Project 365 {Sort Of}

Summer Essentials

2010-05-29T09:23:00.002-05:00

Another Reason to Eat Cake

2010-05-28T09:20:00.000-05:00

SPLASH!

2010-05-28T09:16:00.000-05:00

She Sells Seashells by the Seashore

2010-05-27T09:15:00.000-05:00

Sandprints

2010-05-26T09:14:00.000-05:00

Running Freely

2010-05-25T09:12:00.000-05:00

Seawall Sunday

2010-05-24T09:10:00.000-05:00

It's Official Now

2010-04-10T09:39:00.002-05:00

Look what I'll be doing tomorrow. Love the tagline, "Suck it up, cupcake!"

I'm sure I'll be telling myself that many, many times...

Casual Friday

2010-04-09T09:32:00.000-05:00

Car Line Pick Up

2010-04-08T09:31:00.000-05:00

Map Quest

2010-04-07T09:29:00.000-05:00

Zoo Friends

2010-04-06T09:28:00.000-05:00

Hunting Eggs

2010-04-05T09:23:00.000-05:00

One More Easter Picture? Seriously?

2010-04-04T09:21:00.000-05:00

It's for the Birds

2010-04-03T09:15:00.000-05:00

Annelise at a friend's costume birthday party.

Dress Rhearsal

2010-03-29T09:18:00.000-05:00

Slurp

2010-03-27T18:49:00.002-05:00

Locks of Love

2010-03-26T18:47:00.000-05:00

Practicing Patience

2010-03-23T18:45:00.000-05:00

Strawberry Picker for Hire

2010-03-18T23:25:00.000-05:00

Rock Star Wannabe Lunch

2010-03-11T07:00:00.000-06:00

Had to wear my big sunglasses during lunch because my eyes were dilated. Good times.

The Eyes Have It

2010-03-10T07:00:00.000-06:00

One Little Word 2010

2010-03-09T14:10:00.000-06:00

Rainy Days and Mondays Don't Get Me Down

2010-03-08T14:13:00.000-06:00

Hooked on Pearls

2010-03-07T14:24:00.000-06:00

Saying Goodbye

2010-03-05T14:11:00.000-06:00

Get On Your Boots

2010-02-26T11:31:00.000-06:00

Glasses

2010-02-19T11:48:00.000-06:00

Skates

2010-02-16T00:00:00.000-06:00

Her Valentines

2010-02-15T11:23:00.000-06:00

Family

2010-02-14T11:22:00.000-06:00

Bread Victory (finally)

2010-02-13T12:09:00.003-06:00

After struggling on two different occasions to get my whole wheat bread to rise and actually resemble, you know, bread (instead of bricks), I finally had success.

Besties

2010-02-12T12:16:00.001-06:00

Annelise and D. at their Valentine's Day party.

Valentine

2010-02-11T12:14:00.001-06:00

New Running Essentials

2010-02-10T12:07:00.001-06:00

Scooby Picnic

2010-02-07T13:26:00.000-06:00

Pajama Spy

2010-02-05T08:41:00.000-06:00

Bear School

2010-02-04T12:33:00.000-06:00

Annelise had a holiday from school because of a teacher conference, so she decided Bear School should be in session.

Happy 100th Day!!

2010-02-01T06:00:00.001-06:00

Sleepover

2010-01-29T12:08:00.000-06:00

On her way to a spend the night with Pappo and Grandma.

Long Overdue

2010-01-28T20:05:00.002-06:00

My feet were beside themselves with glee after a much needed pedicure today.

Sew Happy

2010-01-27T20:03:00.000-06:00

Stew

2010-01-26T20:00:00.000-06:00

Breaking in my new dutch oven with beef stew.

Her Office

2010-01-25T14:54:00.001-06:00

2 Rs: Rodeo Art Winner (2nd) & Report Card

2010-01-23T14:43:00.000-06:00

A Little Snowman Homework

2010-01-22T14:40:00.000-06:00

All the stylin' snowmen wear zebra! (The purple is a shirt and the red triangle is a skirt.)

Silent Reader

2010-01-21T09:10:00.000-06:00

Solo Lunch

2010-01-20T08:58:00.000-06:00

Balancing Act

2010-01-19T08:56:00.000-06:00

On the way to the library Tuesday afternoon. Annelise loves the ledge that stretches almost the entire walkway to the front door. Why walk on the ground if you don't have to?

