Mystic Aquarium

I don't know about you, but I still love to go to aquariums and museums! 

It just so happens that in the past few days I've gone to both. Taking pictures at these places is always an adventure, but it can also be very frustrating with the poor lighting conditions and the glass that millions of little children have touched through the course of the day.

I tend to 'document' pictures when I go to an exciting place that I have never been. I am caught up with the amazement and not into getting creative and actually interesting pictures. You may be able to notice when I got left behind from our group and actually took the time to get creative. ;) 

Anyway welcome to the Mystic Aquarium! 

Submarine!

This was hanging from the ceiling...No clue what it is.

BELUGA WHALES!!! Oh, these guys were so much fun! Absolutely amazing!

Look at him..er...her? Totally posing. (:

Here he is saying "Here, make sure you get my good side"! ;)

See all those streaks on the glass and the glare from the sun?? That is the frustration I was talking about. They were so cute though and loved swimming around for all the kids that were pressing their little faces and hands to the glass.  

Yes, I was tempted to try my hand at speaking whale as he swam away (Finding Nemo). 

My cousin found a separate peak-a-boo place (this is a large circle window he is tucked into) and the whale found him ;)

This is not a seal, this is a sea lion. We learned the difference as these amazing animals performed.

They know their shapes! Astonishing what sea lions are being trained to do! 

PENGUINS!

They all wore these nice little bracelets.

This one was shy.

Oh, goodness! I LOVE seagulls! This one had an attitude too, completely turned his back to the man offering the fry...

...Then of course helped himself once the man had left.

LOVE the colors here.

Their eyes fascinate me.

Jelly Fish!

SEAHORSES!!!! Loved these little guys too!

No clue why they do this...?

And there you have it! Mystic Aquarium in a handful of pictures! I think I had more fun then the kids. ;)

Failed Bokeh?...

~Bokeh~

Say, what!? Bokeh is a photography term. Simply put it is the way the lens renders out-of-focus points of light. I've always seen these neat pictures that have different shaped bokeh and have always wanted to try it. Only problem was that I didn't (and don't...yet) have a lens with a high enough aperture, but I wanted to to try heart shaped ones anyhow:

Eh, I got a few hearts out of it, but if you ever want to give it a try get the right lens first and save the frustration ;)  So I ditched the heart shaped idea for now and stuck with boring circular ones. Using colorful christmas lights, a low flash unit, lots of tape, and a few googled tricks I managed to get the results below!

 Not my favorite, but I had to edit it with just red for Valentine's Day ;)

I took these pictures in the dark so it was after the fact when I was editing that I noticed the large man's face on the left curve of the heart! Oops...

The last one if my favorite. It contains three things I love: photography, reading, and the color purple.

Do you have a favorite?

I have such fun taking still life's- they may fall over, but not once do I hear a complaint! So rewarding. 

(:

Moore State Park

A couple weeks ago I was asked to tag along on a hike that I was told I would need my camera for. I brought the bare necessities- my camera and a zoom lens, and man, do I wish I had brought my tripod! Small, yet beautiful waterfalls graced the scenery on a very grey, overcast day. The lack of tripod and slow shutter speed set me up for soft and out of focus pictures, but I managed to get a few OK ones by bracing myself on trees and whatever else possible! I'm hoping to go back there again better prepared and on a less grey day!

I slid down a very slippery bank and nearly into the water for this one :) 

Love those pictures I really have to work for!

So theres a few pictures from Moore State Park! I'd been there once before a looong time ago so it was nice to be brought back there. Definitely a keeper for going back to in the different seasons (I've heard the Rhododendrons really are a breathtaking scene in the spring and summer)!

Kiersten's 2013 Senior Portraits

This post is kind of late. I took Kiersten's senior portraits this summer around the beautiful Nubble Lighthouse in Maine. Even though she claimed to hate being in front of the camera she was a natural gorgeous model and I enjoyed taking her pictures immensely! :)

(Ugh, I noticed my watermarks are different sizes...still trying to get down a good work flow in lightroom, I've got a feeling it will take a while though!)