Good Friday afternoon! I’m still snapping shots and working that camera. I’ve just been a bit pre occupied with the goodness of a busy life, that I have neglected the blog. Sorry about that, my bad. But I’m back!

I can think of a couple of things to report.

A. I got my very first flu shot last week. I wasn’t so sure about getting one as I have not had the flu in over 14 years. And I can only recall having the flu 3 (perhaps 4) times max in my life. But the hubs wanted me to get it as I’m around students and a lot more people these days. So I agreed that it would not be such a bad idea.

B. Our daughter is moving to So Cal! She landed the job of her dreams in LA and we could not be happier for her.

With our daughter making her way out here next week, she asked if we would check out the apartment of her dreams (yesterday) before it gets snatched up.

So yesterday, the hubs and I made our way up the coast and landed in this beautiful neighborhood. The neighborhood where our daughter wants to call home sweet home.

This shot was taken with the cell phone.

The hubs and I not only checked out her (hopefully) new place, we also took a nice stroll. We think she’s going to fall in love with this place.

What a feel good place to visit.

Shot taken from the pier.

The hubs and I enjoyed our little outdoor lunch with ocean views.

He had the Simmzy’s Burger – loaded with all the yummy fixins’. He reported it tasted as yummy as it looked.

Save the Farm! – I had that killer Grilled Cheese. I will definitely be getting it again and again and again…The best grilled cheese ever!

And we shared this amazing Apple Filled Donut. Let’s just say, we nearly licked the plate clean.

That’s pretty much a wrap of our day in LA.

Today I had to run the hubs into the city for a little “oral” surgery. So while he was in surgery, I ran over to the beach to work on my new assignment this week.

The assignment – Understanding How To Capture Motion and Blur

We are to use a moving subject traveling at a reasonable rate of speed. With the subject moving parallel to the camera, make the exposure at 1/30 of a second or slower as well as shoot the subject at 1/500 of a second or faster.

To capture two different kinds of “Motion and Blur” we are to hold the camera still (in place) and shoot as the subject passes. The outcome will be a crisp foreground and background with a blurred subject.

Next, we are to pan the camera at the same rate of the moving subject. While panning, we are to take the shot and continue panning until the shot has fully taken. This will give a crisp subject with a blurred foreground and background.

For my first try this morning – I captured a shot of this gal jogging. This is a panned shot as she is in focus and everything else is blurred. Taken with a shutter speed of 1/30 of a second.

Another panned shot = subject in focus with everything else blurred. Shutter speed = 1/30 of a second.

This is a shot of the subject passing while I’m holding the camera still. Shutter speed = 1/30 of a second. It gives a real feel of the moving subject while everything else is in focus. Interesting, ay? There you have it, two different kinds of blur and motion.

Another with the camera, still as can be = the same blur and motion as the shot above. Shutter speed = 1/30 of a second.

I took this at 1/500 of a second. The shot was taken holding the camera still (no pan). I learned with the speed of that shutter, it freezes everything, even the spokes of the tires

I think it’s cool how this dude waved and looked right at the camera as he/they passed by. I especially like his red shoes. This is the shot that made my day.

Again, 1/500 of a second = Everything froze. This was a pan shot but the shutter speed was so fast that everything froze, even with the camera moving.

1/500 of a second. While her hair is the only thing showing motion, it froze in place. If you (scroll up) look at the gal jogging at 1/30 of a second, check out her hair to see the difference between frozen and the blur…

One more fun 1/500 of a second = fun shot.

You get the idea right?

Cheers to spending time at the beach. Cheers to hubby getting thru his surgery just dandy. Cheers to him getting rest as we speak. Cheers to having my assignment complete. And Cheers to the weekend!

I’ll be back in the next day or so to share the assignment I finished last week on Painting With Light.

Blessings – Debbie