Surf Dude, Apple Bay, Tortola British Virgin Islands

I took this picture last week.  I was surprised to see these guys surfing this early.  I thought that January - February was really surfing season in our area.  I did not realize that it started from December.  Luckily I had my camera with me!

Merry Christmas

These pictures were taken last weekend on the western side of the island.  At this time of the year the sunsets are so beautiful and breathtaking.  I just had to take the evening to go and take some pictures.  I left home about 4:30pm and drove to west end.  The sun sets at about 5:30pm.  I was able to get pictures as it was descending.  Just awesome!

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Lens Hood

I received a lens hood with my Nikkor 55-200mm lens and decided to do some research on the uses/need of it. 
A lens hood or lens shade is a device used on the end of a lens to block the sun or other light source in order to prevent glare and lens flare.

Well, you are not required to use one, but if there are some very good reasons to do so.

The primary use for a lens hood is to prevent light from hitting the front lens element from the sides - reducing contrast and creating flare. Pictures taken with a lens hood installed will generally have richer colors, deeper saturation.

A secondary use for a lens hood is to protect the lens. The damage prevented can range from a finger-printed front element (a minor inconvenience) to a broken lens (possibly a major expense - and lost pictures). Lens hoods are generally strong and stick out from the lens some distance. Accidental touches and scratches to the front element are reduced simply because the glass is difficult to reach. Some impact protection is gained from having a sacrificial part taking the blow. Of course, ultra wide angle lenses have very short hoods that offer very little protection.

Lens hoods on longer focal length lenses offer some front lens element protection from rain and dust. The hood helps to keep the front element clean and dry. Of course, if your lens is not weather sealed, you should not let it get wet in the first place.

A small convenience tip: If the lens hood fits too tightly for your liking, add a little body oil to the threads. Your body oil - from your forehead, nose ... The hood will be much easier to twist on.

Get in the habit of always using a lens hood!

Turtle Doves

Its so funny, the method I used to take these pictures.  As I saw these birds, I took about three  pictures, then I took about six, slow, quite steps towards.  I did this about four times until I realized that the birds were getting a bit 'spooked' and would fly away if I got any closer. Of course I had my telephoto lens mounted on my Nikon D60.

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BVI bird

Pearly-eyed Thrasher

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Pelican

I initially named this page Seagull and my friend educated me and informed me that this is a Pelican. Oops.....!!!!



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Nikkor 55-200mm lens

This my Nikkor 55-200mm lens (with hood) attached to my Nikon d60 camera.  I finally got it!!! The black thing next to the camera is a protective bag to put the lens in.

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Slow School

Some more great pictures that were taken on Sunday December 5. I felt happy and proud when I took these pictures. I felt as if I had accomplished alot. One picture is with the school sign in focus and other other the sign is out of focus.

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Religious Flags

This is a typical sight, near any river, in Trinidad.  They are planted by members of a Hindu religion group.  Anytime they have their religious ceremony at this beach, they go to this particular spot.  I was lucky to get this youngster running back to his vehicle!

If I remember correctly, members of the Baptist faith use these flags as well.

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Hibicus

I had a great photo day on Sunday 5, the weather was great and I made some head way with my macro photos using the close up filters. These are some of the results. Not too bad. But needs some perfecting. I had to set the focus to manual.

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Hop Scotch

I remember these days but don't know if I spelt the name of the game correctly!

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Sad

Yesterday I received my Tamron AF 70-300mm f/4.0-5.6 Di LD Macro Zoom Lens for Konica Minolta and Sony Digital SLR.  I was so excited to take pictures with my new lens.  But I had problems mounting the lens to my Nikon D60 camera.  I spent about three hours doing research on if I had purchased the correct lens for my camera.

This morning I was speaking to a friend and she was telling that maybe I would have to purchase a adaptor or convertor to be able to attach the lens to my camera.  Another friend advised that doing that, may cost me to lose quality in my pictures.  He said that the better thing to do is to return the lens and purchase get another one. 

Well I just ordered another one - Nikon 55-200mm f/4-5.6G ED IF AF-S DX VR [Vibration Reduction] Nikkor Zoom Lens - and based on what my friend told me today, I think I purchase the correct lens for my camera.

The following is a review on this lens

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Fustrated!

I went walking on Monday November 30, 2010 and decided to take some close up pictures (with the close up filters installed) of the hibicus flower.  I spent 20 minutes trying to get the perfect picture!  My camera was having great difficulty focusing on my object.  It was quite fustrating.  This is the only picture that I got, it is not too bad but it is not good enough for me.  I want a more perfect 'shot'.  I could have taken at least 50 pictures within that time frame!  By the time I was done, I was sweating.  A fun moment was fun no more!

I should be receiving my zooms lens today, so excited!!

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Close Up Filters

I just wanted to show you the close up filters that I bought.  Cost about $10.00 from Amazon.  But this is not what I want, I have to get very very close to my object to get Macro pictures.  Now that would not work if I want to take a picture of a bee for example.  Of course the bee would fly away.  So I have decided to purchase a Tamron AF 70-300mm f/4.0-5.6 Di LD Macro Zoom Lens from Amazon for $165.00, should receive some time next week.  Can't wait!

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Old Church, Santa Cruz, Trinidad And Tobago

This is a Roman Catholic Church located Santa Cruz, Trinidad.  I estimate that it is no less than 50 years old!

Diving Skills, Tyrico Beach, Trinidad

This young man is showing off his diving skills at a river near Tyrico Beach in North Trinidad. This spot that he is swimming is where the river meets the sea.

