FALL IS ON THE WAY

Here are some of the photos I took last week, but didn't have time to post.


If you look at the calendar, the official date of fall came about a week ago, but its only starting to show a little bit in the leaves. Here are some of the pictures I took last week in the park to show just how the changes are coming about as the days get shorter and colder.





These two dogs were with a man that looked like he was probably homeless... I asked him if I could take some pictures and he said it was OK, but told me not to get too close to them. I told him I saw how they were just a moment before, and would not get to close. They behaved rather well while I took some pictures of them. They also show how fall is coming on quickly, they seemed to be enjoying laying in the pile of fallen leaves while they wait for their owner.





I went back to the antique store again, to see what else I could come up with that was out of the ordinary.... I found a few things that caught my eye, so I thought I would share.


The first one is another set of books; I liked the way they were set up on this desk.








I loved the way this dog looked, like it was smiling at you, or perhaps just trying to make your day a better one while you looked at him on the shelf.







This horse was alot of fun, if you look closely, you'll see that someone painted it, so the colors are off, and the drips of paint are all over. Its still quite the character though....









And the last thing that I wanted to share was this wonderful Vase with Pansies on it. My stepmom loves Pansies, so it reminds me of her when I see them.

A PHOTO PAGE FOR FAMILY AND FRIENDS

http://picasaweb.google.com/Katsfamilyandfriends

For any of you who have checked into my blogs recently, you may have noticed me bouncing from one page to another. I don't want to keep all of my stuff on the same page, so I create another page or blog to keep up with the various things going one.

Well, my most current thing is a page set aside for photos of my family and friends. I normally don't spend time worrying about these photo's, but lately it seems easier to put them on a page where everyone can access them, instead of taking the time to send them to each person individually. There is alot of work in trying to put seperate emails together for just a few photos so this will really save me alot of time.

If you stop by here, take the time to look at my newest page.. I will be adding things as I have time.

Have a wonderful day everyone, and may God Bless each and everyone of you as you go about your day.

MORE FROM THE ANTIQUE STORE

There are so many different things to look at in this store. The owner has been very gracious in letting me play in his store. One of the things I have found out lately is that most people are very gracious if you just ask them upfront. And I've noticed that the more I ask of people, the bolder I'm getting in asking for things that I would never have done before.

One of the things I found really interesting today was this display of blankets and quilts tucked away in the corner of the store. They seemed to be sitting there in a world all their own. I really love looking at quilts, especially the older ones, because there was so much time and thought put into eacho one.

I love pitchers and bowl sets, and although this isn't that exactly, it caught my eye as a nice serving set, so I thought I would get a picture of it, because the setting was better than most for taking the shot.

Antique books are something my son loves to look at. What I found interesting with this particular shelf full of books was the authors themselves. This shelf included everthing from Dickens, Longfellow, Anderson... There was even a Bible sitting up there. If you like to enjoy the authors of the past, this particular shelf has a wide variety to choose from.

The last few shots I took around my building during my break this morning. Roses have always been a way for me to learn more about my camera. The different colors, the different lighting, the varieties and locations make the challenge all worth while. I don't always get it right with these, but everytime I go out, I get to try again with something new. Unfortunately, the weather is changing, and so are the plants, so soon, I will be looking for new things to photograph, as all of the flowers will be gone, and fall colors will appear.

THE ANTIQUE STORE

The follow up from "And yet God Still loves me"....

My most current focus over the last few days has been one of the antique shops down the street from where I work. I stopped in there yesterday to kill a few minutes before my lunch hour ended. While looking around I saw the bear sitting in his little case, and it just seemed like the perfect picture. Well, once I got back and looked at the pictures, I saw a few things I wanted to change, so I went back again today to try again. I asked the clerk if she minded me taking some pictures and she didn't so I walked around the store trying out different shots. One of the neat things about having a store with so many different versions of "light" going on in there is it's allowing me to learn how to use my camera in various kinds of settings. I tried several different shots of various things in the shop, but only came out with a few that I liked. I will go back and try again in the next few days to see what I saw in them today, but for now, I will just show the ones I liked. And yes, one of them is a picture of the bear I took yesterday, but I moved some furniture around to get a better shot without the distractions around it. Here is what I came up with for today....

