Keep Calm...

Someday I hope my skill matches my passion

Project 52-Week 28

This picture is not really special as far as composition goes. I am working on editing right now so that was the focus. This was shot during a harsh time of the day so the pictures were way overexposed. Also, I have officially weaned myself to RAW files only. For now Lightroom is much easier for me to navigate than Photoshop but I hope to learn both, eventually.

Week 28
My sweet five-some

And in other news...THIS IS MY 100th POST!!

Project 52-Week 27

My first attempt at long exposure photography

Week 27

New Mexico sunsets are the best

View from my front porch this evening

Took a quick drive around the corner to catch this

Project 52-Week 26

Week 26 is on time...maybe even early-ish. How do ya like that?! It is miracle :D.

Week 26
"You will give the people an ideal to strive towards. They will race behind you, they will stumble, they will fall. But in time, they will join you in the sun. In time, you will help them accomplish wonders."

Project 52-Week 25

Again these pictures are more about editing. I was in a moving car so they are not at sharp as I would like. Someone in a FaceBook photography group very graciously edited the first shot for me. Based on her tips I very awkwardly edited the second two myself.

Week 25
The Super moon and the mountains

And just because...

Project 52- Week 23

I finally started playing with my new flash a little bit. I still have no idea what I am doing but I guess like anything else, it just takes time and patience.

It is kind of amazing, the difference it can make. I am sure once I get the hang of it I will love it. Right now, I am just having fun. I also think it is time to dive into editing. I am just so intimidated but it. I open up Photoshop and my eyes cross. I have a decent grasp on everything else so I need to keep moving forward.

Just a snapshot

Here is the thing about learning photography. You can never look at a picture the same. You start to notice every little limb chop, every bit of grain, every overly photoshopped face...etc. Then you become overly critical of your own pictures and stop enjoying sweet little snapshots.

Ugh.

The baby was super fussy today. He was not into being my model. Every single picture I took was crappy and out of focus. So frustrated. That said, I ended up with this little gem even if it is just a snap shot. I do not now why I like it so much but I just do.

My two little guys, my babies


My original baby


"Mommy, your artisitic vision sucks and I refuse to smile and play along. Also this picture is doomed to be hopelessly out of focus." Meanwhile my 12 year old was complaining all the while because his 17lb brother was "so heavy".


My Tequila bottles are in focus though

Long day.

Home

Project 52-Week 21

On time again? Go me!

Still on the hunt for that tack sharp focus. I tried back button focus too see of that works better for me. So far, so good.

Week 21

My sweet little Conor Knox loves sitting like he is doing aerobics. It makes me giggle every time.

Project 52-Week 19

That's right folks, week 19 is on time. I am feeling pretty good about being on time this week because, well, this week really royally sucked. More about that in another post.

We will be moving soon so I was walking around our house the other night and taking pictures of our surroundings, things I will miss when we move.

Week 19

This is a part of the gate that leads into our neighborhood. It is pretty gate but it is broken all the time. But I will still miss it when we leave.

Project 52-Week 18

Late again. Maybe week 19 will be the week I am on time. We shall see...

I am experimenting with my external flash. I have no idea what I am doing. I read the book but I am still confused. I mean I get it BUT I don't get it. I am going to need to watch several tutorials to figure this out.

Week 18
I am a sorority girl. A PROUD sorority girl. I am an alumna of Kappa Kappa Gamma. I was an active member when I was in college and now I am active with our Houseboard corporation. I bleed blue and blue...

My beautiful badge.



What Is A Sorority?

If it's really anything at all,

A sorority is not entirely
a flower, national conventions, monogrammed rings, worn-out songs, bylaws, membership standards, or a golden pen.

And it is not entirely
an institution, a creed, a legacy, an obligation, or a way of life.

If you're going to insist that it is something,

A sorority is only
Moving in for the first time and slowly learning that all beautiful people have fat legs and use mouthwash and wear last year's coats,
Sitting next to an alum you don't particularly like and being nice because maybe it all means something to her,
Long, tired eternities of black coffee and exam snacks when you can't remember the Renaissance architects or the stages of photosynthesis or respiration,
Sitting on the back steps and listening with all your helplessness because she's lost and she's lonely and it seems the whole world just fell into ugly pieces.

And it's
coming in very late one night and closing the door to tell someone who's seen you through the hardest years of your life that you're happy now, and you're getting married.

And a sorority is, I suppose, a kind of evaluation.

You grow up inside these elegant halls
And perhaps you do learn more about this grizzly, ungrateful circus we call life than if you had lived it somewhere else.
You learn that a football player is sometimes just shoulder pads and that skinny arms sometimes hide a great man.
You learn that some lecture halls are just watery echos and that there are silent rooms for deeper rivers.
You learn that no matter where you come from or who took you there, you've still got to find that one small acre that belongs to you, by yourself.
You learn to wait, because chance is slow and change isn't always right.
You learn that there's still a lot left to believe in and a whole lot more to hope for.
You learn that love has never been easy, and it's a long time coming.

And if you're very smart, or very lucky, you learn that no matter how big or how messy the world becomes, what is precious and what is permanent is always the same.