Mini-Reveal

2010-01-18T08:50:00.001-06:00

The finished house in Kemah done by Extreme Home Makeover. The episode should air in March, watch for the Beach family.

I just snapped a quick drive-by pic with my iPhone.

Sick Day

2010-01-16T12:10:00.000-06:00

On The Way to School

2010-01-15T12:14:00.000-06:00

Meow

2010-01-13T09:01:00.000-06:00

Fancy Nancy Goes Grocery Shopping

2010-01-12T09:00:00.001-06:00

Shadow Stalker

2010-01-11T19:11:00.002-06:00

Just me and my shadow* stalking Extreme Home Makeover today in Kemah. Fun morning!

*I was quite the pack mule with my purse, my camera bag and my coat draped across it.

Have Apron, Will Cook

2010-01-09T19:55:00.000-06:00

A Little After Dinner Reading

2010-01-08T19:52:00.000-06:00

Just One of Those Days

2010-01-07T20:47:00.000-06:00

My Downfall

2010-01-06T21:24:00.000-06:00

Dishwasher for Hire

2010-01-05T19:14:00.002-06:00

I'm thankful she is willing and eager to help in the kitchen, even when her help creates puddles on the floor. That's why we have towels after all.

Snag

2010-01-04T19:09:00.000-06:00

That's highly unfortunate (especially since it's practically in the middle of the rug).

Well Hello Gorgeous

2010-01-03T19:00:00.001-06:00

Life in the kitchen will never be the same.

S'mores

2010-01-02T19:05:00.000-06:00

Sparkle & Pop

2010-01-01T19:00:00.001-06:00

Photoshop Pickle

2009-05-06T11:13:00.004-05:00

Since I received Photoshop Elements for my birthday last November, I've fiddled with it off and on, usually clicking it closed in frustration. I have not had much success with anything other than quick edits. I'm not giving up, but it's tempting to use something that is a whole lot easier.

For instance, Picnik.com let's you add interesting effects and do simple editing with easy clicks. Love that.

Here are examples of two of my favorites...

This is called Holga-ish. I love how it creates a dark vignette that focuses on the subject and makes a pleasing black and white image.

These next few photos are examples of Lomo-ish.

Along with a dark vignette the colors are boosted as well. I really like how the reds are enhanced.

The buildings appear a little more aged and the shading around the edges accents the photo.

I'll keep watching tutorials and practicing with Photoshop Elements, but it's a relief to have the simplicity of Picnik to fall back on.

A Little Russian Dress-Up

2009-03-30T08:51:00.001-05:00

Pink Zebra

2009-02-26T09:26:00.002-06:00

This post is a shameless documentation of how cute Hanna Andersson's outfits are. Annelise only has a couple because they are a bit pricey. I love the opposite stripes and the playful leggings.

Perfect for twirls and climbing girls.

Do you think she'll still wear outfits like this much longer?

I can only hope.

In Which I Sing A Little David Bowie

2009-02-19T08:58:00.002-06:00

Two days last week Annelise wore Chinese pajamas to school. Once was for their international day (oddly, she did not want to take anything from Russia) and the other was for their Valentine Party. She kept saying hello in Japanese though, intead of Chinese. Oh well.

In the Pink

2009-02-10T18:26:00.002-06:00

Last week, when A. had her sleepover with Pappo and Miss Peggy, she was SO excited to get her nails painted. She was barely in the door the next day before her shoes and socks were shed and she was proudly displaying 20 bright pink nails.

Sweet.

2009-02-06T09:00:00.000-06:00

I love stumbling across moments of A.'s imaginative play. They are moments that are all her, whatever scenario is fluttering across her brain.

Hence her Star Wars characters made out of Legos.

Which soon led to building a colony and protecting the Empire from Darth Vader.

Love that. Did you know that these Legos are the same Legos I played with when I was a child? Love that too.

Just a Girl and Her Monkey

2009-01-26T12:27:00.003-06:00

A quick shot or two on the way home from school.

Meet Abu, A.'s little monkey.

Love to see her taking care of her *friends*.

2009-01-14T08:58:00.002-06:00

In a freakish surprise we had a few minutes to spare this morning before school. I grabbed my camera and Annelise and Sadie (our Golden) followed me to the stairs. Our foyer has the best natural light, especially in the morning.

There was a lot of movement between an excited dog and a 5 year old, so there is some blur. I snapped a few on P mode, just because I always forget about it. I usually use Av mode (aperture priority), but P mode is more like auto mode without the flash. And I despise the flash.

