C is for CEMETERIES & CLASSIC CARS

Two recent outings brought ideas for the letter C this week.  First, on July 19th my daughter and I crossed the border to Point Roberts and toured around a bit.  One stop was to the local cemetery.  Some people don't like going to cemeteries because they think they're spooky or creepy.  But I don't mind wandering around, careful not to step on the areas under which the bodies lie.  I try to be respectful but find it fascinating to read the engravings on the stones.  There are some spots that I think to myself, "Oh drat, they got that spot first!"  Crazy, right?  For me, wandering around a cemetery is peaceful, sometimes sad, and at times even evokes a smile. It's pretty humbling to realize the countless beings who came before us, all of whom felt they were the center of the universe and now are just memories to those who loved them.

Here are a few shots of some lovely resting places.  You can tell these people were dearly loved. We'll start with the gate, but be sure to watch for the following - the Canadian flag and a Canadian football player, twin boys who lived only a day, and brightly coloured rocks at the Poirier gravesite.  Apparently, all their children and grandchildren made them, lovingly placing them there for posterity. I also smiled at the "Gone Fishing" memorial and the lovely angelic poem.

Now, on to classic cars!  On July 21st, daughter and I attended the Classic Car show at a local winery's annual "Summerfest."  We had a blast wandering around looking at the awesome cars while listening to classic rock music played by a live band called "The Centaurs."  We took in a quilt show and a model railway show in the barns and chatted with vendors at their little markets stands.  It's an outing that we will attend next year and I'll also go to their shop to buy Christmas presents in December.  Here's some of what we saw that day.  Be sure your speakers are tuned up so you can groove to the theme of "Peter Gunn."

Finally, thanks to that classic and charismatic Mrs. Nesbitt, the creator of ABC Wednesday.  She and her team of capable, caring and clever teammates will charge over to your posts to comment on your conceptualizations.  See you all next week at ABC Wednesday for the letter D.

B is for BEACHES

This is the best time of the year to share all the beaches in my neighbourhood.  I'm including all of the Greater Vancouver area, by the way.  My own local beach is called "Centennial Beach" and is located at the Boundary Bay Regional Park.  I showed you a bit of the area last week in my slideshow of the Dyke Trail there, but the beach has many benefits. You can never get bored there because not only can you swim or play at the beach, but also you can bike the trails, walk on the boardwalk, or go bird-watching.  It's not crowded and you can actually have a barbecue right there, too. So take your blanket, a picnic and a book and just relax while you enjoy the brilliance of the sunshine and scenery during any season because it can be almost balmy here, even in winter.

Just south of Centennial Beach, on the American side of the border, is Maple Beach and Lighthouse Park Beach.  While Maple Beach is great for swimming, Lighthouse Park Beach is best for dog walking, whale watching, sunset photography and kayaking and boating. I love going there whenever I head down across the border for gas.

Just south-east of where I live is another favourite destination - White Rock Beach. There's a 1,500 foot long pier that everyone likes to walk and you can get beautiful photos of the town hanging off the hills and gorgeous sunsets.  This beach stretches for miles and consists of the east, west, and crescent beaches. Sometimes, you can even see the occasional seal sunbathing at Crescent Beach.

Now we head north into the city of Vancouver.  So many beaches lie along the edge of Burrard Inlet, most of which give beautiful views of downtown Vancouver.  On the southern border lie Spanish Banks Beach, Locarno Beach, Jericho Beach, and Kitsilano Beach.  Right in downtown Vancouver itself lie English Bay Beach and Sunset Beach.  Also, on the western rim of our famous Stanley Park lie 3 beaches.  And on the northern border of the inlet are Cates Park Beach and Ambleside Beach.  There are lots of other smaller beaches in neighbourhood locales.

