Been Stamping

I haven't been taking a lot of pictures lately but I did get in my stamp room to make some cards. I did take pictures of them so I thought I'd share.

Shutterbugs This Week

I started a photography club at the elementary school where I teach. This week is our first meeting. I have about 25 kids who will be coming. They all have to have their own camera and my goal is to help them learn to take better pictures. I'm very excited about our first meeting. Our focus this week is going to be how to steady a shot and rule of thirds. I think I'm going to have them bring their best picture in to display in the hallway at school. Wish me luck!

Yikes!

My friend wants me to take pictures of her sister next weekend. They will be her senior pictures- I'm not sure I'm ready for this!!!

2nd People Photoshoot

IMG_9646
Originally uploaded by shaddybaby

I tried my hand at people pictures again. Tried a different lens and a few different settings. I'm trying to find willing participants for me to practice on.

Help Me

Help Me
Originally uploaded by shaddybaby

One of my kids brought this praying mantis to school in a bug cage. This bug looked like he was pleading with me to let him out! I snapped a few pictures before he was released.

Lightining

Lightening
Originally uploaded by shaddybaby
I've been wanting a shot like this for a while. Finally braved the weather with the camera and captured it!

My Brother's Family

IMG_9428
Originally uploaded by shaddybaby
I took pictures today of my brother and his family. This is the first time I've ever done a photo shoot with people. I'd love some feedback so I can improve. I normally take pictures of bugs, flowers, or landscapes. I would love to start doing some pictures of people to earn a little money to support my habit.

I hope they are able to find some pictures they like. I took 330 pictures and found about 25 that I really like. Here is the link to my flickr set that includes the best pictures.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/33907715@N04/sets/72157625228017312/

I Won!

Hello Again
Originally uploaded by shaddybaby
I know it hasn't been that long ago that I posted this picture but I wanted to share my good news. I entered it in the APT Picture Us Outdoors photo contest and I won. There were 6 winners and 265 entries. I'm just excited that they chose my picture as a winner.

Beetle in a Bottle

Beetle in a Bottle
Originally uploaded by shaddybaby

My kids caught this guy in a gatorade bottle at school this week. I had to take a picture while he was climbing around in there moving

An Orange Moon

An Orange Moon
Originally uploaded by shaddybaby

I noticed the orange moon and of course I had to get the camera. I have to find some new subjects. I know you guys are probably getting tired of my bugs and moon shots.

Jupiter is missing

Jupiter is missing
Originally uploaded by shaddybaby
This is the night sky with what looks to be the correct exposure. You just can't see Jupiter anymore. Just a tiny, tiny moon. Ugh!

Ok, I know it is way over exposed but you can see Jupiter in this one! See the tiny white dot in the lower left side? That's Jupiter. It is closer to the Earth than it has been in a decade. It won't be this close again until 2022. Maybe by then I'll have a lens that can capture it the way I want.

Gigantic Caterpillar

IMG_8816 copy
Originally uploaded by shaddybaby

Some of the kids found this gigantic caterpillar outside under a tree yesterday. We have made a home for it and it is now in the classroom. It makes its chrysalis underground.

Hello There

Hello There
Originally uploaded by shaddybaby
I found the praying mantis hanging out in the shade behind the gas tanks on the back of the house. He was upside down. I just wish it would have thought to be in a place where we could both be in the shade. Wow, it is hot outside and I'm dripping sweat after this photo shoot.

Jupiter

Does anyone have a good telephoto lens? Jupiter is going to be closer to the Earth than it has been in a decade Tuesday night. I would love to have a picture but with the lenses I have it just looks like a speck in the sky. It rises in the east when the sun goes down and sets in the west when the sun comes up. I can't believe how bright it is right now.

Black Widow Perspective

Black Widow Perspective 2
Originally uploaded by shaddybaby

Took a few more pics of the spider out back. It was on the side of the house and I think these give you a little better perspective on the size of this spider.

Black Widow

Black Widow
Originally uploaded by shaddybaby

This has got to be the biggest black widow I have ever seen! This spider has made a home under my grill.

Family

Family1
Originally uploaded by shaddybaby
I'm posting these pictures of my family. It has been almost 4 months since I've seen my brother, his kids, and my dad. Kevin came up today so I had to go over and see them. I always try to have a picture made with Kevin when he's here.

I'm Still Here

Since school started back my camera hasn't been out of the bag. It is a sad thing and I plan to change that just as soon as I can get back on my schedule. I have just been wiped out at the end of the school day. I come home and crash. I'm feeling way older than my years right now.

Grasshoppers Mating

Grasshoppers Mating
Originally uploaded by shaddybaby

Went out to the backyard and saw these grasshoppers mating. They have been hanging out around the back of the house in the shade a few days but I happened to capture this moment.

Mobile Tug Boat

Mobile Tug Boat
Originally uploaded by shaddybaby

There were no more creepy bugs around the house today so I had to fall back to the final picture from my Mobile trip (that's pronounced Mo-bill, Ron). I cropped it a little. Guess I'm going to have to take my camera out tomorrow. Right now the only place I go is to school to work in my classroom so I might just take pictures of all the work I've done.

Critter in the Sink

Critter in the Sink
Originally uploaded by shaddybaby

Imagine my surprise when I went in the bathroom and found this critter in the sink. Now most peoples' first reaction would be to get rid of it. Mine was to get the camera.