Photo taken with Nikon D60 DSLR Camera

Macro Photography

Well my quest for a zoom lens has brought me to Macro Photography aka Close Up Photography.  Macro Photography is basically a technique where you can take pictures of a very small object with the finest of detail.  To do that, certain equipment has to be purchased like a lens with a range of about 80 - 200mm.

These lens are a bit expensive so a cheaper way to start is maybe getting some close up filters, which I did.  The ones I got are +1, +4, +10 and +2.  I purchased my package from Amazon - must say that Amazon really provide a great service.  I was so excited to get my filters that I had used the express delivery service.

The filters came in a cute little black box.  The following pictures are my first attempt with all the filters on. 

My conclusion:  To take these pictures with the close up filters, I had to move my camera VERY close to the object which as much as I like this type of photography, is not what I am looking for.  I want to be able to take pictures of birds for instance, without having to get to close to them.  Because as you know, getting close up to birds would result in them flying away.  So I think what I really need is the zoom lens.  But I will work more with these close filters.

My Nikon D60 camera with a 18-55 mm lens and it does not allow me alot of zoom capability.  If I had to zoom in without the close up filters (to take pictures of the flowers -above for example), I would not get very close.  If I move physically closer, the image would be blurred.  So I am very limited with my present lens if I want to do any type of special photography tips.





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Special Friend - Supporter Of My Blog And Photos

It has been approximately a year since I have been blogging and I have made some friends along the way.  One friend that I would like to talk about today is Terry Schultz.  She started commenting on my pictures basically from the time I started blogging.  Her comments have always, always been positive and inspirational!  I could never forget the time that I commented that I was concerned about running out of ideas of what to take pictures of and she responded by saying that there is always something to take photos of.  All I had to do was to just look around my home and I will find something.

So what I did was, take some pictures of the water running from my shower and I submitted one of these pictures to an local online news paper.  Guess what?  My phot was selected as Photo Of The Day!!!

A few days ago I wrote an article about my photography progress and yesterday I thought that I should ask Terry if she would honor me by posting the article on her website.  And trust me when I say, within fifteen (15) minutes, I received a response from her informing me that she had posted her article on her site!  I really appreciate her doing that for me.  THANK  YOU TERRY!!!  

Maybe someday we will get to meet each other face to face.  I will like that very much!

18-200mm Nikkor Lens

New Partner

My husband just took this picture for me. As I was preparing the camera to take some pictures myself, he came home and I asked him to take some pictures for me. I am proud of him, he did a great job. I think I found a partner for my hobby. Maybe this is finally something that we can enjoy and do together!

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Gypsy The Cat

This is Gypsy and I have been wanting to take pictures of her for some time but with each attempt she would run away.  I recently purchased a Pentax Optio WS80 digital camera, it is water proof and I can take videos with it. I wanted to get a camera like this for a while. 

So on this particular day, I saw Gypsy on the roof and I had my camera in my bag so I just pulled it out and began taking pictures of her.   This camera is so convenient, I could keep it in my hand bag all time time because of its small size.  Not all the time it is convenient for me to take my Nikon D60 with me.

Most importantly, I submitted on of my pictures of Gypsy to be consider for Photo Of The Day and it was selected!!!  It was worth the wait!

Beauty At Its Simplest And Purest!

This lovely young lady is my son's girlfriend and she has such flawless beautiful facial skin.  This is what you call beauty at its simplest and purest!

Photos taken with Nikon D60 DSLR Camera

Catching Lobster In Anegada British Virgin Islands

Photos taken with Nikon D60 DSLR camera

Black Sand, St. Vincent

On my recent trip to St. Vincent (August 2010), we drove to the Leeward side of the island and I took this picture focusing on the black sand.  My husband informed me that because of the volcano, most of the beaches on the island has black sand like this.

Sinking House

My son and I went to Anegada BVI, on August 11, 2010, and he took me to this spot where there were some sinking houses. Apparently there is some serious coastal erosion going on in Anegada.





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Boxing Banana, St. Vincent And Grenadines

In St. Vincent, banana is grown to be exported and here in this photo, this farmer is packing them in boxes to be sold to the exporter.  Many years ago, exportation of banana was done on a large scale but it has reduced considerably.

Roast Corn Vendor St. Vincent And The Grenadines

My husband and I were in St. Vincent (his country) for the first week in August 2010 and as we were driving around the island, we saw a few of these roast corn vendors.  His sisters and I just went 'crazy'!  We had to stop each time we saw a vendor and buy some of this corn.  In Trinidad and Tobago where I am from, there are no longer any roast corn vendors at the side of the road, so it was a rare sight for me.  

Photo taken with Nikon D60 DSLR Camera

Moko Jumbie British Virgin Islands

I got the opportunity to take this picture on Saturday July 24, 2010.  This young lady had just completed her session at the Annual BVI Kiddies Parade.  People walking/dancing on sticks like this of various lengths are called Mokie Jumbies or Stick Walkers.  Usually they are in costumes but as this young lady had completed her session, she had already taken off her costume.

Don't worry she is not about to fall, I asked her to show me a few tricks.  Unfortunately another one of her colleagues had a bad fall that same day and hit her head on the ground as she fell.  She had to be taken to the hospital.

Photo taken with Nikon D60 DSLR Camera

Healey's Eyes

Healey's eyes!  The day that I took this pictures, her owner left the island and she was looking a bit sad.  So I decided to entertain her by playing with her and taking some pictures. This is one of them.

Photo taken with Nikon D60 DSLR Camera

Update:  Healey died September 2, 2018

Setting Camera Results

I took out these pictures today, myself by setting my camera and am very pleased with the results.  I am using these pictures in my new website about my weight loss journey.  I swim regularly during my lunch hour in this beach.  Location:  Wells Bay, Beef Island, British Virgin Islands.

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