Taking Control - warning TONS of pixs

Before I got married and had children, back in the days of film cameras, I loved photography. I took classes at the art institute and would spend my weekends roaming the city in search of the perfect picture and then spend hours upon hours in the dark room. I LOVED IT!! Then life took over as did the ease of digital photography. I bought a nice camera but only used it in Auto mode. I have decided enough -- I am determined to learn how to use my camera. No more relying solely on Auto.

Yesterday, the kids and I headed out back to "play" -- them on the swing set, me with my camera. Here are a few of my fave shots. For anyone with camera knowledge...feel free to critique, I won't know how to get better without your input! None of these have had any editing done what-so-ever.

We started with some simple swinging...I am so used to "sports mode" that it was difficult to find the right settings to capture the movement but I think I fared ok.



Next, we moved to jumping off of the swing. The two older kids insisted I get pixs of them in teh air...who was I to argue? This first one isn't perfect by any means but I liked that N's face is in focus (and intense) where the rest of his body is a bit blurred.


These ones are more focused shots....not good shots of my kids mind you but at least I figured out how to freeze them in the frame without blur.




Then I had to go and get some simple shots of S. She is quite photogenic when she wants to be!! I love the warmth of these pixs (had set the AWB to cloudy)....




That was a lot of pixs, I know. I will share more scrap stuff tomorrow -- did a layout tonight but ironically, too lazy to take a picture.

Went to Market

Three or four weeks ago, we had one of those crazy weeks. It seems like we just ALWAYS running. Well, I decided to make a layout to catch the craziness of that week. This little piggy (S) graduated pre-school, these little piggys (H&S) had multiple gymnastics shows, and this little piggy (N) played in the all-star game. Very simple layout but left plenty of space for journaling and was able to get a bunch of unrelated pixs, all cut from basic 4x6 prints, together on one layout.



October Afternoon papers

More Baseball

Another weekend spent at the ball fields...these baseball pictures just keep piling up! I must start going to games WITHOUT my camera!! But luckily there is are a ton of fabulous sketches out there that are just screaming for sports pixs. This sketch by Julie Bonner was just perfect for one of Noah's first pitching pictures. I am always so inspired when I read Julie's blog and was THRILLED when she posted this sketch the other day. I believe it is a sketch for Magpie Kit Club if you want to go check it out....


I used some old Cosmo papers as well as a few new ones and a whole bunch of buttons (yet somehow the canister of buttons still looks full -- one more thing that I just have too many of!).



I also sat down this evening and made this layout....Studio Calico papers. These pictures are a few months old and not the best shots but it was her first lost tooth. That in itself is a moment that must be remembered and scrapped...but then the night after the tooth fairy visited for that tooth, Hannah left notes under both her pillow and her little sister's (which are hidden behind the green paper, and pictured in the top left corner). The journaling around the outer edge reads: "You are quite an enterprising young girl. After losing your first tooth, you left notes for the tooth fairy under you pillow as well as Sarah's to see if you could trick her into bringing you more money! One read "I lost a tooth biting an apple and can't find it." The other: "I lost a tooth in a fight." Alas, although amused, the tooth fairy was not fooled. :) "



She certainly makes me laugh that one (and of course scream sometimes) but what are kids for?!?? Love them to death!!

Happy (belated) 4th!

Happy 4th of July! I am a day late, I know but yesterday was just too busy to get online for any lenth of time! We had a baseball game in the morning and then headed to a friends BBQ and off to fireworks! It was MUCH too hot here at 100 degrees but we survived...barely. I think we are all about 5 lbs lighter today than yesterday, and my kids certainly don't need to be losing any weight!

This morning was the big 4th of July parade -- yes, even the parade was a day late. My favorite part was the Mummers...love seeing all of their crazy costumes but man they have to be hot!!



Luckily we sent the boys over early to save spots in the shade. It is again in the high 90's. But, despite the heat, the kids enjoyed the parade...of course I think for them it is all about the candy! (note to self: must get pixs of the candy throwing next year).




Can you tell I got a fancy new camera? Probably not, huh? I am trying to play around and actually use some manual settings. I got this shot last night...complete fluke and tried and tried to recreate it but couldn't figure out how. Definitely need some more practice!