What's your February favorite?

I am interested to know what your favorite picture was from February. I am looking to add a few to my portfolio and would like to know your opinion on the best.

Please comment here in the blog or send me an email with your favorite photo of February!!!

Thanks!!!

February 28 - More out the hospital window

Night photography is so much more fun now that I know how to do it. This photo is not exciting, but again, I am working with what I have.

Click to enlarge for details.

Shutter Speed: 1 second
Aperture: f/5
ISO: 100

February 27 - Out the hospital room window

I haven't done a lot with smaller apertures, so this photo was taken at night (obviously) with a smaller aperture and slower shutter speed. The photo was taken out of our hospital window of the traffic on Route 9 in Worcester.

Click to enlarge for details.

Shutter Speed: 3.2 seconds

Aperture: f/16

ISO: 100

February 26 - Hospitalization

A picture of our hospital hallway. Not the greatest photo in the world, but I am working with what I have which isn't much.

With a wider aperture, there is only a small portion of the photo that is actually in focus.

Shutter Speed: 1/50 second
Aperture: f/4.4
ISO: 100

Interruption in Posting

My daughter has been admitted to the hospital and I have limited access to internet, therefore, the daily photo will be spotty (at best) until we can get home. But I am still trying to take a photo, so hopefully I can play a little catch up once we get home.

February 25 - Off in the distance

Taken with a wider aperture, the foreground is in focus while the background is blurred. These are the train tracks near Nelson field in North Grafton. I love how you can vaguely make out the 140 bridge in the background.

Shutter Speed: 1/160 second

Aperture: f/3.5

ISO: 400

February 24 - Hand Me Downs

When I was a very young girl, my grandfather, Pop, built me a beautiful dollhouse. He toiled for hours upon hours working on the intricate details and craftsmanship of this miniature colonial. It was such fine workmanship that he and my grandmother decided that it would be better if they waited until I was 16 to give it to me so not to "wreck" it. Well, as the years passed, the dollhouse was shuffled around from NH to MA...from Shrewsbury to Grafton...stored in Attics and Basements...the mice moved in and had a very nice home for themselves. The dollhouse was ruined through non-use and I have never played with it a day in my life. But every time I look at it, I think of my grandparents and how much love they put into it for me. I have held on to it for all these years in hopes that "someday" one of my children will get to play with it. Well, that day is coming near. As a surprise for my birthday, my dad snuck it out of my basement and fixed it up for Kaitlyn. It still needs some cosmetic work on the interior, but all the major repairs have been made and I am SO grateful that I will finally get to play with my dollhouse with my daughter.


I dedicate today's photo to both my Pop and Kaitlyn's Pop (my dad). Thank you so much dad, this means the world to me!!!

Shutter Speed: 1/160 second
Aperture: f/3.5
ISO: 100

February 23 - Dora Candyland

More proof that I am a mom...this photo didn't come out quite as good as I would have liked, but I like how the focus is on "Boots" and everything else is blurred.


Shutter Speed: 1/60 second
Aperture: f/5.6
ISO: 400

February 22 - Sweet Wine

This photo was inspired by an email we received from our favorite winery...Adirondack Winery in Lake George, NY. Although none of the wines pictured are actually from that winery because we are currently out of their wines in our collection (they don't last long). We have GOT to get out there this summer and restock!!!

Shutter Speed: 1/50 second
Aperture: f/4.4
ISO: 400

February 21 - Is it spring yet?

I did not have any time today for photography, so I am posting a photo that I took last May. This photo makes me think happy thoughts about spring. Maybe by posting this, spring will come sooner.

I love how with a wider aperture, the front poppy is in focus while the one in the background is completely blurred...ah spring...

Shutter Speed: 1/200 second
Aperture: f/4.5
ISO: 100

February 20 - Creating Keepsakes

A photo of my favorite scrapbooking magazine. I figure since this is MY blog, it should have some of my favorite things on it :-)

With with a wide aperture, there is only a small are of text that remains in focus. I like how you can see most of the title and some of the text, but I didn't have to take a picture of the whole cover for the viewer to get the drift.

Shutter Speed: 1/6 second

Aperture: f/3.5

ISO: 400

February 19 - Will it ever get easier?

This is a photo of all of my daughters "at home" medications. She started another round of chemo today and I am asking myself, will it ever get easier?

With aperture 5.6, only a few of the bottles are actually in focus, but the point is made that there a lot of medications for her to take.

The coloring of this photo was adjusted in Adobe Photoshop.

Shutter Speed: 1/30 second

Aperture: f/5.6

ISO: 400

February 18 - Stone Cold

With a wider aperture, and a thinner depth of field, the focus is on the front foot while the rear one is blurred out.

I have a lot of great photos from my adventure in the cemetery last weekend, but I feel it is time to move on. This will be the last in the statue series.

Shutter Speed: 1/2000 second

Aperture: f/4

ISO: 100

February 17 - Mother Mary

Mother Mary, taken at Saint Philips Catholic Cemetery in Grafton, MA.


Shutter Speed: 1/332 second
Aperture: f/10
ISO: 400

February 16 - In loving memory

There is nothing more disturbing than the grave of a child. I saw this statue and was drawn to it. It stood only about 2 feet tall and as I was taking pictures of it, I looked down to realize it was the grave of Richard J. Henault, not even 1 month old when he passed away.

With aperture f/5, the focus is on the small boy and his guardian angel while the background is blurred.

Shutter Speed: 1/250 second
Aperture: f/5
ISO: 100

In Loving Memory
Richard J. Henault

February 15 - Saint Philips Catholic Cemetery

This photo of Jesus was taken at Saint Philips Catholic Cemetery in Grafton.

