More Italy!

I'm very excited to have finally located my other trip photos. Again, check out flickr for the complete set!

Bicycle


Sunset over Florence Apartments


Balcony view of Courtyard


Ponte Vecchio from Piazelle Michelangelo


I love the Duomo

Off Topic-Advice on Packing for Italy

I read a lot of sites before the trip and have some suggestions of my own. Most of this is probably more applicable to women.

When packing for Italy, I planned ahead. I brought a small set of clothes that could easily mix and match and I thought I had it figured out. I read a ton of websites. I considered how I'd like to be perceived (not obnoxiously american)...But even though I had known it would be hot, I don't think I really understood how hot it was truly going to be. (over 100 degrees on multiple days during our trip)


Most useful things I packed:
silk wrap skirt, knee length. light and breathable for hot weather, can be worn in multiple different styles, and was long enough to not worry about passing the church dress codes. i'm not normally a skirt person, but it is so much cooler than pants. i wore this skirt about 50% of the time.

a sports bra. Seriously, it is so hot you won't want to wear anything else.

comfortable walking SANDALS. i loved my birkenstocks during this trip more then ever, because they were both supportive and cool.

socks and tennis shoes-for the days when you might climb a lot of stairs, or if you get a blister.

a large linen scarf/wrap-used it to protect myself from the sun, cover my shoulders in churches, and as decoration. was lightweight and fit easily into a purse.


the cable for downloading my photos when my SD card was full (or obviously you could get a bigger SD card.) and in the same line, my camera battery charger and plug converter.

bobby pins




Things I wished I had packed:
a more serious deoderant. maybe one of those clinical protection one's i've seen advertised on tv.

tank tops. tank tops!! I thought i'd want to protect my shoulders from the sun, but honestly it was so hot that I went out and bought a tank top, which i proceeded to wear on over 1/2 the days we were there.

more sunscreen! especially one in a little bottle that can be carried around during the day.

spandex or breathable athletic shorts to wear under my skirts. sooo much better.

a hat. i purposefully didn't bring one because I was planning on buying one there. however, it took me about 3 days to find one i liked, so in the meantime i got the experience blinding sun beating down on my face. bring a hat!


Things I wish I hadn't packed:
a white shirt.

a shirt and a skirt that didn't really fit perfectly. did i think they were magically going to change size?

various extra shoes (you really don't need them i promise)

tight clothing. when it's hot, it is so much more comfortable to wear something loose and breathable.



The most important advice I can give you about traveling to italy is PACK LESS. Take out half of the things you intend to bring. Seriously I only wore half of the shirts I brought. Having more room in your suitcase means you can bring more souvenirs home!!

Sample of Italy Photos

These photos are all from the second half of the trip because that is what I've downloaded so far. If you want to see more of Italy, check out my flickr site: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kilbou23/sets/72157624457902945/



Horses



Duomo from the Belltower



Piazza della Repubblica from the Belltower



The Magic Flute


Chalk Drawing

Old photos

so i haven't updated this in forever. but then i found out that some people were actually reading it and i feel a little guilty. thanks for your support, friends!

i'm currently missing my USB-SDcard cord but when i find it you can look forward to such wonders as: OU campus's "saints and sinners" fountain, howell hot air balloon competition, and italy!!

Zoo Pics

Sticky Situation
Shutter: 1/50
Aperture: f/4.5
Focal Length: 52 mm




Boys
Shutter: 1/50
Aperture: f/4.0
Focal Length: 44 mm




Monkey 1

The Arboretum

We arrived in the Arboretum only a half hour before the storm today. Lucky we remembered to go, because the peonies were most likely wrecked by the wind and rain. The light was shifty and fleeting.

Ant I
Shutter: 1/100
Aperture: 1/5.6
Focal Length: 80 mm




Ant II
Shutter: 1/125
Aperture: f/5.6
Focal Length: 80 mm




Peony Garden
Shutter: 1/100
Aperture: f/8.0
Focal Length: 75 mm

Weekend Photos

Boots
Shutter: 1/250
Aperture: f/5.6
Focal Length" 270 mm
conditions: overcast





Entertainer
Shutter: 1/640
Aperture: f/4.5
Focal Length: 70mm
conditions: partly sunny



Fiddle
Shutter: 1/320
Aperture: f/5.6
Focal Length: 180 mm
Conditions: sunny

Two photos today because I'm indecisive

Shutter: 1/320
Aperture: f/8.0
Focal Length: 80mm




Shutter: 1/100
Aperture: f/13.0
Focal Length: 75mm




Currently my goal is to take a little more though about my composition and how it could be improved... before taking 20 photos...

Monday & Tuesday

Today's photo is part of a series that i did on tulips after the rain.
Tuesday's photo:
3:06pm, very cloudy
shutter: 1/60
aperture: f/5.3
focal length: 66mm






Yesterday I saw a group of cardinals squabbling outside the kitchen window. my best guest is that they were fighting over territory, since there were 2 mated pairs. but of course, being me, i watched them for about a minute before realizing i should take pictures, and by the time i grabbed my camera and got outside they had all flown away.

but i did get this less-action filled photo-

Monday's photo:
3:30pm, rainy
Shutter: 1/100
Aperture: f/5.6
Focal length: 300mm

Saturday & Sunday

Today I used my 70mm-300mm for the first time! Many of the photos turned out better than I thought they would when I took them, sort of the opposite of yesterday, including some photos in a cool burnt out area of the woods. Eventually I will put some more up on my flickr site if you're curious. Anyway, bonus points if you can identify the bird in this one!

Today's Photo
Shutter: 1/320
Aperture: f/5.6
Focal Length: 300mm





Yesterday-

Thank you to Wildtype company for letting me take photos in/of their barn. (a GREAT nursery full of michigan natives, check them out ) Most of the pictures I took there were pretty meh in comparison to how cool the place is, but here is one of the better ones.

Saturday's Photo
Shutter: 1/60
Aperture: f/16
Focal Length: 28mm

Beginnings

So I now have a blog. Yipee! The idea behind this project is that I will take a post-worthy photo every day throughout the summer and maybe beyond-this will help me learn to use my digital slr, develop photo skills, visit cool places, etc. I don't promise to post on time or not cheat and use two photos from the same day...but I'll do my best! Thanks for joining me!

Today's photo: Joy
focal length: 80 mm
shutter speed: 1/800
aperture: f/5.6