One beach you might be surprised to learn about is Wreck Beach, Canada's first and largest, legal, clothing-optional beach. On a summer weekend, as many as 14,000 visitors flock to this 7.8 km long beach, which is adjacent to the University of British Columbia and reached by climbing down a long flight of stairs. Here is where you'll find a bounty of bare bums and other anatomical bits, but don't go there to be a busybody.  Take part in the sun or beach bathing and don't worry about looking a bit bedraggled. If you behave properly, you just might befriend someone nice.

I know, you're all wondering if I belong at this beach.  Well, I have been there years ago as I'm an alum of UBC, but this was just before the beach became known as the "Nudie Beach."

I hope you enjoy this little slideshow of the various beaches in my neighbourhood.  Most are my own shots, but a few are courtesy of Mr. Google.  Enjoy, turn up your sound, and remember that"it's almost perfect here!"

Blissful thanks to Denise Nesbitt, the creator of ABC Wednesday, and her brilliant, but sometimes bizarre bunch of assistants. We have a blast bouncing around to everyone's posts to see what kind of bright, or baffling poetry, prose, or photography you share each week.  We believe that you buckle down so you can burst forth with brilliance about birds and beasts, summer barbecues, belly dancing,  butterflies and bugs, making jams and pies from summer berries, balls and balloons, or even your nagging backache. To contribute to ABC Wednesday, just click here and follow the prompts. Welcome to any new bloggers!

A is for ASPECTS

Welcome one and all to Round 11 of ABC Wednesday, the brainchild of Denise Nesbitt, assisted by her awesome and admirable assembly of assistants. Join in by clicking here. You will be amically accepted so we can admire your contributions.  Please be aware that there are a few rules by which we all abide, so we do ask that you click on the "Rules and Guidelines" bar on the left side of the site and read it over before posting.  Mainly, though, this is all about amusement!

ASPECT means the appearance to the eye or mind, the nature, quality, character of a situation, or the way in which a thing may be viewed or interpreted.  Today, I’d like to show you some aspects of the Boundary Bay Regional Park in which you’d also find Centennial Beach.  This is a place where I enjoy walking during each season of the year because there is so much to see with lots of photographic opportunities.  Last week, I went for a walk along the Dyke Trail from the new Centennial Beach washroom and concession building to the boardwalk that goes over the marsh area and back again. The new concession features green elements like natural ventilation and lighting and a green roof to provide wildlife habitat and insulate the building. (Check out the first photo in the slideshow.)

A hot July day found myriads of people from young to old enjoying the new playground, the beach, and the trails.  People were picnicking or barbecuing either on the sand or on the grassy areas.  Some people were in the water to cool off, and some were either walking or biking on the trails.  As I walked, I stopped to take photographs of wild flowers, wild raspberry bushes in full bloom, the views from the top of the lookout tower, and the various people enjoying the area.  

This week, I’d like to share with you one aspect of the area and what I photographed.  I ambled along about half of the Dyke Trail and in weeks to come, I’ll share other aspects of this area along with other areas to tempt one and all to come and visit this part of the world. Please note that if you click the bottom left "square with arrows" thingy, you can watch the video in full screen.  Enjoy!

Z is for ZOOM

Zoom-Zoom = the exhilaration and liberation from experiencing the emotion of motion.  (from Mazda's website)  As the last part of Round 10 for my theme of photography, I'm using the word ZOOM, which ties in nicely to Mazda's idea of it.  With the zoom feature or the zoom lens, the photographer is free to get up close and personal, be it an insect or your child out on the soccer field.  It also ties in a bit with my post on "telephoto" lenses (here). However, in my research on zoom, I found out that there is a difference between digital zoom and optical zoom. 

