Photography

Previously I posted about a new blog I began in order to track my photography progress.  Makes more sense to me to do it on this one, so I'm ending the other blog. 

To begin again, I purchased my first DSLR camera, a Canon EOS Rebel T2i over the xmas holiday.  I've purchased many accessories and I now have an 18-55mm lens, a 75-300mm, and recently acquired the nifty fifty - 50mm 1.8.  I have hoods for all of them and have ordered filters so my lenses will be protected. 

I've been very busy reading my camera manual as well as using the following resources:
Better Guide to Digital Photography (Jim Miotke)
Understanding Close-Up Photography (Bryan Peterson)
Learning to See Creatively (Bryan Peterson)
Creative Photography Handbook (Lee Frost)
Canon Photography Forum
National Geographic Photo Tips
Fodor's Travel Photo Tips

Copious amounts of notes have been taken!  I've learned a lot the last few days including getting a fairly good idea of exposure settings and what they mean and the results they get. 

I enjoy close-ups/macros (and have discovered they aren't necessarily the same thing) so here is one of my Bristol glass vase using my new nifty fifty. 
Settings:  1/30 f 9  ISO 100
I set the camera to Av, partial exposure, cloudy



Catching up....

Danny's brother and his family who live in Australia visited the UK for a month and spent a week of it with us.  We spent the time with them locally and in Oban, Inverness, and Fort William and even with all the rain we had a fantastic time.



At Urquhart Castle on Loch Ness


















We are planning another trip to Australia in two or three years and plan to go to Queensland and the Great Barrier Reef.

Danny is getting ready to depart for Uganda and will stay for two weeks visiting our friends and our Ugandan 'daughter' Doreen who is on break from university.  Both of us will travel to Uganda when Doreen graduates from university. 

Over the xmas holiday I bought my first DSLR camera and am learning new techniques and technical side of photography.  I have started a separate blog on my progress and will post notes on what I've learned from my creative photography and techniques books.   Becoming a Photographer blog

Christmas holidays & past year

We've been in Michigan for nearly 3 weeks and had lots of quality time with family including adorable babies, done lots of shopping, seen movies, museums, eating and drinking, a birthday party and on the same day the birth of a new baby.  It was cold when we arrived and I finally bought a good down coat and boots, but today it was about 50F.  Figures!

A few more days and we are home.  Relatives from Australia will be awaiting us! 

2010 was busy even though we are both retired. 
The end of 2009 was Uganda, Australia, then the US from which we returned home the 3rd week of January.  Then it was...

• New windows installed in our house
• Danny gutted our kitchen and put in a new one (about 5 weeks)
• Lots of painting, new furniture, carpeting
• A week on the Isle of Colonsay for our 10th anniversary in April
• Nearly 3 months visitation by our dear Ugandan daughter, Doreen, which included trips around Scotland and a trip to London
• 1 month visit by my sister which included a trip through Europe to Rome, and a visit to York
• A trip to Glasgow for Danny's birthday in November for ballet, concerts, museums
• Relaxation then our trip to the US.

My granddaughters with granddad

Scotland covered in snow!

Scotland has been covered in snow for over a week - most in decades.  We've been lucky in our location.  Most of Scotland has been a disaster area.  Schools,  businesses closed, motorways closed, hundreds trapped in cars overnight, buses and trains not running, airports closed.  The military was called in to help clear the roads. 

Our area is supposed to warm up by Friday to about 9C, so the weather and roads shouldn't interfere with our trip to the airport hotel.  We fly to Michigan Sunday.   I'm very excited to meet my newest granddaughter, Allyson, and am very ready for a big hug from my angel, 5 year old Haylee. 

Here and there....

Danny and I enjoyed our 2 nights in Glasgow and the ballet and concert we attended to celebrate his birthday. 

Just noticed today that Danny's favourite, Handel's Messiah, is being performed this Friday evening in Glasgow.  So I've bought two of the few remaining tickets and booked the same hotel as last week.  I'm looking forward to this as I've never heard this performed except on CD. 

In less than 3 weeks we leave for Michigan to spend christmas with my family.  I will get to meet my newest granddaughter, Allyson, who was born in August.  Hoping it's not bitter cold! 

When we return home in January, Danny's brother and his family will be visiting the UK from Australia.  We are looking forward to their visit and hoping they don't freeze! 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Still around...

No major events here, just quietly retired.  We're going to Glasgow later this week to spend two nights in the city to celebrate Danny's upcoming birthday.  A wee bit of culture with a ballet and a classical concert. 

Going to Michigan in a month to see my family for the holidays and to meet my newest granddaughter who is now 3 months old. 

Last week there was a bit of snow on the top of the mountains across the loch.  Now it's melted. 

A walk in a garden

Yesterday Danny and I went to Edinburgh to visit the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh.   There was a heavy mist for a couple of hours after we arrived and the less heavy.  No sun all day though.  This garden is much bigger than Benmore which is near us. 

Lots more of my photos in the gardens

The building in the bottom photo is part of the memorial garden to the late Queen Mother.  She loved seashells and this small building is wallpapered totally in shells.

OMG it's the sun!

a wee walk in the village.... and a stop at Gallimaufry for tea and a fresh fruit scone.  Gallimaufry displays beautiful art by local artists and also serves lovely lunches and snacks.  Gallimaufry - Blairmore Gallery

Why do I like living here?

During my visit today at the hairdressers I overheard a fellow customer chatting about how she and her husband would love to live in the US.  She detected my American accent and asked how I came to be here and wondered why I enjoyed living here.  Obviously she thought I was daft for preferring her country to mine. 

I've been asked this question a few times before.  A few years ago a colleague told me she'd love to live in the US because they have great theme parks.  Uh huh.  Good reason, hen.

To answer the question, I guess a list is best.

• It's stunningly gorgeous here!  Lochs, mountains, green, countryside, coastlines, islands.
• The Scottish sense of humour, although I don't always appreciate it....
• The slang, the lowlands Scots language - very entertaining to listen to.
• The accents.
• The pride in being Scottish, so many people knowing their history well. 
• The long distinguised history of Scotland - the Enlightenment, free education, free university tuition, inventors, engineers, there was a high literacy rate in Scotland even in the 17th century, etc.
• People are easy-going and friendly and will talk to people they don't know.  Nobody is suspicious when spoken to by a stranger. 
• The open-mindedness of Europeans in general.  The lack of prudishness.
• My interest in ancient history and culture is easily satisfied here as it's at my fingertips.
• I like old architecture and find it interesting and full of character. 
• There is a charm in old villages, old churches, well-preserved and cherished.
• The NHS.
• The Scottish goverment takes care of its elderly. 
• The ease of taking short trips to continental Europe, Ireland and the rest of the UK. 
• I feel at home here.

Anything negative?  Well, the weather kinda sucks.

Autumn

Benmore Botanic Gardens - Redwoods, Japanese Maple on the pond.
A waterfall in Puck's Glen near our home. 
More photos here