eye of the Pyper...

So this morning I was looking forward to the new coffee blend from Starbucks (and it was EXCELLENT), and after work I got to look forward to Pyper at our house.  Unfortunately she was asleep when I got home...  To make the best of it, I pulled out my camera and stuck it on a tripod to take some low light pictures of her face.  Used a very slow shutter speed (0"6 seconds) at f/4.0.  Decided on the Lensbaby to really draw attention and focus on her eye and the lashes.

tribute...

Can't wait 'til tomorrow morning...  Bought some new coffee at Starbucks this afternoon:  Starbucks Tribute Blend Coffee.  Not drinking it tonight, because I want to sleep.  Of course I had to get a picture!  Now I am just waiting on morning...  tick, tock, tick, tock

let it ring...

A couple more shots from last night using my Canon 40D and the Lensbaby Composer with closeup filters attached.  The aperture was set at f/2.8.  This lens really blurs and smears the background.  The green wall and brownish/red chair make a great background.  The purple stone texture and shape, of Sherri's ring, are really brought out in the first photo.  Didn't realize that my cross ring was so scratched up...

and then Pyper smiles...

I would have to say that when Pyper smiles it makes me smile even bigger... Taken with the Lensbaby Composer lens on the 40d.

the eye of a needle...

A thought provoking subject...  to photograph and examine...  

the eye of a needle...

In Luke 18 Jesus said, "In fact, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God."

But in the verses immediately following that statement, He tells us something else...  He said, "What is impossible for mere humans is possible for God."

I pray for God's continued grace and an extra dose of discernment in helping me fully understanding how these very verses apply to me today...

an afternoon on the town...

Took my 40D camera out on the streets of Greenville to try out a new lens that I bought.  The lens is the Lensbaby Composer (www.lensbaby.com).  It is definitely not a lens for the people who examine a photo for sharpness.  I would consider it an artsy lens that gets your creative juices flowing.  I bought it to use for some ideas that I have for Pyper and Sadi, however I wanted to take it around for a few days and photograph still life (things that don't move) to get used to the lens.  As you can see, the photos generally have one area that is in focus and the remaining parts of the photo are way out of focus.  If you are facing the sun, the lens flares really bad (see the first photo) across the photo.  This is a feature of the lens, not a flaw.  Everything about the lens is manual.  I really had a great time with this lens and I honestly think you can create better photos when you have to think through all aspects of the photo prior to taking the picture.  At least that holds true for taking pictures of things that don't move...