I'm going to be putting A Pile of Pics to rest for the time being... if you'd like to check out more of my photography work, please visit one of my following blogs!
Katrina Schultz Photography - Pre-Fall 2012
Something Un-Landon?!
I thought maybe my audience would enjoy something un-Landon related?! Not the greatest picture but it's one of the gifts we got before Landon was born that I thought was very neat. Had I not already had his sports themed room planned out I probably would have done a jungle theme! Maybe our next house...
SS: 1/60
Aperture: f/2.5
ISO:400
Focal Length: 50mm
Speedlite
And just cause I can't NOT post something Landon related....
WOW it was bright today!!! And yes... that is a stick, in my son's mouth! :)
SS: 1/4000
Aperture: f/2.5
ISO: 100
Focal Length: 50mm
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And More!!
I can't contain him any other place but the bath...
SS: 1/125
Aperture: f/2.8
ISO:400
Focal Length: 50mmShot with Speedlite
SS: 1/200
Aperture: f/2.8
ISO:400
Focal Length: 50mmShot with Speedlite
SS: 1/60
Aperture: f/2.8
ISO:400
Focal Length: 50mmShot with Speedlite
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More Bath Time fun!
So I got my new Canon Speedlite today and tried out... I really have no clue at this point but things seemed to come out good?!
SS: 1/60
Aperture: f/2.8
ISO:400
Focal Length: 50mmDrug the shutter on my Speedlite (is that the right terminology?!)
SS: 1/60
Aperture: f/2.8
ISO:400
Focal Length: 50mmDrug the shutter on my Speedlite
SS: 1/60
Aperture: f/3.5
ISO:400
Focal Length: 50mmDrug the shutter on my Speedlite
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Christmas Fun!
We made it back up to Greenbluff to cut our fresh Christmas tree! So much fun - even though $50 for a tree that I'm going to burn up at our annual New Years Eve bon fire hurts a little (which, we forgot to do... so it's sitting all frozen and lonely in our back yard)?! She was beautiful and we had a lot of fun going up there as a family and cutting down our first "real" tree.
SS: 1/250
Aperture: f/4.5
ISO:100
Focal Length: 40mm
SS: 1/45
Aperture: f/5.6
ISO:100
Focal Length: 55mmAnd a little fun with our ornaments?!
SS: 1/200
Aperture: f/4
ISO: 800
Focal Length: 30mmWith Lightscoop
Apparently I shot this on automatic **blush** - but it's cute and from Christmas morning?!
Merry Christmas everyone!!!
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Happy Turkey Day!
This is a horrible picture but my little chunkster had to say HAPPY TURKEY DAY!!!!
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Happy Halloween!
Ha, these were fun! We dressed Landon up and went out to dinner - since he's too little to trick-or-treat anyway - and when we got home we just started snapping away! LOVE!
With Lightscoop
With Lightscoop
With Lightscoop
With Lightscoop
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I LOVE my Lightscoop!
So, I have absolutely no natural lighting in my house - I could open every freakin' window and still have to set my ISO at 800 or most of the time 1600 which makes for super grainy photos and lots of editing, in short, no fun.
For those of you who have no clue what a lightscoop is... basically, it's a cheap ($20) alternative to a Speedlite ($300+). It's not a replacement to a Speedlite nor professional lighting however, for what I'm doing now and until I learn more and get better, it works for me. Essentially, it works with my camera's pop-up flash, and it is designed to re-direct the harsh, direct light to the ceiling (or to a light-colored wall when the camera is rotated to a vertical position) to wash the entire scene with a softer, more even light.
Instructions: Just in case I lose them, or god forbid Landon eats them.... set the camera to manual mode, exposure meter to spot metering, ISO to 800, and the shutter speed to 1/200th. Set the lens to the widest aperture, which is f1.8 for my 50mm lens or f3.5 on my crappy kit lens that came with my camera. Lastly, turn the flash on and set the flash exposure compensation to +1 or +2.