Yes, A. has feet. I promise. I wanted to capture how long and lean she is getting. Most of her pants have a little gap between her pants and socks.

Oh my. My little girl is growing up.

Project 365

2009-01-13T09:18:00.000-06:00

I don't always do well with long term projects, somewhere mid-way through I get distracted or run out of steam. I want this project to be different. I do.

One of my goals for 2009 is to take more pictures, many, many more. I want to capture the daily moments, whether large or small. I want to become more proficient with my camera and all it's mysterious settings. I want to record life around me.

In that vein, I read about Project 365 over at Shutter Sisters and thought it would be a perfect fit for me.

Wanna join me?

LOOK: Camera Strap Giveaway

2009-01-11T07:50:00.005-06:00

Are you feeling lucky? (Are you, Punk?) (Sorry, could not resist a Clint reference.)

The fabulous SITS girls recently shared the scoop about a great giveaway. If you are tired of your plain camera strap, why not spice things up a bit? A touch of color, maybe a jazzy print?

Well, *SHEY* {B} has just the thing and the SITS girls are hosting a FAB giveaway. You can read more about it and drop your name into the hat HERE.

Keep your fingers crossed...

Shock and Awe

2008-12-21T13:49:00.002-06:00

Of all the pictures I took during our recent trip to Disney World, this one is by far my favorite. I love Scott and Annelise's expression as they watched a stage show at Cinderella's castle. It conveys their sense of wonderment and joy completely. I am trying to change my perspective more often in order to capture not just the event but the people's reactions to the event.

Confession: I only took my Canon Powershot to WDW. I know.

It's a Girl Thing

2008-11-04T11:03:00.000-06:00

I wish these came in MY size.

A Long Time Gone

2008-09-05T16:43:00.005-05:00

I have seriously neglected the ol' photo blog. Not sure how that happened, but will try to post more often. At least more than once every few months.

Okie dokie then.

I stumbled across this Digital Photography School blog today and am currently obsessed. Seems to have practical tips, weekly challenges and reviews for new newbies like me and seasoned photo junkies. Once again, I am committing to playing with my camera more and taking a few pictures every. single. day. There. You have my word.

Here are a few pictures of A. yesterday. Which was also her 5th birthday.

I used my 50mm/1.4 lens for most of the shots. I may need to move back to using AV mode most often, because with manual several of my shots were either over or under exposed; plus I'm still pitifully slow and I miss out on some good shots. Full Auto sure is nice and safe, if not for the annoying flash.

Signs of Summer

2008-06-20T19:37:00.002-05:00

Our sunflowers are bursting open in our garden. It makes me so happy to glance out the windows and see their happy faces looking back at me. They rise up so tall and proud. It's like they are watching over the tomatoes, cucumbers, and other vegetables growing.

After Memorial Day

2008-05-27T08:28:00.003-05:00

I tried to take some pictures of A. yesterday evening after a day of swimming. Um, yeah. These are the results. Enjoy.

Scenes from the Strawberry Patch

2008-05-10T10:02:00.000-05:00

Last week Annelise and I went with some friends to a local farm to pick strawberries. Along with filling our buckets, I tried to take some pictures. It's a bit of a challenge to try to be a photographer and participate in the experience too. Wearing my camera around my neck and trying to bend down to pick strawberries was quite humorous. Or frustrating. Even though I feel burdened by the bulk or weight of my camera at times, I am almost always pleased with the results.

I love the effect of tilting the camera, just a smidge to create a more interesting angle. This old sign is so rustic and beautiful in it's simplicity. This photo is one of my favorites from the outing. One of my photography goals is to take pictures in a more photojournalist style, let the signs and objects tell the story.

I loved the huge tire they have near the entrance. We were a bit rushed and Annelise was on overdrive, so I didn't really get to *play*.

You know there has to be a close up. Here it is.

There is a gorgeous old tree (several actually) with the perfect low branch. I wish I could have taken a few more pictures there.

After all the hard work picking berries, Annelise took a swing break. The rows and rows of strawberries are in the background.

You can see more pictures and read more about our adventure here.

Fields of Blue

2008-04-18T10:56:00.000-05:00

We drove out to Chappell Hill yesterday to get some family shots in the bluebonnets. I did use the tripod for the first time, I L.O.V.E. it. I'm sure it was quite hilarious as I pushed the shutter and hopped over the bluebonnets to pose with Scott and Annelise. I wish I had brought my remote, that would have made it easier.