Optical zoom is true zoom. This function of a camera uses the lens within the camera to draw the image closer. Using the optics of the camera the image is bought forward much the same way as binoculars and other such instruments. When using optical zoom quality remains the same and the full resolution of the camera can be used on the zoomed image. Different levels of optical zoom can be achieved by changing the distances between the lens'. The motion of the front lens moving outwards on a camera is the lens achieving a greater level of zoom. The rating of optical zoom on a camera is measured like 2x 4x 8x etc. bringing the image 2x 4x and 8x closer respectively. The best cameras have a high level of optical zoom.  Here's an example of one of my photographs using the optical zoom on my camera:

Digital zoom is not a true zoom. The image itself doesn't actually come any closer as the optics in the camera stay the same. The way the digital zoom works is much the same way as it does on your PC at home. The idea behind digital zoom is that it takes a portion of the image and expand that image to the full size of the picture. What happens here is that the section of image that you are looking at becomes bigger, not closer. The image does look closer because it has been expanded however all that has happened is that the image quality has been reduced because it has been expanded with no new data for the image.  (from here) Here is an example of one of my photos where I used digital zoom:

This is a great (less than 2 minutes) little video explaining the difference very well. 

A zillion thanks to our zany hostess, Denise Nesbitt, for zeroing in on a niche for getting people from all around the world together in common interest.  Her zesty and zealous group of assistants zoom around the site to help her welcome everyone by commenting on your contributions.  We look forward to reading about zuchinnis, zebras, a history of the zither, how to sew a zipper, the mining of zinc, and even your zodiac chart.  You could even tell us about Zacharius, Zacchaeus, or Zechariah. Put some zing into your post to keep us from becoming a zombies zonked out from our visits!  To become a part of ABC Wednesday, click here.  Round 11 starts next week so I'm really looking forward to seeing old and new friends!

Y is for Photographing YOUTH

First of all, I want to take this opportunity to wish all Canadians a Happy Canada Day (July 1st) and all Americans Happy Independence Day (July 4th). 

Moving on to ABC Wednesday's round for the letter Y, I must say that I absolutely adore taking photographs of my grandchildren!  However, I've learned a major lesson from them - do NOT tell them to smile!  More often than not, they will either put on their "camera" face or run in the opposite direction.  I have found that the more I relax and let them just do their own thing, they will forget that I have my camera in hand and won't mind hearing the odd "click." "The best thing you can do to create beautiful art with a child is simply relax and be yourself. Kids are perceptive. They sense when you’re overdoing it and aren’t acting like yourself, and they’ll respond in kind." Read more: http://digital-photography-school.com/cut-the-cheese-5-tips-for-photographing-kids#ixzz1zD7nucfn

With a great deal of patience, I have been able to capture them as they are, in their own environment enjoying the things that children love to do.  I went through my old and new photos of my grandson and granddaughter and found some that I will share with you.  These particular photos show just what I mean about letting them relax and have fun with whatever is at their disposal.  I've also, in most cases, used the sports mode of my camera because they're always moving!  I didn't include any photos that clearly show their faces because their mom would
kill,
no, be mad at,
no, KILL me. 
Ansel Adams, photographer, said  "You don’t take a photograph, you make it."

X is for X-RAY PHOTOGRAPHY

I bet you've all been wondering if I'll pass on the X is for something related to photography!  Hah!  Fooled you all...this is something I've never done before and probably never will do.  But there actually is such a thing as x-ray photography.  You've always thought of it as a simple X-ray - of your lungs, your bones, your stomache, your teeth...Well, yes that's exactly what it is.

"While our society is taught to concern itself with the alluring surface of things, Nick Veasey uses industrial x-ray machines to peel back those upper layers, often revealing a far more beautiful, and complex, underside. Having produced the largest x-ray photograph ever – a Boeing 777 that required over 500 separate x-rays of individual elements."  Nick's career began like this:

“My girlfriend’s father used to be a lorry driver,” explains Nick with a mischievous smile. “At one time he drove a lorry for a couple of days which contained thousands of cans of Pepsi, one of which had a ring-pull prize worth £100,000.
“I thought I’d try a scam. I decided to hire an x-ray machine from a local hospital to find the winning can. I never did find it, but it sparked off the ideas for the career I have today.”

