Life with Dylan

Category: photography

  • Sunset Sunday – Cotton Candy Pink

    I love sunsets – who doesn’t? I mean really, sunsets are not only beautiful to look at, but watching the sunset is such a wonderful way to let all of the stress from the day just float away. I like to think that just as the sun is setting and disappearing behind the horizon, so are all my problems and stress from the day.

    Starting today, every Sunday I will be posting a picture of my favorite sunset from the week as a way to share the beauty of Mother Nature – hence the name Sunset Sunday.

    Rather than focusing on the sun, I took this picture that focuses on the clouds. The setting sun reflecting on the clouds reminds me of pink cotton candy.

    Have a fantastic week and don’t forget to take the time to watch the sunsets.

  • The simple beauty of a flower petal

    Photography allows me to see the simple beauty in things that I never noticed before.

  • I spy with my little eye

  • Happy World Photography Day!

    Yes, today is World Photography Day.

    A day to celebrate photography and all that is captured looking through the lens. My love for photography grows with each passing day and I now find myself stopping alongside the road to take a picture.

    I see things differently now – is this what they call a photographer’s eye? Whether I have my iPhone or my camera with me, I see the world in a whole new way.

    I see the light and how it reflects. I see the shadows and how they add depth. I see the beauty of the little things around me and want to capture them all.

    My favorite things to photograph are flowers, animals, and basically anything that involves nature.

    In honor of World Photography Day I would like to share some of my favorite shots.

    A gharials eye reflecting on the water at the San Diego Zoo

    Diego the ocelot from the San Diego Zoo
    Yun Zi the giant panda from the San Diego Zoo

    California Sea Lions resting on a buoy in Newport Harbor
    Just before sunset at Upper Newport Bay

    Do you enjoy photography? What is your favorite subject to photograph?

  • Taking sunset pictures is a favorite summer tradition of mine

    One thing that has made this somewhat unbearable heat wave tolerable is looking forward to taking sunset pictures. I love how the sky takes on the warm colors of the sun. Pink, orange, red, and even purple sometimes.

    From a sky too bright to look at, to a large fireball sinking into the horizon – Seemingly falling off the edge of the world.

    I am still amazed and watch in awe as the sky transforms in a matter of  minutes.

    The other night it was just too hot to stay indoors. Yes, this sounds strange, but the air was so still that I couldn’t bear to sit at home. (I have air conditioning, but I am trying my best not to use it.) The Upper Newport Bay, known to locals as the Back Bay, is only a five minute walk from my home – so we headed out. Cameras and iPhone in hand, we were ready to see some magic happen in the sky.

    I love how the sun reflects on the waters surface
    and how the heat of the sun gives way to a rainbow of colored clouds.

    As I am writing this post, I am wondering why taking sunset pictures has always been a summertime tradition.

    Is it because we associated sunsets with the beach and we spend more time at the beach in the summer?

    Or maybe it is because the sunsets are so much more vivid in the summer – I might have to think about this one. Either way, sunsets are one of Mother Natures best creations.

    Watching the sun set over the water is one of my favorite ways to end the day. Once the sun is gone, the light reflects up on the water and everything is covered with pink.

    I know the sun sets 365 days a year and I have seen some beautiful sunsets in the fall, so why not make taking sunset pictures a year-round tradition? The October skies can be quite amazing too!

  • The possibilities are endless …

    when you give a child a camera. 

  • The day I gave my child photography tips

    I have taught my child many things over the years, but giving my child photography tips was not one of them. At least not until now. Ever since I started taking photography more seriously, Dylan has been begging asking for a camera of his own. He sees the images I take on the computer when we come home and we talk about them – what makes them good, what makes them bad, what I could do differently next time.

    Before I run out and buy him a camera of his own, I decided to see if he was serious about taking pictures. So on his birthday I gave him my old camera to use on our trip to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park and the San Diego Zoo. He did not care that the camera was old or that the flash didn’t work. He was just happy to have a camera of his own and wanted some photography tips. He said he wanted to learn how to take pictures like me so people would like them and share them.

    Considering I still have a lot to learn about photography, I started with the basics – what I like to call my 4 most important child photography tips.

    1. Keep the wrist strap on at all times so you don’t drop the camera.

    2. Take as many pictures as you want.

    3. Take your time and hold the camera steady.

    4. Have fun!

    Once we got that at of the way he was on his own. Well, not really. I explained a few of the settings on the camera and told him he could experiment with them, but I did help him choose what would be the best settings to use on the animals.

    Finding a focal point. He was focusing on the flamingos egg and then obviously he liked the goose feet.

    I was trying to explain how to get a reflection in the water, but he did get a nice shot of the duck.
    Practicing getting a picture centered and then the rule of thirds with the meerkats.
    Look around and take a picture of nature. He chose the waterfall. 
    The art of zooming in and then the opposite – showing some background to give perspective.

    Day one was complete and I was pretty impressed with his photography skills. Especially since he is only 9 years old and this was his first time really taking pictures. Had I given enough simple child photography tips? Could I expand and get more detailed the next day at the zoo?

    Apparently the answer was yes. Just look at this picture of Penelope the Galapagos tortoise.

    He got so excited with trying out various settings and took almost 200 pictures. Granted these are the best out of those 200 pictures, he has a real interest in photography. Now when we go to the zoo he doesn’t rush from one exhibit to the next. He takes his time, waits for the perfect shot, and walks away smiling.

    He told me the best photography tip that I gave him was not to waste his time if the subject was too far away. I love that we have yet another thing in common that we can enjoy together.

    Dylan, the photographer

    With the exception of the photos I took of him, all photos are courtesy of Dylan Fryer.

  • Fire in the sky

    Sunset or fire in the sky? What do you think?

  • Instagram Summer

    I can’t believe my summer vacation is over in one short week. Where did the time go? 

    When I look back I think we didn’t really do that much – and then I scroll through my Instagram pictures and realize we did. 
    Days at the beach – impromptu trips for ice cream and frozen yogurt – visits to Aquarium of the Pacific, San Deigo Zoo, and his birthday at San Diego Zoo Safari Park – raising over $1,000 for the tigers – lazy days by the pool – sailing – time spent drawing – basketball at the park – Nighttime Zoo – Reptile Walk – Behind the Scenes Safari
      

    Not bad for a summer vacation. This week we have another trip to the San Diego Zoo, a final trip to Legoland, and of course time by the pool and beach. 
    The best part was that we spent time together. Late nights watching Animal Planet and NatGeo Wild were the best, but no Instagrams of that. 
    Dylan still has another month of summer vacation (lucky kid) and I’m sure he will have fun at Nature Camp and with Grandma. I’ve been having so much fun on my vacation that I never got around to my to do list of chores, but that’s ok, I’m sure they will all be there waiting for me next month. 
    What have you been up to this summer?

  • Wordless Wednesday – You’re invading my space

    I gave Dylan my old camera to use at the zoo last week and I think he may have annoyed this Golden Bellied Mangabey. The monkey came leaping from the tree and jumped at the window numerous times.

    At first Dylan was scared, although he would never admit that, and then he began to show his teeth to the monkey. This went on for a few minutes and my only regret is that I didn’t get it on video.