FarmFresh

52 Fridays: Monochromatic

For some reason, when I learned of this week's theme, this image immediately came to mind.

You must check out Shea Parker of Peepeye Designs then continue through the blog circle to see some creative photographs!

First Day of 2011

Today is the first day of the new school year for most of the Texas public schools. Time for the annual "see how much they've grown" post. Payne is starting high school in 9th grade while Jackson is moving up to junior high in 6th grade. I have no issues with having a child in high school; I cannot speak about the fact my baby is in junior high.

2010 is on the left, today is on the right.

 

And, in case you want to go way back in time, you can see what they looked like in 2006 when they started 4th and 1st:

52 Fridays: Shallow Depth of Field

Because you haven't seen enough cotton pictures yet....

Cotton with a different spin. This week's theme is shallow depth-of-field. For the non-technical-photo-types, the depth of field is the part of the photograph that is in focus. Depth-of-field depends on several factors, including the lens and the camera's distance from the subject. The greater the depth of field, the greater the things in focus. A smaller depth of field means less is in focus.

Here the focus is on the cotton, with the picker (the machine that harvests the cotton) lumbering through the field.

In the second image, the focus is still on a portion of the cotton. The depth of field is still fairly narrow.

The third image has changed the focal point to the picker. It is in focus, while the cotton becomes blurrier as it moves away from the focal point. The depth of field remains somewhat shallow, but not as small as the top image.

Check out the rest of the participant's Depth of Field work. Start with Shea Parker of Peepeye Designs. You won't be disappointed!

52 Fridays: Summertime

Summertime in South Texas means harvest for us, and our own version of South Texas snow: field of open, fluffy, white cotton. And yes, we have been in the midst of a suffering drought, yet we still had a somewhat decent cotton crop.

At some point each summer, I march the boys (even that big one I am married to) out for the annual photos. It is hot. The wind is whipping. The sun is extreme, even the hour before sunset. While getting the camera ready and making sure my settings were right, I snapped this image. Focus is lacking, exposure is off. I could go on... BUT I adore the expressions. The smiles on each face. Not posed, but my guys' real smiles.

Somehow this imperfect photograph says "summer" to me!

I bet the rest of the ladies interpret "summertime" much, much differently than me. I can't wait to see their creative work this week! Check out what Denver family photographer Lisa Turner has posted!

52 Fridays: Nature

I was in the field across from our house last month, taking some pictures of the cotton, and I turned to see this bird's nest constructed between the tops of two cotton plants.

Denver family photographer Lisa Turner is next. Don't miss her interpretation of this week's nature theme!