It's A Wonderful Life

Aperture, Shutter Speed, ISO...to flash or not to flash....Will I ever understand? I, like almost everyone else, got a camera for Christmas. I was not expecting it, but did get really excited when I opened up the package. I have been studying, every day since Christmas, to try and figure my camera out....but it is not coming easy. This photography stuff is really complicated! A trip to Oregon was a perfect time to try out my new found knowledge. I made Bob drive me all over backroads from Portland to Salem, then back again. Everytime I yelled, "STOP!" He willingly obliged. I told him we needed to look at our surroundings like we were looking through a picture frame...(I learned that from my camera instruction DVD!)...and he actually kind of got into it! We had a lot of fun, but the pictures didn't all turn out like I would have liked. So much to learn. It's disappointing to find some beautiful things, take a picture...actually about 50 of the same thing, then come home to find out that you had the settings way wrong. Practice makes perfect, that's what they say, so I'll keep trying.

 I took this early in the morning.  It was definately a dull day, but I would have liked the picture to have looked "crisper" and to have brought out the green more in the trees.

 I actually kind of thought this one turned out cool!  But, I don't know what I did!

 We kept driving by these groves of trees and I finally told Bob to stop.  We found out later that they were hazelnut orchards!  Here again, I wish the pictures were clearer and more colorful...like can you set your camera's so you can see the leaves on the ground individually?  Just wondering, cause that's what I'd like!

This one was Bob's suggestion.  He thought the trees we'd see off in the distance looked cool.  Naturally I forgot the lense that zooms in better!

We were driving through on little town and I spied a mural on the wall of one of the buildings.  I was afraid to ask if we could stop again, so I didn't.  BUT, I really wanted to take a picture of it!  So, about 5 miles down the road I asked if we could turn around and go back!  It took a while to find it again, but we did!  This one turned out clear and "crisp", like I wished the other ones had.  Again, I don't know what I did different!

On our way back up to the Portland area we drove through a little town called Aurora.  We turned the corner and spotted THIS store!  Let's just say I got a little excited.  Inside, I knew we'd find treasures.  I had SO much fun in here looking around and taking pictures.  I practiced, Practiced, Practiced in here.  Some turned out, some didn't.  But, it was fun trying. 

We ended our trip at Multnomah Falls.  It was COLD, but so beautiful.  This bridge was covered in ice.  We actually slid down the hill to get here!  Would I have ever done anything like this before?  NO!  But now, to try for the perfect picture...anything goes!

You know those pictures that you see in magazines....and everyone else who KNOWS how to take pictures...where the water coming over the falls, or down a babbling brook shows every drip and drop?  Well, that's what I was going for...didn't quite work out...HELP!

The Hood River Valley was covered in fog and we took a road that took us up above it.  So pretty.

As always it was great to get away.  We always love a good trip to Portland.  This time didn't disappoint.