Sore Loser

This week over at I Heart Faces it's People's Choice Best Face in Feburary. I had quite a few shots I loved this month after doing the Joy of LOVE with Willette. I love the emotion in this shot. The boys played wii and guess who lost?!

I Heart these Faces!

A Special Look

Today over at I Heart Faces they're having a Best Face Photo from January 2011 contest. Here's a photo I took yesterday. It's a "face" I'm certain to see a lot more over time. Imagine, he's only 4 and has such a look?!

I hope to have more photos to enter this year at IHF because I am doing A Day in 365 Photo project. It's been so much fun already, I can't wait to look back at the whole year and see it in pictures, all of my own!

Photo Review

I am going through a lot of images and trying to clear out the clutter. I came across this photo I took earlier in the year and I think it's still one of my absolute favorites. Not too amazing that it has beat out many of the photos of my son!

I just love how she looks. Hope you do too!

Time to start up the next year's plethora of posts and photos. I am still wavering (yes, me) on doing the 365 Photo Challenge. Has anyone else done the challenge? If so, do you just post them on your blog? I think that's the right thing to do, but not sure. I'm not worried about taking the photos, I know I can do that, I am worried about posting it each day. I know it will be easy if I start to use my phone for some photos, but Hmmm ... I guess I have a few days to decide!

Hope everyone's Holiday was wonderful and you are ready to begin the next year!

A Not So Well Thought Out Plan

I tried to take some photos at a place I have been stalking for a few months. It's been overgrowing and just getting more fabulous day after day. I finally decided the time was right. I had been watching the weather for a week. Finally, it was gorgeous this past Wednesday night. I began to visualize the shot in my mind ... it's just about time for the sun to set, a mostly blue sky all day, a bit of cloud cover starting to form, and a few old building with lots of ground cover, an old boat and who know what else there is ... I was really ready to give it a shot. Literally.

I got off work, picked up my son, ran home, got started with some of our party projects (piñata), and we needed a trek to the craft store. I decided we were going to do a drive by of this place and see if my timing was right for sunset. I had been trying to coordinate with a photographer friend to go do a shoot there together. We did a quick drive by and stopped in a big parking lot across the street. I was thinking we'd cross the street, but then the amount of traffic changed my mind. I didn't want to try running across the heavily trafficked road with my almost 4 YO. So, I finally got the nerve up to try to fit in front. Yes, I can be a bit of a chicken. It's not exactly in a remote location, and there is just this tiny drive up area in front. There's logs blocking the actual drive.

I pulled into the small area and it was definitely tight. I finally managed to get in the space and was confident I could get out of the car without being in traffic. I got out of the car, grabbed my camera out of the trunk, helped my son get out of his seat and we walked up to shoot a few shots. You know how you get all excited, a little anxious and all that? Well, I am full on ready. I can see it working, I am even thinking - tripod. I need my tripod.

I am pressing on the shutter - you know, ready for the result. It's not focusing.

Wouldn't you know it - DEAD BATTERY!!! I apparently left the camera on and since I am really not shooting long days, or full days (yet), I don't have a backup. GRRRR.

My heart plummets at this moment. I cannot believe I have pulled into this crazy spot, with a toddler in tow, where there is actually a sign saying NO TRESSPASSING (you can't see it until you are up next to the logs) without a camera.

I start to jump back in the car and it dawned on me, why not try to at least try the phone. I needed some proof, and it was really beautiful. We were there at the perfect moment. I just had to capture one frame (or 6). I know it's not the same. The thing is, there are just no real controls on the iphone. I am going to have to do some searching and see if there are any apps. I needed a few things to force it to expose longer, and I had never tried it before on my phone. I do have a timer, which I almost tried to use, but then left it with the sun glare and then got one shot where the phone exposed better to see more of the scenery.

What do you think? I was happy with what I ended up with. I was not completely disappointed and it made the cost of the phone a little bit more justified - but man there is some serious noise in them.

I really can't wait to have a charged D200, an adult accomplice, and another gorgeous sunset to give it one more try! Oh and I know, double posting, but I have to take advantage of my ME time as much as possible. I know it might be a while before I get a new one up.

With a bit of chalk

This week on I Heart Faces it's all about chalk. I had a photo that immediately came to mind when I saw the title of this challenge. In a weekend full of family activity we went to my dad's for a cookout. As always, it was a blast. All of the kids were running everywhere keeping the adults in constant check. This photo captures a "slow-down" period with my son and one of his  big cousins. I love the spiderman face tattoo and the faces they drew on their chalk outline people too!

