Random Tidbits... Post Class

Well my class is officially over, but that doesn't mean I'm done learning and practicing.  I still plan on having my camera as a constant companion trying to develop any talent that I may have.  Here are some shots from this past weekend.  The first handful are from the Garden Factory Halloween Fall Fun and then there are also a few of random shots that I snapped throughout the weekend.

Flag Football and an Autumn Hike

This week our assignment was to go off on our own and shoot subjects that we enjoyed.  Through this task our teacher could then help us develop our talent shooting what we are drawn to, what we treasure most.  I happened to be going to my nephew's flag football game on Saturday and then went on a walk with my sister and her family on Sunday.  Here are the results of those two opportunities. 

He was a little nervous at first...but eventually got over it.

The flag football game didn't produce many great shots, but it was very cute to watch! I decided to try again the next day while on the trail and I think I got some good shots.

A Little Fall Fun at Stokoe Farms

This past weekend I went to Stokoe Farms with my sister and her family and of course I brought my new companion along for the trip.  If you are friends with me on Facebook you know that some of my favorite subjects are my nieces and nephews.  Sunday was a beautiful day and we had a lot of fun.  We couldn't ask for a better day to make some great memories.

(Clearly the above picture is over-exposed... It would have been my favorite shot of the day if it wasn't!)

It was such a beautiful weekend that we had a fall bonfire

Durand Eastman Park

Who would have thought that last Saturday, October 9th would have been a perfectly sunny day in Upstate NY?  How lucky were we to be able to take advantage of that day and try to snap some good shots down at Durand Beach?  However, even though it was a beautiful day, beautiful pictures did not come easy for me. Through my eyes, there was not much to shoot - some sand, water, a couple of leaves, and some shells.  It was not my favorite place to shoot, but I think I was able to piece together some good shots.

This is one of my favorite shots of the day.  It took me a long time to get the focus on the waves and not the tree that is in the foreground.

There were a bunch of clusters of shells on the beach - I like the way this cluster was separated from the rest and the lines in the sand created by the water.

There was a random fence stuck in the sand by the water.  Strange, but it served as a good subject.

Just a few of my favorite shots - of the million that I took of the rocks and shells in the sand.

Apparently the thing to do on a Saturday morning is taking your dogs to the beach.  I love this shot, but would love it more if I had Photoshop to erase the leash.

Another one of my favorite shots - so simple yet there is something that draws me to it.

The water was pretty choppy on Saturday - which lead to some good pictures!

Manhattan Square Park

Manhattan Square Park in downtown Rochester was the destination of our second field trip. Like Mt. Hope, I started out this field trip struggling with what I was going to shoot.  It's not the prettiest park, and it's not in the best area of town, but it did have some possibility.  As I started shooting, I developed a rhythm and was able to find some unique angles and shots that ultimately I was pleased with. 

This is one of my favorites of the day.  I decided to play with the white balance settings on my camera and take some shots in the shade.

I feel that this picture presents sort of a mystery that draws you in - but in reality if I zoomed out a bit you would see that it actually locks a garbage can to a pole.

I like how the focus of this shot is on the leaves and while the lamp post is a prominent part of this picture it is slightly blurred in the background.

I thought this was unique perspective of the row of benches.  The benches provided a nice frame for the picture (which was one of the techniques we learned in class). 

The two above pictures are of the same benches, just a few different perspectives.

It's hard to tell with this flower, but in the background is an empty liquor bottle.  I liked the juxtaposition of the two items.

This was my last picture of the day, and might be my favorite.  I was sitting on the curb, deciding what my next move would be when I looked down and decided to shoot this picture.