How often do you get in the photos? If you're anything like me, hardly ever. Right? So often we are self-conscious, or we are worried about our weight, or we just don't feel comfortable on the other side of the camera. I think that is why many of us are the designated photographer at family events.
Tonight I decided it was time to get on the other side of the camera. I challenge YOU to do the same. Your family will thank you. 🙂
After last week's massive heat wave here in the northeast, we realized that the air flow in this house is just not that great for keeping it cool. So in an effort to keep the family comfortable over the summer, we've decided to flip flop the family room and studio space. The new studio space is a bit smaller in length, though, as there is a built-in shelf unit on one wall and a fireplace on the other wall. I think, though, that the fireplace will be a terrific asset for the holiday mini sessions which I will post about in October. 😉
This is turning out to be a big project. On Saturday, I removed all the portraits from the walls and filled the holes with spackle. Had to roll up the rug and scrub the hardwood floor (which REALLY needs to be refinished, but that will have to wait for now). Then on Sunday, I sanded down all the walls because the paint is raspberry semi-gloss and I wanted to be sure that the new paint would adhere and cover over it well. Today, after getting the kids off to day camp, I was able to really get moving on the primer. Kilz makes an awesome one that pretty much covered all the raspberry paint in one coat. And the plan for tomorrow is to pick out a creamy white top coat and finish the job. I was hoping not to have to paint the moulding, shelves and fireplace . . . but now they just look dingy compared to the primer. Hmmmmm – well, I guess the decision will be made once I start putting a top coat of paint on the walls.
Here's how it looked after we removed all the livingroom furniture and stuff. You may have to click on it to see it at the correct size cuz I think this is a little too big.
And here it is after a coat of primer. Still have to move the cabinets to another room, though. And here you can see just how badly the floor needs refinishing (foreground).
I'll update this post with more pics as I continue throughout the week. In the meantime, please send me some strength to finish the job cuz I am thoroughly pooped out!
Have a great night everyone. 🙂
After sitting on my wish list for 2 years, I finally bought a macro lens. I've always been intrigued by the super shallow focus and how amazingly beautiful everyday things can look when you see them close-up. So you can only imagine my excitement when I received a telephone call yesterday morning saying that UPS would be delivering my much anticipated new toy that day. And since UPS usually arrives sometime in the morning, I held off on taking a shower just so I would not miss it. Around 10:30 am, I greeted the UPS guy in my pink "sleeping beauty" princess nightgown. I can only imagine what was going through his head when he saw that. Ha ha ha
So after a quick shower, my youngest son and I went on a little backyard exploration to see what cool stuff we could find. Here they are:
Later that afternoon, we were at the pool so I snapped a few there as well.
Enjoy!
Well it's that time of year again……baseball season!! Our oldest is playing on the Y team again this year. We have wanted to get him in to the town's Little League, but the schedule just doesn't fit with his other sports activities. And besides, the Y program is very family friendly and low-key. 🙂
This year, we are the Tigers with these very bright orange shirts. Ya know, I have a love-hate relationship with the color orange. It's my favorite color, but when it comes to photography it can be the most challenging to deal with. Between the shirt and the hat, getting good skin colors can be quite the challenge. Add in the sun and you've got the makings of a color cast disaster. Luckily, it was an overcast afternoon yesterday so none of this was an issue. Phew!!
So here are a few from the game. I got a lot of great shots of each of the team members, but can't show them here due to privacy issues. So just my own son. These are all straight out of the camera – just resized and sharpened for web. LOVE when processing is quick like this. 🙂
A few days ago, our neighbor pointed out that we have a robin's nest in the bushes between his house and our house. First time I've seen one in person with the actual eggs in the nest. Usually I just see the broken eggs on the ground. So I quickly ran and grabbed my camera to take a pic.
The next morning, I went out and one of the eggs had hatched. A rather alien-like creature was lying there beside the un-hatched egg. The momma bird was not too happy about my being there. She was sitting in the neighbor's grass squawking at me. So after snapping a quick pic, I left her in baby in peace.
Yesterday, I went back out to check on the other egg and it was gone. I guess a critter came along needing a midnight snack. How sad for the momma bird. :( With the weather turning cold again, I'm not even sure how long this little one will survive. We have high wind warnings and the possibility of snow as temps drop back into the low 30's. I'll go back out in a few days and check again. Keep your fingers crossed that he/she makes it.
The lighting this morning was very challenging as the sun was
really coming through hard and it was making my camera meter all screwed up. If
the deer had waited just a few more minutes, the clouds would've come and the
lighting would've been much better. I'm certainly not a nature or wildlife photographer. Oh well. It was still one of those times
that we don't see often enough.
Enjoy!
I had the pleasure of meeting Holly and her family last week. She is in her 3rd trimester and has the most beautiful baby belly – perfectly round and not a blemish on it. Hard to believe with a belly that perfect that this is not her first pregnancy. Normally I do not do high-key images for maternity sessions, but when she showed me this two-piece outfit she brought, I just knew that the white background would offset the colors perfectly. Don’t you agree?
Thanks so much for the opportunity, Holly. I’m really looking forward to meeting little Angelina once she arrives. 🙂
David turned 8 today!! This morning we went to Toys R Us and he picked
out a new bike. He and Daddy are assembling it now (in our very dark
family room – booooo on the pics!). Then we went out to dinner at his
favorite restaurant – it’s a local place that is a sports bar with
arcade too. Fab food.
So when we got home, I managed to convince him to let me take his
birthday pics. Most were like this:
But then, the 17th shot was this. Yeah, it’s a bit soft on focus. He
was laughing and moving all around cuz his Dad was making him laugh.
But soft or not, I love it. THIS is the smile I love!!!
So the next time you take your own kids out for pics, whether you do them yourself or have a professional do them for you, remember to engage your child in conversation that will produce the natural smile. Telling the child to “look at the camera” or “say cheese” will just get you the fake smile.
Attention fellow photographers!!! For the Love of Focus is giving away another round of free memberships. Get in on the drawing by going to their blog RIGHT HERE. This is for professional photographers working together on marketing concepts. Membership is limited by zip code so that no direct competitors are together on the forum. I hope you will check it out.
As you may have already heard, I broke my foot Saturday night. Was walking down the stairs and simply missed the last step. Landed on the right side of my right foot, breaking the end off the 5th metatarsal. This is the first time I've broken a bone and they even gave me a disc with the xrays on it. I brought it into photoshop and added this red arrow so you can see right where it broke.
This afternoon I went to the ortho and was told I had a "good" break and that it wouldn't need to be casted. The tendon is still attached so the doc is pretty certain that this will
heal in place on it's own without further intervention. I was thrilled and raised my arms up with excitement shouting out a big "woohoo" right there in the exam room.
Doc said I need to continue to keep it elevated to bring the swelling down and I can continue to take pain meds as needed. I have a rigid black shoe that I can start wearing once I am able to put pressure on my foot without pain. He said I can try as soon as tomorrow, but that it will still take 3-4 weeks before I am fully recovered. I'll go back mid-April for new xrays.
So until then, I'll be relaxing in bed with hubby's laptop, a bunch of photo magazines, Rachel Ray mags and my trusty Sudoku book. 🙂
