The new (to me) camera!

Stuck here in the freezing sub zero cold that is Minnesota, I decided to invest in a new (to me) camera to help kick start my love of photography once again. The camera - a Sony NEX F3. It came with an 18-55mm kit lens, bag, external battery charger and randomly a Nikon strap.

A few days prior to snagging the camera, I managed to snag a vintage film 28mm f2.5 Tamron Adaptall2 M42 screw mount lens. (To all the non photography people I apologize for the photography jargon.) Paired with an adapter, it makes the perfect combination with the NEX. It also forces me to slow down as the lens is manual focus.

*Also a note to anyone who invests in a used camera - make sure the ratio is correct! Throughout the entire adventure I didn't realize that the ratio was 16:9 vs 2:3! Which means long skinny rectangles...

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Where to go in the blustery cold? The first stop was Bumbledee's in downtown St. Cloud.

A short, very very brisk brought me to the back alley by the cathedral. By that point my fingers were so cold on my right hand, I was unable to tell if I was pushing the shutter button or not

 

 A quick warmup in my vehicle, then onward to the thrift store Savers!

 A solid example of depth of field. On the left is wide open at f2.5. On the right, the same glass stopped down to f5.6.

Not sure if Thor was giving me a high five or if  he was telling me he had dibs on the juicer.....

 Departing from Savers found me covertly snagging pictures at JoAnn Fabrics - where Valentine's Day, Easter and spring are currently in bloom...

From JoAnn Fabrics, the road was traveled to the Salvation Army Family Store (another thrift store).

Then into the night and home.

This is what a cop's flashing lights look like when they are light painted...

 So far this little beastie (the NEX) has restarted the photography spark. Plus with it being compact it will allow me to bring it along more often than my main big beastie.

52 Week Project - January

Baby its cold outside - like super mega subzero, freeze your fingers, toes and boogers instantly and simultaneously cold. Ugh to Minnesota in the winter months!

 This is what Jan. means to me - staring longingly out the window waiting for the temps to rise and the snow to melt (granted melted snow will showcase the dog poo in the yard...). I'm thinking Sarge will be happy to have it warm again.

 Maggie has the right idea as well. Bunker down and snuggle into the couch and wait for the cold to pass.

 And don't forget to take lots of naps! Jesse has that part down perfectly!

But nap time doesn't stick around long if you are an 11 week old puppy...

And even though it is cold, there still needs to be potty breaks. Since being outside has to happen, one might as well embrace it!

 Or at least just look adorable while enduring the elements!

A special thanks to my friend Felix for letting me capture Sarge, Maggie and Jesse and their antics! Also these images were taken on a balmier above zero day with a brisk breeze, so no worries about frozen puppies and puppy feet!

Next up visit Georgian Bay Studios and see what January is like in the Toronto, Canada area!

52 Week Project - Intros

Happy 2015! Once again I'm participating in the Beautiful Beasties 52 Week Project! Due to a busy schedule I missed a bunch of challenges at the end of the year, but this year I'm hoping to do all of the challenges - or at least most of them!

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The first theme for 2015 was introductions. So without further delay, the heart and soul of About A Dog Photography!

 Me - the photographer and creative mind behind About A Dog Photography. Photography and dogs are two of my favorite things so pairing them made amazing sense. I also dabble in non dog photography (check it out here), decoupage, playing with a heat gun, cosplay, sewing, drawing, writing and reading as well as playing nerd games such as Dungeons and Dragons. 

Icey - my old gal. She's a 9 year old rottie who enjoys sleeping on the bed and taking up at least half of the couch at all times. She's typically a patient model with the perfect head tilt. Before About A Dog was brought to life, she was inspiring me to snag my camera and capture pictures of her and everything around me.

Axle - the over the top pup. He is 3 years old and hasn't lost a single touch of the bouncy, go go go, high energy he had as a puppy. With the perfect underbite and googly eyes, he was the creative inspiration for bringing About A Dog to life. 

Bender - the adorable block headed pibble. He's about 2-ish and enjoys lounging, long walks and trying to escape and explore the neighborhood without supervision. A failed foster, he won me over with his ears and silly personality.

Next up meet the wonderful gang at Georgian Bay Studios in Toronto, Ontario!

Double Exposure - 52 Week Project

This one was a challenge.  I wasn't sure the best way to approach the double exposure, so I did a couple of different ways. First I snagged a picture of my Tri County Humane Society buddy Tucker. Love this pup! If I had more space, I'd snag him in a heartbeat.

Next up I needed a picture to merge with the image of Tucker. Wednesday was my Photographer's League meeting and I snagged this interesting image of downtown St. Cloud using a freelens I have. 

This first double exposure was done in camera using both images. Looks like Tucker is a party!

 The same two images, though this time they were processed with my HDR software, Photomatix.

 The final image was created in Photoshop.

Which one is your favorite?

Next up visit the wonderful Colorado pet photographer StinkDog Photos to see her interpretation of double exposure.

Fall - 52 Week Project

Oh my its fall already! Wasn't it just yesterday when we were on the cusp of August, lounging with our lazy pups without a care in the world?

Luckily around here, fall is a beautiful time of year! Plus our temperatures have been very balmy (70s & 80s - is it really fall?). Bender and I went out scouting at the campus of St. John's University. Lots of yellow colored leaves were starting to peak, with general color at about 20%.

Afterwards Axle and I headed out on an adventure to Mill Stream Park in St. Joe, MN. The color was just starting with a couple of pops of reds, oranges and yellows. Plus there was a nice green swatch of grass that complimented the colors perfectly!

Both Bender and Axle are wearing their AMAZING Freedom No Pull Harnesses from 2 Hounds Design. If you have a puller, check one of these harnesses out! They work wonders! Plus they come in a ton of awesome colors to compliment your pup's coat or they can sport their favorite color!

Next stop by the wonderfully talented Amyranth Pet Photography, San Francisco Bay area, CA!