Happy Tuesday and Happy I Heart Faces Challenge day!

Not so new photos

I have been wasting time tonight and realized I haven't posted some photos I took a couple of weeks ago. These are of a friend and her family at their new home. I was really pleased with the results and am anxious to do some more. PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE. I know that is all it will take.

I am getting more adjusted to my camera and the settings that I should be using. I am not, however, as comfortable getting people to relax and just be themselves. I am sure it also will come with practice.

Feel free to be critical, I need to know what you like and don't like about my photos. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!

       

       

Ready to roll

The Zooma Annapolis 10K is coming up on Sunday. It's too soon!!! I am not prepared. Mentally or physically. I am hoping for some kind of epiphany by the time I hit the starting line. I will do my best, but as of today, things are not looking very good. 

Yikes! Time to change the subject and stop freaking myself out. Can't wait to get through that.

Today was fun! A coworker and I signed up for the rollout of the Chick-Fil-A spicy chicken sandwich. It seemed like it was just a coupon for a new sandwich. And I am always game for spicy food. More like a sucker for it. My friend and I slipped out for lunch thinking, we'll be in and out of there in about 15 minutes. No biggie. It says you have to dine-in on the coupon. Sounds okay, right? What we were not expecting was the red carpet, balloons, hostess, waitress, or the table cloths and the real looking plastic silverware! Our server was fabulous. Christina (or was it Christine) was wonderful. She took our order brought it to us, took our payment, brought back our receipts, refilled our drinks, got our to-go bag, and then she and the hostess actually took our photo to post on facebook. How funny is that? I think Chick-Fil-A is such a fabulous company. Hmmm. Thinking that the fact that this young lady had a badge that said she had worked for them for a year is a great sign. She was enjoying her job waiting on people, we felt that she really was happy with her job. Would it be insane that a career with them is sounding quite luxurious right now? It wouldn't be the craziest idea I have ever heard of?! And notice, I said career, not just a job. I want to work with the fun people that make the cow calendars and make the cow ads and billboards. Hanging out with some creative people would be so nice. People that want to give critique in the designs I do. 

Lastly, I finally broke down and bought some presets for Lightroom. Trying to learn to use LR properly, and smarter. I have lurked around this fabulous website, Pretty Presets. There are some amazing photographers out there. It's kind of intimidating to me. So, then I tried out some of the free presets they have available on a couple of photos. They worked so well, that when the site offered a special discount yesterday, I decided to take the plunge and not just buy one set, but the combo pack of Pretty Presets Collection I and II. I had one new photo that I had taken on Saturday and used it to test a few of these presets out. Here is the photo I decided I liked best. 

This photo used Deep Blue.

He's following in his mommy's footsteps, and I am not going to fight it!

Right now Pretty Presets is offering a giveaway. All the rules are on their website. Of course I am entering the contest. I want all of their presets now. I am officially hooked! 

Flowers & Faces

It's time for Flowers and Faces at iheartfaces, and I am officially sending a photo in for this week's contest.

I took these photos early Sunday morning as my son excitedly told me I had to "COME" he had something to show me. It was a sweeping vine of blossoming honeysuckle. They are perfect for picking right now, it's been a while since I have seen a plant so 'juicy'. He had a blast tasting it's nectar. Here's one showing the dripping, our fingers got quite sticky! I love spring though I am quite thankful the allergy meds are working this year!

If you haven't seen some of the beautiful shots or contests on their site, you should check them out now at iheartfaces. I get lost for hours looking at the beautiful photos there. There are always great tips and submissions on their site. 

I Heart Faces Collages

I was going to post this collage for the I Heart Faces Collage Challenge. I hesitated, procrastinated and have now actually missed posting it before the deadline. If I only had looked for this collage a little bit earlier in the evening, instead of waiting until almost midnight. I am still going to post it, cause well, I still love it. My happy smiling Big E collage is on my desk down in my basement, and it makes me smile every time! I used it for an Easter card and I think my mom has it framed in her living room.

The collage of my son bouncing on my bed was the first thing I thought of when I saw this weeks challenge. Our wall color brought out the color in his eyes, and the daylight streaming in was the most natural in our home. It was the beginning of my obsession with my digital camera, a D50 at the time. It's only grown from there along with the love for my Big E. He's only about 1 here. Now he's 3 and a half and even more full of energy.

I heart his face every single day!

Enjoy!

I am going to keep the I Heart Faces links, cause I love their site!!! Next time, I am not going to hesitate - just going to go for it!