Whalah!
(Examples to come...)
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A Day at the Park!
I feel as if I'm getting better at this?! Maybe not, but it's clicking... Aperture, Shutter Speed, Exposure, lighting?! I say it over and over... but THESE are my favorite pictures. And Landon, he loves the swing!
Happy Turkey Day!
This is a horrible picture but my little chunkster had to say HAPPY TURKEY DAY!!!!
SS: 1/200
Aperture: f/3.5
ISO: 400
Focal Length: 18mm------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Happy Halloween!
Ha, these were fun! We dressed Landon up and went out to dinner - since he's too little to trick-or-treat anyway - and when we got home we just started snapping away! LOVE!
SS: 1/200
Aperture: f/4
ISO: 800
Focal Length: 28mmWith Lightscoop
SS: 1/200
Aperture: f/4
ISO: 800
Focal Length: 28mmWith Lightscoop
SS: 1/200
Aperture: f/4.5
ISO: 800
Focal Length: 29mmWith Lightscoop
SS: 1/200
Aperture: f/5.6
ISO: 800
Focal Length: 50mmWith Lightscoop
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I LOVE my Lightscoop!
So, I have absolutely no natural lighting in my house - I could open every freakin' window and still have to set my ISO at 800 or most of the time 1600 which makes for super grainy photos and lots of editing, in short, no fun.
For those of you who have no clue what a lightscoop is... basically, it's a cheap ($20) alternative to a Speedlite ($300+). It's not a replacement to a Speedlite nor professional lighting however, for what I'm doing now and until I learn more and get better, it works for me. Essentially, it works with my camera's pop-up flash, and it is designed to re-direct the harsh, direct light to the ceiling (or to a light-colored wall when the camera is rotated to a vertical position) to wash the entire scene with a softer, more even light.
Instructions: Just in case I lose them, or god forbid Landon eats them.... set the camera to manual mode, exposure meter to spot metering, ISO to 800, and the shutter speed to 1/200th. Set the lens to the widest aperture, which is f1.8 for my 50mm lens or f3.5 on my crappy kit lens that came with my camera. Lastly, turn the flash on and set the flash exposure compensation to +1 or +2.
Whalah!
(Examples to come...)
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A Day at the Park!
I feel as if I'm getting better at this?! Maybe not, but it's clicking... Aperture, Shutter Speed, Exposure, lighting?! I say it over and over... but THESE are my favorite pictures. And Landon, he loves the swing!
SS: 1/250
Aperture: f/3.5
ISO:100
Focal Length: 23mm
SS: 1/250
Aperture: f/3.5
ISO:100
Focal Length: 18mm
SS: 1/200
Aperture: f/3.5
ISO:100
Focal Length: 18mm------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Greenbluff!!
Greenbluff is know for it's pumpkin patches, apple orchards, fall festivities, and well.... PUMPKIN DONUTS!!! YUM! I wish I could have had the patience to stand in line for one but it was like a mile long - so got plain fresh made donuts instead. They were just as good. :)
Mom was in town this weekend and we had a BLAST!
It was SO bright the day we went that it made for some SUPER blown out pictures but eh - they are still cute right cause they are of Landon :) Enjoy and happy FALL!!!
SS: 1/60
Aperture: f/4.5
ISO:100
Focal Length: 32mm
SS: 1/500
Aperture: f/3.5
ISO:100
Focal Length: 23mm
SS: 1/250
Aperture: f/5.6
ISO:800
Focal Length: 55mm------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bath time FUN!!!
Wow did we have fun in the bath today!!! And mommy had fun "practicing" how to edit her photos after Landon went to bed! I think I overdid his eyes a little bit cause they are boarder line on the creepy side?! Dunno... Anyway, Enjoy!
