Clouds... and Photography Tips

 Clouds... we see them often ..... many times we just ignore them or don't even notice them. Maybe we think all clouds are the same... and are ... boring. 

I like watching clouds... they are so interesting to me. They change fast and often.

 Some clouds are light and fluffy... almost happy-looking, as they float across the sky.










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TIP
Sometimes clouds will look a bit "washed out" and that can be because of the lighting...  the relationship of the sun to the clouds can affect it. Sometimes if you turn to a different angle, the picture may be better.
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 Some are colored by a sunrise or sunset.  Sometimes there are many different kinds of clouds in the sky at the same time.  I like to take pictures of them... and I have been amazed that I still see cloud pictures that are different after all of the hundreds (thousands?) of cloud pictures I have taken.

Some cloud formations can indicate a change in the weather or bad weather coming.










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TIP
Sometimes cloud pictures can be even more interesting with another object in the picture... like this tower, or power lines, an airplane, a road, a tree or other.
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TIP
Sometimes you can find a reflection of clouds which can make for a fun or beautiful picture.... like the puddle, windows or water.
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 These look like pictures on a wall, but they are reflections of clouds in the windows of the library. I liked how it looked and was glad I had taken the picture.

 This was a very large window in a barn... and I liked the clouds outside the window... it added a bit of variety to the cloud pictures.

 I liked this rippled picture on the water surface... the clouds and the trees.
















 This picture below is one of my favorites! I love the dark ominous sky over the sunlit old schoolhouse. It shows an interesting contrast of colors and of weather.

 

God has made so many different clouds and I love to photograph them...   I hope the tips have been helpful and I hope you are enjoying your photography and learning as you go. Thank you for visiting and I hope you have a great week.  :) 


Other Posts in the Photography Tips Series:

Tea... and Photography Tips????      

A Killdeer... and Photography Tips
                                                      

A Tree's Best Side.. and Photography Tips
                                                        

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A Tree's "Best Side"... Photography Tips

There are so many photography tips... and I wanted to share a few again. This post has many pictures that are all various views of the SAME tree!  :)

Can it really make a difference? A picture of a tree is just a picture, right? No.... there is a lot of difference. Keep reading and looking at the pictures to see why.

 In this post, every picture... is of the same tree!  The pictures are of the same tree from various sides and angles.

The tree doesn't look like much in this picture... boring.... and the color isn't good.
 

 The tree from another angle... the water looks okay, but the color is washed out of the picture overall.

 Another view... color is better in the sky and water... but the tree isn't great and overall it's not a great picture.

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TIP
Take pictures of an object or scene from different angles and sides. Though the object can look boring from one angle, it may be great from a different angle.
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Another blah photo.

This is the view from the other side... looks different... and it's okay... but not what I wanted.
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TIP
Some of the pictures that don't work for THE picture you want... may have a part that would be wonderful if you cropped it down. These are great pictures to "play" with. Crop them down, change to black and white or just experiment. You may find a winner... and you will probably learn something new.
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This is the same picture... but I added a little more fill light and a few shadows. The color looks natural for what we saw that day (it was a beautiful day for pictures), and the "ho-hum" picture from above now is more interesting. 

Again, there is the same picture, but I changed it to black and white and added a few shadows. This picture is not one I would use and I don't like it. Sometimes a black and white photo can be amazing though, so it can be fun to try it.

This was the same picture as the three above, but this time, I made a copy and cropped as I explained in: 

A Killdeer... and Photography Tips 


Sometimes, you can come up with a nice picture... this time,  the picture is okay, but I won't use it other than here as an example.  

This photo is really blurry.... my camera messed up for a while and I didn't notice. Sad because I have a lot of photos I would have liked except they are so blurry. It's hard to see the screen for the camera when out in the sun,  so I didn't notice. Also, the picture was crisp and clear until I hit the shutter button then it blurred, so I didn't catch it until after I had taken several.

 This picture is interesting, but not what I wanted overall. There are things I like about it.. the reflection, lily pads, greens in the water, blue water, leaves hanging down, etc.... so I may use it in some way.














