284/365 Closing out 2008

Goodbye, 2008!

What a year it's been!

From what I've seen online, the most common way to take on Project 365 is by starting it January 1. But in my case, it took me a couple months to decide, "Yes, I'm going to commit to taking a photograph every single day," so I still have 81 posts to go.

I don't make New Year's resolutions -- instead, I set goals for the year. It's a more positive way of thinking about what I want to accomplish in the coming year.

This year I have a long list of goals, most of which involve new activities I want to try, but one of the items on the list is finishing Project 365. I haven't decided yet whether I'll restart a new 365-day project or just maintain regular posts, but I can tell you I'll be continuing this blog.

One item that I plan to finish within the next month is my portfolio for my Photography Certificate. The photo on this post, a self-portrait, is the last one I needed to do before printing and submitting samples of my work.

Now I'd like you to tell me this: what kind of photos and posts would you like to see more of? What are your favorites?

Happy New Year!

Camera: Canon 40D with Calumet studio light, 1/60s, f/8 at ISO 250.

283/365 The end of the season

Why is it that the holiday season flashes by so quickly each year?

It seems like we just put out all of our Christmas decorations a few days ago, but Christmas has now passed, and this next weekend we'll box it all up again.

For me, putting the decorations away is a bittersweet process. On the one hand, it's depressing to know the holidays are over, and the long, cold, dark January lies ahead. But on the other hand, the decorations have been taking up space long enough that I'm ready to have things back to normal.

If for no other reason, I'm ready to have my favorite reading chair reclaim its place from the Christmas tree.

Camera: Canon 40D with external E-TTL flash, 1/125s, f/5.6 at ISO 200.

282/365 Ornament on display

I finally made it to the State Museum to see Mom's ornament hanging on the 92-County tree.

We were afraid it would be way up toward the top, in the back, where you couldn't see it... but no! Instead it was at perfect eye-level right next to the sign.

Recognize it?

We walked around the tree, guided by the director of the exhibit, and were really impressed with the ornaments made by the area artists. Each one was completely unique. We only saw one other quilted ornament. Others were made from glass, clay, wood, corn...

I'm so proud!

(You can click on the photo to see a larger version if you'd like to read the copy on the sign.)

Camera: Canon 40D with on-camera flash, 1/125s, f/5.6 at ISO 800.

281/365 Think fast

What is it about driving around a miniature track in a go cart that is always so fun?

I went with a couple girlfriends on Saturday afternoon to Fast Times Indoor Karting, an indoor track that boasts its carts reach speeds of 40 mph.

It's a more serious activity than your standard putt-putt / go-cart / batting-cages place. You have to be 18, have a drivers license, watch an "orientation" video, and wear a designated suit, neck brace, and helmet (see Courtney above, sans helmet).

Honestly, though, even though the carts definitely were faster than your average go-cart, and we did have fun, the eight-minute race experience cost more than it was worth -- $22! Maybe if you're a more serious carter (and there were several there) it's worth it, but for me, I'll save my money and stick to the $5 putt-putt places.

Go ahead, call me cheap. At least I got some fun photos out of it.

Camera: Canon PowerShot SD1000 with flash.

280/365 Ornament exchange

For the last two years, my girlfriends and I have chosen to do an ornament exchange in lieu of buying seven individual gifts. For a group of young professionals, it really alleviates some holiday stress on both your creativity and wallet.

I always enjoy seeing the array of ornaments brought to the exchange. Since we all became friends through the Princess program, there are always at least one or two racing- or princess-themed ornaments in the pool, but the rest vary.

I like Christmas trees that have a variety of ornaments, as opposed to themed trees whose ornaments are coordinated, so it's fun to collect a new ornament each year.

Camera: Canon 40D with external E-TTL flash, 1/125s, f/5.6 at ISO 500.

279/365 Waking up from a cozy nap

My two photography-related gifts for Christmas were a gray card and a mat cutter.

It was only in my class at the IMA that I finally grasped the concept of white balance and how to correctly use a gray card. So, of course, it went right onto my wish list.

My wish came true, so while I was explaining to Mom how to use it yesterday, Buster got to be my subject. I love the expression on his face. He had been sleeping, curled up under the blanket, so when Mom sat down next to him, he sat up with a questioning look on his face.

He was happy to return to his nap after just a minute.

Camera: Canon 40D, 1/60s, f/5.6 at ISO 800

278/365 A merry Christmas Eve

Each of my family members has at least one standard stocking stuffer that they receive each Christmas.

For Mom, that's a small box of Godiva chocolates.

For me, it's lip gloss and office supplies.

For Dad and Chase, it's fishing lures -- and camouflage duct tape.

You know there are a million uses for standard silver duct tape, but who'd have thought that you could find a hundred more for a camouflage variety?

Chase got some this year, which he was thrilled about since he'd used up his last roll.

In this photo, I believe he's saying, "Hey, I could use this right now to tie up the paparazzi over here."

Very funny.

Camera: Canon 40D with external E-TTL flash, 1/125s, f/5.6 at ISO 200.

277/365 Stockings hung by the chimney

Per tradition, our family opens stocking gifts on Christmas Eve. When Chase and I were kids, it was a great way to satiate our curiosity.

My stocking is the same one I've had forever, with a snowman on the front. One of my great-aunts made it for me. Chase's is new as of last year and is a big cowboy boot (completely appropriate). Mom's is a gift from a friend and looks a bit like a quilt (also appropriate).

Dad's is a skinny knit stocking that does not stretch, meaning we have to place his gifts on the mantle or hearth below. He's next in line to have a new one made for him.

