P-2012 Week 7 -- 2/12-2/18

Project 2012

Week 7 -- February 12-February 18

1.  Take pictures
2.  Share at least one--and up to seven!
(Click on the graphic above if you're interested in joining us!)

I'm back!  Yes, I've been back for a while.  I mean, I'm back to blogging on a regular basis.  I think I'm back into my routine.  (Let's hope, anyway!)  I'm now just a few days behind, and catching up quickly.


My favorite photos

Just a couple more from the conference...  One of my food images.  I never did get one of these strawberries; for obvious reasons they disappeared very quickly.  :)

[43] Strawberry

One of the many teapots gracing the tea tables.

[44] Tea party accent

A few days later, I was pretty much photographed out.  My sister D convinced me to go on a (very chilly) golf cart ride around the community, and I took my camera for a few shots to prove I did something in Georgia other than shoot a two-day conference!  I usually take two images of every shot, so I decided to play around in post-edit with some color.  I'm fascinated with how color--or the lack thereof--can change an image's mood.

[45] Dock {color}

 [46] Dock {aged look}

If the below were taken in my Chicagoland, you would see rocks without the waterfall, which would be shut down for winter.

 [47] Neighborhood waterfall

Another water scene along the golf cart path.  The houses on the lake were impressive, to say the least.  I saturated the below shot, then went completely black and white for the next one.  I think the B&W one is the better shot with the contrast in dark trees and light sky.  However, the clouds and sky reflect beautifully in the first image.  I like them both.

[48] Lake view {color}

[49] Lake view {black & white}

That's it for this week.  I'm trying to pick up my camera again, but I'm afraid that the next time I post weekly images, I'll have more boring indoor shots of my teacups or something.  At least I'm trying.

Until next time!


Treasuring life's moments,
Christine

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Project 52 -- Cabin Fever

I'm linking up with Darcy for Project 52.

Click her Project 52 button above to see what it's all about!

This week's challenge:  Cabin Fever


My photo:

My thoughts:

After family devotions on Wednesday night, my husband started ordering our guys to "clean up this mess!"  He was flabbergasted when I stopped him.  After all, I'm the organized, neat, and tidy one in the family.  Unbeknownst to him, I already had this photo in my mind.


The setup:

Although I envisioned both Thomas (my 15yo, above) and his brother Danny (18 and loves to make the goofiest faces imaginable for the camera) in my image, Thomas would work in a pinch.  Danny was too busy that morning writing a short essay in Spanish.  I cajoled Thomas into sitting down on the floor in the middle of the mess, and I stood on the computer desk chair to snap the image.  The above is the first picture I took, and I chose it because it didn't get any better than that.  I had wanted him to make a pull-your-hair-out-while-screaming face, but he was not in a good mood (see the picture below).  Of course, not being in a good mood was good for the theme!

Note--nothing else in the photo was staged; the clutter (mostly three guys' school stuff) appears as it actually lay from the night before.  Half an hour after I took the shots, my living room was back to its beautiful, tidy self.


Camera settings:

• ISO 1600
• Manual mode
• 17-85mm lens at 17mm
• Aperture at f4
• 1/50 second shutter speed

Because the photo was just what I envisioned, post-edit was simple and quick.  This week's image was all about composition--what I was actually going to shoot--not changing the image significantly with editing.  In Lightroom3, I increased the contrast, brightened the image a tiny bit, and added some grain, which I think works well with both high ISO and lots of busy-ness in an image.

 Toldja he wasn't in a good mood!

Don't worry; he's partially "faking" the above.  He soon became his sweet self (breakfast helped).  I mean--how many 15-year-olds give their moms random hugs throughout the day?  :)


Treasuring life's moments,
Christine

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Project 2012 -- Week 6 2/5-2/11

Project 2012

Week 6 -- February 5-February 11

1.  Take pictures
2.  Share at least one--and up to seven!
(Click on the graphic above if you're interested in joining us!)

Late, late, late.  I'm late with everything!!  I flew to Georgia to spend several days with my sister, and to shoot a two-day Mother/Daughter Encouragement weekend which her family puts on through SECHDF which they founded.  I shoot candid images all throughout the two-day event; I also shot portrait images of mothers with their daughter(s).  All of the images I'm sharing from Week 6 are from this event.  I ended up choosing several black and white images, which I like for various reasons.


