•  On May, 04, 2015
•  BeckyC
•   Becky's Blog

  Two of my favorite things in the world are fresh herbs and taking photos 🙂 But you probably knew that already…with all the herb photos I share this time of year.   I’ve learned a lot about growing herbs by reading and researching which ones grow best here in north Louisiana…but I’ve learned the most about growing herbs by actually growing herbs.  Chives, lavender, rosemary, and sage are just a few of my favorite herbs to grow. I love how the chives bloom pretty purple flowers this time of year. Photography…I love taking pictures. I have learned so much about taking photos over the last few years. I got very interested in photography when I started this blog.  We purchased a Nikon D5000 several years ago, mainly to take sports photos of our kids. And when I started this blog, I was determined to learn to shoot in manual…because I was so inspired by other bloggers who had gorgeous photos.  So, I set out to learn all I could about aperture, ISO and shutter speed. I read many photography blogs and posts, like THIS ONE and THIS ONE. And now, there are hundreds of articles, photos, and charts/diagrams full of photography information to learn from on Pinterest. But, once again…just like with growing herbs, I learned the most by practicing taking photos. I turned on my camera and practiced photographing every little thing. I stayed with the manual setting until I started understanding exactly what the numbers meant. And it got easier and easier.   I looked at blogs and magazines…paying close attention to the angles and focus of the photos. Then I practiced taking photos at different angles, focusing on different parts, and perspectives. And I fell in love with taking pictures. I enjoy making simple little things, like herbs or a soap dish, appealing to the eye 🙂   Have you ever heard of the GIMP Image Manipulation program? Well, that’s what I use for photo editing. It’s much like Photoshop, but GIMP is FREE HERE 🙂 You can enhance the lighting, add watermark, or crop photos. It’s a great tool to use for photo editing.  So, what about you? Have you learned to shoot in manual?  These photos were just for fun. A photo shoot of herbs, ironstone, goats milk soap, and a flower frog 🙂 Just because 🙂 Have a lovely week everyone! Blessings