These stockings hang on hooks under the mantle. When we first moved to this house, we used decorative hangers that sat on the top edge. But sadly, these didn't last long, as one by one the weight of the stockings pulled them off the shelf and they fell to a miserable death on the bricks below.

Hopefully no unsuspecting decorations will die this Christmas Eve.

Camera: Canon 40D with external E-TTL flash, 1/125s, f/5.6 at ISO 200.

276/365 Holiday treats

One of the treats that I wanted to make over the holidays this year was chocolate-covered pretzels.

The last time I remember making them, we lived in a different house and I needed to stand on a chair to reach the counter.

It's a great treat for kids to make since it's so easy, but for some unknown reason, I haven't made them in ages.

So I've now crossed that "to do" off my list. I made two batches, one with white chocolate and one with standard milk chocolate. The white chocolate actually came in the form of baking squares, and it worked better than the milk chocolate chips.

Yum!

Camera: Canon 40D with 60mm macro lens and external E-TTL flash, 1/60s, f/2.8 at ISO 100.

275/365 Family Christmas

We don't have a huge family, but it's big enough that gathering everyone at one table in any given house presents a challenge.

This year we hosted the family Christmas gathering, so we borrowed two 8-foot tables and kicked our regular table to the garage for the day. We were able to fit 14 people cozily around the new configuration.

I only have two cousins -- between both sides of the family -- so comparatively, our family is on the smaller side. I can hardly fathom what it would be like to have oodles of cousins.

My grandmother on my dad's side was one of fifteen children, so when all of them had kids, that made an especially big family. I can't imagine having fourteen brothers and sisters. Throw in three more people, and you not only have one baseball team, you have an entire game.

One brother is plenty for me!

Camera: Canon 40D, 1/60s, f/6.3 at ISO 500.

274/365 Yuletide carols

The traditions I know have usually started in inconspicuous ways. You don't set out to do something saying, "I need a new tradition. Let's ____."

Instead, you fall into something natural and fun, and you enjoy it so much that you want to make it a regular part of your year.

Nearly every Christmas for 25 years or more, we've had a dinner with some family friends that always includes singing Christmas songs at the piano while Mom plays.

By now, it is officially tradition. This year, our singing and playing was a veritable marathon that lasted for three hours. My throat was scratchy by the end, and Mom's fingers were sore the next morning.

We sang every Christmas song we knew, then we moved on to Broadway show tunes, and finished with Disney songs. None of us professed to be good singers, so that removed any hesitation that you might embarrass yourself in comparison.

It's a small tradition, but a good one, borne of something fun that is worthy of bringing back again and again.

Camera: Canon 40D 1/60s, f/4.5 at ISO 1600.

273/365 Morning fog

I've always known that weather in Indiana is a rapidly changing force, but if there were any doubt, yesterday morning proved it.

It started with a freezing rain and ice storm overnight. That changed to rain in the morning (which is about the time I had to get out for a couple appointments). A couple hours later, temperatures began to rise toward 50 degrees, during which fog rose over still-frozen ground.

As the day progressed, temperatures started falling again, and tomorrow we're supposed to have afternoon chill in the single-digits.

Weird!

That fog rolling through a cemetery in Brownsburg struck me as I was sitting at a stoplight. I was able to capture it before the light changed and I had to drive away.

Camera: Canon PowerShot SD1000 at about 9:45 a.m.

272/365 Seeing stars

I get an email newsletter that has loads of fun DIY photography projects, and one of them linked to another blog explaining how to make a bokeh. Last night, I finally got a chance to try it.

A bokeh (called by various other names depending on who you ask) is just a hood that fits over your lens, with a shaped cut-out in the center through which you make your photo.

I chose a star shape for my first bokeh. I used black construction paper and a star paper punch I've had since I was a kid (also handy for making confetti).

The bokeh fits over your lens, then every light point in your frame that is out of focus becomes shaped like the hole in the bokeh.

So this photo is simply out-of-focus lights on our Christmas tree. Cool!

Camera: Canon 40D with 60mm macro lens and handmade bokeh, 1/125s, f/2.8 at ISO 1600.

271/365 Movin' on up

As of Wednesday at 5:00 p.m., I closed one chapter of my life and am opening a new one: I got a new job!

My last day was Wednesday, so I said my goodbyes, cleaned out my desk, boxed up my picture frames, and rubber-banded my Sharpies for transport home.

This was my first job out of college, and I stuck with it for more than two and a half years. That fact alone feels like a huge accomplishment, because the majority of college graduates I know only stay in their first jobs for about a year or so.

I really believe the era has passed, and I think most people would agree, when your assumption was that you would find a job and stay there for 30 years, safe in the knowledge that the company would take care of you.

Yep, that doesn't sound very likely anymore.

Nowadays, if you don't find the opportunities to advance your career in one company, then it's time to move on.

And that's what I've done.

I'm taking two and a half weeks off between finishing this job and starting my new one, so it's my first real Christmas break since college. I have all kinds of fun activities lined up, so hopefully I'll have some great photo opportunities while I'm at it.

Camera: Canon 40D with 60mm macro lens and external E-TTL flash, 1/250s, f/2.8 at ISO 100.

270/365 Tiny world

What is it about snow globes that so fascinate us?

This one appeals to me. But the blown-up versions that are strewn on yards all over town? Not so much.

Out of curiosity, I looked up snow globes on Wikipedia, and was amazed to learn that they appear to have been invented in the early 1800s. I had no idea they've been around for that long, and that the main idea has stayed intact.

This one, a modern version with music box attached, has glitter mixed in with the snow, causing the turquoise reflections. It's mesmerizing, and I enjoy having it displayed at this time of year.

Camera: Canon 40D with 60mm macro lens, 1/60s, f/2.8 at ISO 1000, lit with a flashlight at camera left.