With a medium aperture, the focus is on Jesus and the trees in the background are blurred, emphasizing the statue even more.

I love this photo.
Shutter Speed: 1/512 second
Aperture: f/11
ISO: 320

February 14 - Lost Love

With aperture f/11, most of this scene is in focus.

But mostly, the focus is on the gentleman kneeling at the grave of a lost loved one on this Valentine Day. I did not set out for this photo today, but just happened across it as I was photographing statues in the cemetery, which you will see in the coming days.

The coloring of this photo was adjusted in Adobe Photoshop.

Shutter Speed: 1/512 second
Aperture: f/11
ISO: 320

February 13 - TGIF

This photo represents me relaxing on my couch after a VERY LONG week.

With with a wider aperture, the focus is on my feet, background and foreground are slightly blurred out.

Shutter Speed: 1/60 second
Aperture: f/4
ISO: 400

February 12 - Bedtime Story

Such a major part of our daughter's bedtime routine - the bedtime story read by her daddy. She gets to pick out 2 stories every night and daddy waits patiently while she completes this sometimes tedious chore :-)

I love how with a wider aperture, and a thinner depth of field, their heads are in focus while the book is slightly out of focus.

Shutter Speed: 1/8 second

Aperture: f/3.5

ISO: 100

February 11 - Lake Ripple

Taken of Lake Ripple in Grafton with a larger aperture, you can see most of the details in this scene.

Shutter Speed: 1/125 second

Aperture: f/7.10

ISO: 100

February 10 - Is it time for bed yet?

Aww...look at that face!!! I figured it was time for my other dog, Scrappy, to make an appearance on my Project 365 blog.

With a wider aperture, his face is in focus while his backside and the background are blurred.

Shutter Speed: 1/6 second

Aperture: f/3.5

ISO: 200

February 9 - Lighting up the night

Using a wider aperture, I was able to get this picture of a tree top. It looks like dusk, but in reality, the picture was taken at 9pm with the beautiful full moon beaming brightly. The wider aperture was able to gather enough light from the moon to light up this scene...fascinating.

Shutter Speed: 10 seconds
Aperture: f/4.5
ISO: 400

Here is another..

Shutter Speed: 20 seconds
Aperture: f/8
ISO: 400

February 8 - Amy Runs On...

As I was pondering what my picture would be today, I realized I was holding it in my hand. I spend so much time on my computer/blogs, I thought a picture to represent that was in order. If you notice, the laptop in the background is on my Photo Blog :-)



Shutter Speed: 1/20 second
Aperture: f/5.6
ISO: 400

February 7 - Rock n' Roll

Again, using a wider aperture, and a thinner depth of field, the foreground is in focus while everything else fades out of focus.

Shutter Speed: 1/2 second

Aperture: f/4.6

ISO: 800

What's the difference?

Can you tell the difference between this picture and the one taken on February 1st??

(HINT: I am not referring to my hair or the the background).

Post a comment and let me know if you notice the difference!!!

January 6 - Oldie, but Goodie!

This photo was taken last summer and I just loved how it came out. I didn't have time to take a picture today and thought this was a good representation of aperture.

Notice how a wider aperture, and a thinner depth of field, I was able to keep most of the feather in focus while the grass in the foreground is out of focus.

Shutter Speed: 1/100 second
Aperture: f/5.6
ISO: 200

February 5 - Frosty Friends

Sitting in my kitchen, at my front front, are these frosty friends. As cute as they are, I am looking forward to putting them away and pulling out the spring flowers.

Using a wider aperture, and a thinner depth of field, I was able to keep the rear snowman in focus while the snowwoman in front is out of focus.

Shutter Speed: 1/50 second
Aperture: f/4.4
ISO: 100

February 4 - Brrr

Using a wider aperture, and a thinner depth of field, I was able to keep one snowy branch in focus while those in the back are out of focus.

Shutter Speed: 1/125 second
Aperture: f/4.5
ISO: 100

February 3 - Proof that I am a MOM!

Using a wider aperture, and a thinner depth of field, I was able to keep the "daddy" in focus while the "mommy" and other little people behind her are fading out of focus. Kind of a fun picture :-)

Shutter Speed: 1/60 second
Aperture: f/4.9
ISO: 200

February 2 - Measuring up!

Using a wider aperture, and a thinner depth of field, I was able to keep the measuring tape body and a few of the numbers on this measuring tape in focus (25/26), while the closer ones are out of focus.

Shutter Speed: 1/10 second
Aperture: f/4
ISO: 100

February 1 - Peek a Boo

Because I always have the camera in my hand, I have always wanted a picture of myself holding a camera...I have finally got one (although I might have to take another when my hair isn't such a mess).

Using a wide open aperture, and a medium shutter speed, I was able to get this picture of myself in the mirror without using a flash. I also included the type of picture I have always gotten before when I used the "auto" setting with a flash. What a difference!

Shutter Speed: 1/13 second
Aperture: f/5.6
ISO: 400

This is the shot I usually get..

February Focus - Aperture

What Is Aperture?

The main function of a camera lens is to collect light. The aperture of a lens is the diameter of the lens opening and is usually controlled by an iris.The larger the diameter of the aperture, the more light reaches the film / image sensor.

Aperture is expressed as F-stop, e.g. F2.8 or f/2.8. The smaller the F-stop number (or f/value), the larger the lens opening (aperture).

This month, I am hoping to learn how Shutter Speed and aperture go hand in hand to create a more professional looking picture.

What's your favorite??

I am interested to know what your favorite picture was from January. I am looking to add a few to my portfolio and would like to know your opinion on the best. Please comment here in the blog or send me an email with your favorite photo of January!!!

Thanks!!!