A view of Yellowstone National Park through our Argus Seventy-five:

I think I love this more than my Holga! I bought 620 film through BHPhotovideo but have learned recently that 120 will work! I will try that next!!!

• beautiful weather
• fantastic participants
• gorgeous models
• vintage cameras
• flowers
• red bike

I can't wait to show you more!!!!!!!!!!!

I love shooting wide open!  I love the shallow depth of field because the bokeh adds so much--

Bokeh:  (derived from Japeanese, a noun boke, meaning blurred or fuzzy) is a photographic term referring to the apperance of out-of-focus area in and image produced by a camera lens using a shallow depth of field.

(definition by Wikipedia)

You can use the out of focus area to compliment your image.  Patterns from fences, chicken wire, leaves from trees, tall grass and small lights can add beauty to your image and compliment your subject!  Pay attention to the bokeh- it is BEAUTIFUL!

That is the challenge...take pictures with bokeh in mind.  Seek out different situations that would make your bokeh more interesting.  Work on setting your camera to settings that create a shallow depth of field.  Please share them with us by linking to this post!

ISO 320 ss 1/200 f 4.0  (4.0 on my 135mm creates a very shallow depth of field...more so than my other lenses)

ISO 640  ss 1/200 and f2.2  (135mm)

ISO 100 ss 1/800 f2.5  the bokeh in this image is created by sun, greenery and water

ISO 100 ss 1/800 f2.2 (the same sun, greenery and water but I stepped back further)

Have fun playing with bokeh!!!!!!!!  I can't wait to see what you come up with!!!!!!!!

Last month I found some old cameras at a thrift store.  I decided to try one of them at a recent family bbq.  I had found each type of film I needed for the different cameras I wanted to try...120, 620 and 35mm (on bhphotovideo.com) or so I thought.

I pulled out the camera at my father-in-laws birthday party.  The camera required 35mm and I brought 120.  Danny's dad went into the house and came out with a roll of film.  It was a refillable film canister and he thought he had bw film in it.  He really had no idea what the film speed was...or how old it was.  I threw it in the camera and had it developed (crossing my fingers that it was really bw...because if it was color the bw developing would ruin it).

It worked!!!!!!!!  I was amazed at the exposure flexibility of the film!  I was guessing that the film speed was 400...but who knows...I still can't believe it worked!  I can't wait to try it again!!!!

ISO 1600 f2.0 ss 1/80

They entered into this world as cousins~ and now becoming sweet friends.

In fact, between Danny and his siblings, we have 8 little girls. Their ages range from 8 to just a few months old. They were all together last night! The second youngest (1 year), sweet baby Sage chose to leave her mom and dad's side last night and follow the girls. They all ended up on a concrete slab---perfect for sidewalk chalk! Sophie and Sage were so cute together! Sadly, the sun was down and the light was low! I was trying to avoid the high ISOs, which are VERY grainy on my point and shoot...but my shutter was too slow for this image---

ISO 400 f2.8 ss 1/15

P.S. I tried out my first roll of film on one of my new/old cameras (see previous post) last night! The suspense is killing me....did it work!? Are my camera and I friends!? I'll let you know!