Lenten Challenge: Week One

Let's just call this week's theme "mixed blessings."

I'm still clueless with the camera, though I'm getting better. Being able to shoot more than one picture at a time helps a lot! I've learned some things--sunset and sunrise ARE the magic times, I can back up and zoom to keep my shadow out of the shot, and even with manual focus, it's tricky to shoot multiple layers the way I want. Also, camera view screens do not give you the whole story.

So far my goal seems attainable. I'm looking for the beauty in how man's hand changes this gorgeous natural landscape. My brain seems to be getting in the habit of scanning the field for new objects, new angles, new ideas for pictures. That's a big improvement already! And Bruno considers my long walks to the cow field nothing short of a miracle. He's having a blast, so that's good.

I've hit a couple of unexpected challenges. For one, being out in the field, I can feel the breeze. I smell the grass and cattle. I can hear the quiet sprinkled with birdsong; it sinks into my bones. I'm wallowing in a sensory experience that will soon vanish. I try to accept that this just means I'm a country girl; someday I'll live far from the crowds.

The other unexpected challenge strikes me pretty funny: the site's not changing very fast. I'm taking pictures nearly every day and not much has changed to date. So that's ironic. I now have a reason to hope the pace of construction picks up????

Of course, there's one challenge I expected. I have a lot to learn before I can use the camera to its full potential!

Day 2
I went out at about 8:45 this morning. The colors are much better than the washed out look I got at 10:30 on Day 1!

Cozy. American. Right?

Focus on the posts or...

...focus on the arty trailer mid-field?

Technically this is man altering nature, right? Even if it's not construction?

Outright cheating with pure natural beauty--though the trailer is in the back. I'm learning the lens!

I love this kind of layering--the heron and anhinga, trespassing and fishing.

Day 3

I took Little A. and Bruno out with me in the late afternoon sunshine. And Little A. suggested one of my favorite shots--see if you can decide which one.

Still not sure how to make the trailer look good--maybe in part?

Whole and from a distance works okay.

Now this is the layering I get excited about!

Little A. suggested the very first one--he liked the fence shadows.

Day 4

Today gifted Sarasota with a glorious sunrise. I have no words. Luckily, I'm starting to have the pictures.

Not a bad time to get to work today!

 

I've been trying to get tight shots of the tire tracks, but this wins.

Never thought a port-a-potty could be this gorgeous!

Seeing the sunrise through the trailer was cool, but this is the best I got on film.

Hello

Gratuitous dog shot!

Day 5 

I totally chickened out today. It was raining on and off at sunrise, my only free time, and I didn't want the camera to get wet. So I looked for beauty in the man-made all day.

Diamonds on the roof of our pool cage.

He squawked like he wanted a photo op.

Day 6

In complete contrast to Monday, fog covered everything at sunrise today. I fought with the auto focus and automatic flash nearly as much as I do with my phone camera. I've been focusing (haha!) on the mechanical parts of using the new camera. I think I may need to learn the computer-y parts, even though I'm dreading it. I don't want to keep missing shots while fighting with the camera!

Not construction, but these are the photos I've been dying to take for years!

Based on the view screen, this one didn't even come out. It's so much better than I hoped!

The consecutive weeds and trailer didn't quite turn out, but I tried.