Thursday, May 14, 2009

Rocky Road

Well it seems it's not as simple to leap back into the thick of things as I thought.

Yesterday's prompt was guard and my brain just completely blanked. I couldn't seem to come up with a guard at all. Of course now that I say that I know I'll think of something. LOL.

Today's prompt was "rock", and I'm fortunate to have lots and lots (and LOTS) of those!


Happy Wednesday everyone! See you tomorrow!

Monday, May 11, 2009

Carry

Happily for my guilty conscience, the HSMSHS bloggers can carry on just fine without me. Life seems to have slowed back down enough for me to catch my breath though, so I'm back to play again!

Love this photo for "carry"! It was taken at our church fundraiser. We left the poses mostly up to the people we were photographing, unless they got really stuck. He had picked her up (so romantic!) and we were brainstorming another pose, when it was decided that SHE would carry HIM! Funny! I love how they both totally hammed it up too.

Carry on y'all! I'll try to behave myself and post again tomorrow!

Thursday, May 7, 2009

I'm not gone

I realize that I haven't posted in a couple of weeks. I miss blogging. I do! I miss playing along with all the HSMSHS gang. I miss YOU!

Reasons I've been away?

1. A visit from my in-laws to prepare for and enjoy (And enjoy I did! I'm so lucky to have really wonderful in-laws!).

2. The local music festival to prepare for and participate in (tomorrow's the last day, THANK GOODNESS).

3. Old friends returned from their summer in the south (still haven't caught up properly with them, though we've called each other a few times)

4. I've started an online Photography course at Big Picture Scrapbooking. Lots to learn and absorb, and a big time commitment.

5. I'm doing a LOAD (LayOut A Day) challenge this month on Flickr (and it's not to late to join! Ask me how!)

6. I've had to shop for new spring/summer clothes for my kids. Because no matter how I beg, they won't stop growing!

7. Speaking of shopping, I have a dress fitting on Monday and have had to try to get ready for that (if only I had lost that 20 pounds!). Shoes, check. Underwear--time scheduled on Saturday. Put off that bra shopping as long as possible!

8. Oh, and a little thing called Girl Guide cookie selling

9. There was a church conference in there somewhere. We billeted people. Which was a first because we're so far from the church itself. But fun.

10. We've also had some beautiful spring weather, so I've been out enjoying it with my family.

11. My LR trial period ran out and I'm waiting for my very own copy to arrive in the mail. So exciting! After processing in LR, it's hard to be happy with just Picasa. So I haven't really wanted to post any recent photos--though I haven't stopped taking them!

EDIT: Just as I typed this, the mailman arrived! Hello LR! I love you!

Why do all of these things happen at once?

So I'm just trying to find my footing, and then I'll leap back into the fray.

Hopefully Monday! Until then, I hope everyone is well!

Saturday, April 18, 2009

SPS with flare

I absolutely love all of the portraits I've been seeing lately that utilize flare. I know you can add it after the fact in PhotoShop, but I really am striving to get my shots right in camera. I'd much rather be behind the camera than behind the computer!

Anyway, here's my latest attempt. Still not quite where I want it, but a fun photo none the less.

Friday, April 17, 2009

Boots

I know it's been a week since I posted last, but I haven't forgotten you! Offline life trumps online sometimes.

Jumping right in with today's prompt though:



Ahhhhh Spring! I'm so glad we were finally able to switch to rubber boots from winter ones, despite the snow on Monday. Oh yes, we had a white Easter!

Friday, April 10, 2009

Easter Memories

Easter is coming? Who knew?

Just kidding! We know, we've just taken a very laid back approach this weekend. Our girls have asked that they be allowed to share a room again, and we've taken the move as an opportunity to paint. As a consequence, we haven't done much Easter prep in the way of decorations and the like in the rest of the house. Today was the big prep day, tomorrow the painting, and then we'll see what magic happens in the rest of the house. Our bunny doesn't come until Monday, so we've a little time, though we really like to observe Easter Sunday. No cleaning! Still, you never know what might happen at Easter time!

While I'm sanding and taping, here's one of my favourite photos from last year's Easter.

Happy Easter to you!
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Thursday, April 9, 2009

Wildlife Photography is for the BIRDS

This morning I woke up to birdsong. I did my morning routine with a smile on my face, for my lawn (which I can mostly see now) was host to some kind of robin convention. I fed the kids and came to the computer to do my usual routine. I checked in with HSMSHS to see the prompt for the day: BIRD.

PIECE OF CAKE!

I smiled to myself, looking out the window at all those robins. Then I picked up the camera, walked to the door....and they all flew away. I wasn't worried though. It was still early, and I had all day to photograph just one bird.