SS: 1/160
Aperture: f/1.8
ISO:1600
Focal Length: 50mm
SS: 1/160
Aperture: f/1.8
ISO:1600
Focal Length: 50mm
SS: 1/160
Aperture: f/1.8
ISO:1600
Focal Length: 50mm ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Grass!!!
My favorite photo shoot to date!!! Such a beautiful day!
SS: 1/1000
Aperture: f/5.6
ISO:200
Focal Length: 55mm
SS: 1/800
Aperture: f/4.5
ISO:200
Focal Length: 32mm
I'm gonna get you mom!!!
SS: 1/800
Aperture: f/4.5
ISO:200
Focal Length: 18mm
New camo outfit - just like my dad!!!
SS: 1/800
Aperture: f/4.5
ISO:200
Focal Length: 18mm
We're sitting like a big boy!!!
SS: 1/800
Aperture: f/4.5
ISO:200
Focal Length: 18mm
...and then we fell backwards!!!
SS: 1/800
Aperture: f/4.5
ISO:200
Focal Length: 25mm
...and then we discovered grass! :)
SS: 1/800
Aperture: f/4.5
ISO:200
Focal Length: 25mm
Chilly!
It was a little chilly out today - so I had to snap these of Landon in his hoody :) I love hoodies!
SS: 1/60
Aperture: f/4.5
ISO:400
Focal Length: 35mm
SS: 1/60
Aperture: f/5.6
ISO:400
Focal Length: 55mm
SS: 1/60
Aperture: f/4.5
ISO:400
Focal Length: 36mm
Outside & My Boys Sweet Face
We were sitting outside last night and I snapped some of these.
Ah I love pics of daddy and Landon!
SS: 1/640
Aperture: f/1.8
ISO:400
Focal Length: 50mm
Look at those lashes! He gets those from his dad!
SS: 1/640
Aperture: f/1.8
ISO:400
Focal Length: 50mm
Dad snapped this one :)
Aperture: f/1.8
ISO:400
Focal Length: 50mm
Feeling Green???
I dunno what I was thinking with these... they look so green to me - and I could probably fix them in PSE but as usual, I'm lazy and pretty much only have enough time to post while Landon's sleeping. I love them anyway cause he was full of all his different "faces". So here they are, in all their green glory :)
SS: 1/80
Aperture: f/4.5
ISO:400
Focal Length: 29mm
Aperture: f/3.5
ISO:400
Focal Length: 20mm
SS: 1/80
Aperture: f/3.5
ISO:400
Focal Length: 20mm
SS: 1/80
Aperture: f/3.5
ISO:400
Focal Length: 20mm
SS: 1/80
Aperture: f/3.5
ISO:400
Focal Length: 20mm
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Feets!
I love me some little Landon feets!
SS: 1/800
Aperture: f/1.8
ISO: 800
Focal Length: 50mm
SS: 1/320
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Aperture: f/2.5
ISO: 800
Focal Length: 50mm
I'm Kinda Getting Bored on Maternity Leave?!
Believe it or not?! I never thought I'd say that but I'm going a little stir crazy... little man doesn't love having his picture taken as much as I though he would :) Who knew? And you can only do so much since the weather is crappy... rainy... and dark outside. Which doesn't make for easy shooting in an already dark house.
So... I caved and bought Photoshop :) It's just so much more fun to play with when I can't be getting some shots! And I was getting frustrated with Gimp. While I'm not the most savvy with it yet - I've been having some fun and came up with some cute birth announcement examples that I even put up on an etsy.com store!!! I'm pretty proud of them, even though I've only come up with a few, and hopefully I'll have some more up soon!
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My Little Man is Growing Up!
He's getting so big!!! 2 months have already flown by and in honor of this milestone we had a little photoshoot :)
All are SOOC cause I hate editing!!! lol
SS: 1/100
Aperture: f/1.8
ISO: 800
Focal Length: 50mm
SS: 1/160
Aperture: f/1.8
ISO: 800
Focal Length: 50mm
SS: 1/100
Aperture: f/1.8
ISO: 800
Focal Length: 50mm
SS: 1/125
Aperture: f/1.8
ISO: 800
Focal Length: 50mm
My Inspiration Has Arrived!!!
