Pegs of Many Colors

Day 160

09 JUNE 09

Yes, I'm in a bit of a cliched mood. I kicked around a few different titles for this photo. Square Pegs was out because there were no squares. Magic Pegs and Peg Magic were both rejected for being just plain stupid-sounding. And Peg Me! was just a little too dirty. So Pegs of Many Colors it became.

This is one of those peg games you sometimes find on the tables of restaurants and diners. I think we picked this one up at our local Cracker Barrel. Once again, I used available light (yup, definitely a pattern here) and got in really good and close. I kind of like the result.

Post-processing: noise reduction, sharpening, a little cloning to remove a couple hairs, and a border addition.

Rollin' Rollin' Rollin'

Day 158

07 JUNE 09

It's another indoor available light photo! My husband and son had a National Parks Monopoly game going on our dining room table; that sucker must've lasted a month or two. Instead of getting frustrated with its continued presence, I decided to take pictures of it.

The shots of the bear piece didn't come out very well at ISO 1600 with available light. Too many nooks and crannys in that thing, I guess. But the shots of the dice, those shots, I liked.

That game did eventually end, by the way. My son declared himself the winner.

Post-processing: Noise reduction, sharpening, color balance to ease up on the yellow, and border addition.

Final Score

DAY 99

09 APR 09

This past high school soccer season, my daughter played for the junior varsity team. The season was an adventure: sometimes exciting, sometimes frustrating. Always fun. And it was our first experience with high school soccer.

We may be a little too optimistic, but we figure this season was her only JV season; next year we fully expect her to make varsity. Which is why this photo is significant for us. It's the final score of the final game. We were the guests, so it's also a win. What a way to end the season!

I wonder what next season will bring?

Post-processing: noise reduction, sharpening, people removal, border addition.

On the Pitch

DAY 80

21 MAR 09

Initially, one of my self-imposed rules for Project 365 was no soccer pictures. I'd instituted that rule because I'd shot every game my daughter played in during the Spring 2008 season and the Spring and Fall 2007 seasons. In other words, I'd shot a lot of soccer, and felt more soccer pictures wouldn't present the skill-building I was hoping Project 365 would offer.

As you can see, I've changed my tune.

First of all, rather than bringing my camera to my daughter's games, I've been watching them. With my eyes. Not through a camera lens. And I did that during the Spring 2009 and Fall 2008 seasons. I must admit I really enjoyed that. I'd never realized how different a game is when you don't watch through a camera.

Second, I didn't use my regular soccer set up for this picture. No Canon 40d dSLR. No Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS lens. No monopod. Just my little point-n-shoot and a lot of praying. I'd say the prayer worked, since I managed to get this shot.

This was a junior varsity tournament hosted by the school my daughter plays for. This season, her coach has her playing in the box as the Keeper, which has resulted in very little time on the field. She hasn't been entirely happy about that; while she likes the position, she likes field time, too. Prior to this tournament, she played a single half in the first game of the season, and she scored a goal for her team.

When her coach sent her out on the field during the tournament, I knew I had to try a get a shot. It was great to see her out on the field again, even if she didn't score this time. No goal, but she did get an assist.

Post-processing: sharpening, noise reduction, border addition.