 This was a good one.... but I still took another one and changed it slightly.  The next one is the best one. These 2 photos are very similar, but the second one is better. 

Notice that the metal and the sticks on the right side of the first picture are not in the second one.







 This photo is pretty much untouched... just a tiny bit of shadow added... it was worth taking so many pictures to get this one. 

You can tell that the angle in this one is better for the reflection and the lily pads. It is also better to have the extra line of blue water in this picture that shows on the other side of the walkway. Overall it is a much better picture. 

I really like the curved trunk of the tree and then the reflection that makes it like a half circle. A graceful arc and lots of interest in the picture. 

I hope these tips have been helpful. Remember to take LOTS of pictures so that you have more to choose from... you may have to throw some out, but there may be some good or great ones in there too.  :)  Thank you for visiting.... I love to read your comments.... I hope you have a great week. 


Other posts in this Photography Tips series, include: 

Tea... and Photography Tips?????

A Killdeer... and Photography Tips

 "Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah."  Psalm 68:19

 #photography #PhotographyTips #nature #trees #photos


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A Killdeer... and Photography Tips

The first picture.....

 While on a walk with my kids, we saw a killdeer, but couldn't get close to it. We were on a path that led to a creek/river and the killdeer was farther down and there was no way to get to it... too much brush.I zoomed in as far as I could, but it was a darker area and hard to see. 

I was very disappointed as I wanted to capture the scene, so I took a couple of pictures figuring they wouldn't be any good, but I had to take a couple anyway. 





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TIP:
By the way, if you have a digital camera, TAKE PICTURES!... take a lot of pictures (it's nice not not have to pay for film and developing!) Sometimes you will be surprised what you end up finding and using. Yes, you will throw a lot of them away, but you will learn and improve your skills... and hopefully, you will have a lot of fun too.  :)  
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In editing I cropped the picture to this and it was okay, but originally I rejected it as too hard to see and too blurry. The original picture covered a larger area than this and the killdeer was just barely visible. 

 I lightened the color some and liked the effect more, but still didn't have a use for it, so just left it. Periodically, I went back to it because I have never been able to take a picture of a killdeer before, especially one with the reflection in the water, so I kept trying.















I cropped the same picture down even more to this. I tried cropping the same picture tighter, but the quality reduced more than I wanted.

 I finally settled on cropping it this much. I wanted the bird, the reflection, the ripples and some of the rocks in the picture.

I tried playing with the colors more,but it just didn't look right... not natural, so I only did a little to it.



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 TIP
When working with changing the colors on your pictures, don't overdo it...  it is best if the picture looks natural, not overdone. Do as little as possible... unless you are looking to make some obviously enhanced work. 
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 The second picture:

 When I cropped this picture down from the original, I liked it better than the first one... and you can see the killdeer better. The shadows and reflections on the water are interesting.




Again, I lightened it just a bit and the picture below shows how that turned out.  It worked.

When I copied the picture and then cropped this one tighter, the quality went down, but  it is acceptable. This was part of what I had to learn... not to always reject a picture that is not as clear as I want it to be.

I realized that there is almost a painting type of quality to these photos. I really didn't do a lot to the pictures other than a LOT of cropping and more cropping.

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TIP:
If you have a picture you like and want to play with, you can make a copy of it. To do so(at least in Picasa) you click on the picture. When on the picture, you click on "file", then on "Save a copy". This allows you to play with the picture and make changes while still keeping the original.  Of the 6 pictures here, they all come from only 2 original photos. 
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I hope you are developing your skills as a photographer. Don't be intimidated by not having an expensive camera. Creativity, skill and hard work can overcome some of those issues...  not all, but it is certainly worth working on it no matter what camera you have to use. 

My photography skills continue to develop as I keep working on them... I learn a little here and there and most of all, I really enjoy taking pictures... so much so that I almost always have a camera with me... I just don't want to miss anything. :)  

Do you find these photography tips useful? I hope so...  and periodically, I will share more of them.  Thank you for visiting.