NEW PHOTO ALBUM

I have another link that can be accessed for anyone who might be interested in the photo's I've taken that are involved with the church I attend. Our church was going on a road trip this last Sunday, and I had many things going on, and didn't really want to go. As I sat down and started listening to our Pastor talk, I asked God to let me know if I should take this trip or not, as I really needed the rest, and to just get work done around the house. The answer I got was to put together a photo page for the church photos so that others can access them. So, I guess that meant that I was going on a road trip..... We really had a wonderful time, and the photos were lots of fun, and they will leave memories for those who went. Now that I've started this, I guess I need to keep up on the photos from various events, so that everyone will have a way to look back and enjoy the time spent in worship and fellowship. I hope that others who look at this page are able to stop by and check out the page from time to time, as the picture will change with the events that come up. Our next big one is the church picnic in August, so hopefully it will turn out as well as this batch did. And as I go along, hopefully others will want to add their photos to the batch also.


http://picasaweb.google.com/calvarydpphotoalbum/

John Denver...or maybe not

On our way back towards Spokane, on the last day or our trip, we stopped for the second time in Packwood Washington, on the west side of Stevens Pass, where they put on a big Flea Market twice a year. The first on is on Memorial Weekend, and the second one comes up over Labor day. We started out trying to go there on the friday before, but ran out of time, so we made time on the way back, even though we were already really behind on our schedule. As we were getting ready to go check things out, I saw a man on a stage in front of one of a restaurant there in town. Being a "huge" John Denver fan, the first thing that came to mind when I saw this man was the leather vest he was wearing and how much it reminded me of John Denver. I knew before I even got a look at his face that this was who he was impersonating, but until i got a look at him, I didn't know just how much he was really like John Denver. I froze in my steps as soon as I got up close to him....He had the long hair, the round "John Lennon" glasses, the vest....everything. It was so cool...And he just kept on singing John Denver hits, one after another. I could have sat there all day, just listening to this guy. I took several photos of him, and then gave Tyler money to put in his tip jar to show him my appreciation at not only is music, but allowing me to take photo's of him. If you didn't know much about John Denver, you would have never known that this person was not him....Only a true follower of his music would know he passed away years ago in a plane crash. What an experience this was listening to this guy.

learning to use my new camera

I thought I was doing pretty good with my new camera, and was thinking my pictures had pretty good quality to them. Even when I looked at them on my new lap top, they still looked pretty good. Well, I put them on a regular computer to see the quality, and the things a lap top doesn't expose showed up once I looked at them on a clear screen. They were very cloudy looking, like there was a lot of shaking in the camera. I was very frustrated, because I had taken a lot of great pictures, and now I saw they weren't clear enough to use. I'm not sure if it's something I did, or didn't do, because the camera is new to me, or if its something else. The cool thing is I can see what the set up is to each picture when I look at them online. I just need to figure out what I did or didn't do and try to match it up with the photo's I took.

I really need time to just go out and play with it, one photo at a time, to see if I can make it do what I need, and not what the camera thinks I need. Once I know that, I think it will make a difference in how my photos look.

I've decided after seeing my photos over the last year that I have a lot to learn about taking pictures when there is limited light, shade, shadows, etc, or when the object is moving. My picture quality really drops when those issues come into play. (frown) Anyways, its all a learning process, so I need to find time to learn it. My problem is not having the time. I have so many project I am working on right now, and not one of them is finished. They all seem to have an early start at them, and then I get busy doing something else and I put one aside and start another.....On and On I go, and nothing gets done completely. The only thing I seem to notice is I am always busy, but never have time to do anything... Go figure.

MY NEW FLYER

I have been a work in progress, trying to put stuff together so I can start showing some of my photography. Trying to find time to edit my existing pictures, putting together a flyer, deciding on formats etc....There is just so much to do and no time to do it.

"I think" I finally have a flyer that looks and feels like the right one. It has taken me a while to put it together, but I have been blessed to have Mel (http://pursuingholiness.blogspot.com/) give me her opinion as I move this along. Plus she has been such a blessing by using my photos on her website; what a wonderful way to be able to show my work. Thanks Mel....You're a blessing to all who know you. (If you double click on the picture it should open up and you can view it full size.)