My favorite photos

Miss J put together all the crafts for several different craft times.  The ladies and girls all enjoyed themselves, so I think Miss J did a great job!  She also helped decorate the dining area for our meals.

[36] Conference preparation

A typical craft time image, where the ladies/girls created prayer journals or recipe books.  I edited the below for black and white, and also kept a color copy.  The lighting in the room was, um, not the best, so I used grain in the images to accentuate the buzz of activity captured in the image.

[37] Conference craft time

When I shoot candid images at events, I love to use my 70-300mm to capture unstaged moments.  Another challenge I like to take on is shooting during meals--I've been on the receiving end of being shot with my fork full of food half inside my mouth, so I know that "eating images" are not appreciated.  If I don't want my food-filled mouth in a picture, I refuse to capture others in the same pose.  'Nuff said.  :)  I captured the below, which worked nicely in black and white.

 [38] Lunchtime profile

Detail on the cake made by Chef Gregory, owner of Perception of Elegance and the caterer of the event.

[39] Mother/Daughter cake

I love the below shot for several reasons.  First, the black and white helps me to focus on the light, as opposed to the various colors that would have been present in the shot.  Second, I love how the side light from the sunny window reflects on her hair.  Finally, I love the fact that I saw so many young ladies and even young girls doing needlework!  If you've read my blog for any length of time, you know that needlework is something I never learned how to do.  :)

[40] Crocheting

Now a few color photos to round out my week.  I love the jars of water lined up ever so nicely on the table.  I don't know who did it, but if it had been I, I would've lined them up in the exact way--one very tidy row, with the logos all facing front.  Such organization!

[41] Refreshment

During one of the speaker workshops, I was on my way to do some food photography.  I spied this young lady at my business table while she was watching my slide show from last year's mother/daughter weekend.  It tickled me, so I took her picture.

[42] Slide show

Thanks for bearing with me being so late with my photos, and for neglecting you!  I'm finally getting back into the swing of things, and hope to have my blogging routine well in hand again.  It's now already time to get the next week's images up!

See you soon!


Treasuring life's moments,
Christine

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Project 52 -- True Love

I'm linking up with Darcy for Project 52.

Click her Project 52 button above to see what it's all about!

This week's challenge:  True Love


My photo:

My thoughts:

I'm posting this super late due to my travels, though I took this photo within the Project 52 time frame guidelines.  :)

I flew to Georgia to shoot a two-day mother/daughter event last week, but mostly I flew out to visit my sister, whose family hosts the event.  We believe in the work they're doing through SECHDF (check out their website and their blog) for homeschooling families in the southeastern U.S., and want to support them in whatever way we can.  So, I save my pennies and fly out each year to help out in whatever way I can.  This year, I had the privilege of shooting two days' worth of candid images, and "formal" mother/daughter(s) portraits, which become 5x7s for each family.  Isn't that a neat gift for the attendees?


The setup:

I set up my "studio" in the library of the church where the event took place.  There was a window on the north wall, and this provided me with some good natural light.  I didn't have to use my flash (I'd rather do whatever it takes to shoot natural light before settling on flash).  Yay!  One mom and her five daughters (!) came in to have their portrait done.  The littlest girl--I'll call her Miss H--did not want to be there.  You should've seen the frown on her face.  She didn't know me, however; I love little children.  And I like a challenge.

They all took off their name tags, and I went to work charming a little three-year-old girl into smiling.  We played the I'm-going-to-try-to-guess-your-name game, with great success.  She finally sat with the rest of her family and I got a good picture:

Upon surviving her ordeal, Miss H decided I was pretty fun, and she set about climbing up onto the portrait stool and goofing off.  The next oldest sister also climbed on up, and they proceeded to goof off together.  I reset my camera settings and shot away, and got an adorable shot of them back to back.  Then, Miss H turned and gave her sister a hug (another totally adorable shot), and then, wouldn't you guess it--a kiss!  They were so sweet together, and I could tell that they have already shared lots of love in their short-so-far lives.  Although the theme True Love primarily evokes my relationship with my husband, and my relationship with my Jesus, these two little girls embodied True Love for me last week.


Camera settings:

• ISO 640
• Manual mode
• 50mm portrait lens
• Aperture at f6.3
• 1/60 second shutter speed

(Thanks for letting me share late!)

Treasuring life's moments,
Christine

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Up and Coming...

