My glowing 6 year old

I don't have a recent shot -- but here is one I took of my little girl in December.
Turning six was a big deal to her, as she finally got her ears pierced.
I love that little twinkle in her eye and the light from her candle. Too sweet!

The glow of a dying candle

I haven't posted for a long time. But when we lost power last night I had the perfect opportunity to shoot some gorgeous "glow" shots. I took about 60 pictures of candles burning lower and lower... This one's my favorite. Very little editing - just cropped to get a better composition, and the tiniest bit of color enhancement.

Glowing Rays

I used a huge tree to block the light right in front of me hoping that some rays would shine down on the otherside of the shore and give it a good glow. I didnt get the glow but I did get the sun rays coming through a bit here so I emphasized them with the glow settings in Picasa. Any CC is welcomed!

Challenge: Glow

Im quite excited to give the word for the new challenge. GLOW might be challenging but yet fun to see results from people. You can get a show of something glowing or of anything you want and make it "glow" with editing. Whatever you got lets seem it!

Lets post by Sunday February 21 by 11:59PM PST. Special thanks goes out to Melinda for the great word suggestion!

What I Think of

It really has nothing to do with a bowl except that it reminds me of flowers floating in a bowl on tables for a variety of parties/receptions.

Challenge Reminder

Just a reminder to submit by midnight on sunday for BOWL! Anything that means to you. Looking forward to seeing what you got. Feel free to share your Super Bowl pictures too if you took any special for that!

Old Time Curlers

This is late because I was having an asthma attack on Sunday night, when I'd planned on getting to 'fixing' my photos from my daughter's birthday celebration. (That's also why I don't have any Superbowl pictures...I was too busy trying to heave out a lung.) This was taken Friday night in prep for her 'Fancy Nancy' birthday party. (See my blog for more on that!)

I took this to picasa and after cropping, tinted it brown, then made the true colors come out by half. (If that makes sense...)

Challenge: Bowl

I told everyone to save their pictures from what they did from there activities yesterday. Here is your chance to show us the best you got. Or perhaps you can show us what else the word Bowl means to you. Either way Im sure it will be super.

Lets post by next Sunday at FEB 14th at11:59PM PST again!

Grandma D

This is my Grandmother.  Back in the old times, I would see here at least 3x a year.  Now that the family is older, it is harded to get back to eastern Idaho where she lives (I live in western Idaho and it is a five hours driver to see her).  This was a simple candid shot of her but it is my favorite.  And I admit I didt take this last year but being without a camera it makes it hard to do the challenges. Hopefully if time permits, I am going to get a Kodak point/shoot tomorrow or Wednesday so next challenge will be a current shot I promise. 

Old Time Pose

It isnt much but it is all I could manage with my sickness. This pose is perhaps as old as time so many people do it.

Oh, the delicious smell of a newborn!

I had a newborn shoot a couple of weeks ago.
She was so tiny. So perfect. So new.
She made me wish I had another teeny tiny baby.

Babyhood is now considered old times, for me.
Our family is complete and we are pretty darn happy.

But, sometimes, you can't help but think of the old times - when babies are tiny, they need you so much, and you lose hours of your day just staring at the perfect little sleeping angel you've created.
Those old times are precious and fleeting.

Challange: Old Time(s)

It has been quite a while since we had a challenge and I wanted to give everyone the chance to get back at it again despite decreased popularity to about zero! Perhaps you are all just waiting for the chance to do something great and I can give that to you.

In thinking of a word I thought old times when this challenge had many many entries each week. I was so grateful for it. It provided me fun times and wonderful things to do during a hard time. So here is to the OLD TIME(s) show us what that means to you! Im quite excited to see what everyone comes up with. It is quite a broad challenge so anything you think of for old time will work.

Lets post by Sunday night February 7th at 11:59PM PST. Thats after the Super Bowl for all you people who throw parties.

