Happy Halloween

This weekend we did not get any trick or treaters. Boo apartment-living...but that means extra fun-size candies for my belly. I can live with that. Saturday afternoon we took a honey bee for a walk around the neighborhood park. Watch out, this bee has a mean stinger.

f/5.6, 1/1250, ISO 400

Even the reddest maple tree can't handle this bee.

f/11, 1/200, ISO 400

We buzzed through a marsh of dying cattail...

f/18, 1/160, ISO 400

...and through the few leaves still around before winter.

f/5.6, 1/640, ISO 400

We buzzed...I mean we bathed under the warm autumn sun, hoping for another day like this.

f/18, 1/200, ISO 400

Happy Halloween!

f/10, 1/400, ISO 400

Basic Lighting

Last Friday there was a UK Photo Day hosted by the University of Kentucky Department of Arts. It was a whole day of lecture/events all on photography, from Photoshop to night photography. Most of the classes were too advanced for me and due to time constraint I only attended one class on basic lighting.


The arts department was in this old warehouse next by an abandon train track and surrounded by cyclone fence.

f/10, 1/160, ISO 200

The wooden floor creaked and paint on the wall was all chipped.
I guess they are going for the rustic effect.

f/5.6, 1/250, ISO 800

There are 3 positions for placing light source and 4 settings in each position.
High (10 feet high): Front, back, side, and 45 degrees
Medium (waist level): Front, back, side, and 45 degrees
Low (ground level): Front, back, side, and 45 degrees

f/6.3, 1/100, ISO 800

All of 12 positions and heights of placing the light source will give very different feel to the picture. For example, when the light is on the low level and in the front, it would give a horror and spooky feel. Think holding a flashlight in front of your face when telling a ghost story in front of camp fire. Any kind of light would make a good light source, even the ones for construction that can be purchased at Lowe's.

f/7.1, 1/160, ISO 800

I have not done much with indoor and studio photography, occasionally food photography in my dark kitchen. Next time I am going to try moving my desk lamp into the kitchen.

This is Halloween

After a week of anticipation, the pumpkin carving party began Saturday night.

f/4.2, 1/6, ISO 1600, +0.7EV

The party including Jake, Lola, and me doing some pains-taking pumpkin hollowing, but all that work for a good reason.

Then some creative thinking.

f/4.5, 1/6, ISO 1600, +0.7EV

A few candy bars in between.

Then more carving with my cheap 97 cents plastic saw.

f/4.5, 1/8, ISO 1600, +0.3EV

Pumpkin seeds. That is the one of the reasons why I look forward to carving pumpkins each year. This year, we got some awesome seed "harvest".

f/4.5, 1/8, ISO 1600, +0.3EV

More candies afterwards...

Ta-Da! Guess whose pumpkins this is? Hint, the owner is in the background.

f/4.5, 1/10, ISO 1600, +0.3EV

Aren't you scared!?

f/4.2, 1/13, ISO 1600, +0.3EV

The pumpkin carving party ends with a viewing of "Nightmare Before Christmas", starring me as the lead singer.

f/4.5, 1/5, ISO 1600, +0.3EV

Watch this and you will know why I am obsessed with this movie and pumpkins.

Orchard

It is cold today. I mean it's 40 degrees out but feels like 30. It's the strong wind blowing, drizzling rain, and leaves in your face kind of day. Lola does not mind the change in weather at all. Rain or shine, you would see me walking her everyday.

I took these pictures at the orchard where I was pumpkin picking last week. The scenes remind me of "My Antonia" by Willa Cather, one of my favorite books about an Eastern immigrant family living out in Nebraska. The way Cather described the Great Plains and the harsh winter of Nebraska makes you think you were actually there. Although these pictures were taken in Kentucky, I like to think this was where Antonia lived.

f/13, 1/160, ISO 200

f/5.6, 1/1250, ISO 200

f/16, 1/80, ISO 200

f/5.6, 1/200, ISO 200

f/5, 1/1000, ISO 200

Do you hear the wind whistling and coyote howling?

I, Jack the Pumpking King

Name that movie!

It's from "Nightmare Before Christmas", my favorite holiday movie.
The line was when Jack the Pumpkin King realized he was tired of creating Halloween year after year, so he decided to steal Christmas from Sandy Claws.

f/10, 1/250, ISO 200

I know the songs from movie so well that I could probably sing it to you.

f/16, 1/80, ISO 200

You would probably said no.
I won't torture you then unless you are in a car with me while I have the soundtrack blasting.

f/18, 1/100, ISO 200

I love being festive. Halloween party? Yes, please. Although I am not big into costumes, I do love everything Autumn-related. You can count on me for putting together a whole 6-course Thanksgiving meal, and more.

f/7.1, 1/200, ISO 200

As you can see, I went a little overboard with the pumpkins. We ended up with two large ones and one small one for Lola.

f/10, 1/200, ISO 200

The pumpkin carving with "Nightmare Before Christmas" is this weekend, when Jack the Pumpking and the Oogy Boogy Man will make their appearance. I will be sipping witches' brew and eating bloody brain. hehehe!


p.s. Check out the new tab on top of the page. More updates to come.