I should have a lap top by the end of the day, as I feel God opened a door for me to have one that's just right for me. A college student put his up for sale on Craig's List because he no longer needs it after graduation, and I was the first to call on it, so I met with him last night to view the laptop and go over the inside to see if its what I need. I could see right away it was going to be just perfect for me, as he is leaving programs in the computer that will benefit my photo work right now, and allow me to do things on my time, which is sometimes late into the night.

Having the right tools will make my job so much easier and faster, and I look forward to seeing what I can do once I get lap top tonight. We are taking a trip to the coast this weekend and I look forward to being able to work on stuff as I have it and not months afterwards.

I purchased a zoom lens at the beginning of the week and paid the cost of overnighting it so that I could have it before we started our travels this weekend. I'm excited to finally get a "real" chance to use my new camera. I've had it for quite some time now, and have only used it a few times. It's a little intimidating learning to use it, but I think once I get going. it will be good. I just need to learn how to use a more advanced model and learn how to operate it "correctly" so that my pictures look better over all.

I have learned so much in the last month or so, while putting together my flyer. There are so many things I don't know how to do on my computer, but I do know that I need to be able to learn how to make certain things work in order to publish, edit, format etc. I put together the whole flyer all by learning how to format the page the right way. Then I had to make changes, and what do you know, more learning. Yesterday I figured out all on my own how to move one "blog" to another one, so that I could re-do this one. It took me a while to think it through, but once I got it, I was very proud of myself. And today....well, I had to figure out how to make my "text document" into a "photo" so I could put it on my web page here. TaDa....see, I made it work all on my own. I didn't know I could use my brain this much and actually feel like I have accomplished so much is such a little amount of time........

I know the main reason I feel so empowered with this whole thing, and that is because it belongs to God, and not me. When He is allowed to control the situation, so much more can happen. By being able to bless Him through my work, He is blessing me, by giving me the tools I need to make it work. I would have never been able to figure this out on my own, and yet, here I am, much further along than I ever could have imagined. "Our God is such an AWESOME God!!

Once I have a few more minutes, I will write about my photos and my flyer, and how both have been tools to open up conversations about God with total strangers. And to think God is using me, the one time shy, head down, scared in my corner lady, to go out and do things I would have never thought possible.

UP AND COMING CHANGES TO MY BLOG

I am moving things, around so if you stop by and things look a little strange, it will only be a temporary thing. Once I get my other blog situated, I will pass the information along. I'm changing this page to work only with my photo's and everything else will be on another blog.

****IF YOU HAPPEN TO HAVE MY FLYER, PLEASE CLICK ON THE LINK TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THIS PAGE AND IT WILL LEAD YOU TO MY PHOTO PAGE******

Thanks for stopping by........God Bless....Kat

ADDING NEW PHOTOS

Recently I have started working on my photo's again. If you happen to come upon my blog, check into my photo site, as I am updating the pictures as I have time. They aren't new ones from this year, just the ones I didn't have time to work on and post from last summer. I took some advice from a person who could be a good reference and decided to start working on cleaning up my site and also adding new things so others could see what I've done. Many people who do photography limit their sites to just a few things, but I want people to be able to get a feel for my pictures and why I do what I do, so there will be a lot of things to look at. I don't want to limit my work to just a few things.....God made the world beautiful in every way, so we should be able to enjoy the beauty for all that it is, not just for an animal, a flower, a scene etc....He gave us beauty all around us, and I want to "learn" how to capture that beauty as I learn how to take better photo's in the future. Check back in as you have time and hopefully I will have found the time to add new pictures.

A NEW CAMERA

I have waited a long time to purchase a new camera, and I finally saw one that fits my budget on E-Bay. I have never purchased anything online before, so that in itself was new for me. And to think that I would purchase my first camera on there, seems almost crazy. But once I saw it and checked it out on other sites, I decided this was a good place for me to start. I will be more excited once it get's delivered to my home and I can see for my self what I actually spent my money on. Being this was my first purchase online, its a little scary for me, and I hope my purchase lives up to my expectations.

