Melissa's Photos

Flickr

2011-03-22T18:14:00.001-04:00

This is a test post from , a fancy photo sharing thing.

Photo walk

2010-05-25T07:25:00.005-04:00

I'm taking a class at the Midland Center for the Arts. It's called Intermediate Photography. Instead of going each week to a classroom, we go on field trips. This weekend was a trip to the thumb of Michigan.

We started out at the Windmill farm. There is something so peaceful about those massive windmills. Next we went to Stephen Grewe's house. He is our instructor for the class. He had a wonderful lunch for us. Our next stop was the Pointe Aux Barques lighthouse. Funny, we never took a lighthouse photo. We ended up on the beach. We had dinner in Port Austin and made our final stop at the breakwall while we were there.

It was a fun day with great friends.

Thanks Kiran and Justin for a great time!

I'm back!!

2010-05-20T14:24:00.007-04:00

Wow, school has kept me really busy the last 2 semesters and I'm finally back to update my blog.

During the Fall 2009 semester, I took Digital Photography. It was a really fun mix of photography and Photoshop experience. We did a variety of assignments and I learned a lot. I will post pictures of my assignments.

I also started as a freelance photographer for the Delta Collegiate newspaper in September. I never thought I'd enjoy it as much as I did.

During the Winter semester, I became the Photo Editor at the Collegiate. I love my job so much! I work with a great bunch of kids who could all be my children. I feel like I fit right in.

I had to take 6 credit hours during this semester to have the newspaper job. I took Digital Imaging (Photoshop), and did an Independent Study with my favorite teacher of all time, Dave Littell. He has been a great teacher and friend and I thank him for all his help!

Taking the summer off from Delta, but I'm taking an Intermediate Photography class at the Midland Center for the Arts with Stephen Groulx. We go on field trips for this class and so far, we've gone to Whiting Forest. Had a good time with Steph and my friend Kiran who is a wealth of knowledge!! He has helped me more than he knows.

Pow Wow WOW!

2009-08-08T14:37:00.010-04:00

Went with some photography friends to the Pow Wow in Mt. Pleasant, MI last night. The costumes were wonderful and the beat of the music made me want to dance. Don't worry, I didn't. It would have scared everyone out of there! LOL.

I really wish I had captured more of the dancing but the crowds made it hard to see inside the circle.

I love the faces. They were very nice about posing.

Sunrise on Mackinac Island

2009-08-06T16:22:00.002-04:00

These photos are from our trip this past weekend to Mackinac Island. Anyone who knows me well realizes that I'm not a morning person. I had to get up at 5am to bike over past Mission Point resort to take these pictures. It was so worth getting up for! Very peaceful and absolutely gorgeous!

DSC_0001-2, originally uploaded by melissa5704.

Sunrise on Mackinac Island

2009-08-06T16:18:00.001-04:00

DSC_0026-2, originally uploaded by melissa5704.

Sunrise on Mackinac Island

2009-08-06T16:17:00.003-04:00

DSC_0027-2, originally uploaded by melissa5704.

Sunrise on Mackinac Island

2009-08-06T16:17:00.001-04:00

DSC_0038-2, originally uploaded by melissa5704.

Sunrise on Mackinac Island

2009-08-06T16:16:00.002-04:00

DSC_0046-2, originally uploaded by melissa5704.

South Bend, IN

2009-07-27T15:44:00.006-04:00

This weekend, we made a trip to South Bend, IN to visit Jim's family. His sister Lori was visiting with her family from Tampa, FL. We spent most of the weekend with Lori's son Mike and his wife Sarah. This little beauty is my great niece Mackenzie. Isn't she beautiful? She is 8 months old and such a good baby.

Delta College

2009-07-22T21:42:00.003-04:00

Ok, so my boys think I'm nuts but I'm so excited about my Digital Photography class at Delta this fall! I just paid my tuition today and can't wait for the bookstore to open in August to pick up my books.

I realize summer is still in full force, but I do look forward to school starting. Sorry guys!