And in the very end
A sorority can only be a better way to stumble down the back steps and out the front door.

Project 52-Week 17

Late again. I know.

Truthfully, I have taken literally hundreds of pictures the past couple of weeks. All my pictures stink lately. Part of the problem is that most of my practice is during my son's football games and sports photography is a whole other learning curve. It is tough. I am feeling extremely discouraged. I just deleted a couple hundred pictures. Ugh.

Week 17
This picture made me giggle though. If you look really closely you will notice the kid with the ball lost BOTH shoes during this particular play. Football is hardcore.

I received my beautiful new speedlite today. I cannot wait to try it out. I think I am going to try some portrait pictures of my daughter. Of course, first I need to read about it and learn how the heck to use it. Stay tuned for this week's Project 52. Hopefully it will be on time this week but I am not promising anything.

Selecting Focus Points

You can read about photography all you want. You can join every web forum and order every top rated book. But some ideas just do not click until you experiment with them yourself. Photography really comes down to practice and experimentation.

For me, selecting focus points was one of these things. Apparently, selecting your own focus points can help achieve nice tack sharp images. I read about it and learned how to do it on my own camera but had yet to execute it until tonight. I set up a little "photo shoot" with the baby's toys and started shooting.


The lightbulb went on! Ah- ha, I get it, it makes sense. It clicked in my brain (I said "clicked", get it? Camera, clicked? See how I did that? Ha ha ha!). Anyway, I am really loving this photography thing. It is so fun and there is so much to learn.

If you are interested too, here is a much better blog post and another good article here about selecting focus points.

I considered using this post as my Project 52 this week but I have a speedlite being delivered any day now so I am hoping to get that in time for this week. Stay tuned...

Project 52- Week 14 and 15

I may be behind on blogging but I am still using my camera on a regular basis. I am really a shutterbug these days and I love every minute. I feel like I am improving and I have a better understanding of my camera but maybe I just want to believe that. ha ha

A shot if my 11 year old during his football game last week (April 6).


I really proud of my pictures from this past weekend. The conditions were not the best (bright sunlight around noon) and the baby was not content to sit in the stroller while I took pictures so I was holding him most of the time (while taking pictures). But I really think these are my best sports picture so far. There is minimum editing, cropping only because too dumb to figure out my editing software yet. During the football games I shoot in manual 90% of the time but I switch over to sports move or a couple plays because I do not trust myself. This week was the first time I kept it in manual the entire time. I am pretty damn proud of the outcome.

My 8 year old during his game this weekend (April 13).




I am getting a speedlite for my birthday (a mere month away) and I cannot WAIT!!

Project 52-Week 13

Week 13 is late. I know, I know. BUT in my defense, my son (12 year old) broke his arm during a football game. His FIRST football game of the spring season. He was crushed. Especially since he broke his other arm during Fall football season. Ugh. Poor kid. Appointments with Urgent Care clinics and Orthopedic surgeons have taken over our lives in my household. Good news is that it was a nice clean break (to both his radius and ulna) and should heal nicely. There is a good chance his cast will be removed in a 4 weeks. :D

Anyway, I am working on taking decent picture of the kids during football games and track meets. It is challenging but lots of fun!

Project 52-catch up!

I know that this picture breaks many of the official photography rules but I love it. I feel this is one of my best (so far!)


I love this one too. I feel the focus is good and that is something I struggle with. I know it needs dome editing, it is overexposed. But I am just now starting to crack the book and learn about editing. I have an awesome computer program...I just need to learn how to use it.

This one, well I just love it. It melts my heart. I love my two littlest boys.

All three pictures were taken with my new 50mm lens. I love that lens!

Photography toys

I have immeresed myself in reading about photgraphy, watching videos/tutorials, joining photography forums and of course practice, practice, practice! When I first started reading it all seemed so overwhelming. It is all starting to click now(Ha ha, get it? Photography? Click?). As with any hobby, the more you get into it the more toys you want to go along with your hobby. Photography is no different.

I have created a little wishlist. I figure my birthday and Mother's day is just around the corner and a girl can dream, right?

- a 50mm lens
- A super adorable camera bag. I already have this one and it is awesome but I can't resist that girly looking bags that look like purses!
-A speedlite

That is all for now. I am sure as time goes on I will find some more toys to purchase. Now I just need to get out there and shoot.

I can't wait until my children start track and football. I figure I should be able to get in tons of practice in a their practices, meets, and games. Can't wait!

My babies

My first attempt shooting in Manual Mode.

For the budding photographers...

If you are like me, interested in photography but have no idea where to start I have a few helpful sources I would like to share. These two websites really break down the basics and explain all the important components (ISO, shutter speed, aperture, exposure) of photography one by one. I found them extremely helpful.

Manual Mode

Exposure Guide

Hopefully these website will help someone else as much as they have helped me. Please share any websites you find helpful as well because none of us want to end up here...

You Are Not a Photographer

*I have included a gratuitous picture of my baby because he is super cute. It is the best picture I have ever taken of my cute little guy with my fancy camera. And by me I mean my 11 year old. Yep, my 11 year old took this darling photo. *sigh*