Running

I like to run. Yes, I have other hobbies other than blogging and photography. I run on an average of 20 miles a week. I do long runs on Sundays while listening to Michael Jackson, Black Eyed Peas, and Lady Gaga. On some days I run with Lola, or more like she drags me from tree to tree and where ever squirrels are.

f/18, 1/20, ISO 1600

On some days I just run, block after block imagining myself in a secluded woods with no cars.
And I can go on and on about car drivers who don't yield.

f/18, 1/50, ISO 200

Some days I get zonked out from running non-stop.
But on one good day I lucked out. My training has paid off.
Ta-Da!
That's right, I won second place in a 6K race!
Woot! Woot!

f/5, 1/20, ISO 1600

I feel invincible.
I am thinking about doing a half marathon end of March next year.
That's 13.1 miles.
I will think more about it later, for now I need to go on a 5-mile run.
Happy Friday.

Red River Gorge

On Saturday we went hiking at Red River Gorge, which was about an hour East of Lexington. It was a beautiful day for hiking. We did a 5 mile loop that took us to top of a gorge halfway through, where we had a picnic. I love the different colors of fall. It makes me want to go pumpkin picking, fill my belly up with treat o' trick candies, and make pies.

f/18, 1/60, ISO 200

We started on the Double Arch Trail, stopped at Courthouse Rock for lunch, then finished the hike on the Auxier Ridge Trail.

f/18, 1/25, ISO 200

I spy Lola!

f/6.3, 1/40, ISO 200

f/6.3, 1/100, ISO 200

Perfect spot for a picnic.

f/10, 1/200, ISO 200

f/18, 1/50, ISO 200

The magnificent gorge.

f/8, 1/320, ISO 200

After all day of hiking, I treated myself with a generous slice of homemade apple pie. I finally succeeded in making this awesome pie recipe!

f/5, 1/30, ISO 1600

Cupcakes Mania

I am done with mid-terms, the first of many more to come later this semester. In order to "celebrate" this short break of studying, I offered to make cupcakes for Jake's students. Lucky 40 students will get cupcakes. Lucky me get to make 40 cupcakes. Believe me, I find baking very calming.

f/5.6, 1/30, ISO 1600

The cupcake mania involves one pound of butter, six cups flour, eight eggs, and three cups of sugar, and much more. This when I really need that stand-up mixer I have been dreaming of.

f/4.8, 1/100, ISO 1600

Lesson here, always always always follow directions. The front four cupcakes are results of alternating milk and flour mixture, as indicated in the recipe. Martha Stewart is always right.

f/4.8, 1/50, ISO 1600

12 frosted, 1 million more to go.

f/4.8, 1/15, ISO 1600

Boo, hooo why can't I try a cupcake?

f/4.8, 1/15, ISO 1600

I hope these cupcakes make some kids' day.

f/4.8, 1/20, ISO 1600

After two layers of cupcakes and "tasting" on frosting and cupcakes all night. I am donezo. Needless to say, I scratch my idea of drawing spider webs on top of the frosting. It was like a workout in the kitchen. I did find my zen after making all these cupcakes, it took my mind off carbohydrate metabolism and the role of PPAR receptors.

f/4.3, 1/13, ISO 1600

For later, part two of my workout in the kitchen: apple pie.


p.s. For the cupcake recipe, click here

Football

The other day I went to an exciting football game.
 

f/18, 1/50, ISO 400

 
It was as exciting as going to my alma mater University of Wisconsin Badger's football game, only cuter.

f/14, 1/60, ISO 400



 Each play had a little helmet, little uniform, little paddings, but big ambitions.



f/5.3, 1/200, ISO 400



Catch me if you can!



f/8, 1/250, ISO 400



Wheeeee!

f/7.1, 1/200, ISO 400

Touch down!

f/7.1, 1/250, ISO 400



You guessed it, it was a middle school football game.
Where the parents, family members, teachers, cheerleaders, and fellow classmates cheered like it was the greatest game on Earth. The game that could possibly be made into a Hollywood-heartfelt-movie. Another touchdown later, it was a game that will be forever remembered by these little bumpkins. It was a sweet and heart feeling moment when all the team members huddled together to celebrate their victory.

 


f/13, 1/80, ISO 400