F/1.4    1/60 sec.   ISO-320    50mm

I was supposed to be making Christmas cookies when I was actually reading this article called Tips for Magazine Quality Photography but it’s all good ‘cause it got me to try opening up my lens to 1.4 to try to get some bokeh going in the background. As you can see here it didn’t really happen. Blurry but no soft floating bubbles.

 

F/4.8      1/15sec    ISO-100     14mm 

 

F/1.4   1/80 sec. ISO-320   50mm

As the daylight was leaving I started to see it! I though about the Christmas lights Mathew Mead talked about for making beautiful bokeh but I haven’t dug those out yet. It’s not Christmas eve yet, I never get Christmas light out before Christmas eve unless my sister comes over and insists.

 

F/1.4    1/80 sec. ISO-320   50mm

This is the best I was able to do. But I’ll keep working on it. I think the best part about this is it makes a messy house look great…

 

Instead of Christmas lights I tried Ribbons draped off the lamp.

 

A flashlight with paper, uh, I mean a magazine page taped to the flashlight and holes cut out.

 

And yes, the very scissors that cut the holes in the magazine page.

 

The cherry and chocolate all in one bite…

 

  Chocolate and tart Cherry Cookies

inspired by Cookinglight.com

   1 cup organic whole wheat pastry flour
   1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
   1/2 teaspoon baking powder
   1/4 teaspoon baking soda
   1/4 teaspoon salt
   1 cup sugar
   1/3 cup butter, softened
   1 teaspoon vanilla extract
   1 egg
   2/3 cup dried tart cherries
   1/4 cup  semisweet chocolate chips
   

Preparation
  Place sugar and butter in a large bowl; mix until well blended. Add vanilla and egg; beat well. Add flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cocoa. Mix just until combined. Fold in cherries and chocolate chips.
   Preheat oven to 350°.
    Drop by spoonfuls 2 inches apart onto baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 12 minutes or just until set. Remove from oven; cool on pans 5 minutes. Remove from pans; cool completely on wire racks.