Photo A Day ~ 17 Apr

When we first arrived at the base here in Japan, it was early in the morning on a Sunday. Most people were sleeping but we were still on U.S. time. We didn't want to wake anyone on our contact list so my husband walked down the street to the little convenience store and purchased some snacks, drinks, milk, etc... and these noodle dishes. They are microwave meals... and we had NO idea how to cook them because the packaging was all in Japanese! Thankfully there was a maintenance worker in the building of our temporary apartment that helped us with the instructions... and these are some of our favorite snacks now!

Canon dRebel XT, 30mm f1.4 lens

ss 200, f/1.4, ISO 800, SOOC except resize for web

Photo A Day ~ 16 Apr

Life with a 4-year-old is never dull! ;)

I was trying to photograph something on my black backdrop today... but my little goofball kept getting right in the middle of the action! I gave up on the photo shoot and played with him instead. He kept giggling and covering his face... and I didn't worry about settings or being technically correct... but it was fun anyway! He's good at reminding me to take the time to laugh and be silly!

Here are 3 of the "results" of our silliness... I really wish I'd changed the aperture & gotten the focus on more of his face, especially both eyes, in that last one... but just trying to hold the camera without it shaking while I was laughing was difficult enough. See, he was posing for that one! "Don't make me laugh. I want to be SERIOUS. Mom, stop laughing and take my picture." He's such a little character!

All were taken with Canon dRebel XT, Sigma 30mm f/1.4 lens...

1 & 2: ss 320, f/1.4, ISO 800

3: ss 160, f/ 1.4, ISO 800

Photo A Day ~ 15 Apr

There is a very strange tree in my backyard. It has really deep red leaves and when it's cold or rainy the leaves sorta droop down like they are all folded up to keep warm. On sunny days, the leaves are all spread out. It's my favorite tree around here!

Today it was raining and I stood on my backporch and zoomed in on the leaves to catch the water drops... and it shows how the leaves are very jagged and pointy.

Canon dRebel XT, 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS lens

ss 40, f/5.6, ISO 800, focal length 190mm, rainy afternoon

Photo A Day ~ 13 Apr

I have a whole rainbow of these colored goblets... and they caught my eye this morning as I walked by the china cabinet. I love the bubbles in them... and I love that I have 8 different colors of them too! Maybe next time I'll line them all up & show the whole rainbow but today I just loved the dark blue & light blue ones!

Canon dRebel XT, 50mm f1.8 lens, ss 3200, f4.0, iso 200... taken in front of my large kitchen window with mid-day overcast sky. The background is the sky.

I also like that I can see the reflection of the trees & grass outside my window in the stem part of the glass! Just glad it didn't pick up the reflection of the contruction fence across the street!

Photo A Day ~ 10 Apr

And after a busy afternoon at the park... THIS is what happens!

He was watching tv while I finished dinner... yeah... he was OUT as soon as he stopped moving! I just love how he arranged the pillows so he could be REALLY comfy! heehee

Canon dRebel XT, 50mm f1.8 lens, iso 1600, ss 40, f1.8

Photo A Day ~ 9 Apr

Since my hubby was most likely going to be out of town for a little while, he spent the afternoon playing with Noah at the park behind our house. Got a few fun shots of the little monster before he started giving me the hateful look! ;)

That boy loves the slide!

Canon dRebel XT & 50mm f1.8 lens

Slide: ss 1000, f1.8, ISO 100

Playground: ss 2000, f1.8, ISO 100

Photo A Day ~ 7 Apr

More shots of the trees when I was out taking pics of the stop sign. These are the trees lining the street coming to my house. This street runs behind my house actually... I live on a corner lot & the back/side yard is that wall you saw in a previous POTD.

I moved here just after sakura season last year... missed this amazing view by just a week or two... and I keep looking at all of the trees as I drive. They are peaceful to me. I love how the trees cover the street... a full canopy of white blooms!

Photo A Day ~ 6 Apr

This is the stop sign at the intersection very close to my yard... not sure why, but I just loved this view with the trees blooming in the background! I was sitting on the ground, leaning WAY back to get just the angle I wanted. :) These gray, overcast days are KILLING my photography!!!

Canon dRebel XT, 50mm f1.8, SOOC, resized for web

ss 800, f5.0, ISO 200

Photo A Day ~ 5 Apr

Spring is here!! And it's Sakura season in Japan!! Cherry Blossoms are blooming everywhere! This little pink tree is in my yard... and the white blooms are lining the whole street on the way to my house. The trees with white blooms & wall is the view out my back door. I wish they'd hurry up & finish the paint job so it's all the beige color!

Both taken with Canon dRebel XT, 50mm f1.8, SOOC, resize for web:
Pink blossoms: ss 160, f4.0, ISO 100
White blossoms: ss 640, f5.0, ISO 200

By the way, I also took photos of these trees in the winter... all bare & gloomy looking. Now they are alive with blooms... so many blooms that it looks like it's snowing!!

Photo A Day ~ 4 Apr

Just the boys being goofy & wrestling on the couch! Noah giggled so much I thought he was about to pass out! :) Canon dRebel XT, 50mm f1.8, ss 20, f1.8, ISO 800, SOOC/resize for web

Photo A Day ~ 2 Apr

I'm trying to get caught up on some photos I've taken over the last few weeks. There may be SEVERAL posts per day coming up! :)

This is a detail shot of my son's class ring while he was dressed for a formal banquet. I rarely get to see my skater in a bow tie so I made sure to get a few shots! This is actually one of my favorites! I'm going to be taking some "senior" shots of him in the next week or two so hopefully I can get more of his ring with other backgrounds!

Canon dRebel XT, 50mm/f1.8 lens...

ss 320, f1.8, ISO 800...

slightly sharpened and resized for web.