CAN ANYONE HEAR ME???

I started up this blog about two months ago and I am enjoying it more than I ever thought I would!  But I'm starting to wonder... is anyone actually reading it?  I mean, except my mom ~ "HI MOM!"

 If you are a reader, please give a shout out in the comments ~ you don't have to say anything mind boggling.. perhaps just a "hey" or a "how's it going" would be fantastic!!  I appreciate all of you and the time you spend coming to visit me here.

Trio of Amber Colored Fall Leaves

ISO 100 ~ 60mm ~ f/5.0 ~ 1/125 sec

© Traveling Hearts Photography

I hope you are enjoying your Fall <3  Tomorrow I am back to the Pumpkin Patch with my youngest son and my camera ~ the weather is supposed to be beautiful.  Wishing wonderful weather for all of you and a great rest of your week!

Happy Shooting!

Corrie <3

Freestyling...

What comes to mind when you hear "freestyle?"  This is a term that can be used to describe swimming, singing, cruising, wrestling, or even picking.  Picking you may ask?? YES!  Have any of you seen "American Pickers" on the history channel?  If not, it is an absolutely addicting show.  The two co-hosts go and "pick" items from all over the country to sell in their antique store.  Sometimes they have a destination in place and other times they "freestyle."  This is when they have a general direction in mind, but just drive around until they see something that peaks their interest.  Sometimes their freestyling produces fantastic results and other times, they leave with nothing.

This COMPLETELY applies to photography as well.  I think as an photographer, there are times we have to stay within certain parameters.  Maybe you are shooting a wedding or an event... these are times when it is probably a good idea to show up.  But there are other times when you may have an idea of a type of photograph you want, but aren't specifically sure where you want to shoot... insert here --> a PERFECT opportunity for freestyling.

I also think as an artist, it is important to allow for creative inspiration.  It is easy to get caught up in needing to photograph certain places because they are historic or iconic ~ but don't put your creativity in a box.  Allow yourself opportunities to just explore with your camera without preconceived ideas or expectations.

Here is a photo I took in my neighborhood, on my way to the mailbox ~ you never know where you will find beauty <3

ISO 100 ~ 60mm ~ f/2.8 ~ 1/1000 sec

© Corrie M Avila

Tomorrow I am going freestyling <3 No, not the rapping kind, or the swimming kind, but the type of freestyle that puts my camera and I, in a new place, to just explore.  I have a few ideas of places I want to try, but I am going to see how the day goes and where my feet take me.  My only goal is to capture the beauty of Autumn and all the Fall colors that are just about in peak color... but where will I go and what will I shoot??  Only time will tell!

Happy Shooting!

Corrie <3

Apple Picking at Stribling Orchard in Markham, Virginia

Yesterday was a GORGEOUS day here in Northern Virginia.  The family and I took a drive out to Stribling Orchard to go apple picking in the Blue Ridge Mountains.  The drive was beautiful along Route 66 and the trees were just starting to change colors.

ISO 200 ~ 28mm ~ f/8.0 ~ 1/640 sec

© Corrie M Avila

The orchard had pumpkins out front and also crates of already picked apples.  Of course I had to have a photo of my boys sitting in the pumpkins.

ISO 200 ~ 90mm ~ f/8.0 ~ 1/800 sec

© Corrie M Avila

There were freshly dipped caramel apples, apple cider, BBQ, and a bakery filled with all kinds of wonderful and amazing things.  The bakery had freshly baked apple pies, apple sticks (which is what we ate), and freshly baked bread.  I wish I had a photo of the apple sticks, but um, yeah, they were that good.

ISO 200 ~ 50mm ~ f/8.0 ~ 1/250 sec

© Corrie M Avila

ISO 200 ~ 35mm ~ f/8.0 ~ 1/800 sec

© Corrie M Avila

ISO 200 ~ 28mm ~ f/8.0 ~ 1/160 sec

© Corrie M Avila

There were maps that said where to find each kind of apple.  But since we were more interested in the "hunt" of the apple, we just kind of meandered.  We also had to lay down some ground rules for the boys.

