So those of you who know me well shouldn’t be surprised that the kind of ruffles that I decided to photograph this week would be the ruffles or the “frill” around a bearded dragon.

Meet Spikey Warrior.   He’s the mascot at Rocky Point Christian Academy.   Now Spike is just a little guy, so he doesn’t have a full-grown ruffle of spikes that is what gives his kind the name “bearded dragon”.

But he’s working on it.  Just look at that beautiful ridge!   These guys make the perfect pets for kids because they are so easy to care for and, believe it or not, they are very affectionate.  They often seek attention and don’t mind being handled.  Perfect for a school setting.

Aubrey and I went into the science room to take some pictures of spike and I swear he started posing!  He seemed to like it when I put him in a couple of different spots to get some back-lit, high key shots and then some darker more dramatic shots!  He seemed to know we were interested in his frill and even lifted his throat so I could get a better perspective.

I’m sure I’ll hear from his agent in a few days…

He started looking pretty serious toward the end.

Diva.

So thanks for hanging with me and my stretch on the concept of Ruffles!  Probably, for a much more traditional interpretation of the term and lots of babies, girls and tutus,  click through our circle of fantastic photographers who are all part of The Bloom Forum 52 weeks project.

Next in line is the fabulous  Laura Quick of Flutterby Photography – Jackson, MS Photographer!

Yesterday it was so cold we had snow.  Not much, but snow.  As I stopped by the vet clinic on my way to town, I found my husband trying to coax a horse out of the barn and the horse was not interested.  It was cold.

Heading out of the barn.

But it’s cold… I don’t want to.

Come on…

Now head on over to see what  Sarah Phillips, MG Design Photography- Lincoln, CA Photographer, has captured for this week’s “Cold” challenge!

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Day 37 – Dinner

Day 38 – Button
My favorite jeans.

Day 39 – Sun

Day 40 – Front Door
Great Wolf Lodge

Day 41 – Self Portrait

Day 42 – Makes Me Happy
Big bowl o’ popcorn!

Now my daughter LOVES it and if she owns something pink, it’s because my mom has bought it for her.  I think there is a conspiracy between the two of them to make sure I get plenty of pink in my life!  So I didn’t just want to go get a shot of something pink that didn’t speak to me or represent my work.  I had, in fact, put this off all week.  I think I was waiting for a perfect winter sunset where the sky is glorious shades of pink and orange and purple.  But no such luck this week!

Then I noticed this while Aubrey was sitting on the steps reading Ramona Forever after lunch.   This tiny bit of pink hidden in those dark curls while she engages in our favorite activity.  This is more like it.  This is my kind of pink.

Exposure: 1/1000 sec.
Aperture: f/2.5
ISO: 100
Focal Length 50mm

Exposure: 1/750 sec.
Aperture: f/2.0
ISO: 100
Focal Length: 50mm

Both images processed in LR with Totally Rad’s Crystal Ship-Lite.

Be sure and check out the rest of the talented ladies in our 52 Wednesdays challenge, starting with the lovely Amanda McCrea – Edmonton, Alberta Family Photographer.  And see you next week!

Day 30 – Nature

Day 31 – Me

Day 32 – My View Today

Day 33 – Words
The Word on our words.

Day 34 – Hands
Me playing my clarinet.

Day 35 – Stranger
I’m a stranger to him and yet he fights for my freedom.
Thank you, Stranger.

We made a quick stop today in Hico as we were headed home after meeting up with my mom and dad. We just couldn’t help it; Wisesman House Chocolates was calling our names! If you ever find yourself in Hico, Texas, your day will not be complete if you don’t check out our world-famous chocolate makers at Wiseman House Chocolates. And it was in this little truffle of Heaven that I came across the perfect photo for Emotions:

I don’t normally use a lot of textures, but an image from this quaint, little, antique-filled chocolate shop seemed to call for one. This project is, after all, about trying new and different things!

This next image is lends directly to my idea of happiness. Not marshmallows, but a glass case filled with truffles!
Enjoy!

Now be sure an click on over to the lovely and talented Amanda McCrea who is an Edmonton, AB Family Photographer and see what kind of “Emotions” she has captured!

Day 23 – Something Old

The blue star sapphire necklace I inherited from my great aunt.

Day 24 – Guilty Pleasure
No words necessary…

Day 25 – Something I made
Garlic cheese biscuits from my Grandmas Tessie’s non-recipe

Day 26 – Color
Colorful geography homework

Day 27 – Inside my fridge

Day 28 – Light

I’ve had my 50 f/1.4 for the longest and I’m very familiar and comfortable with the bokeh it creates, so I decided to test out my 100mm f/2.8L macro and my 70-200 f/2.8 (set at 100mm).  This may not be a fair comparison, but since the 100mm macro also performs well as a portrait lens, I figured it was worth a go!     Starting with macro, I stood in my kitchen and focused on some fruit and herbs at my sink.  I took the in-focus shot first, then I looked down and focused on the toe of my shoe (just to make sure that the out of focus “bokeh” shots from each lens were each taken at an equal focal distance – I know…very specific scientific control!) and then took the blurry “bokeh” shot.    After switching to the 70-200 and setting the zoom at 100mm, and not touching my settings (I wanted the exact same shutter speed, ISO and aperture), I again took an in-focus shot, focused on the same spot on the toe of my shoe, and then took the second bokeh shot.   All images were shot at at 1/350 sec.,  f/4.0, and an ISO of 500.  Here are my results:

100mm Macro.  (Take note of the blur of the trees outside the kitchen window, but please ignore the dirt on the window!)

Taken from the exact same spot with the same lens.  Pretty!  I like the bokeh created by the oranges.

Same spot, same set up, same settings, but taken with my 70-200.  (Again, note the blur of the trees – a little creamier, perhaps?)

Bokeh from the 70-200.  Also very pretty!  This time I like the bananas and the light off the measuring cup.

Just for fun, I decided to take a shot focusing on the trees outside my window and get some foreground bokeh!  Same settings and set up as before, still with the 70-200.

The differences are fairly noticeable, but since I use these two lenses for two entirely different reasons, I don’t think my choice of which lens to use on what occasion will depend on these results!  And just as there are several different ways to pronounce “bokeh”, I’m sure there will be several different opinions as to which lens creates better bokeh!   (For the record, I like them both. But my 70-200 is amazing when I shooting at focal lengths of 135+ and I have it wide open!)

The macro is my newest lens, so after my little kitchen experiment I headed down to the river to get some bokeh created by light reflecting on the water.  These were just for fun, so enjoy!

Whew…. thanks for hanging in there with me!  I didn’t plan on this little project to take up so much time or space!

Hope you still have plenty of time to check out the amazing  Karen Porter – Austin, TX Photographer! Leave some love for all the ladies in our 52 Wednesdays project.

Day 16 – Mornings

Day 17 – Water
The River behind the RV

Day 18 – Something I Bought

Day 19 – Sweet
As in, those socks are sweet.

Day 20 – Someone I Love
Old snapshot from our first year of marriage.

Day 21 – Reflection
Sky from the window of the Kia.