Brew's Picture a Day Thread...

[brewmaster15]

Hi all,
The average life expectancy of a Digital SLR is 100,000 to 150,000 actuations. Most of the used camera I have seen only have a few thousand actuations on them, maybe 10-20,000. If you think about it, most people only use their cameras on special events unless they get the bug. I used to take my film camera to work everyday years ago and take pics on my lunch break...Then I got busy...I had kids, a forum, and I only took the gear out on vacation birding trips. Recently , thanks to a bunch of friends with similar passions and a desire to help people take better pics here on Simply, I caught my bug again, and dusted off alot of gear... even picked up an item or two.

I decided to also start taking a camera or at least try to, everywhere I go. Never know when a picture opportunity will show itself. To help give me motivation, I am also starting this One Picture a Day Journal. I will try and take one picture a day and post it....my goal is a year , but I will start with 30 days... To be realistic I will allow myself to miss 5 days a month....because you never know what life will throw at you ! My subject matter will be anything that I feel motivated to shoot. Most of the time I will use a DSLR, though a smart phone is acceptable. The DSLR will be pentax or pentax compatible.


Feel free to comment and ask questions, but please don't post pictures. I don't mind if anyone else wants to try this exercise and see how long they can maintain it. Just use a similar thread title with your user name.

So here will be my first image... courtesy of the Brake Job I had the dubious pleasure of watching and paying for today...


Day One...


IMGP6652a1

Pentax K20D with M42 55 mm Super Tak lens

al

[Second Hand Pat]

Al, you took your camera and lens to the repair shop??...now that is dedication ...or a commitment to this thread.

[brewmaster15]

Its funny Pat but I couldnt bring myself to use it while they were having trouble with the repairs So I snapped a pic quickly with my cell phone...But once they had succeeded with the brake job I just said ...what the heck and took out the camera and snapped a few pics from the doorway. .. When they saw the camera they started smiling and invited me into the garage to take pics of the rotor....worked out well.

[Second Hand Pat]

That's cool Al, you never know how a camera might be received.

[alcastro]

Hay AL hope all went well with your brakes, nice new drums.

[dagray]

Great depth of field, lighting, sharpness.

It is funny how ordinary objects when photographed correctly (as you did here) can be pieces of art.

Art is that guy with no arms or legs hanging on the wall.

[Ardan]

Glad you got the brakes fixed!
A picture a day, It will be interesting to see what you capture


Ardan

[brewmaster15]

Thanks Guys!

Hey about that... I made it 2 days in a row! I am on a roll now!LOL

Day 2..

Couldn't quite narrow it down, but these I shot on my way back from shipping out orders....small little stream not far from my home, has an old mill on it and is easily accessible, a must for me right now.

I guess my official Pic is this one...

IMGP6689a1

and a close runner up was this one...

IMGP6706_01a1


Though I like it as a Black and White alot...

IMGP6706a1



Taken with a Pentax K20D and super takumar 55 mm , stopped down to F16 and using a Neutral Density #8 filter to limit the light, Exposure mode was Bulb and using a cable switch I manually exposed for several seconds, varying the amount of time until it looked about right exposure wise.Its an over cast day here, rainy....so I took advantage of the lower light.

[Discus-n00b]

I'm going to enjoy this thread! I like both days so far! Really like the dof on the first, really makes the car part pop out at you. And who doesn't like silky smooth waterfalls?! Before I read it I thought those had the Neutral Density look to them.

[Len]

Those are awesome looking shots. The first one from today is my favorite.

[Second Hand Pat]

I like the second shot. That pic really draws your eye back into the picture.

[rickztahone]

Great project Al. I have personally never done a project like this because I know how big of a project something like this is, and have always been scared to start one. Maybe after I see you in for a few months I can start mine

[brewmaster15]

So I have to tell you this is harder than you would think. Today was a beautiful day, The whole family was in the yard getting some gardens cleaned up. It was really one of those perfect spring days. While working I decided to try and capture the beds now so I could do some latter shots. I had an image in my head I wanted to convey...but it just would not work. I really needed an ultra wide lens. A few month ago, I bought my son 2 " fish eye" filters that screw on the front of a lens ..They were cheap $25 on ebay.But he wanted to play around with them. They aren't real fish eyes, but okay to mess around with.

I consider this my failed picture of the day.. I just didn't like the way it turned out using that fish eye adapter.... I share it here so you can see that sometimes things just don't come out as planned...

IMGP6715a1


So I went to plan B... wash up, open a bottle of vino, some crackers and cheese and enjoy the end of a good day...

My official submission...

IMGP6750a1


and its runner up...or vice-a versa as I can't tell which I like better!

IMGP6753a1


while we enjoying the vino..I spied an old friend of mine... He's our outdoors cat, and been with us about 16 years now. He is starting to show his age, but he always watches over the gardens for us.

IMGP6775a1

I decided to leave the image as I took it for light levels as it was getting late in the evening and I liked the mood it conveys.,..cats should be out and about prowling at dusk!


hope you enjoyed them.

al

[rickztahone]

I actually don't mind the "fish eye" one. It has that dreamy (or nightmare?) feel to it that is difficult to pull off when you actually want to achieve that type of shot. Of the other two, I do prefer the official submission. Love the cat ;-)

[brewmaster15]

Thanks Ricardo,
If I could change one thing in the vino shots.... I used the wrong cheese. Don't get me wrong, the cheese is awesome, cabots, aged cheddar is perfect for wine.. But I think a yellow cheese would have stood out more. Ah well... WE ate that with the last bottle of wine!.

al