Weekly Photo Challenge: Forward

“We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we’re curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths” – Walt Disney

Forward – this is the Weekly Photo Challenge over on The Daily Post. To me, the start of every day is the point where you put that next foot forward on your journey.

Morning's Light Nikn D5100, Nikkor 55-200mm f/4-5.6, 3s, 65mm, f/22, ISO 100

Morning’s Light
Nikon D5100, Nikkor 55-200mm f/4-5.6, 3s, 65mm, f/22, ISO 100

Weekly Photo Challenge: Home

This week’s photo challenge from The Daily Post is Home. Check out the original post here Weekly Photo Challenge. There were numerous approaches to this challenge but I settled on capturing images around my home.

When I started this photographic journey in 2011 I spent quite a lot of my time wandering around the house, the yard and the fields surrounding the house playing with my old point & shoot camera. I learned about light, shadows, perspective, composition, depth of field, exposure and everything I use today when I am out exploring with my camera.

I still find I can walk the fields or even my yard and discover images to capture. I love landscape photography and dream of taking the big trips to capture those iconic images I see everyday on my screen, but home is where I learned and these simple images within walking distance of my house will always evoke the sense of home in me.

Lil' Mountain Nikon D5100, Nikkor 55-200mm f/4-5.6, 1/2000s, 165mm, f/5.6, ISO 200

Lil’ Mountain
Nikon D5100, Nikkor 55-200mm f/4-5.6, 1/2000s, 165mm, f/5.6, ISO 200

Remnant Nikon D5100, Nikkor 55-200mm f/4-5.6, 1/500s, 90mm, f/11, ISO 200

Remnant
Nikon D5100, Nikkor 55-200mm f/4-5.6, 1/500s, 90mm, f/11, ISO 200

Cattail Light Nikon D5100, Nikkor 55-200mm f/4-5.6, 1/500s, 200mm, f/11, ISO 200

Cattail Light
Nikon D5100, Nikkor 55-200mm f/4-5.6, 1/500s, 200mm, f/11, ISO 200

Leftovers Nikon D5100, Nikkor 55-200mm f/4-5.6, 1/1600s, 200mm, f/5.6, ISO 200

Leftovers
Nikon D5100, Nikkor 55-200mm f/4-5.6, 1/1600s, 200mm, f/5.6, ISO 200

Weekly Photo Challenge: Unique

The Daily Post at WordPress.com offers up a weekly photo challenge. This week’s challenge is unique. It can be an image of something unique, a unique view or take on a common item, someone unique in your life, etc. You can read about the challenge here: Weekly Photo Challenge: Unique.

This is the first weekly challenge from The Daily Post in which I am contributing an image. Although I have a great group of regular visitors I found participating in these types of events helps me in a couple of ways. One, it gets me thinking and seeing differently when I am out exploring. And two, it gets me exploring outside my comfort zone. Writing more within the post, viewing a bigger pool of blogger’s work. Pushing myself to comment on other’s contributions. I promised myself I would be less of a voyeur online and more of a participant.

I thought this image of a tree remnant in the middle of a frozen swamp was quite unique. Typically, the trees are standing tall or if they have fallen they still remain straight and true. This gnarled, contorted tree stump or root has a lot of unique character. I wish I could have been about a foot higher in elevation to isolate the subject a little better. I’m thinking of going back with my telephoto lens and searching for a better vantage point that will help me remove a few of the distractions.

Unique Nikon D5100, Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4, 1/250s, 70mm, f/8, ISO 200

Unique
Nikon D5100, Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4, 1/250s, 70mm, f/8, ISO 200