Grasshopper in the front yard

Grasshopper in the front yard
Originally uploaded by shaddybaby

Went to walk the in-laws to their car. My husband spotted this big grasshopper on the gutter. Of course I had to go back in to get the camera. It is so hot outside that I had to wait for the camera to defrost. Thankfully this bug hung around while I waited.

Mobile Convention Center

Mobile Convention Center
Originally uploaded by shaddybaby
Here are a couple more pictures from the Mobile Convention Center.

Bird Fly-by

Bird Fly-by
Originally uploaded by shaddybaby

I was taking a picture of the bay and a bird flew into the shot. Glad he was somewhat in focus.

Birds

Birds
Originally uploaded by shaddybaby

Went to Mobile Bay and took this picture. The birds were hanging out on top of the light poles. At first I didn't even see them but a friend with me pointed them out.

I'm a big slacker

Wow, it has been a while since I posted any new pictures. Last week I was working in my classroom to get it ready for the kids to come back and this week I'm at a teacher conference. I have my camera with me and will try to take some pictures while I'm here. I have been slacking on my picture taking because the end of summer is sneaking up on me and I'm trying to get everything ready for the beginning of the school year.

Praying Mantis

Praying Mantis
Originally uploaded by shaddybaby

This little guy was climbing up the outside of my house when I took Bandit out. Looks like there are all kinds of interesting bugs in my backyard.

Morning Bug

Morning Bug
Originally uploaded by shaddybaby

My dog, Bandit, woke me up early this morning. I was not happy but when I took him out I found this little guy sitting on the gas tank on the side of the house. I took the crybaby dog back in and got the camera.

Model Car Move Complete...Almost

Model Car Move Complete...Almost
Originally uploaded by shaddybaby

16 more trips up the stairs and we have more model cars in the model room. Chris said this was almost all the model cars. We went to work in the apartment some yesterday and I still saw quite a few left over there. The entire wall at the house is full!

Found- Hawk Feather

Hawk Feather
Originally uploaded by shaddybaby

I went out with Bandit this morning and found this hawk feather in the grass next to the house. We have hawks that circle on a regular basis and knew I would be taking a picture of this when I found it.

20 Trips Up/Down Stairs

20 Trips Up/Down Stairs
Originally uploaded by shaddybaby
I helped my husband move some of his models in tonight. I made 20 trips up and down the stairs for these. This isn't even 1/2 of them!

I really needed the flash and tripod to take this in manual but I just didn't have the energy to go back down the stairs to get them.

Favorite Things #3

Fluffy New Carpet
Originally uploaded by shaddybaby

Fluffy New Carpet! This is where the sun comes in through the blnds on the carpet. Bandit is so funny he just wallows on the carpet.

Favorite Things #2

Green Grass
Originally uploaded by shaddybaby

Another of my favorite things at our new house is the yard. Our front yard is tiny but the back yard is huge. I love having a big back yard. Chris isn't crazy about cutting it but he is so funny. He has been watering it to try to get the sod to green up. So far so good!

Favorite Things #1

Air Conditioner
Originally uploaded by shaddybaby

I have been struggling with something to take pictures of the last several days. So, since I've been in my new house for over a month now I thought I would highlight some of my favorite things about my house. Number 1 on my list is central heat/air. We didn't have it in the apartment and I'm loving it!

Afternoon Moon

Afternoon Moon
Originally uploaded by shaddybaby

I haven't been anywhere to take pictures the last few days. The moon was out this afternoon and since I'm obsessed with it, I took a shot.

June Sunset

June Sunset 2
Originally uploaded by shaddybaby
Are you guys sick of my sky pictures yet? Everytime Bandit makes me go outside lately I've seen some amazing views of the sky. I just had to capture this one.

After the Storm

After the Storm 1
Originally uploaded by shaddybaby
This is the sky after the storm. These shots were taken looking two different directions. Hard to believe the same sky can look so different in two directions.

Bamboo Pen & Tablet?

Anyone have a Bamboo Pen & Tablet? I looked at them last week and I've been thinking about it since. I don't do a lot of editing on my photos but it looks like this might make it easier to do. Just thought I'd get some feedback if anyone has one.

Moon w/Clouds

Moon w/Clouds Again
Originally uploaded by shaddybaby
I saw there were clouds around the moon tonight so I had to go out and try to capture a nice shots with some clouds in it. When you have to expose to get the clouds to show up you don't get the nice craters in the moon to show up. I'm still happy with the way these two turned out. Just not as sharp as I'd like.

Old Decatur

Old Decatur 2
Originally uploaded by shaddybaby
I went to the doctor in Decatur today. I went by the river to take a picture and there was a train on the tracks. So it was blocking my view. So I drove over to old Decatur and took a few pictures. The last one is of the Old Bank Building.

Beetle

Beetle 2
Originally uploaded by shaddybaby

Saw this little guy on some weeds in the back yard. I ran in to get the camera and he was still there when I got back. I took several pictures but between him moving and me breathing I couldn't get a lot of clear shots. I got some great blurry ones though. These are the best 2.

White flowers

White flower 1
Originally uploaded by shaddybaby
Went to a friend's house tonight and took a few pictures of her flowers.