Hits and Misses

For this entry, I wanted to include a few pics that weren't quite what I was aiming for, as a learning tool. Over the past few months, I've added a new monitor (oh SHOOT! I still need to pick up a video card), a new camera, new editing software and last night became the very, very proud owner of a new lens! I figure this post would be a good one to include some Hits & Misses, as a way to gauge my abilities.

First Pic
After a bit o'random messing around with my new lens just to get a feel for it (sign posts, door hinges, my shoes, the radio... y'know, stuff like that...) this is the first "official" picture that I took. I *think* I even took this one hand-held?

Oh... Miss! Dang.

This pic was taken from about the same vantage point. I envisioned a sharp, wide view of the diner. My initial interest was sparked by an employee chilling at the end of the bar, but I missed my chance. I think it would be cool to try this one again with a 10mm, and perhaps a longer exposure and f-stop in the upper teens?

Fun with the Photoshop
Oh dear sweet goodness, I am horrible with photoshop. Too many options! I used another frame from this location and tried a bunch of different effects.

The top one is just a basic edit I would normally to... move the exposure around, increase the blacks, add a bit of fill lighting, change the saturation, blah blah blah. You got it... basic msg stuff.

The middle one was converted to black & white (urban/snapshot... I think.) and then I added a pinch filter. How fun! A pinch filter! I like the distortion.

Then for the bottom one I added glowing edges to everything and bumped up the saturation. I kinda like it. I think the whole image looks electrified now. boogiewoogiewoogie.

Public Gallery

The Post Alley display of public art is inspiring; even at night. Actually, it was even cooler because the lights in the alley illuminated the area very well and I could see more details of the wall art.

I don't know why, but this cheesey Seattle sticker on a post caught my eye. Maybe because I could use it as a focal anchor for my random shots? To give a feel of consistency, I converted all of the shots below into black & white using the infrared filter.

I like this first one because it captures the feel of the alley... it tells you where you are.

Ok, ok.... the one below is Miss. I am still getting used to the new camera and wasn't sure how to change my focal point. I tried centering and focusing, then shifting my composition while holding the shutter button down.. but that didn't work. See?

I monkeyed with the menu, used the in-camera glossary (go Nikon!) and managed to get the frame I wanted. Nice, huh?

This last one is a tribute to my grandma; that crazy lady loved owls! She had every owl-themed knick-knack known to the human world. I swear. So, this was my last-look photo and last pic of the day. (I do wish, though, that I hadn't composed it so tightly... I cut off a bit of one of their ears. yikes!)

Thank you for checking out my pictures & reading all my ramblings! I am thankful, too, for my dear friend del for keeping me company on the streets of sea-town.