Flowers and Bees

Yep, more flowers.  I took a lot this particular week.

Front yard porch garden

Front yard sun garden

 A tangle of flowers

Dreamy

Bees love all the variegated beard tongue growing in my front yard sun garden.  Here's some beard tongue, in pinks and purples:

 I managed to capture this honeybee on one of the blossoms.  He seemed to be enjoying himself.

What yummy honey that would be!  :)


Treasuring life's moments,
Christine

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Flowers -- More, More, More!!

I just can't get enough flower images.  I love capturing all of the beauty and creativity of the One who makes all things beautiful.  What better way than to use my macro lens to find all the detail that that beauty has to offer!

Variegated beard tongue

Dianthus

Daisies just seem so happy, don't they?

I am thoroughly enjoying summer so far!


Treasuring life's moments,
Christine

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Photog Class -- Silhouettes

Summer is approaching, with lots of extra daylight to play with!  Take some time one warm evening to experiment with silhouettes.  They are fun and easy, and you generally do not need a tripod (or a fancy camera) to capture some great shots!

The play of light and darkness is called chiaroscuro, in case you were wondering.  :)

You'll need some brothers or sisters (or friends) to play with you, of course!  Remember, I use manual mode with my Ellie, so you'll have to experiment if you use a different setting with your camera.  First of all, I always like a low ISO (more on that in another post), so my images below are all with ISO set at 100.  I also used my 50mm portrait lens, which is nice and fast since it allows me to go as low as f1.4 if I need to.

Since I want a fast shutter speed, I set my f-stop to 2.2, resulting in a shutter speed of 1/2000 second.  To achieve the silhouette effect, I expose for the sun, not for my subjects.  See how the guys below are all in shadow?  With the shutter set at 1/2000 second, the sun and sky are properly exposed, but since the shutter speed is so fast, the guys end up being all dark.  This is the effect you're going for.

Now remember, it's more than just snapping a bunch of shots of people in silhouette.  I chose the below pose--with Jacob's arm around Thomas--because it portrays the friendship and camaraderie of two brothers.

f2.2, 1/2000 second

Same with the below shot.  Both of the guys have their hands in their pockets, but they're talking and joking around, and smiling at each other.  I feel a real sense of friendship and togetherness in this image.

f2.2, 1/2000 second

I love the silhouette of the hands together in a high five.

f2.2, 1/2000 second

The outline of their faces also reveals emotion--strength and a little bit of seriousness.

f2.2, 1/2000 second

For the last shot below, I bumped up the shutter speed a bit to achieve a darker image.  Plus, the guys were ready to be done with this particular photo session!

f2.2, 1/2500 second

If I had thought about sun flare, I could have changed the f-stop to shut it completely down (say, f22).  If I did that, I would have to adjust the shutter speed accordingly, to a much slower speed.  By doing that,  I would have gotten some very nice star-like rays off the sun.  I'll have to show you that in another post.  :)

Now, go grab your camera and some family friends, and have some fun!


Treasuring life's moments,
Christine

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Project 2012 Week 23 -- June 3-9

Project 2012 -- Week 23

June 3 - June 9

How to Link Up With Us

1.  Click here to read the Project 2012 Guidelines, and to get the code to place in your blog.
2.  Fill out the little form below (insert the URL of your blog post, not the main URL of your blog).
3.  Please visit others' links and leave comments; you will receive visits and comments in return!

My Week 23 Photos

As I stated last week, I wanted to make sure I used Ellie a few times before our state homeschool conference began on Wednesday evening; otherwise, I would have no pictures to show you!  And it turned out to be true--I took just one photo of my speaker at the ICHE state homeschool conference.  (I can't believe it's over; it seemed to loom ahead of me, and now poof!  It's over.)

After watering my front yard gardens, I brought Ellie out for a few pictures.  Of course, it's so fun to experiment with depth of field with lilies.   They have such depth!  :)

[155] Asiatic lily (f13)

 [156] Asiatic lily (f4.5)

Here's a somewhat side view of the flower, at f13.  Even though the stamen/anthers/pistil aren't in focus, I think it's my favorite shot.  I love the water droplets.

[157] Asiatic lily

I was happily surprised to see my first purple coneflower flower begin to emerge!  This variety is called powwow wild berry, and it is such a deep, rich purple color.  It's my favorite (but I say that for almost all the flowers in my garden, for one reason or another!)

 [158] Emerging purple coneflower

 [159] The blooming begins

Indoors, Fernando and the guys finished painting our main bathroom.  Then, he hung some towel hooks that I bought--well, let's not share when I bought them.  But they're hung now, and the guys have places for their towels.  We just have the border to hang in this room, and maybe I'll replace the shower curtain (it has yellowed over the years), and then this room will be pretty much complete.