There is no way I'd ever do this type of photography, but it is fascinating!  For more information from someone else who does this type of photography (Jim Zuckerman who has appeared in Outdoor Photographer, publications of the National Geographic Society, Omni Magazine, Conde Nast Traveler, Shutterbug, Petersen's Photographic Magazine, and scores of other magazines), click here.  You will find his photos absolutely incredible.  Here's a tiny taste.  And for more photos of Nick Veasey's work, you just have to go HERE!  There are some amazing photos on this site!

Exuberant thanks to Denise Nesbitt, the creater of this excellent ABC Wednesday meme.  This is exactly the type of writing I enjoy as it challenges me each week to come up with something extraordinarily creative. It does not exhaust me; it exhorts me to succeed; it excites me into explosions of ideas!  We on the team extend an invitation to all who have an interest in anything creative to expound and expose (no nudity, though - *wink*) your ideas, photographs, drawings, or writing.  We will examine your contribution and expand on your posts by executing our best comments. To check out ABC Wednesday, simply click here.

W is for WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY

About the closest I get to photographing wildlife is the local squirrels, raccoons, and birds that live in my area.  I've been able to get some decent shots of eagles, snowy owls, herons, and ducks but anything more "dangerous" like bear, moose or elk has eluded me.  However, there are some photographers who actually specialize in wildlife photography, especially those who work for magazines like "National Geographic."  Here are just a few whose websites you might like to see.

Michael “Nick” Nichols (http://www.michaelnicknichols.com    Africa, Australia, biodiversity, endangered species
Joel Sartore (http://www.joelsartore.com/)  Africa
Andy Biggs (http://www.andybiggs.com/)  Africa
Daniel J. Cox (http://www.naturalexposures.com/)  Arctic and Costa Rica
Anup Shah (http://www.shahrogersphotography.com) Africa, especially primates
David Doubilet (http://www.daviddoubilet.com/)  Under the sea

And here are a few of my own wildlife shots.

A couple of backyard critters - cheeky raccoons and squirrels

Finally, a panorama of snow geese that landed in a farmer's field.

Wonderful words of thanks to Denise Nesbitt, our wild and woolly hostess with the mostest! Welcome to new contributors and just to let you know, we (her wacky team of assistants) warmly warble and whistle happy little tunes to let you know how much we wish you'd joined us sooner.  We will make comments on your wondrous posts and will leave wiser but wretched that it will be a whole week before we see you again. To check us out, click here.

V is for VIDEO

Continuing with my theme of photography for Round 10, I'm writing about taking videos.  Most digital cameras these days have the capability of taking videos, but before doing so, you need to rethink your methods.  If you want to video a wedding, your children or grandchildren, travel adventures, wildlife, sports or a concert, it's always best to be prepared. Whether you use a point and shoot or a fancy DSLR camera, I know that I found these hints to be helpful.

First, when taking a video you must never move your camera into a vertical position.  Keep it horizontal and try to tilt the camera up and back down to get the full image.  Also, never use auto focus but rather use manual mode.  With a DSLR, set your camera to 24 frames per second, the shutter speed to 1/50 second, and adjust the aperture depending on the lighting of your surroundings. 

Remember, with video it's all about movement so find an interesting angle, shoot the same scene in different ways, and get close to the action.  Use a slow pan or a still.  Going from still life to real life makes photography much more interesting.

Even though cameras can work straight out of the box, accessories can be helpful to expand your shooting options.  Try using a telephoto lens, which is sort of like using binoculars to get up close to the action.  A wide angle lens gives a greater range and an external mic gives better sound quality.  Finally, a tripod can move your camera with the action while at the same time keeps it steady.

I guess the next step for me is to start experimenting with the video capability of my camera.  Let me know how you do with your videos! 

Vast thanks to Denise Nesbitt for her valuable contribution to world-wide friendships.  I love visiting as many posts as I can and try to be vigilant about voicing various observations.  By the way, did I ever mention that I once saw the volcano in Sicily erupt?  Take a look at the following from BBC about its eruption and check out the techniques used in this VIDEO.