If you are interested, another post in this series is:

Tea.... and Photography Tips????


#photography #PhotographyTips #pictures  #killdeer




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Easy Edible Doors!

It's fun to make snacks that are a bit different from the normal.... these are doors. They aren't fancy or hard, but they are a bit unique. I saw the idea elsewhere, but these are the ones we made.  :)

These just started out with a rectangular sugar cookie.... and some frosting and decorations.

      The candy cane pieces on the doors came from another project we were making. On that project, we only needed the U-shape of the little candy cane, so we had pieces left... and they fit on the doors.

These were made very quickly. After doing the other project, we were in a hurry and tired!  You can see pictures and read about the other project here:

Hot Cocoa Cup Cookies


If you had more time, these could be made very elegant, rustic, or in other ways. I love the idea and will probably use it again and make them even cuter. They would work for other holidays or fun times.

Thank you for visiting today... I hope you have a wonderful Christmas as you remember the reason we celebrate this season.... Jesus.   :) 

      

Saving Money-Part 3-Buying Used

This is part 3 in our Saving Money Series.... Buying Used.  

I'm sure many of you already buy used items..... and some of you have never bought used and are actually put-off by the very idea. 

One BIG way to save money... is to buy used....  what a blessing it can be. :)

We have been buying used items for many years...  and instead of feeling deprived, I am so thankful to have this option. 

Buying used can happen at garage sales, thrift stores, on Craigslist, from a friend, or maybe in other ways. 

In this post, I wanted to share with you some of the blessings God has provided... that are used, and not new. 

I have bought hats... for 50c to $5.00 each. They can be MUCH higher, but this is my limit... and I have only spent $5.00 a couple of times. :)

These beautiful big fluffy towels were at a garage sale for $1 each. The hand towels and bath mats were 50c each and the washcloth was 25c.

The exercise ball is just one of a few that I have bought.... for $1-$4.00 each, probably. I don't remember all of the prices, but I am giving you an idea of what I either have spent on these items, or what I may have spent. 

The tray is metal and wicker and I have used it for a few years... I think I paid $2.00.

Jewelry is a good deal at used prices...  The prices can vary a lot, but I usually spend about 50c - $3 each, and sometimes a bit more than that. I have been able to trade out some of my jewelry and get things I like better... I just sell the ones I am getting rid of,  at my sale.

I have bought Sterling Silver items and even real gold. No, it isn't plentiful.. I watch, though.

This beautiful wicker dresser was at a sale with a matching desk, chair, mirror, stool and end table, I think... for $100 or so. My husband bought it all and I sold all of it, except for the dresser...  so the dresser ended up costing me very little. :)

The dollhouse was at a thrift store... for $5.00!!!! That is lower than their usual prices at that store, and I asked if that really was the price. It was... they just wanted to give someone an extra good deal for Christmas Eve. It became my daughter's gift the next day. :)

You cannot shop for used items in the same way you would shop for new ones.  When you go to a store to shop, you can be assured of a selection of clothes, tools, toys, books, shoes, furniture and whatever else you would like to look at.

Buying used is much different....  You may find many clothes at one sale... at great prices, but not in sizes or styles you can use. Hmm... you may find tools.... but not the ones you want. You may not find anything at all that you want or can use.

Should you just give up? No... shopping for used items takes time... and a whole different strategy.

For one thing...  it can help to keep an ongoing list of what you need... whether that list is on paper or just in your head. I also like to pray about the items we need... 
My Garage Sale Prayer List

It also becomes important to anticipate what you may want in the near future.  For example... if your son is wearing size 10 jeans, it may be a good idea to also shop for size 12, 14, 16 jeans. If you find some... stocking up at that time can save time and money in the future.

The same is true with homeschool materials, with craft materials, tools, and more. 

If you go to a sale and find a LOT of good things at good prices.. that is the time to buy. If you wait until you NEED it, you could go to dozens of sales and not find what you are looking for.

Thrift stores and church garage sales can give you a better selection of things at one location. The price can be a little higher, but the availability can be worth it.. and these are good options for buying things used.