Hint - Take pictures and save them from whatever you do for the Super Bowl for the next challenge! ;)

Challenge is Something Different

For this challenge I dont want anyone to take pictures unless they want to related to the topic. Since I have a new camera and it is fun/difficult to learn to do things I wanted to have everyone take a few minutes and post 1 thing they learned about their camera, settings etc. that really helped them. I can be SLR or Point and Shoot.

So for example if you really found a combination of f-stop and iso you really liked, etc. It can be anything. Maybe one or two paragraphs. The idea is to have a very mini tutorial to help each other with our cameras. If you want to post picture with it to show us you can, but it isnt required.

Please post by Sunday the 17th, by 11:59PM PST.

Back to the future...

I know I am a few days late so I beg forgiveness...

Taken with Nikon D50, 1/60s, f/4.8. I confes to altering the color to fade it and add a more brown color.

Future

I think there are two things in life that can never be re-created. Ever.
The joy of a bride. And the scent of a newborn.

Saturday, I shot a beautiful wedding.

This couple is so very, very special.
As I listened to their story, it gave me goose bumps. Literally.

Imagine falling in love with a boy when you’re 13. And you plan to marry at 18. Only, your mother so desperately wants you to go to college — and not get married just yet. So, you don’t.
And then many years pass.
Out of the blue one day, you receive a phone call that your boyfriend from your teenage years -who you’ve not spoken to since that time- has suffered the loss of a parent.
That love comes rushing back and without questioning it, you go to him — all the way from North Carolina to Kansas.
And you get engaged four weeks later; blissfully marry about 6 months later?
Can you imagine that?
Loving someone so much, for so long, that distance and years cannot keep you apart?

I was just so touched by this couple, their genuine affection for each other, and the absolute happiness that the bride exuded. From the moment I walked in this morning, she was giddy. Just absolutely giddy.

Her loneliness is in her past -- and only wonderful, loving, cherished moments will fill her future.

Future Flowers

So im still learning with my new SLR but im most excited about it. Look at the improvement from my last few! :) Was on a walk today and realized that all the familiar summer/fall flowers were all dead and brown. These Camilles were the only ones in bloom which reminded me I have some on the porch still yet to bloom! My future flowers!

My Little Effort

To make the future better... these are my new shopping bags I use when I go shopping anywhere and everywhere!

f/1.8, 1/160, ISO 125

Challenge: Future

Alright everyone it is a new year. Perhaps you all have recommitted to take more pictures or lost weight, or do better at things financially, persoanlly, or even spiritually! Just remember you can do it and stick with it.

So here is to the Future and go ahead and take a picture of whatever it means to you. Perhaps that is something to do with your resolutions, perhaps it is a dream home/car. Lets see what you have for us!

Lets have it posted by Sunday Janurary 10th by 12:00am PST!

Merry Christmas Everyone

I wanted to wish you all a Merry Christmas and hope you all caught the joy of the Christmas spirit be it from children, giving, present, tradition, football, food and religious meaning. It is a great time of the year for everything.

So MERRY CHRISTMAS to you all! Hang on to your photos you took they will come in handy (hint hint) ;)

Homemade Giving

This year, a few of the gifts we're giving are homemade or gifts of time. This particular one is a tree skirt for my sister in law. (I don't think she checks this blog, but if you do, Katie, please act surprised anyway.) It was a really fun gift to make, from a pattern my mom used for her own, and for mine a few years ago.

Giving Christmas Cards

I took this on Sunday night. Only editing I did was to add the black frame and add text. This was using Nikon d50. This is my sisters family in an inpromto photo shoot so they can give/send Christmas cards.