This musician is young, yet talented.  I expect great things from him and those with whom he plays.  We have toyed around with CD cover shots a few times, and on one particular evening, I got to shoot some candid shots of him playing.

Some day...!

I will be glad and exult in You;

I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.

Psalm 9:2 NASB

Treasuring life's moments,
Christine

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Project 2012 -- Week 5 1/29-2/4

Project 2012

Week 5 -- January 29-February 4

1.  Take pictures
2.  Share at least one--and up to seven!
(Click on the graphic above if you're interested in joining us!)

Really, I hope last week was the most boring week of this year (photographically speaking).  I had one or two good ones--y'know, those ones you're happy to shoot, or excited about capturing.  I spent a bit of time trying to find something special in the ordinary (similar to my resolution from the beginning of this year).  After meandering through my chosen photos, I've decided that there is beauty in each one.  You'll get to learn a little about me as I explain each image.  :)

My favorite photos

If you've read my blog at all, you know I love sunsets.  I'm so glad my kitchen window faces southwest.  If there's something spectacular going on in the evening sky, I'm usually there to catch it.  The below sunset was much prettier in real life, but I love the sweet dusting of color against the rich blue.

[29] Sunset in the 'burbs

I am a word freak.  I love individual words--persnickety, onomatopoeia, seesaw.  It's the sound, the spelling, the etymology.  (Sorry.)  It's natural that I love Scrabble.  Below is a shot of a game I played with my mom.

[30] Scrabble

For me, Scrabble is not about winning, or bluff-playing a nonexistent word to fake out my opponent (I can't bring myself to do that).  It's all about letters forming words, and learning new words.  Scrabble makes it challenging by forcing me to put together words so that high-point letters fall on high-point squares.  It's almost more exciting laying down one tile and scoring 50 points than laying down all seven tiles.  Almost.

[31] Letter frequency

Away with my words...  One item that I find beautiful in my home is my Tiffany tealight lamp, which I purchased at a garage sale (another fun activity).  It reflects soft colors as the flame shines through each glass piece, and I love burning candles in it.  This little lamp sits on our fireplace mantel.

[32] Tiffany tea lamp

Below shows detail on one of the lamps in our family room.  It really does look this golden when the lamp is lit!  I love how the image turned out, with its rich contrast.  It could almost be a section of an ancient spear, or part of a scepter from a prince of old.  My imagination is carried away...

[33] Lamppost detail

Blue is my favorite color.  We have a number of small round patio tables that serve as end tables in our little living spaces, but this is the only one with blue inlaid tile.

[34] Inlaid design

This last item of beauty came to me from a generous and thoughtful friend who loves to let people know when they've blessed her.  The gift came with a sincere note of thanks for my flute playing at church during communion and at other times.  I'm not an accomplished player--the simpler the tune the better--but she always thanks me for playing.  Inside the basket were design-your-own note cards, Burt's Bees lip balm, and chocolates!  She has a great memory for people's likes and dislikes, and each little gift inside proved that.

[35] A friendly gift

I felt like it was a beautiful early Valentine's gift from a special friend, and it made my week.  Also, she, like I, is a mom of four young men, so she knew I would appreciate the PINK.  :)


Treasuring life's moments,
Christine

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Project 52 -- Shadows

I'm linking up with Darcy for Project 52.

Click her Project 52 button above to see what it's all about!

This week's challenge:  Shadows


My photo:

My thoughts:

I thought about shadows all week, but was too busy to pick up my camera, and Thursday evening came rushing at me.  I was drained, but pulled Ellie out of her bag and took some shots of chair backs and other shadows cast by the soft indoor light.  Outdoors had been a bust most of the week, since it was cloudy.  So I had to settle.

The setup:

My two youngest guys sympathized with my plight, and they goofed off making hand shadows on the floor.  After several attempts, I chose the above image (pardon the badly-placed watermark!).  Thomas' hand is not actually touching the floor, but it looks like it is.  I thought that was cool.  The shadow was blurry from higher up, so I kept shooting as he moved his hand closer to the floor.  In Lightoom3, I turned the image black and white, pushed up the exposure, and added extra black and shadow to the image for contrast.  Then I added some very coarse grain to the image.

Camera settings:

• ISO 800
• Manual mode
• 50mm portrait lens
• Aperture at f2.8
• 1/40 second shutter speed

One more hand shadow shot (compliments of Danny, my #3):

Treasuring life's moments,
Christine

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