2009-07-19T16:43:00.012-04:00

Yesterday, I went on a photo walk in Bay City. There were about 30 people there and we had a great time taking photos. We started at the Sage library and made our way down Midland St. over the Liberty bridge, headed down Washington to the old train depot, walked down Water St. then over the Vets bridge back to the library.

This walk was a part of a worldwide walk day in many cities throughout the world. Glad this one was close to home.

If anyone wants to see all of the pictures I took, my flickr username is melissa5704.

All Star Baseball

2009-07-18T22:56:00.006-04:00

Last night was the end of the road for Evan's All Star Team. They had 4 wins (2 of the games they mercied the other teams, and for the other 2, they had 7 runs in each game), 2 losses. Evan really did well. In 1 of the games, he had 2 doubles, a single and an RBI! GO EVAN, you rock!

Flowers

2009-07-08T16:41:00.007-04:00

Today is our anniversary! What a beautiful day it is! I absolutely love this weather and wish it was like this all the time.

My neighbor Doug has a beautiful garden in his yard and was kind enough to let me take some pictures.

Oh, the frustration!!!!

2009-07-07T14:55:00.000-04:00

Ok, if anyone does this blog thing and can tell me why when I line things up, they move themselves around in the final blog? I've tried to edit multiple times, but can't get things to stay where I put them!

Our Disney Trip June 14-21, 2009

2009-07-07T13:39:00.004-04:00

We had such a wonderful time at Disney World this year! It was 98 degrees all week, but if you could get over feeling yucky all the time, it was great. We went with our friends and their boys who are the same ages as Matthew and Evan.

If you'll notice in all the pictures, I am missing. I guess always a photographer, never the photographed!!!

These are a couple of pictures of the fireworks over Cinderella's Castle.

There was a thunderstorm one evening and I got lucky enough to capture a lightning bolt!!!! Of course, for this one shot, I took about 500 pictures.

Animal Kingdom was fabulous! I want to go to Africa someday, so I guess this will have to do for now.

They have a new roller coaster called "Expedition Everest" which was great. We are all roller coaster people and this didn't disappoint!

Here are the boys on the train.

Evan working with an ant eater. Did you know that they have 16" tongues? Evan did, and this is how he got to go up and help. He was the only one with the correct answer. Such a smarty!

Expedition Everest in the background.

Ok, remember that I said we were all roller coaster people? Well, that doesn't include a roller coaster that spins like the teacup ride while it is on the tracks! I don't do spinning rides anymore. I guess I'm getting old? Put me on the tallest roller coaster and I'm fine, but not this. I know, I'm a wimp!

Outside the "Dinosaur" ride!

In front of the "Tree of Life". Not the best picture I know, but I was in vacation mode!

The boys with a guy from Africa. He looks pretty scary, but very nice!

This was taken at a gift shop at Epcot. We just went on a ride called "Spaceship Earth". Again, I opted for the tame version because the intense version spun you around like a real astronaut. I've always wanted to be an astronaut but there's that little matter of the spinning thing, darn it.

These are the boys with their friend Ben being silly with the little hats at the gift shop.

Matthew and Evan happy to have their ice-cold slurpees. Remember the 98 degrees? Yes, this was very refreshing!

The boys (Evan and Matthew with their friends Ben and Sam), got chosen out of the crowd for a comedy show skit. They were acting goofy and aparantly, this makes for good entertainment in a comedy skit.

These are pictures from Disney's Hollywood Studios. They have a version of American Idol where the winning contestant actually wins an audition in front of Simon, Randy and Paula. It was a lot of fun and the winning girl was amazing!

Evan is singing his heart out, but I don't think he'll make it! LOL.

The guys at a stunt show! It was great. They showed how they film car stunts and even set a guy on fire.

The boys in front of the Fantasia hat!

My family (or most of them)

2009-07-06T21:42:00.000-04:00

This is most of my family. Ryan isn't in these photos. I'm one lucky gal to have all these wonderful boys in my life! I love you all!!!!!!

