Yes it’s grainy and yes it was shot at ISO2000. I added a grain effect by shooting at high ISO. There are times that a grainy effect can add to the beauty of a photograph, just like this one.

This Infrared Photo was taken using a Sony DSC-V3 point and shoot camera. Aperture F/4, at 7mm, ISO 2000, Shutter Speed 1/30.

The Infrared Ring. High Resolution Copy available in my Gallery, please click on the photo.

This Infrared Photo was taken using a Sony DSC-V3 point and shoot camera. Aperture F/2.8, at 7mm, ISO 320, Shutter Speed 1/30.

This isn’t what I had in mind for my Photo of the day. I was surprised to see them back, as I can remember I usually start to see them around February. So I quickly grab my 20d and 70-200mm F/4 IS and my flash and went to the deck, luckily it isn’t that cold that morning. I took a few shots while they were playing in the tree on our backyard, good thing I was able to get some descent shot. They were gone after 15 mins or so.

Shot at 50mm at F/9 in aperture priority, iso 400, On Camera Flash with 430EX II with Demb Diffuser pro

Camera Gear :

• Canon Rebel XS
• Canon 430 EX II Speedlite
• Tamron 17-50mm F/2.8 VC II

Snow is starting fall here in the east coast so what could be great subject for todays photo of the day. After seeing some snow that accumulated over the night, I immediately thought of bringing tow mater outside for a quick snap.

Shot at 50mm at F/8 in aperture priority, iso 400, On Camera Flash with 430EX II with Demb Diffuser pro

Camera Gear :

• Canon Rebel XS
• Canon 430 EX II Speedlite
• Tamron 17-50mm F/2.8 VC II

Santa Came and Ate the Cookies. Did he, really?

Merry Christmas everyone, It’s December 25, 2010. Are you enjoying it. I bet you all are. I am. This morning I woke up early around 5:45am, everyone else are still asleep. I went to the living room to turn off the all the lights on the christmas tree that were left lit all night when I notice the plate with only two cookies left and the glass of milk. Wow, he really did drop by. Did he? Well, I thought this would be a great subject for today’s Photo of the Day.

Here’s another from a five year old artist. I love the card. I wouldn’t have come up with that if someone ask me to make one. Priceless.

“This Treasure is Priceless”

It’s vacation time, and what could be the best subject for my photo of the day in this time of year, Ornaments. Here are some of the photos I took this morning. I had tons of fun photographing these tiny cuties.

You can see more here. Thanks and Merry Christmas to you all.

Today I spent nearly two hours in the cold around 18-20deg taking photos of the Lunar Eclipse, this is my first time to take photos of an eclipse, and only the second time to witness such an amazing event. I was in and out of the house, there are times that it gets so cloudy and I couldn’t see a thing, thankfully I was able to get some good shots. It was easy taking a photo of the moon in it’s regular state, I just set the camera in manual mode and set the aperture between f/8 to f/10 and the shutter speeds at around 250 and 400 at iso 100 and everything will be fine and I can shoot handheld, but in eclipse, it’s really different especially when the shadow of the earth is covering only half of the moon. I wanted to capture both sides on camera but, if I expose for the moon the part that is covered with shadow wouldn’t be visible, and if expose to the covered part the other half is over exposed, stuff like those. But overall it was an amazing experience. I also created a separate post about the event that you can read here.

Taken earlier today. My plan was to create an HDR Photo of this Christmas Tree. Maybe in the next few days I may be able to do it. For now, it’s bokeh spectacular. This wasn’t really on my plan. I was about to pack up and on my way out of the capitol grounds, with the tripod and camera on my shoulders, I glance at the capitol and tree and decided to take one more set from where I’m at. I press the set button to activate live view and saw this out of focus view of the tree and the capitol, and I said, why not, i have not done this for quite sometime, it looks really nice and it’s kinda fun to experiment once in a while. So here it is, Christmas Light Bokeh.

Taken today at the Capitol Grounds December 19, 2010 at 5:42pm eastern:

Shutter Speed : 1.6
Aperture : F/5.6
ISO : 100

Camera Gear:

• Canon Rebel XS 10.1M
• Canon EF 70-200mm f/4 L IS USM Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras
• Vanguard SBH-300 Large-Format Magnesium Alloy Ballhead with Two Onboard Bubble Levels
• Dolica AX620B100 62-Inch Proline Tripod Legs

For some helpful tips on how to take great photos of the moon, please click here.

