Exploring Day!

I'm glad I had the time the other day to just go out and explore! Sometimes you just have to get your gear out and make those pictures happen. I hadn't realized that I had very few pictures of just inanimate objects and nature. Recently most of my photography has been portraiture.  So my hubby Darien and I drove out around our area to places that I've been wanting to just stop and shoot. Where we live in North Carolina there are a lot of opportunities to photograph old barns and houses that have been abandoned and left behind by time. 

This house had a water well...Be sure to get someone to go with you because some of these places are a little scary. I wouldn't want to see anything crawling out of that well...

Here's me....

Here's my husband Darien...

I look forward to taking more outside shots of nature and possibly... I've heard there's a Zebra in the area. I HAVE to go find out more about that!

Here are a couple more pictures to share!

This shot was interesting...this tree grew around this old window shutter

Have a wonderful start to your week! Remember...make time to go out and photograph!

~Angie

The other day I received the lens I've been waiting for...the Canon EF 40mm f/2.8 STM! This lens is exciting because it will allow me more room to take pictures in tight spaces. 

Usually, my workhorse is the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8. Although I love my 50mm because it is a sharp prime lens, the 40mm is so much sharper even though I do lose 1 1/3 stops of light. Stops of light mean my aperture is smaller therefore less light comes in and then that makes it harder to take pictures in low light situations. 

The 40mm is a prime lens which means that it is not a zoom lens. You have to zoom in and out by physically stepping up or away from your subject. Prime lenses are by far the sharpest lenses you can buy and the 40mm is a great deal! I got my 40mm from Amazon for $191.00 with free shipping plus taxes, my total came out to $203.89. Not bad at all! 

If you are taking pictures with the kit lens that comes with your DSLR, definitely think about upgrading your lens to a prime lens. Your pictures will look amazing. You can see the difference!


Below is my subject taken with the 50mm lens at f/3.2 at 1/60 of a second. I'm standing about 3 feet from my subject.

Now here is my subject taken with the 40mm lens at f/3.2 at 1/60 of a second, still standing about 3 feet from my subject. I can definitely fit more of  the guitar without cutting so much.

The 40mm is also known as the "pancake" lens because it's really flat and compact. It's a great travel lens. You can see how small the aperture is by the size of the glass.

I'm not knocking on the 50mm by any means. The "Nifty Fifty" as it is affectionally called is a great first lens! I highly recommend this lens at only about $100.00! You can tell how much bigger the aperture is by the size of the glass.

Bobbitt Baby!

Noah is so handsome!

Love his chubby cheeks!

How can you go wrong with a bow tie!

Chavez Maternity

Before Baby Dahlia came along!

Her big sister is so sweet!

Close your eyes!

Newman Family

It was a cold and blustery day but I think we had fun playing in the cold!