I've been working many, many hours getting ready for a yard sale lately. I hope it's going to be worth it. Worked just about all day today.

I needed to get the photos ready and on a disc for the director of the concert I photographed last week (program pictured above). I just haven't had time to work on them but hope to get it done and in his hands by Sunday.

This is #1 of about 135 photos I need to work on and then get transferred to a disc for the music director of the Capitol Sounds band/orchestra by tomorrow night to give to him at choir practice. There aren't enough hours in the day lately. I have been so busy with so many different things. This is almost a post just to have a post tonight. My year of turning 60 is almost over and I really would like to have it printed in book form to keep if it's not too expensive. But I will get to work tomorrow working on these photos. This is a photo of the First Baptist Church in Montgomery where the concert was performed right before the sun went down. It is a beautiful building and, of course, I love the dome. But I'm so tired tonight this will be cut short. Tomorrow is another day.

Every Day is an Adventure with Paige!

One adventure after another over here! Today Paige got into my "bowl" of lipstick and chap stick. At first, she got out some cherry chap stick so I wasn't worried so much. Then she found a little sample of Avon lipstick hidden down in there and I took her to a mirror and showed her how to put on lipstick and rub her lips together, etc. She really liked it and seemed to be satisfied so I left the bedroom, thinking she was putting the little tube of lipstick back in its place. The next minute here she comes with this! ha! I just ran and grabbed my camera and asked her to smile like Cinderella and this is what I got! Priceless!

Happy Fall Y'all

This weather is wonderful lately! Enjoying the cooler temps AND sunshine. Am going to get up in the attic today and get out my fall decorations. The one pictured above was a gift from my little angel:) I just love it! Thank you, Paige!

Hope everyone is enjoying Fall! It's my favorite time of year.

Still Wrong

On the way to a birthday party today for a cute little one-year old, I read up some more on the polarizing filter and I still don't have it right but I'm too tired to go into it tonight. *sigh* I will on another post.

I went up to my sewing area to sew after I got home from the birthday party and 9 hours later (!), I had NOT sewn a stitch! I spent that long cleaning out and organizing all the junk I have up there but I really got a lot accomplished and have got it better organized than it's ever been. I have just a little, tiny bit to finish which I hope to do tomorrow. I just can't concentrate to work in such as mess as I had up there. I had emptied out the entire closet. But now the closet is all clean and organized and everything labeled and sorted. It is so nice :)

My legs and feet are aching from staying on them for 9 hours but it will be worth it all to go back up there tomorrow to finish up the little bit left and sew in an organized space. Hopefully, now I can get something productive and creative done!

P.S. - The photo above was another one using the polarizing photo yesterday which turned out good. I didn't take a photo of my sewing closet or sewing room. I need to so you can see how organized it is. Now to keep it that way!

Polarizing Filter

Well, I am sometimes known for doing things "backwards". ha! But. . . that's the way I learn a lot of times. This is an example:

I read a brief note about polarizing filters and I still haven't read a lot about them. When I went to the camera shop yesterday to have my cards put on CDs and cleaned up for this photo session with the band/orchestra, I bought a polarizing filter. The employee there (who teaches photography classes) did give me a little "crash course" on it before I bought it. It's main purpose is to prevent glare and, he said, unwanted side light from coming in. He said it would make blue skies a more intense blue and take glare off green leaves on trees, etc.

So. . . I got home today and grabbed my camera, put the polarizing lens on and got outside during the golden hour. I took photos of the sky and clouds and it was a beautiful day to do that. There were so many beautiful white clouds and at that hour, some of them were tinted in pinks and oranges from the sun.

Most of the few I took turned out really pretty and I could see a difference but tonight as I was reading a little more about this lens, the correct way to use it is at a 90 degree angle to the sun or having the sun to your back. One of the photos I took with it was looking straight into the sun as it was setting!! I did notice that it was more difficult to find a "stopping place" when turning the filter on that photo. It was still a beautiful photo. But do and learn. That's me!

The sun was to my back with the above photo. I love it!

One more note: The author of the photography book I'm reading said the ONLY way to get a great photo is with a polarizing lens and good luck! ha! Can't wait until we have another rainbow!!

I Decided Not To Sit It Out!

What a great experience I had tonight! I photographed the Capitol Sounds band/orchestra of about 55 musicians at the First Baptist Church which was huge. It was a last minute thing because the director only asked me last night if I would do it. At first, I hesitated and then I decided, what the heck, I'll do it.

So I went to the church during the day today to learn my way around and look at the lighting, etc., talked to a friend that I admire her photography about it, talked to a guy who teaches at a photography shop, and took their advice. It was very well lit so it was really no problem. I haven't "played around" with the photos yet because I took 135 of them and that will take a while so I just posted a group picture of them right before they started performing. It was taken from the balcony. The stain glass was beautiful and I got some shots of it. I also took one shot outside during the "golden hour" that I think is beautiful - another dome!

We were enchanted by three women musicians, an organist, a trumpet player, and a soloist with the most wonderful voice I've heard in a long time - a powerful voice! It was just beautiful! I was doubly blessed tonight because I heard beautiful music and got to do what I love (photography) while listening. I will post some more photos from this shoot because some of them I really like. And all because I decided not to sit it out but to dance!! Life is full of opportunities and I am learning to start taking them when they come up!