I have bought the globe, map, organizing items, wrought iron wall decorations, cookie jars, kitchen utensils, lamps, baskets, tools, garden items, shepherd's hooks and lots more.

I have found brand new items many times... new shoes, purses, jewelry, clothes, food, cleaning supplies and more.

Shopping at garage sales is a bit like a treasure hunt....  you never know what you will find.... and it is good to know what variety of things you can use.

If I NEEDED to get a pair of jeans for my son... and he needed them NOW...  I wouldn't bother with shopping at garage sales, I would go to a thrift store since I could be quite confident that I could find a pair I could use... on that trip, without extra shopping.

If I can be patient and shop...  I may find some nice things. If I know I would like to find something.... say a coffee table or a table and chairs or a rug, but I don't have a need for an exact thing... I can watch for what appeals to me and fits my budget.... and I can bypass what doesn't.

By the way there are many many garage sales that I go to and do not buy anything.

The table was a blessing and had chairs. I bought another table that had benches at another sale. I kept this table (it has 2 self-storing leaves, which I like) and sold the chairs. I kept the benches and sold the other table.... so my table and bench "set" had a lower price for me...and we enjoy using it. :)  

We like having benches because more people can be seated in at the table than with chairs... and with a big family, this works. We have saved 2 chairs... for our parents when they visit. :) 

This table was part of a set... 2 of these tables and a huge round matching coffee table, since it really was too big for our home. We used the set for a while... and liked it, but eventually we sold the coffee table. I think I paid about $45 for the whole set... and I sold the coffee table alone for that much or more.... so these two tables became free for me. :)

If I was determined to get what I want, when I want it, I would have missed such a deal. Waiting can really help. These kinds of exceptional deals are not the norm, but they CAN happen.... with diligence.

China and dishes are quite plentiful at garage sales and thrift stores. I have added to sets or bought sets and sold others.... keeping what I like the best.

I like cabinets and I found this one on Craigslist... it was one of 4.... the price was $80 for all of them. I liked them all, but one of them was old and had a musty smell that bothered my allergies, so I didn't want to even paint it.  I sold it for $45.00, I think.... which made the cost for the other 3 only about $11.67 each. WOW! 

 It isn't possible to go to find that when you want it though... this is something that only happens rarely. I have gone to a LOT of garage sales in order to get some of these GREAT deals.

I have had people say they wanted to go to garage sales with me... some want to learn how to do it... others think I "magically" find great deals wherever I go.

I have gone to many garage sales over the years... we would go quickly... quickly out of the van... in to the sale... quick evaluation... Are the prices good? I check a few things... if not, we leave... if they are good, I look... if they are REALLY good, I linger and look very thoroughly. 

Many times I would go to 10-20 garage sales on a Saturday morning. My record is that I one day went to 40 garage sales in 3 hours!!!!! I've never broken that record.

When my kids were little, my "needs" list was quite long... baby clothes, baby blankets, toys, games, hats, jeans, school stuff, .. and the list was quite general, so I could find lots that would work. 

I don't need as much now... we have most of what we need... I don't go to as many sales now... and I am much more selective. Maybe I need a specific type of lamp for a desk, so I wait for it...

Everything in the pictures on this post, except for the first picture of the garage sale... has been purchased used in some way.... mostly at garage sales. 

The rocker and ottoman above were bought for $50 at a garage sale when I was 8 1/2 months pregnant... and miserable. That rocker has been used with all of my kids. I want to sell it and get something else... it has been used in our home for about 18 years... but my kids want me to keep it... they all remember being rocked in it. :)

So, to summarize.. I wanted to show that buying used doesn't mean buying trash.... you can find very nice things at garage sales.... and if you have never bought things used, I hope you will re-consider, since it can really help the budget. 


Thank you for visiting today. :)





SAVING MONEY Series:

The NUMBER ONE Way I Save Money! 

Saving Money-Part 2-Grocery Shopping 

Saving Money-Part 3-Buying Used
 

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