Skatepark

2009-07-06T21:30:00.000-04:00

Alison, Kiran and I decided to take photos at the Midland Skate Park. We had so much fun and the kids were really excited to have their pictures taken! I'd love to go back and shoot at night with all the lights on. I think that is our next shoot~

East Indian Dance Recital

2009-07-06T21:18:00.000-04:00

These are photos from my friend Kiran's Recital. It was wonderful! The costumes were so colorful and beautiful. Kiran sang at the recital.

Water Drops

2009-07-06T20:42:00.000-04:00

Thanks to my friend Kiran, I shot these water photos. He is the photography master!!!!!

View from 4000 feet

2009-07-06T20:33:00.000-04:00

Thank you to my friend Mark for taking Evan and I up in the balloon on Easter Sunday!

2009-07-06T20:21:00.000-04:00

I took a 2 day workshop with Preston Jones at the Alden B. Dow Home on May 2, 2009. It was so much fun! We were all over the place (climbing the chimney, on the roof......).

Tulip Festival

2009-07-06T20:12:00.000-04:00

My friend Kiran and I went to the Tulip Festival in Holland this May and had a great time taking photos!

Delta College Color Photography Class 09

2009-07-06T18:57:00.000-04:00

"4 Elements of Nature" presentation

This project was in the works for the last couple of months of class. We had to do a 15-20 minute presentation that consisted of 30-40 images. With the help of my friend Kiran, the idea for my project was born.

I made a new friend while doing this assignment. I really wanted to capture the launch of a hot air balloon for the air and fire component. I was in contact with Mark from Saginaw who is a hot air balloon pilot. The first try was too windy so he inflated (I learned rather quickly not to use the words 'blew up' LOL) the balloon for me while it was tethered so I could take pictures. The second try (Easter Sunday), was successful and he was kind enough to let my son Evan and I ride along. The balloon that I shot from the air was another person's balloon.

Delta College Color Photography Class 09

2009-07-06T18:55:00.001-04:00

"Composite" assignment #8

We took about 40 photos of a scene or object and mounted them to foam core board to make one large photo. This assignment was so much fun!

Delta College Color Photography Class 09

2009-07-06T18:40:00.000-04:00

"Alphabet" assignment #7 - part 1

We had to find objects in the shape of the letters of the alphabet for this part of the assignment.

"Multiple Exposures" assignment #7 - part 2

Another alternative was to do multiple exposures. I really struggled with this assignment and plan to try it again.

Delta College Color Photography Class 09

2009-07-06T18:34:00.000-04:00

"Aperture" assignment #6

We took pictures of extremes in f-stops. 2 pictures of each subject 'wide open' and 'stopped down'.

Delta College Color Photography Class 09

2009-07-06T18:25:00.001-04:00

"Long Exposures" assignment #5

Delta College Color Photograpy Class 09

2009-07-06T17:44:00.000-04:00

"Shutter Speed and Action" assignment #4

"Zoom Burst" photos

Delta College Color Photography Class 09

2009-07-06T16:23:00.000-04:00

"Textures and Shapes" assignment #3 - part 2

Delta College Color Photography Class 09

2009-07-06T16:07:00.000-04:00

"Object - Ipod" assignment #3 - part 1

Delta College Color Photography Class 2009

2009-07-06T16:00:00.000-04:00

"Color" assignment #2

Delta College Color Photography Class 2009

2009-07-06T15:26:00.001-04:00

I took a Color Photography Class in the winter semester at Delta. I learned so much and had such a great time!!!! The following posts are some of my weekly assignments.

Angles and Perspectives" assignment #1

My Boys!

2009-07-06T15:21:00.000-04:00

Ryan, Evan, Matthew

Here I go!

2009-07-06T00:36:00.000-04:00

Well, this is my first attempt at blogging. I have loved photography ever since I got my Nikon D40 last June. I realized within a few weeks that my camera wasn't going to do all that I would like to learn about photography. I guess I was hooked right away!

In January, I was able to get a Nikon D300 and my husband thanks me when I say that this camera will satisfy me for a long time!

I'm still learning about the technical aspect of photography and working on my creativity, but I guess that comes with time.