You Capture - Black and White

During this vacation I haven't done the regular challenges, one being You Capture. This time it was about Black and White. I think some of my Whale Watch photo's will come out great in Black and White.

Whale Watching

Cape Cod

Time on the Cape is always GREAT!

It's just a big playground besides it being beautiful!

Just some portraits

The very handsome DeLeary kids

Driving Range

My first time on a driving range. Loved it! How great it is to play on vacation.

Baseball

Hanging out with Sara's family also means getting in at least 1 game. It was her son Andrew playing an important state game in Cambridge. One of the photo's ends up in the local newspaper.

They won!

AF-S Micro Nikkor 105 mm 1:2.8 G ED VR it is

I am so excited. I made my purchases!! I spent hours and hours at the store. I loved it every time. My friend Gretchen was faithful every time too, and loved it all the same. I got all the little bitty stuff I needed, I even get excited about those. But the real treat was the lens. After trying different ones I knew that I really wanted a 105 Micro lens. I have been trying it out today and love it. I tried many bags too and decided on the Crumpler - 7 million dollar home. I hated getting a big bag but I needed something that would fit all my gear and would be easy to handle, and small bags aren't easy to handle. I wasn't sure if I would be happy with this big one, but after trying it out just today I know it is the right decision. I love that it doesn't look like a camera bag, it's got a nice color, AND it's good quality. It even fits my personal needs. This vacation got off to a good and happy start.

Hanging with my friend Sara

Hanging out at my friend Sara's house.

I caught her son Matthew cuddling their dog Smash. It's the sweetest thing.

First trip to the Photography Store

I just made my first trip to Hunts, a photography store with my (photography) friend Gretchen. It was good for a first trip. I was sorting out what I need and trying out different camera bags. Because things aren't necessarily inexpensive I take some time to think about my purchases before I actually purchase. Very wise! Gretchen, Adam (her little boy) and I went to get some coffee and went to The Common afterwards. Gretchen had brought out her 105 mm Macro lens for me to try. That was exciting. And I LOVED her lens as soon as I had my first look through the lens. LOVED IT. It gave me more of a feeling what I want. The Nikon Doctor was suggesting a 60 mm Macro lens but I think I like this much better. I will try out different ones as soon as I have trip number 2 and 3 to Hunts. Very exciting. I wonder what I will eventually decide upon...... thus to be continued......

The Nikon Doctor

The Nikon doctor was sooooooooo VERY kind. I called before I left this morning. They actually said it might take 4 days before they would get to look at my camera. So much for the previous info I got. Anyways, when I told him I was leaving for vacation he told me to come in, he would do his best. When I told him how long of a drive it was for me, he said not to worry, he would really give it a try in a day or otherwise 2 days. Well, it was like he was waiting for me when I arrived. He got right to it. He installed new hard ware and it would fix most of the problems he said. As far as the not focusing or the camera just taking photo's without me touching the button, he was at a loss. He said, take it home, see if it got better cause there is nothing I can find. He went over everything and even gave my lens a good cleaning. I am hopeful!

I also asked him about the Macro lens. He said not to get the filter, it would not do a very good job at all. So I will do some more research on a 60 mm lens.

Published

Earlier I wrote about a publisher contacting me for photo's for a book cover. That book is coming out in October. But a few weeks back I was contacted by another publisher for photo's for a magazine. Yesterday I received the magazine with my photo's in it. It is so exciting!

Maarten van Rossem is a well known Historian and TV personality. I had the privilege of producing a TV series with him last year. I traveled from city to city for about 6 weeks last year and the beginning of this year. The series was about the US in general and the Christian view on Obama's election. It was a successful production, though very intense. Thus the photo's for the book cover and magazine. I am celebrating.

(The photo's show perfectly how I can no longer focus well with my camera. I am taking it to Nikon tomorrow. Hope they'll do something about it right away.)