Ok well technically he arrived over a month ago :)
But I'm just now settling in and getting the hang of things enough to where I can focus on taking some pictures of him!!! Plus all he did the first month is sleep... so he's awake a little bit more now too :) I've done a few separate "photo sessions" of him as well as numerous snapshots of course. Here's a few for your viewing pleasure :)
All SOOC cause my PSE trial expired :(
All SOOC cause my PSE trial expired :(
SS: 1/100
Aperture: f/2.2
ISO: 800
Focal Length: 50mm
Aperture: f/1.8
ISO: 400
Focal Length: 50mm
SS: 1/100
Aperture: f/2.2
ISO: 800
Focal Length: 50mm
SS: 1/100
Aperture: f/2.2
ISO: 800
Focal Length: 50mm
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Nifty Fifty & A Piece of Plexi
Well... I haven't had much motivation lately. Even though the weather has been decent out I just can't seem to find any inspiration of things to take pictures of?! Weird...
My dogs are like IMPOSSIBLE to take pictures of unless they are asleep. Adam hates his picture taken and can't get him into a posed shot if my life depended on it. And I just can't WAIT for Landon to be here so I can experiment. Although, the first few weeks after he's born I'm sure that I'll be too tired and too busy trying to figure things out to really get anything good.
Had I really done my research when I was buying my camera I would have opted NOT to get the kit lens that I did and just get the body and buy separately a 50mm / f1.8 lens (the nifty fifty). BUT I didn't... so I just went and bought it and now I have both :) I also went to Home Depot and got a 4x4 piece of plexi glass (acrylic sheets are actually what they are called if you go looking for them). These two things together (along with lots of other "props") are going to let me have LOTS of fun once Landon is born!
Anyway, for the time being - while we're just waiting around for him to make an appearance - here's my "subject." This is SOOC.
SS: 1/125
Aperture: f/1.8
ISO: 800
Focal Length: 50mm
Now... when I took this picture I knew NOTHING about how to set up the plexi or what I was doing. But I got some great advice and constructive criticism from the Photography Board on thebump.com for what to do next time.
- My plexi glass needs to come out about 2 ft so that there's not such a defined "L" and it's more curved - then I'll be able to easier edit out the curve and it'll be less noticeable.
- My "subject" also needs to come more forward on the plexi toward the middle or front as long as the reflection can still be seen.
- Think about bringing the f-stop up to f/2.2 or up if my "subject" isn't straight on because the 50mm lens might shoot a little soft if it's wide open at f/1.8.
- While I didn't try cloning out the plexi line yet someone suggested lowering the opacity of my brush - and do a little bit at a time. (I suck at editing right now and have no clue how to use PSE so I'm just making note of this for future reference.)
- Plexi should not be used with super newborns... this is good advice! Break out the plexi once he's 3+ months. I guess my next few experiments need to include soft blankets and baskets (ala Anne Geddes???!!!)
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Love
My all time favorite quote that was also read at our wedding was the following. So I thought it would be fun to play around with - along with our wedding rings. Although I couldn't get the whole quote the picture because of where it was positioned in the bible it was still fun and I think came out pretty cute... whatcha think??? :)
1 Corinthians 13
Love
4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 11When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
13And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
SOOC:
SS: 1/50
Aperture: f/5.6
ISO: 1600
Focal Length: 55mm
Edited w/ Photoshop Elements 8.0
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Two Peas in a Bucket: Weekly Challenge - Aperture
It's just been crappy, rainy weather outside so I've been trying to test out the new camera inside... after work... when it's dark outside... and the lighting in my house just sucks! I've gotten frustrated and pretty much haven't taken a single picture in at least a week :(
So what better to do when I can't actually be using my camera but researching HOW to use my camera online :) I came across Two Peas in a Bucket and their "12 Weeks to Better Photos Course."