I took several shots with my 70-300mm lens. I was so caught up in the bluebonnets, the barn and posing that I did not finagle the settings as I should have. Ooops. We took an ice cream break and went back for a few more. I used my 50mm and tried different manual settings. The afternoon sunlight turned out to be fairly harsh. For these shots, SmugMug auto adjusted the color/exposure.

Easter Afternoon Close ups

2008-03-23T21:59:00.000-05:00

Took several shots around the yard this afternoon. Bright sunlight caused some shadows on other pictures. Still a fan of the extreme close up.

17-85mm & 70-300mm, portrait setting

How Many More Mom?

2008-02-09T11:18:00.000-06:00

A. sat patiently as I took several pictures. Notice the pink shoes (of course) that are shedding glitter all. over. my. house.

70mm, f 5.6, 1/8

A Girl and her Pappo

2008-02-07T16:36:00.000-06:00

A. and I took my dad out for a birthday breakfast at IHOP this morning. His birthday was Tuesday. Of course I brought along The Camera. I actually considered taking my little Powershot, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it. I also did not get a shot with myself in the picture, I couldn't relinquish control of The Camera.

I used my 50mm 1.4, f4, 1/15. I love (of course) the close-up of this, and I was sitting across the table. Not sure what the strange orbs are, maybe a reflection from the glass wall we were beside. I don't have Photoshop so I can't edit it it out. I'll live with it for now.

Just Ducky

2008-02-06T10:51:00.000-06:00

This morning I glanced out our window to see two webbed feet visitors waddling across our yard. Since I am pretending to be a photographer, I grabbed my camera and dashed outside. I tempted them with some bread so they might linger a while so I could capture some shots.

I switched to my 70-300mm lens and snapped several as they waddled around. I took a few in Manual, but since I'm slow, slow, slow as I adjust my settings, I realized I might miss these little webbed friends. I shot in Av mode instead.

140mm, f11, 1/50. We were in the shade, so it turned out a bit dark. I should have tweaked that I guess.

300mm, f11, 1/125 See I even shoot close-ups of ducks! Maybe there is a close-up support group?

Goal for this week: Practice more in Manual mode in order to get faster. Take pictures every day, both outdoors and inside.

2008-02-04T20:19:00.000-06:00

I quickly snapped this picture this afternoon before picking up A. from Pre-K. I felt like capturing a bit of Spring on a muggy February day, however a windy day and a time crunch don't lend themselves to the best results. Oh well...

One of my goals these next few days is to practice with my 17-85mm IS lens. Using the 50mm 1.4 these last couple of days really spoiled me, the prime lens is hard to beat. However, I think the 17-85mm will be my walk-around lens, since it covers a nice range. I also want to experiment with some of the exercises mentioned in Understanding Exposure.

This was taken in Av mode at 85mm, f11, 1/50. I should have been closer and shortened the depth of field more.

2008-02-03T18:01:00.000-06:00

2008-02-02T21:07:00.000-06:00

By now you may have noticed that I am a fan of the close-up. Given my druthers (whatever druthers are) I prefer to shoot close. At least that's where I am today, I still have a lot to experiment with my camera and different lenses.

I am also learning I am NOT a fan of the flash. It is so harsh and unflattering. Of course, I only have the pop up flash. Someday I will upgrade. Maybe. Right now, I'm enjoying learning to shoot without it. I love the natural light.

This was shot in Av mode (A. wasn't feeling extra patient this afternoon for me to tweak the full manual) at 1.4 aperture, 1/125 shutter speed.

You Called?

2008-02-02T13:14:00.000-06:00

My Brain Finally Clicked

2008-02-02T10:49:00.000-06:00

The other day I had a lightbulb (or should I say flash) moment. I was reading through this and trying to use the manual settings on my camera. Finally, everything came together and made sense. I snapped some pictures using the Av setting and then I played with the full Manual (Full Monty?) settings. My goal was to capture some of A., but I did NOT want the flash to wash everything out.

I took several with my 50mm 1.4 lens and was excited to see the results. I love the bokeh (blurred background) and the soft, natural light. It did not come out as sharp as I might have liked, but I still like this photo.

I have to admit I was pretty proud of my little old self.

The scoop: 50mm 1.4 lens set @ 1.4 aperture, 1/40 shutter speed, ISO 200