3 Quarters Today

My Life, my photography, my passions

Photography

Day 147/365: Dogwood Trees

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Dogwood Blossoms (Olympus E-10)

Once again my Olympus E-10 comes out with me as I searched for more spring blossoms. I believe this is a dogwood tree, but I could be wrong, I’m not very good with flowering trees, so correct me if  I’m wrong.

What I like about my Fuji S1500 is I can carry it in my purse. Although I like the weight and feel of the Olympus, heavy, like a “real” camera.

Photography notes: This image was severely over exposed, something I can’t see in the view finder as I’m adjusting the settings (or maybe I’m doing something wrong) maybe I should look up an owners manual.  I have started to use the curves layer in Photoshop and bumped up the histogram to darken the image and I spot sharpened the foreground slightly.

Day 145/365: Peep Photoshoot

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Here is my yearly Peep Show Photoshoot, every year around Easter I play with these marshmallow confections designed to rot your teeth, spoil supper, and give you a belly ache. I’m addicted to the concept of fluorescent spring colors all soft and gooey sprinkled with sugar.

Peep Photoshoot (Olympus E-10)

Yellow and sugary, soft and gooey, enough sweetness to send you into a diabetic coma. But, they are so good. I have to eat just one a year around Easter time, just like Cadbury Eggs, Peeps are a ritualistic tradition.

Peeps: Recipes and Crafts to Make with Your Favorite Marshmallow TreatPeeps: Recipes and Crafts to Make with Your Favorite Marshmallow TreatPeeps: Recipes and Crafts to Make with Your Favorite Marshmallow TreatEaster Marshmallow Chicks Peeps Variety Pack 3 Ct. - 30 Chickens TotalEaster Marshmallow Chicks Peeps Variety Pack 3 Ct. – 30 Chickens TotalEaster Marshmallow Chicks Peeps Variety Pack 3 Ct. - 30 Chickens TotalEaster Marshmallow Chicks Peeps Variety Pack 4ct.Easter Marshmallow Chicks Peeps Variety Pack 4ct.Easter Marshmallow Chicks Peeps Variety Pack 4ct.

After I broke these little chicks free from their cellophane wrapper I posed them on my springtime tablecloths for a photo shoot. My soon to be 18-year-old son did not find the humor in this, he rolled his eyes (I get that a lot from my kids) and anxiously awaited when I would be finished playing, so he could eat them. Which he did, all three boxes.

He was quick to point out that the sugar-free Peeps tasted terrible. I agree, if you’re going to eat something as nutritionally void as a Peep then just go for the sugar.

Photography Notes: taken on my Olympus camera, I’m finding it hard to know where to set the exposure, the viewfinder isn’t intuitive and it’s a little like a film camera, I don’t know what it’s going to look like until I get it into the computer.

Day 143/365: Shimmering Tulips

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Shimmering Tulips
Shimmering Tulips (SOOC)

For this I broke out an old camera, an Olympus E-10, to see if I could get more clarity and crispness to my photographs.  I bought the camera on Ebay several years ago used and it’s sheer size was a hindrance to taking it everywhere.

I will compare my two cameras later, when I’ve had a chance to take some additional pictures with it, but here is the first. I really like how it captured the reflection on the tulip petals, something I don’t think my Fuji S1500 could handle.

So what do you think, should I stick with the camera I’ve been using, or use a higher quality lens and forsake megapixel size?

BTW, this is straight out of the camera, even better.

Day 138/365: Rock the Prom Dress, Break Out the Red Carpet

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Prom season is here and countless high school juniors and seniors will be buying a prom dress and renting tuxedos in preparation to  show off their finery for a night to remember. At Elmwood-Murdock High School being small doesn’t mean we don’t go all out for prom.

Prom 2011

The post prom committee, parents and students spend all year fundraising to have a high class prom. Students wait in the lobby of the school to take their “red carpet” walk to the two chartered buses. Waiting outside are throng of paparazzi (parents with camera) waiting to take a picture of their daughters in their prom dress along with their beaming dates. Ok, some guys don’t beam at the fuss, but many think it’s pretty cool.

Formal dates are not essential, many go as groups, single guys and single girls also have a good time. I also took the “traditional” shots, but wanted to get a little more stylized with my photography and highlight on the gorgeous prom dresses and finery of the formal evening.

This year prom was held at the Lancaster Event Center in Lincoln, with post prom at the one of the Lincoln YMCA’s. I don’t know where they had more fun. Post prom included swimming, a rock wall, “A Minute To Win It” games, and prizes which included Notepad computers (which my son won) GPS trackers and much more.

PhotoShop: Typical layers with an increase in brightness, contrast and touched up the sharpness on the prom dress and added a little burn to emphasis the design. Added a layer stroke, selected the color from the dress, and added a drop shadow. The text is just one text box with the vertical spacing decreased so the two lines would overlap, text color is white and black with decreased opacity to soften the colors. I had fun with this one!

Did You Know, You Can Buy a Prom Dress Online?

Last year my daughter bought a prom dress on line. I learned more and more girls are doing this so they will have the unique dress and not end up wearing the same prom dress from Debs that another classmate bought. The safest place to buy a prom dress is on Amazon as they have a return policy if it doesn’t fit right or look the way you expected.

It is strongly advised to shop early for your prom dress though, not only due to the return policy, but to make sure your date knows what the color so he can order the corsage and tux color.

Below are some of my favorite prom dresses on Amazon.