Well, it's finally nice out today so I got outside to take some pictures and start week one of the course!
Aperture!
OK so the size of the aperture (f/stop) of a lens determines how much of your photograph is in focus. The f/stop on a lens can go from 1.2 to 22 or sometimes higher. The kit lens that came with Roxy (oh yeah - I named her!) only goes down to 3.5 but I believe it goes all the way up to 36?! Basically, when you use a low f/stop, less of your photo will be in focus. When you use a higher f/stop, more of your photo will be in focus.
Here's this week's challenge:
Accomplished in my camera's Aperture Priority Mode (Av on the dial) so that the camera will take care of my shutter speed for me. Since it was pretty bright out I did set my ISO at 200 even though the challenge said to set it at 400. Aaaaaand here we go:
- Find a fixed subject - while in my backyard I found a 7-Up can that my dogs had probably been chewing on but I thought the color of it would be nice against my dirt backyard :)
- Set your f/stop to the lowest setting it will go (in my case f/5.6). Compose your image and use either the manual focus or auto focus to focus on one particular spot of your subject (I used auto focus on the top rim of the can). Take your picture.
- Move your aperture setting to something around f/8. Compose and refocus on the same element again. Take your picture.
- Move your aperture setting to the highest setting it will go (Roxy goes to f/36) and repeat.
Me, being the overachiever I am, took it one step further and did 5 different f/stops from my lowest to my highest just so I could really see what's going on. Photo stats are under each photo but like I said, I had my ISO set at 200 and Roxy in Av mode so she took care of the shutter speed... Here's the results:
SS: 1/200
Aperture: f/5.6 (I know my lens goes to f/3.5 so I'm not really sure why it would only let me go to f/5.6?! I'll have to look into this...
ISO:200
Focal Length: 55mm
SS: 1/100
Aperture: f/8
ISO:200
Focal Length: 55mm
SS: 1/50
Aperture: f/11
ISO:200
Focal Length: 55mm
SS: 1/13
Aperture: f/22
ISO:200
Focal Length: 55mm
SS: 1/4
Aperture: f/36
ISO:200
Focal Length: 55mm
Mission accomplished! I personally like the blurred background best but that might just be because when it's in focus I am reminded how much I hate my dirt backyard! :)
Mission accomplished! I personally like the blurred background best but that might just be because when it's in focus I am reminded how much I hate my dirt backyard! :)
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Can You Tell I'm a Beginner???
I don't know what the heck I'm doing - with my camera OR my editing skills... I can't justify breaking the bank on Photoshop yet because really I'm still working through the manual of my camera. So here's my first attempt at a cutesy photo - I'm working with GIMP! in the meantime. Comments welcome...
SS: 1/80
Aperture: f/3.5
ISO: 800
Focal Length: 18mm-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Say Hello To My New Obsession!
This my friends is my new camera. I am SO excited to finally have a camera that I can play and learn with! She doesn't have a name yet but I figure it will come to me once I break her in! :) Isn't she lovely?
SS: 1/5
Aperture: f/5.6
ISO:1600
Focal Length: 55mm
I've always had a love for photography - took a few classes back in the day in high school and I'm still not sure why I never pursued it more?! Anyway, A LOT has changed in 10 years and I'm still learning to say the least, my pretty in pink Sony hand-me-down camera and this puppy are a lot different. I am having fun though I've only had it about a week and I haven't REALLY gotten a chance to try her out. I'm sure my dogs have had it with me chasing them around, attempting to get them to sit still with treats but besides Adam, my husband, they are my only available subjects right now!
Come the end of March we'll have a new inspiration - Baby Landon - I can't wait!!! Oh and if anyone wants to get me "push present" - I'm accepting donations for Photoshop or a 50mm f/1.8 lens :) tee hee - just kidding!
