POTD – The Simpsons vs The Pirates

Brian set up the chess board using the Simpsons (DOH!) and Pirates of the Caribbean sets we have [yeah, we own like 10 different chess sets]. He wanted to teach me how to play a “variant” of chess. Hmmm, sounds like he made up a bunch of new rules that might “change” in the middle of the game.

We played Harry Potter Clue instead.

2009 Wrap

Once in a Blue Moon

This time last year, I created this blog as a vehicle for my 2009 Project 365 photographic journey. I set out at the beginning of 2009 to document each day with a photo, posted to this blog. After two short months, I realized these Project 365 images were better suited for my personal blog (whose content had become rather sparse during these months) and Behind The Lens became a repository for what I considered to be more creative, focused on technique and post processing. I may not have posted every day, but came pretty close, and as a result, just about doubled the images I originally sought to capture in 2009.

As 2009 comes to a close and as I complete my Project 365 collection, I’ve decided to continue taking daily images, in essence, starting a new Volume of Project 365 (Volume 2, the Year 2010). The every day captures will continue to be posted at my personal blog. For Behind The Lens, I will continue to take pictures, using a more themed approach:

• Best Shot Monday
• Morning Captures
• SOOC Saturday
• Table Views
• Weekly Photography Theme from 2Peas

I’ve also set some technical goals I want to achieve this year:

• HDR Processing
• Use Mirror Lock Up
• Use the BULB shutter release mode
• Read through The Complete Guide to the D300 by Thom Hogan
• Continue to learn and apply new Post Processing techniques

Maybe I’ll purchase some new gear – I’ve had my eye on a Lensbaby Composer and a compact Canon S90. Unfortunately, these purchases may have to follow a lens repair, as I’m fairly certain my 70-300 VR lens has some focusing issues. I probably need to buy a bigger camera bag too, I think I may have knocked my lenses around too much in my smallish bag. Oh, well….

But 2009 has been a tremendous year. I took over 6000 pictures and posted 1275 to my flickr account. I upgraded my camera body. I learned how to use textures, layer masks, blended exposures, adjustment layers, and a host of other techniques I can’t remember. I doubt I would have learned and grown so much if I hadn’t embarked on this Project 365 – thing, and I recommend it to anyone wishing to improve their photographic skills. Really. Just get out there and take pictures!

I wish everyone a wonderful, prosperous 2010!

POTD – Rainbow on the Ground

Courtesy of an oil slick in the parking lot.

POTD – Transition

From the warm, green South:

To the snowy Midwest:

Over the course of 3 hours, thanks to air travel.
The cold was a bit of a shock to the system, but we’ll adjust.

POTD – Hawk

Thankful for a long lens with VR this morning. Shot at 300mm.

Pretty much SOOC except for the cropping and a slight lighten. It would be nice if he wasn’t sitting with his back to the sun.

POTD – Fiber and Neon

I remember when fiber optic lights were popular in the late 80′s / early 90′s. Our ship, originally built in 1993, still has a section of these lights, strung to look like cascading flowers.

The neon looking lights adorn the Atrium area. Glitzy.

POTD – City Scenes in Nassau

In the spirit of Christmas, a pair of red and green scooters.

And I won’t be riding any of these two wheeled contraptions – I crashed one when we visited St. Barts back in 1990.

We took a ferry from Atlantis back to Downtown. The ferry was as weathered as the sign.

Pretty shells for sale

The street artist hangs out, even in the rain

Expecting beach pictures? If you want to see beach pictures, head over to my personal blog.

POTD – Freeport, Grand Bahamas

Approaching the port as the sun rises:

The “official” beer of Freeport, spotted at lunch [not ours]. It looked refreshing, but it was too cold to be drinking beer.

POTD – Curves to Clouds

Taken on our cruise adventure to the Bahamas.

SOOC Saturday – Snowflakes in Florida

While the snow is falling in the Northeast and Midwest, the closest thing I could find here in Florida were these pretty white flowers.