The camera I got last year was a gift and I have enjoyed every minute of use with it, but ever since I got it, I have wanted to upgrade. I couldn't take the kind of pictures I really wanted to take, and I am hoping this new one will get me started in that direction. My next project is to find a zoom lenz for it. I have been looking for one already, but its hard to know which one to purchase, so I am taking my time in looking.

I couldn't get the photo to copy here so I am posting a link to the kind of camera I bought.

http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=ModelInfoAct&fcategoryid=139&modelid=17316#ModelFeaturesAct

WITH SPRING, GOD BRINGS NEW LIFE

I have always enjoyed spring time, as new life breaks free from the frozen ground, new born animals are in the fields, and the colors are bright and fresh all around us. You can't miss the flowers blooming and the trees starting to bud new leaves, and the moods of the people around us start to change with the warm fresh air and sunshine that comes with the changing seasons.

This year seems to have brought to me a whole new outlook on spring. Before I enjoyed the changing seasons and couldn't wait for spring because I was tired of the cold, grey winters and I desperately wanted to get outside to do new things. But this year I am looking forward to spring for a whole new reason.....Photography!!

I had so much fun learning to use my digital camera last summer, and the photos I took as a beginner in this area were amazing. I have been waiting all winter for the season to be over with so I could get back outside to play with my camera. There are so many things I want to go see and I can't wait to see where God will lead me in regards to taking new pictures. I have never had something I enjoyed so much, and just the excitement of even thinking of doing it makes it harder to wait for spring to officially be here.

I recently put together my first layouts, and once I saw how well they turned out, I want to get some more done. The hard part is there is a lot of work involved in putting just a few layouts together. Even with technology, once you do the printing and adjusting and decide on the layout, find just the right frame and decide again if the layout will work, the time involved is tremendous. It took me almost a month to put together just a couple of displays, and I found out just how expensive it can get, so I don't know how soon it will happen.

I have been going to second hand stores and picking up frames that I think are in decent condition, since right now, I just want to put some together to show, not to sell. Once I see how that part goes, then I will pursue other directions, but for now, I am starting slow.

I have a store where I live that says I can put them up for display, and just put my business cards and an advertisement with them. The store is a furniture store and I think it will work out well for both of us, I just have to find the time and materials to put them together without spending alot of money to do so.

Once I saw the first few layouts, I started thinking of all the thousands of photos I have and just how many of them I could actually use. It's almost overwhelming to think about looking through all of them and then trying to decide on just a couple of them to put together.

It has given me more insight on what I might do this coming spring and summer though, because last year was just a trial period for me. Now I want to put more emphasis on what might really make a good picture for someone else to look at. There still is alot of trial in it, because I still don't know what that may include, but I have a better idea today than I did a year ago.

God has given us such a vast display of His handy work to enjoy, and how do you choose which part of that to share with others. I know what part excites me, and that is anything having to do with the country. I love the green trees, the mountains, the animals, the flowers, I could go on and on. There is so much beauty in this world to see that I often find myself not paying attention to what I am doing or where I am driving, because I am busy looking for that "next new thing" to take a picture of.

It's very distracting, but then it also causes me to stop and look at what God created with His hands for us to enjoy. The sad part is we as a whole are destroying it piece by piece and sometimes the beauty in front of us has to be viewed through all the stuff we've added to it, or through all that we've done to destroy it. It's hard to see it through the eyes of one who wants to only see the beauty....

Aside from my photograpy, God is also allowing this year to be a new season of change for me spiritually. God has taken all the hardships of the last year to mold me and change me, and I am now starting to see the fruit of His Labor in my life. I am seeing myself open up more and I believe that as I start to open up He is going to move me in places I would have never gone before. I'm excited about the changes I am already seeing in myself, and I look forward to what God has planned for me in this "New Season of Life".

MY FIRST DISPLAY

Link to photo page

Here is the link to where my photo's are posted. If you happen to come upon this page while you are browsing other blogs, stop by and check them out.


http://picasaweb.google.com/MyFathersBeautifulWorld


I have not had a chance to put any new photos online in since late summer 2008. As spring approaches and the weather changes, I hope to get out and do some new stuff. Until then, anything you see on there is from 2008.