The trick is to Enjoy Life. Don’t wish away your days waiting for better ones ahead.
Marjorie Pay Hinckley, author of Small and Simple Things
Small and Simple Things, a good way to connect with inner peace, a gentle ideology to living well. It is about the choices WE choose to make, the paths WE choose to travel.
All images taken with the Coolpix P510, except where noted. The sister post, November 2011 Garden Revisited, was posted on October 30, 2012.
“Do whatever you have to do this week with your whole heart and soul. To do less than this will leave you with an empty feeling.” The author offers simple, yet inspirational advice.
I am not encouraging you to read her book, I am just mentioning it because I too look at simple things I might find. I find solace in the garden heading into a long restful sleep, it gives the gardener a needed break and time to lay back and assess. Having the camera in hand and looking at life through the lens, makes one feel part of, and appreciate the sometimes surprising transformation.
As each bloom clings to life in 36° temperatures today, it gives all it has to pass on the seeds to new life. I find that humbling. Our lives are so complicated, we rarely treasure the simple things (but biologically complex) that nature does around us.
The Coolpix P510 is not too bad of a macro camera focusing to .4 inches, even though I was not that close in any of the photos. It also has a zoom to 42x optical zoom. The range is 24mm to 1000mm and is considered a “superzoom”. I cannot affix filters to the lens or even put on another lens, as this camera is a “do it all” little powerhouse.
Most of the image control is in how I frame up a shot, like below, I have to make the choice on how I present it. The camera does have effects if I want to go that route since I cannot use filters. I use it in Manual too. When I do a post on various ways to get macro shots, I will show you an advantage of this little camera in getting shots the DSLR cannot.
There really is not as much of real eye-catching interest in the garden at this time of year. You might have to look closer and accept that many scenes are less than beautiful, but maybe interesting. Next post will be moving in much closer with macro lenses.
I do like how this year the garden has a softer color scheme than last. Each color is but a shadow of its true self, except in the panel below.
The leaves fell quickly this year, yet the pear tree still is holding on to photosynthesis. Much is still green but in the image that opened the post, most of the colorful leaves have all fallen to the ground.
A different angle of view of the mostly pear leaves and a filtered photographic technique was used on a huge RAW file taken with the DSLR. Click for a peek at a swirly image.
This is if you go crazy with the filter on a selected area at the center of the image. Just playing and trying out something I saw on another blog, Mental Seeds. Go check out his art. I tried to solve his dilemma but figured out it was the actual pixel size that was the problem.
I paired up images based on color and the one below was really a surprise. That is PeeGee Hydrangea Tree and Viburnum plicatum tomentosum leaves in the fountain.
The next two images show a garden in seasonal decline. Not always are the images in Fall so pretty, but some are kinda interesting finds.
The robin nest was in my Concolor Fir, and you can see a squirrel made a hiding place for his cleaned walnuts. The baby robins hatched while I was away this summer, a simple pleasure that I missed.
The sad-looking maple is really nothing like last year, the color is dull and the leaves ravaged by drought.
Love the macro leaf shots!
Thank you Dennis.
Wow…absolutely beautiful. Your photography is really amazing and I enjoy visiting everytime. I especially like the one of the pear leaves…outstanding!
Thank you Lee, especially since I have not used this camera since I got it really. It replaced a defective Coolpix 5000. I am so accustomed to the DSLR that I can see I need a lot of practice to get images that are comparable.
Really nice photos. Love the angle of your “cover” photo. Amazing the nuances of different cameras.
That shot was with the camera sitting on the patio. That is a real advantage of the smaller camera. The movable viewing screen makes images like this possible.
The swirled leaves is really interesting. 42x optical zoom??? whoa. When you said you were going to carry your CoolPix instead of the ‘good’ camera….I thought you meant like my little one…one that fits in your front pocket. This is a nice camera, I look forward to seeing more ‘little things’ through your lens.
It is small. I have to take its photo for you to see. The camera I just bought for underwater is one on those pocket sized cameras. It too can be used like any other camera, but its main feature is waterproof and cold resistant. That is really useful up here too!
Amazing pictures as always. Love the robin’s nest. I appreciate the sentiment about doing everything with your whole heart, but find it difficult to apply when the things you have to do can be rather dehumanizing.
I was laughing when I pulled the nest from the tree. The nuts looked so well arranged, like they were ready to hatch.
nice shots!
Thanks Flora.
Sharp photos, as always. Not sure what to say on the image I sent you of the ground bee. Just wondering if you could sharpen it more. Anyways I may try some of the free trails. Toot-a-loo as may mother always says.
Do try the trials. I think many are standalone too.
I love the direction of all your photos – the angle and the lighting. Amazing and you are so talented. Thanks for sharing your autumn colours.
Thanks Barbie. The angle is the only creative thing I did in these images. The camera is a bit limiting until I start using it more.
Lovely photos. I like how you paired the photos by color and texture; close ups with wider views. Reading your blog is a great way to start the day. – http://mary-goingnative.blogspot.com/
Thanks Mary.
