Sunflowers at Sunset

A few weeks ago as I was pulling off the highway exit to our little town, I laid my eyes upon an amazing Kansas sunset.  What struck me most was the sunflower field in front of me, creating the perfect foreground to the glory happening in the sky.

Kansas knows how to make a sunset, and I'm constantly in awe of her beauty.   This photographer agrees with me, and some of his photos leave me green with jealousy.  I'd love to be able to capture sunsets like him someday!

Sorry.  Sunset envy.

Shooting in the Dark (Figuratively AND Literally)

The camera is up and running, and I'm trying to sprint to catch up.  DSLR cameras are no joke, and there's SO MUCH to learn!  (Hence the sparse blog material of late.)

Last night I gave up on trying to get through more of the 365+ page manual and went outside at dusk to take photos.

I still have no clue what the heck an aperture is.

ISO what?

Shutter speed-ometer?

Depth of field.

Lenses.

Light.

Lions, tigers, and bears... OH MY!

#100happydays : Mission Completed

#100happydays #day100

In June I posted a bit about a small challenge I took on called 100 Happy Days.

(Here is that post)

Just to remind you, it is a photo challenge encouraging folks to try to find happiness in their daily lives.  The basic parameters of the challenge require that participants share photos (via social media) of something that made them happy that day - EVERY DAY for 100 straight days.

There were days I struggled to find the joy in my surroundings, yet I found something to celebrate and would post it.  There were days where I struggled to narrow down WHAT to post because joy was abundantly presenting itself around me.  Those days were my favorite, in case you're curious.

There were a LOT of Kansas landscape shots (from my many morning training walks for the Komen 3 Day Walk), a LOT of food shots (they look mediocre, but they tasted divine), and a whole lotta random daily life miscellania.  But that's what life (and this blog) is all about, right?  They daily variety that IS life.

A lot can happen in 100 days, man.

Announcing Our Newest Family Member

Pihling Kansas, meet Millie.

Millie, meet Pihling Kansas.

This is the beginning of a beautiful relationship.  I just know it!

We picked out Millie (also known as a DSLR camera of the Nikon 3300 persuasion) last night, and I'm uber excited to learn more about using this beauty!

Hopefully you'll be treated to normal blog photography rather than below mediocre camera phone photos.  I'm excited for this transition, and I'm betting that you are, too!  (Even if you don't know it yet.)

Anyhow... Yay!

10 Reasons Why I'm Really Excited to be a Beginning Photographer

I've recently become obsessed with the idea of getting a better camera.  And by "better" I mean an actual camera.