SmugMug > popular all-time > June 5 - endless reflection

 “There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.” - Edith Wharton
SmugMug > popular all-time > Samantha - Apr 06 2009

A portrait from yesterday... Samantha is the lovely daughter from good friends. Last year she was really to shy to pose, but she lost that completely now. I took a bunch of nice shots of her in the late afternoon.
Big thanks for all your support!
SmugMug > popular all-time > March 7, 2009

Sometimes you find potential photo subjects in the least likely places.  This was a floral arrangement in the ladies room of a Thai Food restaurant I was having lunch in.  Of course being part of the daily smugmug group, I had my camera with me :D!
SmugMug > popular all-time > Pic of the Day -2009 photo
SmugMug > popular all-time > November 1, 2007

IMG_3935b Log Cabin in the Fall Colors

A lovely (but small) log cabin covered in orange.
SmugMug > popular all-time > 11/6/09 - Yates Mill Revisited
A heartfelt thanks goes out from me to everyone that took a minute to look at my POTD yesterday and leave a comment whether you just enjoyed the reflection or threw in some helpful hints. 

In the spirit of trying to improve, I went back to Yates Mill yesterday and took some more pictures.  This was before most of the comments!  I turned on bracketing (takes 3 shots on my camera) hoping to catch a good image. I figured I might launch the trial version of PhotoMatrix that I loaded up a while ago and know virtually nothing about.  Today's POTD is the result of running the 3 bracketed pictures through PhotoMatrix and basically accepting what it wanted to do.  I guess this is not the HDR output but just a tonal color mapping.  I have a lot more to read up on!

The 'middle' original for today's POTD:
http://fotomom.smugmug.com/Yates-Mill-Pond/Yates-Mill-110409/10211182_2RaVN#704217195_Favig

That said, today's POTD was taken at 9:30AM vs. 5:30PM for yesterday's POTD.  The crop is different.  It's somewhat an apples and oranges comparison.    

No doubt the color in today's POTD is better sooc and processed.  But there is shade on the mill that I don't like that takes away from this one.  I think that keeps this shot from being a real winner too.  If only I could have waited out the sun, but I couldn't:-(  

I like the water reflection and detail of the mill better in yesterday's POTD, but that's just a personal preference.   

I typically shoot in AV mode.  I do go to M or TV or something else when it seems to work.  I have histogram, but I've not read up on how to use it.  Always more to learn.  

Maybe if I'm lucky, persistent, and the moon and stars line up just right, I'll get THE shot.  There's a photo contest in February for the mill that I'll enter with whatever is the best shot I can manage.

If any of you all are ever in Raleigh, I'd love to meet up with you at the mill and take a few shots. Photo ops abound there.

More pictures of my two most recent trips to the mill are here:
http://fotomom.smugmug.com/Yates-Mill-Pond/Yates-Mill-110409/10211182_2RaVN#704204378_dE4yv
There are a few gems in there among the rest.

HAGD,
Maryann
SmugMug > popular all-time > October 6, 2009 - "Majestic"

A Teton Mountain is captured here from the shore of the Snake River in Wyoming.

Six nights in the Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks provided the opportunity for many many beautiful shots.  I am trying to choose only one or two shots from each of our stops for posting. This photo was from the first day journey from Jackson to Mammoth Hot Springs, Wyoming.
SmugMug > popular all-time > ...
SmugMug > popular all-time > 1.6.08 - Golden Glory. Lincoln Cathedral on a night of drizzle and low cloud. It's been a while since I did a night shot, and this wasn't planned, but the opportunity just presented itself nicely. Last night I won a case of bubbly, which was great, but nothing compared to the news I got earlier this evening. I've just won a Sat Nav for the car! There is a certain irony in this because I usually don't like Sat Navs or GPS systems. My view is that everyone should learn to read maps, and that all this technology makes people lazy. But am I going to refuse my prize? Not bloody likely :)

Anyway, I went for a walk after I got the news, despite the drizzle, and got this nice photo.
June 5 - endless reflection

“There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.” - Edith Wharton
 > June 5 - endless reflection

 “There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.” - Edith Wharton
June 5 - endless reflection

“There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.” - Edith Wharton
Photo by: Jeff Groves • see photo in gallery