A Trip To The Zoo

Kevin and I traversed to the zoo today. This exhibit, MOLA: Museum of Living Art had it's grand opening today. It is an entire building dedicated to reptiles and amphibians. We probably spent a good 2 hours in this exhibit alone! So many very cool snakes, lizards, frogs, turtles, crocodiles, it was just gorgeous! Here are just a few of the shots from today's zoo trip. On the Canon we shot over 400 pictures, that's not counting what we took on the two Kodaks we brought as well! I picked a few really nice ones to share with you.

This cute little guy decided to 'pose' for the camera! Kevin said it was showing a territorial display, like it felt threatened by our presence. I think he was just a little camera hog...er frog.

This guy was more green in real life, the flash that was required to get a decent shot threw his color of a little bit.

I found this to be one of the more interesting displays in the new exhibit...I was grateful for the informational card that explained exactly what we were seeing behind the glass! lol

This Ocelot was grooming itself most of the time I was trying to take pictures. It was just so cute I wanted to take it home!

This guy was a great model, he was getting a little restless and calling to the older (I think his parents) in the next-door exhibit. He was even calling out to them and it was awesome. I love cats and I would have gladly taken this one home as well, I'm not quite sure Drizzt would have appreciated a new male in the house to compete with though!

Who doesn't love some BACON at the zoo!

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This creature here was the most fierce of them all and he scared all the little children. I was lucky to get this quick shot of him since he is rather feral and not fond of the camera noise!

Now, I have to tell the funny part of the day and hope that Kevin will still speak to me after 'telling' on him. We got to the zoo a little early so we waited in the truck for a little while and perused the newspaper we picked up this morning. Finally, we felt it was time to start heading into the zoo so we grab the cameras, wallets, and hats and lock all the doors, even remembering to lock the hatchback of the Xterra. We spent 5+ hours roaming the zoo, taking pictures, and having a great time. As we get back to the truck, Kevin, being the gentleman that he is, unlocks my door first then goes around to his side. Where he finds the window to the driver's side is rolled ALL THE WAY DOWN!! But....the door was definitly locked! We got lucky on that one, no one apparently noticed the rolled down window and none of our stuff (not that there was anything important) was pilfered. Needless to say, he will not be living this one down anytime soon!!

Am I a Photoshop Sinner?

I am subscribed to a newsletter from Digital Photography School and one of the articles in today's newsletter was Warning: 10 Deadly Post Processing Sins. I had to read it because I do post processing, and I found it satirical and funny. It has recieved a TON of coments both in agreement and disagreement of the top 10 list. I knew it would be a racy topic because, as pointed out by ProBlogger in a recent article found HERE, the writer expressed an opinion. By expressing an opinion you open the floodgates for people to either agree or disagree. So what is my take? I am NOT a Photoshop sinner. Why? Well, the most obvious reason is because I don't use Photoshop, I use the almost unknown program PhotoImpact. As for committing one (or more of the 10 Deadly Post Processing Sins, oh yeah, all the time. But these are a list of sins as seen by this one person. If I thought they were that bad, I wouldn't be using them now would I?

Selective coloring was one of the sins listed. As shown in the above picture, selective coloring is removing color (or turning black and white) all of the photo except for one or more specific parts. I have used it a few times and I am ahppy with the results. It is a way for me to enhance the image to show and emphasize what I want seen. The reintroduction of the blue shirt in the image above adds a shock of color that provides interest and focuses on my daughter as opposed to the entire image, the background etc. Not everyone will agree, but that's ok, because you don't have to. Since this is my picture, of my daughter, and I like it, I don't really care if anyone else does or not. If I were to create this for a client and they did not like it, that would be another matter entirely. Does it date my images? Possibly. However, does it matter if I am still pleased with the end result?

I just posted about the constructive critisizm I recieved that stated that my photos were over saturated and over processed. Now again I find myself reading how someone out there says that oversaturated photos are a "sin". However, if you were to ask me if I thought this photo was oversaturated, I would say NO. Did I increase the saturation? Of course. I did so to bring out the bright colors that it created. Most people look at this image an ooh and aww at the vibrant colors and think it's fantastic. If you don't, well ok. It's not required by any law that I know of to like my photography or my editing techniques.

One of my more recent additions to my photography gallery. This one falls under sin #1. How so you ask? Take a look at this cutout and I'll explain further.

This was in the original shot. So as I'm framing the image and thinking what a great view this is going to be I see that some jerk has littered and now there is this horrid looking beer case in my shot. Trying to get down there to remove would likely have proven disatrous and there was no other way for me to frame the shot and get the full image that I was after. So, I said to myself, fine, I'll fix it after I get it on the computer. Is that a sin? I've said this many times when lighting conditions outside aren't what I would like, or when I have found other pieces of trash that get in my shot. I have even told my daughter this when shooting shots of her. She tries not to smile outright because she thinks her teeth aren't white enough. If telling her I'll fix it on the computer will get her to show her gorgeous smile, then I feel no guilt and do not feel that I should be required to slap myself silly for thinking or saying it.

So, in conclusion, if you are the type of photographer/artist that prefers to market your work as not having been touched with a post processing program, GREAT! If you are the type that likes to make a few changes and keep things simple, GREAT! If you are the type that likes to go all out and change your photo into a piece of art that speaks of your style, GREAT! Do what you love, and ignore everyone else. And please, do not pass judgement on those who do things differently than you.

I ♥ Faces - Hilarious Outtakes

This week I ♥ Faces is allowing up to FIVE entries in a blog for their Hilarious Outtakes Challenge. I will do my best to put up some funny pictures, at least ones that I think are funny. I am looking forward to seeing what everyone else has put up as well. If you want to take a look at what everyone else has done then click the link below.

Here is one I took just yesterday of my boyfriend, he is not what I would call camera shy...but he is against having his picture taken frequently.

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My son...apparently he's "Got A Little Cap'n" in him.

My daughter and her 'Jazz Hands'!

My friend showing off her new...balloon job?

And my all time favorite, if I do say so myself. I wish this image hadn't turned out blurry. It was taken quite a few years ago with an SLR that did not have a built in flash so it had a too slow shutter speed.

Hope you enjoy my outtakes and I'm headed to I ♥ Faces to check out everyone else's!