 [160] Hooks in the bathroom

Below is the one picture I took at the ICHE state homeschool convention.  I brought Melinda Boring, from Heads Up Now!, in to speak for most of the workshop slots.  My friend and ICHE assistant Adrianne spoke for one workshop, and Fernando and I spoke for another workshop.  Melinda was a great speaker, really engaging her audience and imparting solid, practical advice and ideas.  Plus, with a name like Boring, she had to be fun!  And we had a lot of fun together over the week/weekend.

[161] ICHE state homeschool conference

I'm thoroughly exhausted from working since Wednesday afternoon, but I wouldn't trade it for the world.  It's such a wonderful feeling to feel goodly tired and knowing that I brought encouragement and hope to families homeschooling (or thinking about homeschooling) their special needs children.  If you're interested, check out the blog I created for homeschooling and special needs!

And now, I rest.  :)


Treasuring life's moments,
Christine

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Project 2012 Week 22 -- 5/27-6/2

Project 2012 -- Week 22

May 27 - June 2

How to Link Up With Us

1.  Click here to read the Project 2012 Guidelines, and to get the code to place in your blog.
2.  Fill out the little form below (insert the URL of your blog post, not the main URL of your blog).
3.  Please visit others' links and leave comments; you will receive visits and comments in return!

My Week 21 Photos

Ellie had a little break this past week, until Saturday when I did a photo session at a playground (images to appear later).  I think it's ironic that I complained throughout the winter that there wasn't much of anything to shoot, and now that it's practically summer, I keep shooting flowers.  And more flowers.  Last week was no exception.

Whether the flower has turned to fruit, or is a weed, they're still amazing subjects to shoot, and one of my favorite things to capture in my non-professional photo jaunts.  :)

[148] First strawberry

[149] Clover

[150] Astilbe "peach"

[151] Woodland hydrangea

One morning Thomas (16) decided we should make Belgian waffles.  It didn't matter that breakfast ended up being at 10:30am, since Thomas made it, and he served me on my special china, and he served me first.  He's a sweetheart.

[152] Belgian waffles

I took a picture of my absolutely gorgeous lettuce while my young men unloaded some firewood my parents gave us.  So you know I'm not boasting, I've never been able to grow lettuce more than 4" high.  These babies--there are four heads left--have grown to about 18" high!  (They're black-seeded Simpson, in case you're curious.)

[153] Supersize lettuce

Here's the wood pile we ended up with.  Thanks, Dad and Mom!

[154] New wood pile

 This upcoming week brings our state homeschool convention, and this photographer lady will be very busy with a different aspect of her life as she works like crazy for 3+ days.  I'll try to use Ellie before I leave so I have at least something to show you next week.  ;)

Treasuring life's moments,
Christine

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Beauty in a Friend's Yard

I had such fun wandering my friend's yard with her daughter, taking pictures of flowers and letting Miss K take some as well.

 Iris

I took a picture of a rose...

Then Miss K took a picture of a rose.  Not bad for a six-year-old, huh?  :)

Oh, that iris was simply stunning!

 Rhododendron

Petunia

I love finding flowers in others' yards, especially when they are different than what is growing in my own yard.  I'm so thankful for color and beauty!


Treasuring life's moments,
Christine

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Little Miss C | Chicago Newborn Photographer

I can't tell you how thrilled I was to do this in-home newborn session!  Little Miss M was late in arriving, and I almost felt like her mom, waiting, waiting, waiting.  (Trust me, her mom felt every minute of that wait much more than I did!)  She finally made her appearance, and four days later I visited her for her very first portrait session.  :)

I love this vintage look for Miss C, especially with the crate in the picture.

Isn't she precious?

She slept so sweetly throughout our time together.

Baby's feet are incredibly wrinkly and red.  I love putting these shots in black and white.  After a lot of maneuvering on my part, I captured a sweet shot below.

 

 Mama and baby

After getting Miss C arranged in this really cute basket, her arm flopped over the side.  Her mama wanted to move it, but I wanted to try just a few shots.  She looks plumb tuckered out, and adorable.

We helped her get situated more comfortably, and I caught some super-sweet shots, even without headbands, flowers, or other props.

The below is possibly my favorite shot from Miss C's portrait session.  Although I have the shot in color and vintage, I especially love the black and white, and how the light falls across her face.  Dear me, I've fallen in love!

Treasuring life's moments,
Christine

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