Field of Depth

I recently began taking photography classes. I've always loved taking pictures, and I love it even more when those pictures turn out awesome.

A few years ago, I bought myself a nice DSLR camera. Pretty exciting, right? Then I proceeded to shoot my camera with all the bells and whistles on full 'auto'.  Lame. It was basically a giant, overpriced point and shoot in my incapable hands.

I tried teaching myself about apeture settings and field of depth via the internet... Bad idea. I ended up messing up me camera's settings so badly that even in 'Auto' it wouldn't shoot very nice photos. Ugh.  Serious *head/desk* moment for me.

Fast forward to January 28th and so began my first photography class. It was necessary in order to get my camera back into shooting shape. I'd really messed it up!

I've now got 4 classes under my belt and I'm a lot more comfortable moving dials and pressing buttons, without fearing that I am going to completely mess everything up again. I was sitting in my truck on my lunch break yesterday, and I managed to do some things that I hadn't been able to do before.

I've always wanted to learn how to make the background of a photo blurry, with the subject in focus.
Well, bam!  Learned how.

 

 

Then I wanted to figure out how to shoot past something to focus on something else behind it.
Double bam!  Learned it.

Lastly, my ultimate test was to make the forefront and the background blurred out, while focusing on something in between. Whoop! BAM! Done.
(it's the turn signal thats the in-between... in case that wasn't obvious. Hey, there weren't a lot of things to shoot within the confines of my parked vehicle!)

 

That brown thing is my boot, by the way. And the blue stuff is my jeans. Sometimes I like to relax and I put my foot up on the dash while I read.  Cuz you wanted to know that, right?

I know, they aren't the most impressive photographs. But they give me hope that one day I can take some great photographs on purpose, and not just by sheer luck.

Baby steps.


48 Things You Never Wanted to Know About Me.

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?

That's an excellent question. No, I don't think so.

2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED?

Last night. I'm reading the 3rd book of the Fifty Shades series. I can't tell you what happens without spoiling some of the book for those who haven't read it, but there is a part where she uses the safeword and the surrounding situation actually made me cry.
For those of you who think it's just a kinky sex book, you'd be wrong. Mostly.

3 DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING?

Most of the time, yes. I have this odd habit of writing in all caps, so it sometimes looks a bit erratic.

4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT?

Cotto Salami

5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS?

Human, no. Furry, yes.

6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON, WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU?

Yes.

7. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT?

Yup

8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS?

Yup

9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP?

Hell no

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL?

That's a tough question, because I LOOOVE cereal. Umm... Fruity Pebbles probably.

11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF?

Nope

12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG?

Sometimes.

13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM?

Shit! This is almost as tough as the cereal question! 
Cookies n Cream. No, Cookie Dough. Wait, I really like Mint Chocolate Chip... Hagendaaz Coffee?

14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE?

My comfort level towards them. Most people fall into a comfort category with me within a few seconds.

15. RED OR PINK?

Yellow.

16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF?

My body image. I'm fat.

17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST?

I miss a lot of people. My Grandpa moved across the country so I never see him. I miss him.

18. WHAT IS THE TECHNIQUE THAT YOU NEED TO WORK ON THE MOST?

People skills. I'm sorely lacking in that department.

19. WHAT COLOR SHOES ARE YOU WEARING?

Saddle Brown Boots

20. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE?

Sausage, Egg & Cheese Croissant from BK. Yum

21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW?

The printer cooling fan.

22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE?

I'd be one of those awesome crayons that is made up of thousands of bits of various colored crayons.

23. FAVORITE SMELLS?

Lilac Flowers. The way the house smells when I open the windows for the first time in the spring.

24. HOW IMPORTANT ARE YOUR POLITICAL VIEWS TO YOU?

Not very. I disagree with everybody usually, so I stopped listening. It just made me frustrated.

25. MOUNTAIN HIDEAWAY OR BEACH HOUSE?

Mountain Hideaway

26. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH?

Disc Doggin

27. HAIR COLOR?

Blonde.
Oh my natural hair color?  Dirty-dishwater Blonde.

28. EYE COLOR?

Dark Blue

29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS?

No

30. FAVORITE FOOD?

Casey's Pepperoni Pizza.

31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS?

Happy Endings.

32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED?

 Warm Bodies.

33. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING?

Navy Blue

34. SUMMER OR WINTER?

Spring-Fall

35. FAVORITE DESSERT?

Cheesecake. 

