Fall into Fall 2012

Saturday was the first official day of fall, but due to my hectic schedule of "life" - I wasn't able to trek out into the woods for a bit to celebrate the first day of fall until today (Sunday) at Robertsville State Park... and as always... it's those little details that make me love fall so much. 

"Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower."  ~ Albert Camus

"There is a harmony in autumn, and a luster in its sky, which through the summer is not heard or seen, as if it could not be, as if it had not been!"  ~ Percy Bysshe Shelley

"Everyone must take time to sit and watch the leaves turn."  ~ Elizabeth Lawrence

If you want to check out one of our smallest, but most beautiful state parks, go to http://mostateparks.com/park/robertsville-state-park

If you want to find out more about my photography visit my website at http://mkdesignsphoto.weebly.com

And, last but not least, if you'd like to be eligible to win one of these images as an 8X10 Print in my "Fall into Fall 2012" contest, please comment on this blog entry which image is your favorite and why. 

Thanks for visiting! 

Behind the scenes... "Sunset in the glass"

"Your camera takes good pictures" - to which I want to say something like, "Well, that stove makes great meals" - I hate it when people put more emphasis on the "equipment" than the artist...

So, with that said, this artist is sunset obsessed. Catching a sunset in a glass was a goal I'd had for years. Then I finally "got" it. How to make it happen "clicked" in my mind.

Take these ingredients: beautiful sunset, glass (with liquid in it or condensation), a camera YOU can control (in my case the handy Canon Rebel), a good eye for manual focus (do not trust auto focus!), the ability to bracket shots, a steady hand or tripod, and last but not least - FLASH OFF!

I also can't stress enough UNDERSTANDING your camera... This article is so helpful. http://digital-photography-school.com/learning-exposure-in-digital-photography


And, that little thing called COMPOSITION - The "rule of thirds" is valuable to know too... but that's something I hope to cover later.

Just know the more you learn to control your camera - YOUR TOOL to record light - the happier you'll be with your images... and it doesn't have to be a sunset in a glass, it could be of your child's birthday party or summer camping trip.

All words and images by Michelle of MK Designs. http://mkdesignsphoto.weebly.com/