1. Don't climb the trees
2. Don't pick up ANY apple off the ground
3. Place your apples gently in your bag or you will end up with applesauce
4. There is no potty in the orchard
5. DO NOT PICK UP ANY APPLES OFF THE GROUND INCLUDES PUTTING THEM IN YOUR MOUTH

ISO 200 ~ 28mm ~ f/7.1 ~ 1/400 sec

© Corrie M Avila

ISO 200 ~ 80mm ~ f/7.1 ~ 1/100 sec

 © Corrie M Avila

ISO 200 ~ 75mm ~ f/6.3 ~ 1/800 sec

 © Corrie M Avila

ISO 200 ~ 10mm ~ f/16 ~ 1/160 sec

 © Corrie M Avila

ISO 200 ~ 19mm ~ f/16 ~ 1/160 sec

© Corrie M Avila

Now for my favorite part of our trip... at the very tippy top of the orchard lies an AMAZING view.  If you don't know about it, you'll most likely never venture up that far.  It just goes to show, it is worth the time exploring all areas of wherever you may be visiting.  

After paying for our apples, we took the car up and ate our apple sticks while looking out at this...

ISO 200 ~ 10mm ~ f/13 ~ 1/250 sec

© Corrie M Avila

I could not get over the clouds.  They were just perfect... like God himself took a paintbrush and painted the sky with little cloud fluffs.

ISO 100 ~ 65mm ~ f/7.1 ~ 1/200 sec

© Corrie M Avila

There is no admission fee to get into the orchard, you just pay for what you pick.  I am planning to return to the area in a week or so in order to get my fall landscapes.  Seeing as my boys have already made their way through half the apples, it may not be a bad idea to go back and restock.

I'm going to add a side note here.  If you notice in my settings, my ISO is set at 200.  This was purely by mistake and it should have been set to 100 for all the photos.  I didn't even notice my mistake until I got home.  This is just a friendly reminder (speaking to myself here too), always check your settings!  Even if you know they are where they need to be, check them again.  Thankfully this was not a huge mistake, but it was an unnecessary one.

And finally, make sure to wear closed toed shoes... it can get a little mushy and slippery out there with all the apples on the ground.

Enjoy the beginning of Autumn and Happy Shooting!

Corrie

edit on 10/10/12 ~ After speaking with the Striblings, they informed me that when an apple has just fallen from the tree, it is actually at perfection... that the apple drops when it when it has gotten the perfect amount of sugar from the tree ~ how cool is that?!?  I think with my boys I have to stick with the rule of "no eating apples from the ground" just because there are some mushy ones down there too.  But it goes to show that the best fruit may actually be right under your nose!

Autumn is Here!!

Well, not officially as the first day of Autumn according to the calendar is September 22.  But the leaves are starting to change, which means that Autumn should not be too far off.  This is my favorite season for many reasons but most importantly, the jaw-dropping, breathtaking beauty of everything painted in rich fall colors.  Autumn reminds me of time with family, the turkey roasting in the oven, pumpkin spice lattes, bales of hay and pumpkin patches.

Every season is enjoyable to photograph and I truly love capturing the essence of the season and what it means to me.  But there is just something about Autumn that touches my heart and makes me smile.  The other day I went out on a walk with my family in the neighborhood and this is where I first started seeing the leaves beginning to change colors.  I drafted the assistance of my husband to help with this photo :)

© Corrie M Avila

ISO 100 ~ 56 mm ~ f/5.6 ~ 1/320 sec

In hindsight, I wish I had used my macro lens here rather than the telephoto that was on my camera for the walk.  But sometimes capturing the moment is more important than missing opportunities to go back for a different lens.  So just be prepared for many more leaf photos and I plan on getting some nice macro shots where you can see the detail much better!

I am sitting here typing away in the middle of the night with a sick little boy on my lap.  He brightened up when I added this photo and remembered when we took it together.  Technicality is important, especially in photography, but the emotional attachment is also equally important.  

Happy Shooting <3

Corrie