36. STRENGTH TRAINING OR CARDIO?

Crossfit, baby. A little bit of everything!

37. COMPUTER OR TELEVISION?

Computer all day long, TV all night long.

38. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW?

Fifty Shades of Freed

39. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD?

It's black 

40. FAVORITE SOUND?

The sound made right as a new episode of Pit Bulls & Parolees begins

41. FAVORITE GENRE OF MUSIC?

Country

42. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME?

Florida. The pan-handle, not the fun part of FL.

43. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT?

No

44. WHERE WERE YOU BORN?

Minneapolis, MN

45. WHERE ARE YOU LIVING NOW?

Blooming Prairie, MN

46. WHAT COLOR IS YOUR HOUSE?

Tan with white trim & stone

47. WHAT COLOR IS YOUR CAR?

Navy Blue

48. DO YOU LIKE ANSWERING 48 QUESTIONS?

Sure!

**Stolen from Furry Bottoms**

I figured that since we've already established that while I was once a pretty consistant blogger, I've obviously lost that talent. I thought I'd answer all of these questions so that you could catch up with me.

I'd say that I'd see you tomorrow. But it will probably be 6 months from now. That seems to be the running tally lately...

Happy Monday, folks!
Emily

Hello. My Name is Emily

I figured I'd need to reintroduce myself because I haven't posted in appx 11 months. You don't even remember who I am!

Eleven months!!  Slacker.

I've tried starting other blogs and it's just not as much fun as Musings has been. Plus, my whole blogging life is right here already and transferring would just be stupid.  I don't want to be stupid.

I still have the same pets, I still live in the same house, I still work at the same job and I'm still obsessed with the same things. So let's just pretend I never went anywhere!  Let's pretend that I didn't disappear for 11 months and we'll all be happy again. 

Ahhhhh... Welcome back, Me. Welcome back.

Aussie Rescue!

More and more Aussies!!!!

Dump A Senior

I think it's Dump-A-Senior-Dog month or something. Its incredibly frustrating.

Merlin & Ginger

This pair is 10 years old and have been together their whole lives. Their owner tried selling them on craigslist. She is going to allow us to take them into rescue, thank God, but what kind of person just up and dumps their bonded pair of seniors? I dont get it.

Pumpkin

Pumpkin is an 11yo blue merle Aussie and she's sitting in a shelter here in this photo. She's obviously confused and probably more than a little terrified. She's in a New Spirit foster home now, so she's safe. But again... 11 years.  Wow.

Ruby

Ruby is an 11yo Australian Shepherd who just landed in rescue. Beautiful gal with wonderful manners.

Are you getting the drift here?  Dogs are for life. It's a committment that shouldnt be broken as easily as opening the car door and driving away, or tying it to a shelter door handle in the middle of the night.  What kind of person are you if that's the way you treat your friend after they give you a decade of loyalty and love?

It makes me sick.

*Note* All four of these seniors are rescued and coming into New Spirit 4 Aussie Rescue immediately!

I'm back...

I think.

I've been away for so long that I almost forgot my log in password. Whoops!

6 months... Wow. Its been 6 months since I wrote a blog entry.

I'm so sorry for abandoning you!  I'll never do it again!  At least not until the next time I do it.

Haha. 

Wait until you see what I have in store for you!

Em

Give Thanks Day 1

Thanksgiving is less than a week away. So every day until Thanksgiving, I'm going to give thanks for something in my life.

Today, it's my family. God blessed me with the most fantastic, loving, loyal family on the planet. We may be a disfunctional mix of steps and halves and full bloods, but we work. My mom died when I was 3 years old. My little sister and I were raised by my dad.  He married my step mom when I was like 8yo, and that brought my two step sisters, and they brought their two half sisters.  We also have a half sister from my dad before he met my real mom.

This leaves me with six amazing sisters. My parents have siblings. Many many siblings. I've got a slew of aunts and uncles and cousins around the country. And they are all amazing too.

Growing up, we had family meals each night. Our Easters and Thankgsgivings and Christmases are a flood of happy, warm memories, with a celebration of good food, laughter, games, church and pretty lights.

My family is something I cherish.

I grew up with friends who didnt have the same childhood I had. Either they were raised by a single parent who didnt try as hard as they could. Their unorganized homes smelling of stale cigarettes and burnt food, with dim, ugly lighting.

I feel so lucky at the family I come from. They are good people who gave me every opportunity to succeed and be happy.  And because of them, I am.  Lord thank you for my family.