I am a photographer

I am a photographer because.....I have a camera.  Actually, I have one nice camera and one really great camera that we owe Chrissy money for.....but that's another story.  I am on a mission to be a photographer because I know what the heck I am doing with the camera, other than just leaving it on an auto setting and hoping for the best.

I recently read this tutorial, and LOVED it.  Really, really loved it and learned a lot.  I would highly recommend for anyone who wants to take better pictures.  Even if you know a lot, I would guess you'll learn something new - everything is explained REALLY well.

http://my3boybarians.com/31-days-series

I also really like some of the posts here:

http://thepioneerwoman.com/photography/category/basic-photography/

 All of these photos were taken after I read that and was determined not to use an automatic setting.  I went with Aperture priority.

Picture below is "no nap Stella".  A close relative to "pre-coffee Mommy."  :)

I think the 3 most important things I learned were that (1) real photographers apparently NEVER use the built-in flash on the camera.  Who knew?  [No flash on these pics, and my lighting was not great, or even good, really]

(2) Using the user-controlled settings really can get you better pictures if you know what you're doing.  These pics prove it to me.  The auto versions were far less impressive in my opinion.

and finally, (3) there's lots of stuff to be learned when you actually read the manual and test the functions out as you read.  I learned how to move the focus spot around, so it isn't always in the center.  I had a lot of fun with that in these pics. 

Let me know if you have other recommended sites and let me know what pics are your favorites....the ones from this experiment are all here:  https://picasaweb.google.com/TexFamily/PracticingPortraits#

For now, I will just keep practicing.  I have willing models...most of the time.

Lots of love, 

Keri

pictures at the park

We had beautiful weather last week, so my neighbor and I took the girls to Valley Forge Park to get photos of the girls and some pics of the "baby bump".  I spent a few minutes explaining to Sylvia what a "baby bump" was and why my neighbor wanted to get some photos by a sign that said "Bump", and she seemed to understand.  Later, when she saw the little bumps the top of my jeans made under my shirt, she said "Oh, NOW I see the baby bumps!".  So funny.


The girls were tired and cranky, my neighbor was balancing her camera while chasing her own toddlers, and there were people all over the place, but somehow she got some GREAT shots!!  (Did I mention, she made the adorable hats and cuts all of our hair too!?)  Thanks Kris!


Sylvie and I are are working on a wreath for Thanksgiving called a "Gratitude Wreath".  When I asked her if she knew what gratitude was, she said "Yeah, it's when something drops.".  I was so impressed that she knew what gravity was!  With a little luck, we'll have a photo of that wreath......soooooon!

Stella has been teeting horribly lately, and is crazy attached to me.  Sylvia, on the other hand, has been crazy attached to John.  I'm hoping this phase for both lessens a bit and passes before baby brother arrives.  Baby is doing great, kicking A LOT, and has a probable name.  I'm a little afraid to commit to the name - each time I did with Stella, I changed my mind 2 seconds later.  It's Isabel, no wait, Emily, no wait....But, baby J has a probable name.  John and Sylvie have started to refer to him by it, so I better commit soon!


Stella is talking a little more each day and sings ALL the time.  She wakes up each morning singing for a few minutes before shouting "Mom, mommy, mom, mama!!"  I love it!  And as she learns to talk and sing, Sylvie is slowly learning to read and write.  I always have her trace letters, but didn't realize she could almost write her name on her own.  Yeah, the "S" looks like a "2", but check out the rest! 

And finally, if you couldn't see that video in the last post, here is the link: http://sendables.jibjab.com/view/wncRayNBRiQuDFd2

Sylvie is obsessed with it. 

Lots of love, 

Keri

good health and first hair-cuts

"Hey Mom, hear this!  CORN-UH-COPIA!!"  The girls are finally both healthy and back to normal schedules, including school and some fun play-time outside. Both girls are still loving soccer, but Sylvie has started to ask me about when she can take dance class again.   I think she misses wearing her tutu's out of the house.

Stella got her first hair-cut last week, although she was very focused on dipping pretzels in yogurt at the time, so I'm not sure she even knows it happened.  It looks so cute!
  

I took both girls with me to my gestational diabetes test, which went amazingly well.  They had to sit at the lab with me for over an hour, but Sylvie watched TV (some HORRIBLE cartoon), and Stella ate cheerios.  I passed the test, and baby is measuring just right, has a heart-beat right in the middle of the expected range, and is kicking all day everyday.  Life is good :)

Lots of love,   

Keri

the dancing tissue

Miss Stella is sitting on top of the world - or at least on top of the potty!  We've been putting her on there a few times a day, and that child knows what she is doing!  :)  I started Sylvie around this age too, but it was a sssssllllllooooowww process that took a huge step backwards when Baby Stella hit the scene, so I have had no plans to rush Stella - but she has been a super star.  And as proud as we are of her, no one is as proud as she is of herself.  (She has a very special little naked bottom dance that she does to celebrate).  Go Stella!!

We had lots of fun playing with Brock and Aunt "Ra-ra", as Stella says, this past weekend.  It was so nice to see Sylvie hanging with her best bud Brock as if they still see each other every week, even though it is more like once every month or two now. 

I have no issues doing whatever it takes to get a cute picture of the kids, including, but not limited to, tickling them with my feet, singing silly songs, and telling goofy jokes.  Here is the BEFORE JOKE picture:

And here are the AFTER JOKE pictures:

So why WAS the tissue dancing??

It had a little boogie in it!  ......whatever works, right?

p.s.  (to Brocky boy):  Sylvia was pulling spinach leaves off of my dinner plate and gobbling them up so that she'll be able to run faster than you by the next time she sees you - look out!

Lots of love, 
Keri