365 Challenge - comments about my cameras

I decided to go back to my postings for this challenge and add titles and some comments about the taking the photos for the challenge.

I am always trying to get a better shot by experimenting with different settings on my cameras. I am using mainly two cameras for this project, my Canon EOS Rebel XS digital camera and a smaller Olympus Stylus 760 digital. They both have many different settings to try. I like the larger Canon because it is a SLR camera and I love the fact that I can keep the smaller Olympus in my bag for those shots I can take at work and any time. For years I have used a Canon film camera that is very much like my newer one. Before that I used a Mamiya Auto XTL that I bought in Hong Kong while I was in the Peace Corps. I am going to continue a project of scanning many of the photos I took with those camera both in the Peace Corps and since.

I consider myself a "semi-professional free-lance" photographer. While I have done many photo jobs in the past, I have never been able to be only a photographer. I have been the "Official Photographer" for the Cookie Cutter Collector's Club Conventions for the last decade. Of course they are only held every other year so this year will be my 6th convention for them. I also am one of the volunteer photographers for the Filipino American Community of Colorado and more recently for the Arapahoe County Quilt Guild. As a present I have taken photos for a number of weddings, birthday parties, anniversaries and debut parties. I enjoy shooting candid shots at these events.

I barely remember my life before I had my own camera. My parents were both avid hobby photographers and I started out with a Kodak Brownie Box camera when I was just a child. I used 620 b&w film in that one. I graduated to a 35mm camera by the time I went to college. I enjoyed the journalism class I took where I learned how to use a massive box camera with bellows and film holders. In that class we learned darkroom techniques also. Several of my color photos were used in the University of Wyoming yearbook and one of my b&w enlargements was in an exhibit at the library that year.

Day 25 - Miss Rodeo America

1/25/2010 Working at the airport I meet some interesting people. My first flight of this day was going to Houston. One of my passengers was Kelli Jackson, Miss Rodeo America, going home to Mississippi after attending Denver's National Western Stockshow and Rodeo.

Taking a photo of Kelli was easy, she is a natural. You know she has lots of experience in posing for pictures.

Day 24 - Cookie Cutter

1/24/2010 My CCCC secret pal gave me this awesome cookie cutter for the 1st present this year. I have to wait till December before I find out who it is.

I have been working on cataloging my collection. It is a challenge to get a shot that shows the details of a cutter. For this shot I used a plain white background to get some shadows to bring out the parts.

Day 23 - Cookie

1/23/2010 My friend Shirley decorates wonderful cookies. She made this cute cookie using a cutter designed by my friend Kathy and made by our tinsmith friend, Elenna. The inscription is for our convention coming up in June in California.

I am a member of the national Cookie Cutter Collector's Club and the local Rocky Mountain CutUps. We love cookie cutters and many of our members also are very talented cookie decorators. Shirley was one of the demonstrators at our 2006 convention in Pittsburg, Kansas.

The photographic challenge is in taking close-up photos.

Day 22 - Visitors in town

1/22/2010 My sister and brother-in-law are visiting Colorado. This was taken in front of Pasquini's Pizza in the Highlands neighborhood of Denver.

The challenge was again not over exposing the people while keeping some of the details of the background in this nighttime outdoors shot.

Day 21 - Dolls

1/21/2010 My friend Rosanne made these cute dolls.

The photographic challenge is in doing a close-up without background distractions. For this shot we used a chair that had a plain color.

Day 20 - Friends Visiting

1/20/2010 My friend Linda is in Denver for a convention so we went out to dinner. This is at the Pint Pub on 13 Ave. in Denver. She is reading the London Times.
The challenge is getting a good shot without washing out the model and yet retaining some of the background.

Day 19 - Pottery Collection

1/19/2010

My friend Donna has a collection of blue & white at her office.

Day 18 - Night Shot

1/18/2010
We live near the Denver University campus. This is on the side of the Newman Center for the Performing Arts there. On my way home, late at night.

I am using a small point and shoot camera and the challenge is getting detail with available light while not blurring the shot. I was able to adjust the exposure a little on the computer.

Day 17 - Food Shot

1/17/2010
Red Velvet cup cakes.
This was part of the dessert spread at the REI Denver post-holiday dinner. They were made by pastry chef Barkley Eberline of Eat Dessert First.

