Sarah's wedding

Hi everyone. I just wanted to say that I miss all of you, and our classes! Thank you again Rebecca for all that you have done. I really hope that we are all able to get together again soon, you all teach me so much!

Here are some photos that I took for a wedding recently. I just thought that they were fun, and I had a great time editing some....hope you like them!

Our last outing

I absolutely loved going to the park with all of you. It is so helpful to have some hands-on time, and learn from everyone around you. I really appreciate all of you, and the help that you have given me. We should definitely do that again soon!

So, I have been trying really hard to not only get my pictures right the first time (and not have to photoshop them all), but also work in full manual and practise spot-metering. I think that I am getting better, but there is always always always room for improvement! And Marcy, thank you for letting us photograph Carly, she is such a sweet and willing subject! :)

Here are some samples from our outing the other day...I don't have time to post all of the ap and shutter speed settings, but I will try to do that later today or tomorrow. Thanks for all of your patience guys!

First try at macro! :)

Thank you to Pat for helping us learn some macro-photography! Here is my first attempt....these shots were taken out in front of Rebecca's house after our last class. I had my ap down as far as I could go....I believe that these were at 4.5.

So, yesterday Teage and I decided to attempt some yardwork, as it was such a beautiful day! We took the boys out, and thought that they would just love being in the yard with mommy and daddy...but no, they hated their port-o-crib! :) So, we didn't end up getting any work done, but I did have time to snap a few cute shots of them in their hats! Totally worth it to me! :)

The first two are of Dylan, and the last two Lucas. All shots were taken with a 4.0 ap, and I am not sure the shutter speed, because I was clicking too fast. :) I admit, that I did adjust the contrast a little in Photoshop today as well...I was just having too much fun editing! :)

Having fun with Aperture

So, I have been having tons of fun experimenting lately...I just love this! Just wanted to share a few pictures that I took around the house the other day, and one while driving (sweet time when my boys are asleep in the backseat). :) Rebecca, thank you so much for these classes, I am loving it!

This was taken on a dark day, about 4:30-5pm, with shutter speed of 1/100 and Ap of 5.6. I just love how the big branch in the background is out of focus, but not to the point that you don't know what it is.

These were all indoors, but I turned on all lights in my house, and had my flash up. I love this picture! I focused on the outer leaves of the gerber daisy, so the ones in the middle are all that are really in focus. Shutter speed 1/80 and Ap at 5.6.

This is one of my favorites as well. I focused on the very middle of the sticky-outty part (not sure what that is called :) ), so everything on the same plane is in focus, and the rest of the flower is slightly out of focus. I like it! Shutter speed is 1/80 and Ap 5.6.

These one are fun also. Same bouquet of flowers, opposite side. Shutter speed again 1/80 and Ap 5.6. I couldn't really get a lower ap for many of these, because the closer I got to the bouquet physically, I couldn't focus anymore. So, these are smaller ap then I would have liked to try, but zoomed in.

Assignment- February

Sorry this is a little late everyone....and yes, I did end up having to take these pics inside anyway, due to the lack of time with my two little ones. But, at least I got it done, and I can definitely see the difference when ap is changed. I didn't post the ones looking at metering, because you can't tell much of a difference from an inside picture with no natural light. All of these pics were taken with a shutter speed of 100, ISO 200, and an external flash bc of the indoors at night. I did not change the lighting in Photoshop per Rebecca's rules, however sorely I was tempted!

Ap = 40 Everything in the screen is crisp

Ap = 32 Still pretty crisp

Ap = 18 Getting a little more blurry, though still pretty crisp

Ap = 6.3 Getting much blurrier ( is that a word? ) :)

Ap = 5.6 You can definitely see the blur in the background on this one...I like it! :) With a pretty boring picture like this, it makes it a bit more interesting.

Assignment- Light

What better time to show off my crazy father's Christmas lights, then now?? My Dad starts putting up lights on Labor Day weekend, and doesn't stop until the first or second weekend of December. He is very proud of his house, and I am sure would be pretty psyched about me using it as an assignment. :)

The full deal
His running stream into the lake complete with ducks and deer taking a drink :)

Assignment- Symbolic

When I think of our beautiful city of Snoqualmie, there are usually two things that always come to mind. The gorgeous view of Mt. Si, and our historic trains downtown. So, that is what I choose to take this week. :)

Christmas Card

I absolutely love designing announcements and cards now! I am still learning, but I am having a ton of fun! :) I thought that I would share the card that I designed for our family for Christmas! I hope that you like it!

Assignment- Thankful

There is so much that I am thankful for, it was difficult to narrow it down to just a few. But, here are some of my top choices! :)

I am so thankful for my happy and healthy boys, and that I have a husband who is actively involved! :)
I am thankful that we have become a family, and that we have a warm and safe home to raise our children in.
I am thankful for my heritage, and family. This is one of my favorite places in the whole world, in Portage Utah. It was my grandparents home, before they passed. My great-great grandfather helped found this town with the early Mormon settlers, which I never knew about until I was baptised myself when I was 20 years old.
And, I am thankful for all of Heavenly Father's creations. The beauties that are around us everyday, especially the little tender mercies that we tend to miss. I love how beautiful this earth is, and I always find myslef wanting to photograph everything around me!!