For a schedule of the next Eclipse on 2011, please click here. You will be redirected to an external website owned and operated by NASA.Gov.

I was enjoying my morning coffee in the backyard when I noticed the grass, “cool” morning dew. I immediately went back inside and grab my camera with a my 50mm 1.8 with and 31mm extension tube, I then took the shot crawling way below the ground.

Gear:
EF 50MM F/1.8
Pro Optic Budget Auto Extention Tube Set for Canon EOS SLR Cameras

Part of the 2010 Daily Photo Project. I went to a nearby forest hoping to find some small creatures, and luckily I found one. Thank God.

Gear:
EF 28-135mm F/3.5-5.6 IS USM
Pro Optic Budget Auto Extention Tube Set for Canon EOS SLR

Spent an hour in the pond nearby, I just sat on the bench looking afar, I suddenly noticed that I was staring blindly looking at nothing. I walk around, but cannot find anything that inspires me. Then I saw this hanging upside down just beneath the leaves of the tree infront me, and I new that I finally found the perfect picture for today.

Gear:
EF 28-135mm F/3.5-5.6 IS USM
Pro Optic Budget Auto Extention Tube Set for Canon EOS SLR

There maybe times that you felt there aren’t any good subjects around you to take pictures of, or maybe you’re bored because you already have pictures of those, don’t worry, maybe all you need to do is move a little closer, or move back a little further or maybe you just have to Make Pictures.

The photo above was taken using a Sony DSC-T20.

Here’s a photo of a bird in flight, taken with a fast shutter speed, of 1/500, because of the fast shutter speed, I was able to freeze or stop the action.

So next time you shoot just remember, if you want to stop the action, use a fast shutter speed, if you need to show motion in your photos, use a slow shutter speed.

Taken with a Canon Rebel XS with the EF 70-210mm F/4 Macro Lens

Exposure: 0.002 sec (1/500)
Aperture: f/8.0
Focal Length: 202 mm
ISO Speed: 100
Exposure Mode: Manual

Truly patience is your best friend when dealing with fast moving subjects while using an old lens.

Taken with a Canon Rebel XS with the EF 70-210mm F/4.

Today I was set to take and post a photo that has something to do with macro and pointed objects, then I saw this pencils and I was fascinated by how these pencils were arranged.

I saw this at a friends house in Alexandria, VA. We are not sure what they are called but, they look like Chinese ornaments to me. They are heavy and feels solid. Anyway, it was so beautiful and I really had to take a photo of it. Taken with my Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 VC attached to my Canon Rebel XS.

Analog Modem by Ness

I’m getting really tired and sleepy, it’s way past 8 pm and I’m still at the office working on this new servers. I suddenly remembered that I took a wide angle macro close-up of our new analog modem that I installed this morning on our server, so I said to myself, hmm, why not make a post. So here it is.

Converted it to black and white using Lightroom and use it’s built in graduated filter to add a little blown out effect on the center near the top.

When I took the photo this morning I really wanted it to have a little blown out highlight on that spot, I thought the sun that was coming in from the windows were bright enough, when i opened the photo in lightroom, it turns out it’s night bright enough, so I use the graduated filter feature to boost the exposure and brightness a little on that part of the photo.

Camera Gear :

• Canon Rebel XS
• Tamron 17-50mm F/2.8 VC II

Yes, you are right I love Converse All Star Shoes, I have 5 pairs, this is one of them and I was thinking of something to photograph for today.

Together these two are deadly. I love coffee, I can drink probably a dozen mug just during the day while working so this is what I thought of as photograph for day 19.

Camera and Gear

Camera : Canon Rebel XS 10.1MP Digital SLR Camera
Lens : Tamron AF 17-50mm F/2.8 SP XR Di II VC (Vibration Compensation) Zoom Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras

Exposure : 1/30sec at F2.8
Focal Length : 50mm
ISO : 200
Mode : Manual
Processing : Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2

Many argue that chili was invented in Mexico during the 1840s as a replacement for pemmican and a way to make rancidified meats palatable. Some place its origin in Tijuana, Baja California, or Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua.

