"manual" photos and another triathlon

My assignment for week #3 in my photography class was learning to do everything on manual. Manual = Scary! Just having to remember shutter speed + aperture = correct exposure and all the figures that go with it makes me feel like I'm back in school again. Guess that makes sense since this is a real class. I have to think about what kind of photo I want to take and then figure out the settings and then check the histogram to see if I got the correct exposure. Supposedly after you practice and practice, it becomes second nature. We will see.

So, this is my manual photo that I took of Jayne that I happened to get just right on accident.

Nikon D40, 18-55mm lens, focal length 50 mm, exposure 1/500 sec at f/11, ISO 400

The next lesson was on focusing and focal points. So much fun, I tell ya! I must have taken 20-30 pictures of this candle before I got it right. This was taken on manual, without using a flash, and focusing on the "Love You" on the candle.

Nikon D40, 18-55mm lens, focal length 55 mm, 1/60 sec at f/5.6, ISO 3200

This was another one that came out of the 20-30 pics taken. I kinda like the looks of it. :)

Another triathlon? Yep, another triathlon was completed in this family, but not by me. Gabe, Ethan, and Abram all were in the "Do the Tri" Kids Triathlon yesterday and did awesome!! Ethan and Abram were in the 5-8 year old group. They swam 25 meters, biked 1 mile, and ran 1/4 mile. Gabe was in the 9-13 year old group and swam 50 meters, biked 3 miles, and ran 3/4 mile. They all came across the finish line with smiles on their faces. Course they all said to me later, "That wasn't that hard, mom." Thanks guys. Wish I could have done one with their distances!

Here are some pics...taken on auto cuz I didn't want to mess them up. ;)

Abram checking out his bag of goodies that they received.

He was all about the gear. After the race, he was asking when he was going to get his triathlete shoes, his road bike, and his shirt that says, "I am a triathlete." All in good time, my friend.

Walking the running path beforehand.

Ethan and his #33's all over his body. Abram is in the background with his bike.

Abram waiting in line. He was #49. He was happy that his numbers didn't wash off so he could show everyone in church today.

This is the look of a focused and serious athlete. Or a bored one.

Ethan swimming. I hope that is water and not snot coming out of his nose. Eww.

Abram swimming in the above pic and biking in the pic below.

Ethan getting off his bike and going into the run.

Abram running. What cute form.

Ethan at the finish line.

Abram at the finish line.

Gabe waiting his turn. The 9-13 yr olds didn't start their race until the younger group finished.

I wish I had that form while swimming. He makes it look so easy.

Gabe running out of the bike transition area. I missed him on his bike but a friend of mine told me he was riding with no hands and yelling "Woo Hoo." Too funny.

Gabe at the finish line just after he told me, "I'm gonna die!" LOL

And the final photo...I had them go back underneath the finish line as I missed ALL of them coming across the line for some reason or other. We had a creative assignment for the photo class that was adding song lyrics to a photo. Of course I had to use this one!

There is a triathlon on Thanksgiving Day that I want to do, Loren has expressed an interest in it, and now Gabe and Ethan want to do it too. Abram and Jayne are too young as they start at age 7, but I guess the rest of us will be in training. Here we go again! Its okay if you think we are crazy, cuz we are. ;)