The joke was on me though, for every time I picked up the camera, they all flew away. I swear it was not a robin convention on the lawn, it was a robin conspiracy. Those birds are serious about their privacy!

All day I tried, and all day they mocked me, flitting merrily about when I watched from the windows, but making themselves scare the second I picked up the camera.

Obviously, wildlife photography is not my niche.

But then, a call from the kids: "Mama! The deer are here!"

I did the fastest lense change ever and ran to the kitchen windows. We hadn't seen our deer pals yet since fall, and I had no idea whether or not they'd be in cahoots with the birds. They weren't. They were actually quite pleased to have their photos taken.

Hubby arrived from work just after I'd snapped the first few photos, and I was sure the car would have them running for the woods, but they carried on as if he wasn't there.

Inspired by my success, I went out to see if I could track down a bird. No luck. Perhaps it was because of my assistant:

Did you say bird? Let me help!

I finally managed to ditch my assistant and tramped around, following the sounds of birdsong and peering into the trees. What I ended up with was a whole lot of this:

I eventually found a robin way up in the top of the tree and managed to tiptoe under it for this shot:

But WOW! Those birds really made me work for it!

Next time I'm photographing the Boy's Webkinz.

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Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Twilight

One of my favourite times of day, yet a rather exhaustive search of my photos reveals that I almost never take photos during this time. I was going to take one today just for the prompt, but got wound up in Parent-Teacher interviews and didn't get out until full dark. I don't want to fall behind again, so here's one I actually took the other day as I realized that I didn't have any photos for my Project 365.

The neighbour kid on his ATV. A sure sign of spring (last week it was his snowmobile!).
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Packet and Path

Monday's HSMSHS prompt was "packet". Here's mine:

...along with a story about why it's late. This packet was put in the mail LAST Monday. Can you read the print? It's only supposed to take 2 days to arrive. So the sender and I were waiting anxiously. And waiting, and waiting. And maybe worrying a little (ok, a lot). So Monday morning, when I saw the packet prompt, I thought it must be a sign and waited and watched all day for the little flag to go up on my mailbox. It never went up. Tuesday, between running a billion errands, I took a peek in the mailbox...and it was there! Phew! That was one packet I was happy to see! And since it was too early for Tuesday delivery, it must have been put in on Monday and the flag not put up. Crazy postal adventures! But it's here, and my sender may even get her money back due to the lateness.

And then there was Tuesday's prompt of path. This one is used by snowmobilers and ATV enthusiasts mostly, and actually borders our property in the back. It's a bit rutted for walking and we rarely go on it. I passed it several times yesterday without remembering to stop and take a photo. Finally on the way home from picking up Hubby I yelled at him to STOP! And then jumped out to snap this quick pic:

My Hubby is such a good sport!

P.S. I've not looked yet to see what today's post is. I'm pretending it's still Tuesday. Now that I've posted though, I might just wander over and see what's happening! :)

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Monday, April 6, 2009

SOS After the rain...

I had this all ready to go yesterday and then Picasa and Blogger banded together to give me fits. So I'm posting it first thing this morning and pretending that it's still Sunday. :)
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Saturday, April 4, 2009

SPS Saturday--In monochrome!



Just playing around with my nifty fifty (I have serious love for that lens) and my girls. I had opened up the aperture and was practicing my close portraits when Princess popped up over Sweetpea's shoulder. I love the result.

Today's challenge is for a monochrome portrait, so I used the high contrast B&W preset in Lightroom and then adjusted the curves until it was just the way I liked it. In fact, I like it so much I think I'm going to have to order some prints...
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Friday, April 3, 2009

Uncurl

Actually, on Wednesday my friend and photography mentor emailed me to let me know that she and her family had accepted a fantastic job offer and are moving home to California. In two weeks. So yesterday's HSMSHS prompt was curl, and let me tell you, curl I did. Right into a little ball of self pity. I'm slowly coming out of it again, being happy for her and her awesome family. So today I'm ready for a different sort of curl.

This "curl" is carved into our piano. You can see how old and loved our piano is. Yes, it needs refinishing. Right now the money is being used for lessons though. Someone should know how to play it if we're to truly appreciate it! But I love the detail and care that went into building these old monsters.

Today's prompt is "fluffy", which I keep thinking is fuzzy. Maybe because my brain is? Anyway, here's my fluffy:

And my Princess wanted to play too. I gave her lesson on how to hold my camera (with the 70-300 on it! Good girl!) and think she actually got the better photo:

Great composition girlie! I didn't even mention rule of thirds to her, but look at that! All I did was sharpen it for her in post production. No cropping!
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Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Be it ever so humble...

