Sunday, July 18, 2010

Cat-ching Up

So, Shimelle had this wacky idea that we should put our cameras on the ground and use the earth or floor as a tripod.  While I was considering that idea, my cat JJ started rolling around begging to be photographed! I was really pleased with this portrait of her.  When I went downstairs to take some other ground-level photography, she followed and I took a few more nice portraits while I was laying on the ground, actually looking up at her:
I think the purpose of the assignment was to capture something interesting in the foreground (like the carpet in the picture above), but I also found it a good reminder to change levels and perspective when shooting pictures.  I hope to repeat this assignment outside - I'm thinking a baseball game would be an interesting place to do so.  I'll add those photos after I take them.


I thought this would be a good opportunity to catch up on some questions posed recently:
1.  What type of camera do you use?  I have a DSLR - Nikon D50. It's a fairly rare camera that Nikon only made for about a year.  The rumor is that someone had a brain fart at Nikon and actually let a camera design (the D50) into production that would accept other types of lenses, not just Nikon lenses. Nikon stopped making the D50 and replaced it with the ubiquitous D40.  I love my camera, but it is probably over half way through it lifespan, so I'm thinking about moving up to a D90 at Christmas.  Other suggestions welcome!  How do I know it's halfway through its lifetime?  Check out this database for more information.
2.  How can you make a bookmark out of plaster?  Well, the plaster I use are cloth strips infused with plaster. They're sold as Rigid Wrap by Activa here in the states.  They're used in paper mache and mask making, but they're similar to the wraps used to make medical casts.  I reconstitute the plaster by adding water, and I can make it more or less pliable depending upon the number of sheets I use together and how much water I use.  I first learned about plaster in a class I took with Judy Wise, and you can read more about my various plaster creations by clicking on the plaster tag on the left.


P.S. Anyone want to come and wash my windows? There's some pretty obvious nose prints on them!


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Meanwhile, I spent Saturday and Sunday watching DS Henry's Juniors All Star team compete in the Sectional Tournament.  They're currently 2-0 and play Monday night in the semi-final game.  The competition has been pretty tough; they've won both of their games by just one run, but they're hanging in there.  Even though Henry's not having his best tournament, it's a good team and they're moving forward.  Here's Henry on the mound:
Thoughts of good luck gratefully accepted!

15 comments:

Amy said...

Wishing Henry the very best of luck :-)
JJ looks like a feline version of Bronte our dog - similar colouring and fluffiness.
I'm a Canon girl so I can't really comment on which Nikon would be a good upgrade - you could switch? I think they are really much of a muchness though.

debs14 said...

Great pictures of all the action at the game, you've captured it well.
Sending lots of British good luck wishes to Henry!

scrappyjacky said...

Great action shots...and best of luck to Henry.

Lizzie said...

Of course I wish Henry and his team the best of luck with their tournament! I hope they get all the way to the final and Win!!
Love the action photos of Henry pitching.. and I so love the US Baseball costumes - they look sort-of old-fashioned and traditional - but in the best way possible.

Your little cat is very sweet and pretty. Lovely photos, Rinda.

I'm a bit puzzled by how a camera can have a life-expectancy? And if yours is an unusual model, would it be worth a bit more than usual (even half-way through it's life)? You could consider selling it now, to raise a good bit towards the replacement? Sorry that I can't suggest anything for the replacement though... Scott Bourne seems to be a popular and knowledgeable photographer though - why not have a look at his blog? - http://photofocus.com/ There may be something about good cameras or how to choose one.

Heather said...

Great pics Rinda :)
Best of British luck to Henry & his team xx

sharyncarlson said...

Best of luck to Henry!! And thanks for the info on shutter life. I wasn't familiar with this concept so I'm really glad to have this info.

Deb @ PaperTurtle said...

:o) You know I'm a sucker for cat photos, and yours are great.

Hooray for Henry and all the best too!!!

Tammy Lee Bradley said...

I want your kitty. Although, my dogs may not. :)

D90 is a great choice!! Love it and my 35mm 1.8G lens. Look at the daiy (weed) shoot with the freckly fingers. The dead on focus of the flowers while everything else is blurred out. That is the 35mm shoot wide open at 1.8. Love it!!!

Cheri said...

gorgeous kitty cat! And good luck to Henry and his team!

humel said...

Lots of good luck wishes from me too! :-)

And oh, how much do I love that first cat photo in particular?! xx

Becky said...

Loads of good luck from me too and I just love that first cat photo. My daughter has just said that your cat looks like a longhaired version of our puss, called Arwen, but known as 'Weasel'!

Cheryl said...

Wow amzing action shots and the best of luck to Henry and that kitty pic is soo cute x

Anonymous said...

Your kitty looks JUST Like my mom's kitty!

Nellie Mae said...

Great post! I wonder how long my camera will last....;-)

Anonymous said...

I hope last night's game was a winner. These are wonderful shots of Henry on the mound. You have a beautiful cat!