Messing with the camera

I still find that the indoor shots are the toughest for me.  Of course the dog and my son never really cooperate.  If I keep practicing, maybe I'll get better at the settings.

Here are a couple of shots that I was practicing the basics with (once again):

focus on the first shot is the checkbook, second shot on the Easy Button and final shot is the white door.

Shots are still a bit dark but not too bad on manual.  Can't get my shutter speed this weekend.  Need to work through my lessons again, seem to have forgotten a basic component somewhere along the line.  I'm going to refresh my memory.

Elton John Rescheduled??

So, I found a post today that at least 3 of the cancelled tour dates have been rescheduled for February. Portland has been rescheduled for 2/10/10. I'm a bit ticked that I had to google to find it and that the Rose Garden hasn't found fit to notify ticket holders. I just sent them an e-mail voicing my concern that they have not contacted ticket holders but they have posted the revised date on their site without a banner to highlight this development.

It is a Wednesday night now. I'm hoping it is a real date, now a bit hesitant. I'm glad they aren't trying to shove the concert into December (as was previously communicated through the media).

More Aquarium Shots

This was at the interactive pool. I love the bright colors of the anemones and starfish. The boys were cooperating - Nice!

One of my favorite shots of the day. William was watching the fish and the scuba dudes cleaning the tank. Eventually one of the scuba folks came over to the glass - I took too long to get the proper manual focus and Bill said - "just put it on automatic" - the following is the photo on auto (I got used to not having the flash bounce off the glass). I think my manual shot is much better - shows the tank instead of the black abyss)!

Newport Aquarium Visit

We went to see Jeff Dunham in Portland Friday night - hilarious! We then drove to Lincoln City (at night, in the rain - yeck) and visited the aquarium in Newport on Saturday. Here are a couple shots (straight out of the camera). I drove the guys nuts taking photos but was so excited to actually get some good shots - lots of futzing with the controls for the manual shots (lighting changes constantly between exhibits - but I'm faster than I was a few months ago).

We saw Charlie Daniels Band at the Chinook Winds Casino on Saturday night. Probably one of the best concerts I have ever attended. The musicians were just awesome, the songs great and wow that fiddling! Bill was able to name one of the pieces they played - An American Footprint and he gave Mr. Daniels An American Footprint jacket! We all enjoyed our weekend. William drove most of the time and made the drive from Lincoln City back to Astoria (rain and all those curves) - he did an excellent job. His full color learner's permit arrived in the mail last night - he is quite happy!

It's Official . . .

4 missed questions (that's an 89% out of 80% needed) and $ 30 later . . . William has his learners permit. His color, permanent license will arrive via mail in about a week.

We went out driving for 1.5 hours tonight. He did very well in the rain and dealt with the lighting changes very well. He is calm, the jury is still out on mom . . .

I took this picture with my new 50mm lens to get the depth of field - there really is no missing the smile (on the license or his face in the background!).

Will's 15th Birthday

Yep - had to be cool, no blowing out candles for this young man. He is wearing the jacket grammy and papa sent him. Made him take off the sunglasses that his dad gave him because he looked like the unabomber

I edited the first picture. Still working on manual mode but now I can use the photoshop lessons I have completed to pop up the pictures and make them clear and bright.

New Lens shot

Got the new lens Wednesday but didn't get to play with it until this weekend. Here is a shot of Paul Lee asleep on the faucet in the kitchen.

And in December, it will probably snow . . . . . .

Singer Elton John was forced to postpone his gigs in the United States due to illness.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
Elton John was treated in a London hospital for an e-coli bacterial infection. The musician is "absolutely fine," his spokesman Gary Farrow said Shows in Seattle, Washington, and Portland, Oregon, will be postponed. These Pacific Northwest gigs are likely to be rescheduled for December.

(People.com) -- The flu may be on everyone's minds, but it happens to be in Elton John's system -- prompting the British musician, who is said to be in a London hospital for treatment of E. coli bacterial infection and influenza, to postpone the Seattle, Washington, and Portland, Oregon, dates on his current tour, costarring Billy Joel, the BBC reported.
Monday morning, John's spokesman Gary Farrow told Reuters that, despite the hospitalization, Sir Elton, 62, was "absolutely fine" and hoped to return to entertaining soon.
According to his official Web site, Sir Elton postponed a Dublin performance on Thursday after earlier shelving concerts in London, Liverpool, Sheffield and Newcastle.
The American leg of the tour was also put on hold in July, when Joel, 60, was ordered to rest after suffering "flu-like symptoms" and "extreme fatigue."
The Pacific Northwest gigs are likely to be rescheduled for December, according to promoters.

I wish Elton speedy recovery. It figures the one concert I've been planning to see since April (but really since I was say 13 or so!)!

Jeff Dunham will have to be really great on the 13th to make up for not being able to bask in Elton John and Billy Joel songs!