U is for UNION JACK & UNDERSTANDING

 Before I begin this week's post on the theme of photography, I would like to honour Queen Elizabeth and her Diamond Anniversary on the throne of England.  As part of her Commonwealth, we Canadians are proud to have had a special part in the parade along the Thames.  "Canada One" was the only canoe in the 11 km long flotilla.  Click on the link to watch a brief video about its history.  Also, there was a dragon boat in the parade full of Canadian breast cancer survivors!  Here's to the Union Jack, the flag of our mother country!

One of the very first things one must do in the field of photography is learn how to use one's own camera.  It's essential to understand the parts of your camera and all the things it can do. First, you need to familiarize yourself with the camera you use.  I've graduated from a Samsung Digimax V700 to an Olympus SP-800UZ.  What's the difference, you may ask.  My newer camera has a lot more functions in it with regard to settings for aperture, ISO, zoom, image size, shadow adjust, compression, plus automatic, scene, magic, and beauty modes.  Within these modes are more functions!  My newer camera also has greater zoom capability and image stabilization.  The older camera has 7.1 megapixels while the newer one has 14 megapixels.

Do you understand the parts of the camera?  The "body" is the your camera's house.  It holds all the functions and settings.  The lens is the eye of the camera and the sensor is the digital equivalent of the old-fashioned film.  The flash card saves your images and the battery is just like any other electronic device that keeps your camera working. Your camera might come with a flash, but if not, you can always purchase an external one.

The group that I attend every week has decided that we are going to be just that - a group, a group of women who have a common interest and who have a desire to learn how to take good photos.  Anyone can join in at any time and those of us who may know a bit more about photography will help the beginners.  We'll also share ideas and get instruction on an as-we-need-to-know basis.  I think this makes it much more fun and inviting and forgoes the trepidation that comes with feeling like we don't understand a concept as well as someone else does. 

As you begin to understand your camera, its functions and how to use them all, you will begin to experiment with these functions and gain great joy in learning fascinating ways of photographing objects, people, or places.

Thanks to the ultimate in leaders, Denise Nesbitt, for creating this unbelievably fun meme! Her untiring and united team of assistants understand how useful it is to receive feedback on posts.  Therefore, we do our utmost to visit you all and give you our undivided attention along with some unparalleled commentary.  To join in, just click here!

T is for TELEPHOTO

Telephoto lenses are systems used for taking photographs from a long distance away. With SLR cameras, you need to attach a special lens, but other types of cameras usually have a telephoto function.

One of the most important things to remember when using a telephoto lens or function is that any slight movement when taking the photo can result in a blurred image.  Therefore, it's best to use a tripod and a shutter release.  Any movement is amplified when looking through the view finder of a camera using a telephoto lens. The simple act of pressing the shutter on your camera will cause even a tripod mounted camera and lens to shake when photographing a distant subject. To minimize camera shake use a shutter release. Quite simply a shutter release is a shutter release button on an extension cord. Minimizing movement of your camera and lens while mounted on a tripod will reduce unintended bluring of your photo. (from here)

I didn't use either a tripod or a shutter release in these two shots, but I balanced the camera carefully on the edge of a fence or by gripping my arms tightly into my body to keep the camera as still as possible. I was pleased with the results even though they could have been much better.  I'm still learning!

Another trick in using a telephoto lens is to tightly frame your subject.  In this way, you can highlight details that you might not otherwise be able to capture.  This is great if you're trying to photograph any type of wildlife, be it bears or birds.  Notice how I was able to capture the details of this crane's feathers, beak, and eyes. 

I thought you might like to see a few more shots I've taken using my telephoto lens - some from trips I've taken and some from around home.

Well, I guess that's enough for one post...I'm getting tired anyway.  But before I tally-ho, I must take this time to thank Denise Nesbitt for her talents in setting up ABC Wednesday for us all.  She is a terrific lady and I'm thrilled that in three months I'll meet her in person!  Thanks also to all the terrific cyber friends who take the time to comment on everyone's posts.  It's a treat to talk to them here on this meme.