NICU Holiday Bags

The picture isn't the greatest but a group of Mom's here in FL who had preemies or babies who died, we got together to make holiday bags for families in the NICU on Christmas Day. The christmas card was designed by a little boy who lost his twin brother who were both born prematurely. We put in the bags christmas cookies, layettes, a camera (sometimes when you have a preemie you dont have time to get your camera to the hospital), snacks, water, chapstick, hand sanitizer, teddy bears, lotion, laundry detergent, note pads, pens, etc... We are very proud of this project. I have spent two months of my life in a NICU between our two boys and it was no fun. We're delivering these bags next week to the families in the NICU at varying hospitals in Jacksonville...

Challenge: Giving

Merry Christmas M24'ers!

In the spirit of the season and because I know everyone will be busy this next week I wanted to just slip one more challenge in and then take a break during the week of Christmas. It is a good time of the year to keep giving in mind so lets see what pictures you have for this challenge. Perhaps there are traditions you do or something you did for someone, etc. Show us what you think of the word.

Lets post by Sunday December 20th at 11:59pm PST. It is one day less than usual so get it in if you can then enjoy your Christmas!

Sitting Silent...

This is a water wheel at the Gardner Village near Salt Lake City (there for a family vacay). Using the Nikon D50, I took this picture on Saturday morning and conditions were over cast and gray. I only increased saturation so you could actually see the wood. Because it is old wood, the color was a washed out gray which made it difficutl to see against the gray ice. recent family vacay. (Getting ready for this trip, Thanksgiving, broke camera, and busy schedule have prevented me from posting on recent challenges. Sorry!)

1/125s,
Focal length 18.0 mm
f 5.6

Challenge: Silent

This time of year is a hussle and bussle so I figured a good word for us to have for a challenge would be Silent. Perhaps opposite of the word is what you think of or perhaps something that took deep thought. Lets see what you have in your minds!

Please post by Monday December 14th at 11:59PST. If you do have pervious challenge pictures you want to post for the last few weeks go ahead and do that as well.

Thanks Janelle for the word suggestion.

Busy: Working

I have officially recovered from surgery!!! And boy did I hit the ground running. I have had four shoots in the last two weeks. One of them was going down to see the Christmas lights. This photo was too cool not to share. Everyone just looking up at the huge tree, and the only light was the tree. The only PS I did was cropping.
CC- is always welcome.

Gratitude: A real nativity

Sorry this is so late. It's been a busy couple of weeks for me, but I really wanted to post this. My mom got me this nativity set for Christmas, but gave it to me on my birthday (11/22) to open. I love the Willow Tree brand and the simple figures, and I really wanted to get this nativity set, but there's no way. It would have taken several years, buying separate sets, for me to be able to afford it. I'm very grateful (1) that my mom was so generous and thoughtful to give this to me; (2) grateful to have a "real" nativity set now (the only other one I have is tiny -- small enough to fit in the mini zen garden we have); and (3) thankful for everything that a nativity scene reminds us of.

About the photo: I used flash, but I didn't want to. I'm using a camera that is a step down from what I was used to, and it doesn't have image stabilization. If I turn the flash off (which is generally my preference), my pictures usually turn out blurry. With the flash on, they're more washed out, but not so blurry. I adjusted color and exposure, saturated, increased shadows, and put a brown border around it.

CC

Busy Doing Yard Work

Challenge: Busy

Perhaps this is a word that describes this season or perhaps just everyone's life right now so lets share whatever you can think of. What keeps you busy, what do you do to not be busy, etc. It should be fun to see what comes up with

Lets post by Thursday December 10th at 11:59PM PST

Enjoy the Break

I hope that you all enjoyed your Thanksgiving holiday! I hope you all have enjoyed the extra time without having a challenge to do! Many of you have said that you have previous pictures to add. Go ahead and post them for any topic.

I will again have a challenge up Monday morning for everyone! Merry Christmas!

