Project 365 - Day 5: Bulbs and bokeh

Bulbs and bokeh

Nikon D40 • 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 • 1 sec, f/7.1, 46mm

The decorations will be taken down soon, so I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to play with the bokeh created by Christmas lights.  I was also very pleasantly surprised by the quality of the exposure of the foreground bulb at 1 second.  The radiating lines were totally unexpected, and in the end I think they make the shot.

Project 365 - Day 4: Winter sunset

Winter sunset

Nikon D40 • 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 • 14 exposures @ 1/640 sec, 55mm, f/11

Note: As with all pictures on this photoblog, please click the image to view the larger version.

This was my first weekend experiment I attempted during the project.  This photograph is really a composite of 14 shots I took and stitched together with the excellent freeware product Hugin.  The result is an image that is much higher resolution than my D40 could produce with one shot.

I was inspired by this post on the Inside Lightroom blog to try out this technique.  As it was my first attempt, there are several imperfections in the shot and the stitching, but I was fairly happy with the result.

Project 365 - Day 3: Bath night

Bath night

Nikon D40 • 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 • 1/20 sec, f/4, 26mm

One thing I am learning during this project is that even the most routine parts of my day contain opportunities to freeze moments in time that are passing all too quickly.

Project 365 - Day 2: Rusting rainbow

Rusting rainbow

Nikon D40 • 18-55 f/3.5-5.6 • 1/80 sec, f/5.6, 46mm

The bright colors of these folding chairs sitting on my deck were a stark contrast to the dull grays and browns that dominate the winter in St. Louis.

Project 365 - Day 1: Self-portrait

Self-portrait

Nikon D40 • 18-55 f/3.5-5.6 • 1/60 sec, f/5.6, 55mm

Welcome to my photoblog.  I am participating in Project 365, an informal project that challenges photographers to produce—and share—one photo each day for an entire year.  You can follow my progress on this blog and on my Flickr account.

The main purpose of the challenge is to encourage the participants to get out and get shooting.  That is a huge benefit in and of itself.  But beyond that, I hope to improve my skills by playing with new techniques and shooting styles that I would not normally have tried.

Please feel free to register as a reader and comment, critique, ask questions and give suggestions.  I’d love to hear what you think!