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Sunday, December 8, 2013

Sunday Stills - Pets And Ed's Five Year Anniversary

Happy Anniversary, Ed! 

Sunday Stills is a great photography group.  I'd have to look back to see when I started participating, but it's been awhile for sure.  I remember seeing Sunday Stills posts on some of my favorite blogs and I'd think, wow, I'd sure like to join in, but thought you probably had to be some fancy photographer and get invited or something.  No so!

Everyone is not only welcomed, but encouraged to join - just go to the Sunday Stills site and post your entry in the comments.  There are photographers of all sorts and focus and the challenges Ed posts each week range from easy to difficult, but are always do-able, and as with most things, the more you try to get out of it, the more you do.  I've learned a lot.  Thanks, Ed!

The challenge for this week is pets.  So...an easy one.  Or is it?  I'd already set my own personal challenge for the upcoming year to get better pictures of Iris, Weaslie and Claire Bear.  I've put together several calendars now and if you've noticed, there are never any big pictures of any of them.  Why?  Because they are black and black is a tough color to photograph.  Some pictures of black pets for Ed's anniversary would be a fun learning experience.


This is usually what I end up with.  Cute, sure, but the black shows no texture, shape or definition.  Claire Bear is a black blob with two yellow dots for eyes.  This was taken with my favorite go to lens, the 18-200mm.  It's a great everyday, all purpose lens and there are shots I quickly capture with it that I'd never be able to get with a fixed length lens.  The trade off is a little loss in clarity sometimes.

The rest of these pictures were taken with my macro lens, probably my second favorite lens.  Second only because it's a fixed 100mm and there are times when you just can't walk backwards far enough.  It's a great lens for close up detail, but I think it also makes a really nice portrait lens.  Ed helped Saint Tim pick it out for me for my birthday a couple years ago :-D.


You still have to think about what you are doing and I have no idea what I was thinking with my aperture setting here.  Well, I know what I was thinking...nothing.  Sigh.  There's so much more to a good photograph than a "fancy" lens.  If I'd opened up my aperture and blurred out the distracting tree in the background, this would be a much better portrait.  At least you can now see Iris has hair ;-).


"And I have a snow flake on my nose."


"See?  Right there on the tip."


"I have snowflakes on my whole body!"


White can be just as hard to capture as black.  However, as you can see by the snow, the camera and lens had no problem picking up the detail and color.  Weaslie's "white" tummy?  Headed straight for the bath tub! 

For more Sunday Stills...

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

Great shots, love the rolling on the back shots. Nice job. Regular Guy

Unknown said...

They are such beautiful and happy pets!:-) Love the post.

And, even though I do no know you, I join in in wishing you a happy anniversary, Ed!

Lori Skoog said...

Hey Sara! What a great post...always the thoughtful one. Love the shots of these three, and they all work.

Michelle said...

I've admired your Sunday Stills and didn't know how it worked. Now that I do, I may just have to join in – with my little point-and-shoot! I just happen to have a photo of Jackson I like and haven't shared yet....

Tombstone Livestock said...

Great capture of the snowflake on Iris's nose and Weaslie enjoying a roll in the snow.

Alice said...

Weaslie is such a cut up! Great captures of all three pets. Thank you Ed for bringing us photos we would never have enjoyed without your efforts. While not a photographer, I am sure that you have made those who contribute better photographers by encouraging new challenges each week.
Gracias

Ed said...

Excellent shots and thanks for being a long time contributor..:-)

Tyche's Minder said...

Oh, I especially like your snowflake-on-nose shots. :)

Sheepmom said...

Great pictures! Iris looks so long-suffering. Black IS very hard to capture. You did great! And silly Weaslie.... what wonderful pet friends.

Michelle said...

These are great and I love the shot with the snow on the nose.

The Dancing Donkey said...

The dark ones are tough to photograph. That's why I have so many nice pictures of Emma and a whole lot of brown blobs:)

Patrice said...

Very cute. :)

karen said...

someone loves to be in the snow! Now that Frodo is four years old he is less likely to be outside for more than a few minutes when he could be inside snuggled up into a ball.

Shirley said...

Strong light really helps with the black critters- as you know there is plenty of black around here! Love the snowflake profile.

Far Side of Fifty said...

You did great! I think I need another lens too..as I struggle with Chance. I have found light to be the secret..somewhat:)

Susan said...

Snowflake on the nose...the best!
Nice shots, as a non photographer I never see all the details that you see, just love the shots. thanks.

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