You really found a surprising number of lthings still blooming and I love your leaf photos.
Funny, because that is about all that is out there. The cold weather is about to knock the garden back.
It is really starting to hit here as well–it’s as though the decent temperatures held out until Hallowe’en and now it has dropped right off.
The world would be a much better place if we all put our heart and sole into everything.
I really like the swirly image. Terrific colors too. Looks like it’s a fairly nice camera.
We would all be better people for it too.
The P510 is nice but I need to use it more. The images are a bit lifeless and I know it is how I set the camera. I get fooled because on the view finder they look saturated, then on the computer not so much. I need some practice or it is not making my trip to the Caribbean.
Enjoy your trip!
I hope to Brian. I leave on the 19th of Jan. from Philadelphia and hope the winter weather allows safe travel. Flying out of Buffalo to Phila. is my concern. It will be strange leaving all bundled up for winter and arriving in Miami then St. Lucia where weather will be 90°. What do you do with the winter coat?
Layers???🙂
Loving the bird’s nest!
I bet the Robin’s would have been displeased.
The first filtered image of the leaves is just right for a children’s fairy story book.
The leaves got some punch because it was a RAW image I did all the processing on. Raw images have no camera adjustments made, so it is up to me to add sharpening, contrast, color balance, anything the camera does to a jpeg.
Loved the sayings. I think we gardeners look at the subdued colors of autumn and even the black-and-white of winter and still see beauty. We look closely at the little things, and embrace the changes, even if they’re not what most consider beautiful. It would be wonderful if everyone looked at the world through a gardener’s eyes.
Well said Holley. We are an observant and caring bunch.
Loving the images of this camera and will check it out as I am looking for something new…I am very behind reading posts and will catch up with other posts I have missed…love the garden in decline as well…
It is a camera that has many attributes and is 16 MP. The most unique thing about it is the zoom to 1000mm. I have not used it at this focal length, but most probably will in St. Lucia. I want get those colorful birds. I do know it has focusing issues zoomed all the way out, so that will be a minor problem. My longest DSLR lens is only 400mm so maybe it is nothing to worry about.
Donna – Thanks for playing along with the filter exercise and linking back to my post. I like your first leaf swirl quite a lot and love the richness you achieved. The second example goes way farther and it would be interesting to see the various middle states.
Very nice photo pairings throughout the post.
Thanks for linking back to GWGT. I much appreciate it and your comment. I liked the swirl image too. I kept working on a portion (in a selection) of the same file and did not take intermediary screen shots. The second shot I did the process so many times I lost count. In between I ran a blur too. You should do these challenges on your blog. It would be fun to do these on occasion since I rarely ever use these filter. When I do, it is in combination with other actions and the filters lose their individuality. That is how I do HDR too. I use it just to enhance generally, not command the piece.
As you have seen, my only camera is a CoolPix P5000. I am always satisfied with its macro capabilities, but it is much harder to get a good landscape shot. I can do it but the framing, angle, lighting, etc. have to be optimal.
The Coolpix P510 I used here was a replacement for my Coolpix 5000 which was defective. You have the same battery issues I experienced with mine. Even buying a new battery did no good. It would not hold the charge. There is a problem with the 5000’s on this issue I believe.
I like the somewhat swirly leaves, the severely ones, not so much. Playing around with different techniques can be a very good exercise though.
It is fun to Photoshop now and then. Let the creativity have an open door.
The lead in pictures is a really neat point of view on the magazine cover. I too am glad the garden is going to sleep. I finally got all my bulbs planted today, now I need only plant a few hydrangeas then I too am going to rest. We need it after this long year and the election is over I think!
Me too. I have to say this garden year was a bust with all my traveling. I really did not miss the work though.
I’m glad you’re enjoying your Coolpix camera. Your images are inspiring no matter what camera you use because you have an eye for composition. I agree with some of the others that gardeners and bloggers see things differently–we’re always searching for new ideas and unique angles. A very thought-provoking topic. The swirled images of the leaves are fascinating–I especially enjoyed the first one with just a hint of the artsy filter.
I actually don’t mind the Coolpix, but do miss all the functions of the DSLR when I substitute using it. I was thinking that it would make a good post in seeing how to do more with less. I know I can push the little camera and plan to in an upcoming post. It can do one thing the DSLR cannot with out an expensive add-on and many don’t realize their smaller cameras like point and shoots do have some added features for closeup work.
You were able to get some very sharp photos!
I always knew the Coolpix is a quality camera. I used to use it quite a bit pre-DSLR, but the DSLR was not long to follow.
Love your blurred shot of the leaves. I believe that I cannot take a zoomed up macro image. You have to shoot on wide angle. Is that your experience also?
Hello Donna, Haven’t visited for a while so I’m looking back at your November posts. Need all the help I can get with my photography! I’m taking notes. Love your inspirational advice in this posting. P. x