These are some of the other beautiful offerings from Eat Dessert First

Day 16 - Baby

1/16/2010 Baby Tavion was born back in December to my friends Theresa and Steffan. Taken at the Filipino club meeting.

Taking shots of babies is always fun but they don't always want to cooperate!

Day 15 - Denver International Airport Main Terminal

1/15/10 This is a view of the terminal at Denver International Airport from level 6 near the A Concourse bridge.

Using a small camera to shoot in such a large space is the challenge here. You have to use available light because a flash will just get swallowed up in the distance. I love the way the light filters through the roof of the terminal

Day 14 - Brazilian Embroidery

1/14/10
I was watching a demonstration of Brazillian embroidery at the Arapaho County Quilt Guild meeting. This needle art uses rayon thread instead of cotton. This is a close-up of some of the threads she used.

Some more photos of the embroidery.

Day 13 - Urban Wildlife

1/13/10
Urban wildlife - this bunny was spotted in the employee parking lot at DIA.

The challenge of course is getting the shot before the bunny runs. It was cold out and he was enjoying sitting in the sun.

Day 12 - Thorn Tree

1/12/10

In front of my house there is a wicked locust tree with huge thorns.

The thorns always have bothered me. We have tried to get rid of them on the trunk by burning them off and cutting them off. Unfortunately, they keep coming back. The 2nd tree doesn't have the thorns. I was told that one is a female tree and one is a male tree. I never took botany and I don't know which is which.

Day 11 - Cowboy Day

1/11/10

My co-worker Brandi's kids came for a visit on the concourse. It was "cowboy day" at school in honor of Denver's National Western Stock Show, one of the biggest in the country and the kick-off of the rodeo season.

Day 10 - Airport Friend

1/10/10

Tracy is one of the many wonderful flight attendants that we work with every day.

I meet lots of interesting people while working at a busy airport. It is nice becoming friends with the other people who work there. I like to find out about them. For example: Tracy's grandmother is named Arlene. Many times when I see her on the concourse, she is talking to her mom, so I tell her to "say hi to your mom". One of these days, Mom is going to come thru Denver and we can really meet!

Day 9 - Airport Friends

1/9/10

7 am - My friends Phil and Kristi in the SkyWest break room.

I think it might have been way too early for Phil.

Since I am working full time, many of my photos will be taken at Denver International Airport with my little camera.

I went digital this year. I bought my Canon in May before our trip to Albania to visit my Peace Corps Volunteer daughter Becca. Then I was able to buy a small Olympus camera on sale when she sent hers home to get fixed. I like having it handy in my bag so I can take a shot whenever I am inspired.

Day 8 - Jet Bridge

1/8/10

jet bridge B54

Day 7 - Morning

1/7/10

Dawn looking West out the back window

1/7/10

book I finished at 7am

Two photos just seem to say how I started the day!

Day 6 - Snow

1/6/10 Snow falling in the front yard

By using the flash I was able to highlight the snow.

Day 5 - Antique

1/5/10

antique figurine bought in the Philippines in the 70's

I have been experimenting with close-ups.

I bought this in Cebu. Notice the curls, they are little bits of brass pounded into the wood.

Day 4 - Early morning reflections

1/4/10
early morning on the Concourse B bridge
DIA, Denver, CO

I was trying to get the reflections on the windows in this shot.

Day 3 - Afternoon in the Cold

1/3/10
Cold winter day - near Pena Blvd., Denver, CO

Day 2 - Window

1/2/10 looking outside

365 Days - Day 1

My friend Jessica told me about a project she is doing called 365 days where she is choosing one photo each day as a representative of her year. I thought that it sounded interesting so I am copying her idea. I am posting one photo a day (unless the internet is inaccessible - and then I will catch up when I am connected again). I am also putting them in an album on my FaceBook page. Should be interesting - maybe dull?

1/1/10 - Harvard Gulch Park, Denver, CO

What I read in 2009

I read over 90 books in 2009 if you count several that included more than one book inside one cover. They totaled over 33,793 pages. I started keeping track of my books on GoodReads this summer. I found this project to be very interesting.