Charles Ramsdell, a writer from San Antonio in an article called San Antonio: A Historical and Pictorial Guide, wrote: “Chili, as we know it in the U.S., cannot be found in Mexico today except in a few spots which cater to tourists. If chili had come from Mexico, it would still be there. For Mexicans, especially those of Indian ancestry, do not change their culinary customs from one generation, or even from one century, to another.”

A Native American legend from Texas, Arizona and New Mexico claims that Chili was a dish taught to them by Venerable Sister María de Agreda. Described as a beautiful young foreign lady dressed in blue (“The Lady in Blue” or “La Dama de Azul”), in the early 1600s. This mysterious lady was a Spanish Nun who taught the Indians how to prepare a dish made with venison, spices and assorted peppers (chiles). Support for this legend can be found in the earliest known record of Sister Ágreda missionary exploits in the New World as recounted in 1670 by Bishop Jose Jimenez Samaniego of Spain. In 1888, Fr. Michael Muller’s book Catholic Dogma also recounts Sister Ágreda’s interactions with Native Americans in Southwestern United States.Wikipedia.org

Camera and Gear
Camera : Canon Rebel XS 10.1MP Digital SLR Camera
Lens : Tamron AF 17-50mm F/2.8 SP XR Di II VC (Vibration Compensation) Zoom Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras

Exposure : 1/40sec at F2.8
Focal Length : 23mm
ISO : 200
Mode : Manual
Processing : Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2

“Shame” By Ness Flores

Taken today outside the Washington DC convention center. A great subject for today’s photo of the day. I really love walking around the streets of DC, lots of photographic opportunities and luckily you’ll often find scenes like these in the Streets Of DC. If I only have the time to go out in the streets everyday nothing could get out of the way of my lens.

For street photography I use the following gear:

• Canon Rebel XS
• Canon EF 50mm F/1.8 II Prime Lens or
• Tamron 17-50mm F/2.8 VC II Zoom Lens

Camera : Sony Cybershot DSC-T70 8.1MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom with Super Steady Shot Image Stabilization (White)

New York Times June 12, 2007

Camera and Gear
Camera : Canon Rebel XS 10.1MP Digital SLR Camera
Lens : Tamron AF 17-50mm F/2.8 SP XR Di II VC (Vibration Compensation) Zoom Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras

Exposure : 1/50sec at F2.8
Focal Length : 50mm
ISO : 200
Mode : Manual
Processing : Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2

I saw this famous Chicago Burger on the FoodNetwork the other day. Here it is presenting todays lunch, The Krispy Kreme Bacon Cheeseburger. I actually ate two, but that’s it, I wanted more but it really feels so wrong.

I thought this would be a nice subject for Day 13 of my 2010 Daily Photo Project.

Camera : Canon Rebel XS 10.1MP Digital SLR Camera
Lens : Tamron AF 17-50mm F/2.8 SP XR Di II VC (Vibration Compensation) Zoom Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras

Exposure : 1/50sec at F5.0
Focal Length : 50mm
ISO : 200
Mode : Manual
Processing : Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2

Camera : Canon Rebel XS 10.1MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens (Black)
Lens : Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM Standard Zoom Lens for Canon SLR CamerasExposure : 1/30sec at F5.0
Focal Length : 56mm
ISO : 200
Mode : Manual
Processing :  Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2

Camera : Canon Rebel XS 10.1MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens (Black)
Lens : Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM Standard Zoom Lens for Canon SLR Cameras
Exposure : 1/30sec at F5.6
Focal Length : 112mm
ISO : 800
Mode : Manual
Processing : Cropped using Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2

Camera : Canon Rebel XS 10.1MP Digital SLR Camera (Black)
Lens : Canon EF 70-210mm F4
Exposure : 1/30sec at F4
Focal Length : 70mm
ISO : 200
Mode : Manual
Processing : Cropped using Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2

My Gear:
Camera : Canon Rebel XS 10.1MP Digital SLR Camera (Black)
Lens : Canon EF 70-210mm F4
Exposure : 1/30sec at F4
Focal Length : 70mm
ISO : 200
Mode : Manual
Processing : Cropped using Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2