light

So last month, the Gardening Gone Wild photo contest was about light and I had submitted one of Lily P. Utian's photos because it didn't feel right linking to a post from last summer and using that as my entry. I figure "i've got a camera, and I always need the practice, so I should use one of my newer photos if I'm not going to actually go out and take photos specifically for the contest."

As I was backpacking yesterday, I remembered that I had plenty of photos, that while taken months ago, at least had never made it to my blog. Photos taken in Big Bend, like the white fuzzy fungus (pictured), the green moss, and the prairie grass were all better "light" photos than the photo I entered for the contest.

Besides, I realized that when I'm taking photos for this blog, I tend to just use my camera in "P" or "Green Square" setting (essentially "point and shoot" modes) whereas when I go camping I'll play around with the different settings (usually opting for Aperture (Av) or Shutter Speed (Tv) priority). And that's assuming that I've even bothered to get out the SLR (half of the time, especially for those 'update' style postings, it's just easier to use the actual point and shoot).

Purple flower taken at Pedernales State Park 4/30/11 (non-processed)

So, resolution time!
in order to take better photos I will:
1) Read the user's manual
2) Take more photos where I'm trying to get a 'good' photo (this is because a 'good' photo is subjective)
3) Post-process the photos
4) Post them on my blog. Now then, I'll likely take a bunch of flower/plant/landscape photos because it's what I'm comfortable with. But I also need to take more animal/people photos...which I'll likely post on my other blog. OR! maybe I just need to start a new blog where I post a photo every day.
5) Provide photo metadata (it only counts if it can be re-created, right?)

Same purple flower as above (duh). Post processed with GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program).

Camera: Canon Rebel XTi
Exposure: 1/250
Aperture: 4.97 EV (f/5.6)
ISO: 200
Flash: No
Metering Mode: Patern
Exposure Program: Aperture priority
Focal Length: 70 mm
Post Processing: Brightness +5, Contrast +5, Levels (manual), add border