Women ball gown evening prom dress Women’s bra Fishtail wedding dress- BlueTidetell Elegant Floor Length Bridesmaid Cap Sleeve Prom Evening Dresses BurgundyIDOBRIDAL Tulle Beaded Bridesmaid Evening Party Prom Ball Gown Dress -BlueIDOBRIDAL Tulle Beaded Bridesmaid Evening Party Prom Ball Gown Dress -YellowFavebridal 2015 Women’s Long Formal Evening Prom DressesJAEDEN Girl’s Sweetheart Charming Formal Evening Dresses Long Prom Gown Hot Pink

Day 139/365: Rose of Jericho, Resurrection Plant, A Sunday School Lesson

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Grow a Resurrection Plant for Lent and Easter

I love teaching Sunday School. I especially when I have a visual aid that gets the kids excited. Kids Sunday School lessons are always more fun, engaging and memorable when you kids can relate everyday items, events, and discoveries to Jesus and the Bible. 

The Rose jericho, or Resurrection plant is a perfect Sunday school lesson for Easter, Lent or during the church year when you want to teach the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Learn how to grow a resurreciton plant and where to buy a resurrection plant for your students.

Here is how to grow a Resurrection plant as an example of Jesus Christ and the Resurrection Easter.

On Palm Sunday I used this unique Resurrection Plant to show the death of Christ and how the Easter miracle of resurrection brings everlasting life and rebirth with the forgiveness of sins. Easter lessons in Sunday school classes should be especially memorable.

Sunday School Ressurection Lesson

I’m always looking for ways to keep kids interested and looking forward to attending Sunday School. When kids reach 4th-6th grade they often are bored with fill in the blanks, coloring, and crafts. A Sunday school resurrection lesson is perfect for Easter or Holy week but works just as well during other church seasons.

During my 25 years of teaching Sunday school at Trinity Lutheran Church I have learned a lot, and obviously every year I teach the kids about the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. It is difficult for kids to wrap their tiny brains around “everlasting life”. It’s hard for adults to grasp as well.

The best way I have of getting kids to remember their lessons from week to week, or even from one year to the next is to give leading questions and they supply the answers. They discover the true Easter lesson of resurrection, life everlasting and how the water from their Baptism gives life to their faith.

Where to buy a resurrection plant for Sunday School activities

Introduction:

  • Does this plant look dead to you? Why? What makes it dead (get input from all the students, going around the room)
  • Do you think it could ever come back to life and be green again? (again get input from kids)
  • What if I said I can make this plant live again. Would you believe me?
  • Pass out the bowls, pour about 2 inches in each child’s bowl
  • What’s in the bowl? (obviously water- use references to baptism)

Give each student a Rose Jerico (Resurrection plant) of their own and have them place it in the water. Explain how Jesus remained in the tomb for three days before he rose from the dead on Easter morning.  Jesus appeared dead in the tomb. Your plant appears dead.

This resurrection Sunday School lesson is perfect for Palm Sunday, Easter or anytime during the church year
2 Hours- kids can come back down after church to see the progress

If you are doing this lesson on Palm Sunday this same Sunday school activity continues the next week as an Easter Sunday lesson.

Resurrection plant fully open

You can discuss how every living thing needs water. We can go without food for several days, but we can’t live without water. We can’t live without water, we can’t truly live in Christ without Baptism.

Word Association Lessons: Sunday School

  • Everlasting life – life everlasting – heaven
  • Water – baptism – life
  • Reborn – rebirth
  • Resurrection – miracle
  • Faith – feed your faith – water it on a regular basis – How? Answer: Scripture, attending church

What is a Resurrection Plant?

The Resurrection plant is also known as the Rose of Jerico,  Miracle Fern, or even the Dinosaur plant. While they are actually a couple of different species they have several traits in common. Both are from very arid parts of the world. During the dry seasons, the plant curls inward in a protection mode. It is thought this plant can lay dormant for 100 years just waiting for rain.

They appear dead without water, yet when their roots are placed in the water this grey dead (seemingly) plant uncurls, opens up, turns green and comes back to life. Much like water in baptism gives you new life.

We placed the Resurrection Plant in a bowl of water and I promised to take pictures during the next 24 hours and bring them the next week, along with the plant. Here is the sequence.

Resurrection Plant- Rose of Jerico
Time: 8 hours (SOOC)
Time: 10 hours (SOOC without custom white balance)
Resurrection plant fully open
Time: 24 hours (SOOC) A New Life in Christ

The kids decided they wanted to plant this remarkable plant and keep it in our classroom as a reminder of the miracle of Christs’ death and Resurrection. I think that is a good idea.  Sounds like another Sunday School activity to me.

Where to Buy A Resurrection Plant

It’s a good idea to purchase one for every student, then they can take it home after Easter as a daily reminder. You can purchase Rose Jerico plants in bulk from several nursery suppliers on Etsy.

A resurrection plant is the perfect Easter Sunday School activity.. Also know as the Rose of Jerico this plant shows an example of the resurrection of Christ.

They don’t have to worry about watering and killing the plant as the Jerico fern keeps coming back to life.

Time Lapse Video of a Resurrection Plant

It was actually very amazing how fast the plant opened. The video below of the Rose of Jericho plant opening is obviously a time lapse. 

But in just a few hours from the start of Sunday school at 9:30 until when church was dismissed the plant had opened halfway. I did use warm water, that might have an impact. All I know is the kids loved it.

So do you think you might be using a Rose of Jerico (Resurrection Plant) for your Easter Sunday School Lesson this year?

Photography Tips: You will notice the photo at the 10 hour mark is distinctly “off color” and the others are pure white, even with the SOOC, straight out of the camera. I left this on purpose. I have been experimenting with my cameras white balance and none of the preset options (fluorescent, incandescent) gave me the results I wanted, so I tried the custom and LOVED the results.

Mind you I don’t have a fancy camera, just a

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