I was camping a few weekends ago and spotted this False Map Turtle:
ISO 100 8mm 0ev f/4.5 1/500
Basking in the sun, which is an activity you are likely to find these turtles engaged in on rock outcroppings at lakes here in Missouri. After a few minutes of posing for photos, he wandered off:
ISO 100 8mm 0ev f/4.5 1/400
I was at the water’s edge with both my DSLR and point and shoot camera but reached for my point and shoot to get these photos. I used my smaller camera because I really like the macro setting on it. The other reason was that for the first photo I have my camera pretty much on the ground. Getting a photo from that angle is just easier with a smaller camera.
Once I got home, I edited these photos in Photoshop. I used a levels adjustment layer to get the color to be a bit more true to the actual coloring of the turtle. The original images were a bit overexposed despite the low ISO and fast shutter speed. The top image was also cropped a bit and both images were sharpened.
This post was written in part as a response to the theme room. My favorite room? outdoors, where there is some room to roam.
I wrote a few weeks ago that I was a bit behind on my blog and that I was hoping to catch up soon. I’m sorry to say that that hasn’t happened. I’ve been under the weather for just over a week now, so I’m even more behind than before. I’m happy to say though, that I am feeling better and am happy to publish this post after about a week off.
Thoughts on my turtle images? Do you have a favorite setting on your point and shoot camera? they seem to come with so many these days.
Cheers and good health to you!
Photography Journal Blog 
I like using the macro setting on my point and shoot (Canon Ixus) for close-ups, especially when I want to get close to the object I’m shooting. Love your turtle shots, very clear and your must have had a very steady hand. I think many people underestimate the goodness of a point and shoot. Not only are they convenient to take around, if you play around with the settings you can get better shots.
Sounds like you had a fun time camping 🙂 Glad to hear you’re well. Thanks for the well-wishes. I got a bit sick from the cold winter weather in Melbourne.
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It is so warm here, I forget sometimes that is chilly where you are 🙂 I hope that you are well though.
I really do like the macro setting on this particular camera and you are right you can’t beat a point and shoot for convenience.
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Love how point and shoots are cheap too. Buying a new SLR or compact, you always have to put in extra thought about what you’re going to use them for – they are quite pricey and the lenses too. With these turtle photos, I can’t tell you used a point and shoot. Thanks, Amy. It’s getting colder here but I’m getting better 🙂
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I’m glad you are feeling better 🙂
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Glad you are feeling better and can share these lovely images.
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Thanks Dawn!
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Love the first photo. What a good take on rooms. As far as settings my point and shoot has me bewildered. I really need to take some time to figure it out.
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Thanks, and I agree, point and shoot cameras can really have a lot of settings packed on to them.
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Great shot 🙂 this turtle sure has room to roam and all the time in the world huh! 🙂
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It certainly seemed like he was in no particular hurry 🙂
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Just a happy turtle roaming about eh 🙂
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🙂
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Beautiful image, Amy. 🙂
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Thanks 🙂
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Great captures! Hope you return to full health. : )))
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Thanks very much, I am on my way 🙂
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Hello! I am new to your blog but I love your adventures. This turtle is beautiful and I like the colors. I would have used macro setting on my point and shoot too. It always seems to do a nice job. Photoshop editing really brings an image to life. The water is so fluid and lovely. Glad to find you! I just started a photography blog of my adventures in creative endeavors. Blogging is fun! 🙂
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Thanks for stopping by and leaving such a lovely comment 🙂 I’ll be sure to stop by your blog soon.
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Mr. Turtle (I’m assuming it’s a ‘he.”) looks as if he’s quite used to be followed around by paparazzi. Wonderful photo, Amy.
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Yes, it didn’t seem to bother him one bit 🙂
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And good health to you too PJB, enjoyed the turtles, interestingly they carry their rooms along with them :-). I find the point and shoot camera harder to use than my DSLRs! Maybe just because I’m more used to it but I find the smaller footprint means each control has more functions so it’s cumbersome. Ugh!!!
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They carry their rooms with them, I can’t believe I didn’t think of that connection 🙂 My point and shoot has a touchscreen which honestly I find a bit annoying. It’s not as responsive as I would like it to be and so switching settings on my DSLR is actually faster.
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What a perfect subject for this challenge!
Your photos are beautiful, as always — I love the green on the turtle, and his (her?) expressive eyes.
“Express eyes.” Now THERE’S a comment I never thought I’d say when talking about a turtle. 🙂
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Yes, talking about a turtle’s expressive eyes is not something that I ever thought I would do either 🙂
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The turtle has its eyes on you…and his claws are out! 😀
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OK, well I didn’t turn my back on him so I lived to tell the tale 🙂
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What a cool post for the room theme, Amy!
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Thanks, I’m glad you like it 🙂
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Lovely pattern on that turtle. Don’t worry about being behind on blogging, I’m there keeping you company! 😀
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I agree, they have a lovely pattern, I really like the yellow they have around their eyes. I think at this point I have to just accept that I am permanently behind in my blogging. I have a lot of visits that I have not returned and really my options are to delete all those e-mails and ignore the visits or just work through them and always be behind. At this point I am choosing the always behind option because I do actually like visiting blogs, even if I am weeks behind on visits. And then there is the reality that I only spend so much time on my blog because like you, I happily have other things in my life.
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Very nice! We saw some turtles all lined up on a log the last time we walked around Green Lake, but I have no idea what kind of turtle they were. They are such interesting and unique creatures!
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