I just feel silly...

when I try to take a self portrait. I'm usually executing it alone, so there's no one there to make me laugh or even smile. I really feel like a nerd. So, I always look mad in my self portraits. Whatever.

Anyway, I think I'm getting better at them. The first time I tried, they were just a tad soft because it's hard to get sharp focus on yourself. :-) And, I had glasses glare...something else that's difficult to avoid when you're setting it up by yourself. Then, the second time I got pretty decent focus, but I just had to leave my glasses out of it. (That picture is in my profile.) This time, though, I got decent focus AND no glasses glare! Woohoo! It's the little things that make me happy...

So, here I am! I did use Peta's color pop on it to liven it up a bit since my expression certainly isn't lively! :-)

And...here's my best shot...

Remember the basketball pictures I mentioned? Here's the one I'm most proud of...I think it's just PERFECT! :-) I'm in love with it! Haha!


Oh, and I've officially joined the picture of the day challenge. For those of you that are unfamiliar with this, it is exactly as it sounds. I've committed to taking atleast one picture every day for the entire year. We'll see how it goes. Anyone who knows me knows that I'll probably miss a day here or there, but so far so good!

Guess what I took pictures of yesterday?

You guessed it...my KIDDOS!!! Surprising, isn't it? Really, though, it was just Emma.

Here are some of the best:





Emma is quite a trooper when it comes to letting me take ENDLESS pictures of her. Well, that or she's really vain. :-) I think it's a bit of both, actually...she knows she's cute!

Anyway, I took some pictures at the basketball game tonight. I'm quite impressed with myself. This is my second try. The first time was TERRIBLE, but I read up after they came out so poorly, and tonight's shots actually look pretty good! You can expect a sample hopefully tomorrow at the latest!

I hope everyone's having a great night/day!

So, here I am again. Nothing extremely exciting to share, and I don't feel particularly witty today, so expect an all around boring post. I've spent much of the weekend playing with my camera & studying photography online. I revisited my flash yet again. The results are okay, but still not what I'm aiming for.

But, on the bright side, I was also really working on my focus while shooting wide open today, and I think I got LOTS of tack sharp images. Good news for me, but probably a bit of a bore for most of you. :-)

Anyway, I also practiced shooting on a black backdrop, as I have a "shoot" of sorts coming up this week. A black backdrop has been requested...

Another post from me today...

Two in one day? Is that even allowed!?! ;-)

Anyway, I got some more pictures of the girls today. I think this first picture of Maya might be my best ever SOOC (straight out of the camera) image. I think the color, exposure, lighting, focus, composition, etc., looks good. I could be wrong, though. (For those that are not really into photography, that means very, very little post processing in Photoshop for me, which is GOOD!)
I'm posting four versions of it...you guys tell me which you like the best, okay? Please? The first one is SOOC. The second one is with Peta's color pop. The third one is with Robin Purcell's B&W action, and the fourth is SKeefe's B&W action. It's important that you help me choose a version because I think this might possibly be my very favorite picture of Maya to date. :-)








I also got a few cute pictures of the girls interacting. Those are my FAVORITE shots of the two of them! Giggly sisters...LOVE it! Look at the adoration! It absolutely melts my heart! Anyway, here they are:

I'm lucky...I know it...

I'm incredibly lucky to have such happy & willing little models, aren't I!?! I know this is nothing super duper interesting, but my life as a stay at home mom is pretty uneventful, actually. I know that comes as a surprise...

Anyway, I wanted to give my flash a little play. One of these days I'll figure it out. I asked Emma to come stand a minute for me, and this is what I captured. Look at the pure excitement in her eyes. (Can you hear my sarcasm? By the way, why doesn't this blog thing have smilies for me to make use of? I would love to have an eye rolling guy right about now.)

Also, I feel like I should point this out. In both pictures, you catch a little glimpse of something pink & glittery. Those would be her "dance shoes." I don't think she could exist without them. (Here's another place where I'd love the eye rolling guy.) Anyway, they make her happy & make her think she's a beautiful dancing princess, so I guess they're not so bad! She has her Nanny to thank for those shoes! They're a hit! :-)

It's one or the other with her...

Maya is absolutely impossible to photograph. First of all, she's a MANIAC when I get out the camera. There is no holding still...not even close. So, when I take pictures of Maya, I almost always get out of focus shots. You can also count on one (if not more) of the following things to happen:

• NO eye contact...NONE!


• If there is eye contact, there is certainly NO emotion.


• Silly faces - never normal, always silly. That is Maya.

She has the most gorgeous blue eyes & the goofiest personality! What I woudn't give to catch a little of it in pictures. I'm telling you, I have atleast four times more pictures of Emma than Maya, but not for lack of trying.

Anyway, I asked her to sit for me today. She seemed calm enough...willing. I'm excited to say that I got some shots in focus!!! Woohoo!!! But, as you'll see, you get EITHER eye contact OR emotion. NOT both. That's alright, though...I adore the last picture of her, eye contact or not!

The ugly truth...

So, I'm just gonna come out & say it. This is a family full of Guitar Hero fans. I'm a little embarassed about that. Okay, truthfully, I'm a LOT embarassed by that! But, atleast we're not alone in our "hobby" - (you know who you are!)

Anyway, Curt was playing a little Guitar Hero tonight, and Emma & Maya started to fight over who would get to play with the toy "Contar Hereo contar" first. As I thought about how embarassing this really is, I decided, "hey...why not take pictures of it & post it all over the net for everyone in the world to see!" So, here I am...

I know these are not technically the greatest photos for a lot of reasons. Ignore that, please! :-)

So...I have no point.

I just want to test out posting a picture since this is a photoblog & all. This is one of my favorites of Maya & Curt at her third birthday party. My little budding photographer...

Well...I caved.

So, I decided today that I would, in fact, like to have a blog. I've told myself for quite some time that I'm not going to do it. I just think it's odd to have your personal life out there for everyone, anyone, to read. And yet, here I am. Why, you ask? (Okay...you probably didn't ask because there is probably nobody reading this thing...)

I decided I wanted to do this for a couple of reasons:

1. My parents left to go back halfway around the world. I miss them, and I know they miss us. I want them to be able to check in & feel connected with us any time they want.
2. I want to be able to share new photos with anyone that wants to see them without having to go through the tedious task of updating my website. Besides, if I update my website, I feel like I am commiting to officially being "in business," and I'm not sure that I really want that.

So, for now, my intentions for this blog are above. I'm sure it will evolve over time. I hope that somebody somewhere enjoys this!