7. Slippery customer that squirrell, thank goodness!!

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  8. Vaseline - what a good idea. Wonder if I can put that on the drainpipes - they love pinching bulbs from pots on the balcony!

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  9. I am glad you got around to take some pictures. I have been bad with my blog. No pictures or post.

    I like trying out the settings on my camera. I need to get out and get some pictures of the leaves changing.

    Glad you took care of the squirrel. I bet the bids are happy.

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  10. The birds will love your new feeding station with lots of different seeds and stuff they love. Nice Vegie display too.

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  11. ah it is apple picking season here....it will be christmas soon enough...we used to toss those cones at eash other as kids.....haha that is the way to show the squirrel...lol....

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  12. Love the pics especially the miniature horse and the story behind the squirrel photo. Too funny. Thanks for sharing and thank you so much for promoting my book on your blog. Grateful, appreciative and I hope you enjoy it. Thanks for your support Val.

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  13. Joe, that's definitely the truth.

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  14. Hi Dan, we know you've been too busy to blog and it's understandable that your energies are required in the house. Yes, by the amount of birds now coming to the feeders I can safely say they are happy.

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  15. Tinkering with those buttons and settings obviously worked. Very nice!

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  16. Thanks, TB. I'll keep trying.

    Brian, the squirrel made it .. he finally managed to get on top of one of the feeders.

    Hi Glennis, thanks for visiting. The birds have certainly taken to the feeders, we see so many different kinds now. I love it.

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  17. Matt, it's my pleasure to promote your book.... just wait and see what I say when I've read it... grins.

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  18. Wonderful pics Valerie! I enjoyed the tour around. Thanks for visiting my London post. I have a lot more to share but not sure when they will appear right now. Still working through tons of photos :). You asked about the taxi cab drivers. We only took two rides and both of the drivers had been brought up in London, so had oodles of info. Then of course there is that test they have to take. They really are amazing to have so much info in their heads.

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  19. Hi Denise. I guess if you're born and bred in the Capital City the knowledge stays with you. I don't think our cab drivers know much about the area and they're all reliant on SatNavs!

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