What I’ve been doing in my off time

I haven’t sent many pictures lately because I’ve been having technical difficulties with both my camera and my laptop, but tonight I mean to rectify the situation.  Besides sewing and quilting, I’ve also joined a photography club, and I’m learning a bit about ways to improve my photography through the way I shoot pictures and also through the editing process.  We’re practicing on dogs because you can’t control them so you have to learn how to go with the flow.  Here are some shots I took at the dog park last week:

An amazing dog that does back flips for a ball!

An amazing dog that does back flips for a ball!

Same dog after he got worn out from doing one flip after another for me!

Same dog after he got worn out from doing one flip after another for me!

A husky, I think.

A husky, I think.

Big dog, little dog

Big dog, little dog

The big dog seemed to like to pick on smaller dogs

The big dog seemed to like to pick on smaller dogs

This is Canelle (pronounce Canyell, meaning Cinnamon in French).  She speaks French and her mom is from Canada.

This is Canelle (pronounce CanYELL, meaning Cinnamon in French). She speaks French and her mom is from Canada.

The Farrah Fawcet look

The Farrah Fawcet look

She even has painted nails!

She even has painted nails!

Get me out of this shirt, Mom!

Get me out of this shirt, Mom!

Now she can play without getting her clothes dirty!

Now she can play without getting her clothes dirty!

This man has a ball sling and the dogs love it.

This man has a ball sling and the dogs love it.

The boy wears the blue collar, the girl wears the pink.  She got the ball most often!

The boy wears the blue collar, the girl wears the pink. She got the ball most often!

The German Shepherd is still trying to get into the picture.

The German Shepherd is still trying to get into the picture.

A one-eyed dog.  He had a cataract that went bad so had to have his eye removed.

A one-eyed dog. He had a cataract that went bad so had to have his eye removed.

Mama loves Canelle!

Mama loves Canelle!

A man walking his dog by the lake stopped when he saw my camera.

A man walking his dog by the lake stopped when he saw my camera.

Dogs in sepia

Dogs in sepia

Aww!

Aww!

I walked along the lake with my bike and watched a beautiful bird looking for food:

It was a very windy day and there were waves on the lake.

It was a very windy day and there were waves on the lake.

You can make out beads of water after he'd just darted his head in and out of the water for something.

You can make out beads of water after he’d just darted his head in and out of the water for something.

This is another editing technique I tried on a couple birds in flight.

This is another editing technique I tried on a couple birds in flight.

Wednesday morning there was a craft bazaar in Woodland Hall.  Some of my sewing friends were selling things there, one of the women in the photography club who is actually a published professional (National Geographic, etc) was selling some of her prints, and this man was recruiting for the musical which will be held at the end of February:

I signed up to help with sewing for the show.

I signed up to help with sewing for the show.

Then Saturday, after working hard for eight hours, Mark and I attended the free dance in Woodland Hall.  It was dark in the hall and I was trying to learn how to catch people moving in the dark, but I need a little work at it yet:

Swing

Swing

The table Mark and I were sitting at next to the sound system.  (You can see my empty chair.)  The standing woman is our boss, Mary Beth.

The table Mark and I were sitting at next to the sound system. (You can see my empty chair.) The standing woman is our boss, Mary Beth.  She runs the sound system for these dances after working a full day!

Line dance

Line dance

One of the guys at our table picked up our camera while Mark and I were on the floor and tried to capture us strutting our stuff.

One of the guys at our table picked up our camera while Mark and I were on the floor and tried to capture us strutting our stuff.

Boogie down!

Boogie down!

Slow dance

Slow dance

Another editing technique I played with.  It almost makes it look like the woman is looking toward us.

Another editing technique I played with. It almost makes it look like the woman is looking toward us.

One thought on “What I’ve been doing in my off time

  1. I just finished some catch-up reading since your Christmas entry. Glad Mark made it home safe and sound! Sounds like you are finding new friends, learning new tips with things that interest you, processing spiritual learnings, loving & being loved! Best way to start the new year!

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