Leftover Shells

I did a little bit of cooking for Thanksgiving this year - but not my typical amount. It was nice to spend time with family without the added pressure of cooking copious amounts of food. Instead, my extended family rented a beach house at Cape Hatteras.I took this picture Saturday morning when my girls, my husband and I went to the beach to search for shells. We found some perfectly whole shells -- but mostly were so battered by the surf that we only recovered interesting little bits -- little leftovers. Other beachcombers had gone through the piles of shells discarded by the ocean....but we still managed to find a few perfect, whole shells.
Just like our Thanksgiving meal, the leftovers were the best part. My girls were blissful and it was a absolutely beautiful day.

Challenge: Leftover(s)

You still have till the 30th to get in gratitude but I also wanted to give you all a heads up on this challenge. Some people love to have leftovers from Thanksgiving dinner. I know I enjoy a variety of things to do with the leftovers. So lets capture what you do. If you feel so inclined leave a recepie as well (not required though).

So finish off Gratitude and lets post our challenge for Leftover(s) both by the Monday November 30th at 11:59pm PST.

Grateful for Newborn babies

I love newborn babies.. they are just so fresh from Heaven and so adoring and oh the newborn baby smell is wonderful. I have many things to be grateful for at this time of the year so this was a nice topic. I am thankful for my girlfriend who let me come over and to take pictures of her little guy.

Grateful the wedding is over...

...and my life can return to just busy instead of insane. My brother in law got married this past weekend. A few more of the pictures I took are up at my blog.



This picture is of my in-laws watching the bride walk down the aisle with her father. I love the emotion on my MIL's face.

ISO 400, f/5.6, 1/60 sec, sooc. CC.

Grateful for Family

...especially these three. And of these three, especially the on in white in the middle. Even though he was born 2 1/2 weeks early, Carson (who joined our family 2 days ago) is healthy and happy, as are both our daughters. What more could we, as parents, be grateful for? (Oh, and, he's the reason I didn't get a native picture up...give a girl a break!) ;)

Gratitude

I am grateful for my little boy who we almost lost at birth...he reminds us what is important in life each day.

Challenge: Gratitude

This is the holidays and specifically Thanksgiving. In honor of the holiday and the significants behind it lets see what gratitude means to you!

With the holiday I want to give extra time for everyone to get this in so lets do it till Monday Nov 30th at 11:59pm PST!

please also feel free to post any photos you have and werent able to post for any challenge in the month of November as well during this time.

*another great word chosen by Melinda - Thanks!!!

Native Shroom

They are native to every area all over and I swear im convinced that if you dont have them and you water anything too much they pop out everywhere. I actually took this with my cell phone camera which isnt great quality but sadly it is the best one I got this challenge which is even more sad.

Native: Tradition

This is a rushnyk. It's a Ukrainian word that literally translates to "towel," and is pronounced /HROOSH - neek/.

My husband lived in the Kyiv, Ukraine area for two years before we knew each other, and became familiar with a native custom there. As part of the wedding ceremony, a rushnyk would be laid on the floor in the place where the wedding was held. The new husband and wife would -- on the count of three -- simultaneously step onto the rushnyk. Tradition was that whomever touched first was the head of the house. Inevitably, in any home where he asked who stepped first, both claimed credit. Before he left Ukraine, he purchased a rusknyk of his own, to have for when he got married. At our reception, he explained the tradition, and then we did it. Of course, I touched first, but if you ask him...

See my runners-up here, along with a full view of the rushnyk.

Additionally, though I took "grunge" pictures within the time frame, I didn't get around to uploading or editing them until tonight, and I think it's waaaaay past the statute of limitations by now, but you can see them here if you'd like.

CC

Native Roots

This is a picture of my cousin that I took for his Senior portraits. The thing that absolutely blows me away about this spot on the beach is this tree and its roots. It has been there for as long as anyone can remember, and its roots are gnarled and weathered.
But it still stands.
In its native sand, strong and unbreakable.
It's amazing to think about.

I am cheating a little bit --this picture was taken a few months ago with my Panasonic. But I haven't had time to take any pictures this week :( And I was feeling terrible about missing two challenges in a row. This is one of my favorite photos, and just wanted to share.