...there's no place like home!


My girlies arriving after a long day at school and the daily race for the door (today they finally worked out a deal and held hands).
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Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Back in the saddle again....

What happened last week? Nothing and everything. I had a CRAZY busy week. Flying solo at Guides (the Chief Guider was in Bermuda with her sisters, lucky thing!), my middle girl had her birthday and requested QUITE the cake, I attended a crop, hosted a couple of online things, got bit by the spring cleaning bug....well, you get the idea. Today, in fact, I'm faced with just under 1000 posts in Google Reader. I haven't even really been away from the computer THAT much, but haven't had time for a lot of games and reading, and this is what happens. YIKES!

(Plus, honestly, last week's prompts? HARD! Monday and Tuesday I had no idea what to photograph, and by the time I had a good one on Wednesday I'd let myself get out of the habit.)

But it's a new week and I'm back on the HSMSHS horse...or is that a bandwagon? Either way, I've missed my photo friends and can't wait to go see what they've all been up to! Here are my shots for yesterday (temperature) and today (tufts):

Wait, 99.5? That explains why I've been feeling icky the past few days! My normal is 97.7. Running a bit high, I'd say.

Aren't they sad? Poor little tufts of sage. The snow finally melted enough on the weekend that I can see them...and now they're being buried again with the fresh snow today. Where is spring?

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Sunday, March 22, 2009

Friday HSMSHS

I went out and took my Friday shot but forgot to blog it. ACTUALLY--I thought I HAD blogged it, and it was only after I posted that photo from yesterday that I looked and realized I hadn't.

Probably a good thing then that I took a photo of my street so I can find it again ;)

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Colour!



Ahhhhh. So good to see colour again after such a long winter. Now for the snow to melt...
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Thursday, March 19, 2009

Sunny Afternoon

Just as the weatherman promised! Yay!

So here are some sprouts. I looked EVERYWHERE with hope of seeing some outdoors yesterday with no luck. I'm not alone in having my garden still buried in about 2 feet of snow. Nothing is sprouting out there. But you can get sprouts at the grocery store! Yummy sprouts!

And with the sun out, it's easy to convince the kids to help with shadows...I wanted a heart but THEY wanted a bunny. So a bunny it is!

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Boom!

I was away yesterday, having a photo shoot and running errands, so didn't get to blog. I just can't stand to look at that gross decay photo any longer though, so let's all look at something much better.


Isn't he adorable? His name is Boomer and he's not only incredibly photogenic (photo SOOC), he's also very (VERY) well-mannered and loving. Ok, and a little bit sneaky. Guess who polished off all the prop croissants yesterday? Oh yeah. (I would have too Boomer, they smelled yum-o!) He was hanging out with his girls yesterday and ended up being the star of our photoshoot.

And so much nicer to look at than rotting potatoes! ;)

(Kidding! Anything's better to look at than rotting potatoes! He's a truly handsome boy though and we had so much fun with him. I'm enjoying seeing him as I do my edits.)

Sprout and shadow later today when the sun comes out. It's cold and rainy now but the weatherman promised sun this afternoon and I'm holding him to it!
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Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Decay

Found a bag of potatoes hidden under the sink and behind a bunch of other stuff. Have no idea when they went into hiding but they're now out in the snow, the first contribution to this year's compost pile.

Ewwwww!

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Monday, March 16, 2009

Adore

Our Boy adores his teddy bear...and we adore him.

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(Photo taken in the fall, but the adoration only grows)

Saturday, March 14, 2009

But what is it?

I just spent the majority of my day editing photos from a Carnival night my girls attended a couple of weeks ago. I wouldn't usually edit so many of the photos but I was the only one who remembered her camera, so several of the moms and leaders have already requested copies. Can't give them out looking tooooooo bad!

Anyway, one of the things they had was face painting. The older girls did the painting for the younger girls and while some where identifiable , some were ???? Just for pretty I guess!

So for SPS today, here's our Brown Owl looking happy with her design...but I kept telling her there was a spider on her nose!

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Friday, March 13, 2009

Groovy Baby!

Meet Daria:

Daria is a Groovy Girl. Daria is sweet and out-going and she likes spots. Polka Dots, to be precise. In fact, everything about her is totally spotted. Her shoes, her tights, her dress, her hairdo...her DOG. Yes, even her dog is spotted...er POLKA-DOTTED! In fact, this special dog is so wonderfully spotted that she is named Dottilicious. You just can't get any groovier than that!

Mmmm, Milk!

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(Thursdays HSMSHS prompt--though my Boy wanted to recreate Andrew's photo--our cat looks remarkably like his)