I'm on theme, wooohooo!!

This week's theme, is to photograph things that make life easier. I looked around, and knew right away that my dishwasher is a HUGE help in my daily life.... not the most creative shot, any suggestions on a better crop would be awesome. I used Krisztina's Color Pop action on this, which I love! Here are the settings: 50mm 1.4 lens, natural low light, ISO 200, Manual mode, ss 0"8 f/3.5 Thx for looking! Off to go see what everyone else posted for today :)

What's new?

These signs are all over the province right now. There are soooo many jobs available, and it is having an impact on the services we receive! Big stores like Walmart and Tim Hortons have shortened their hours, due to lack of staff. It's crazy, we are booming like crazy, but not enough people are working. So here is a 'wanted' sign I came across today. My settings were 1/500 f/7.1 iso 200 I used Jess's B&W conversion, and cropped it a tad. CC welcome!

To everyone who left comments for me yesterday/today... thank you so much. The CC was helpful, and the nice comments lifted my spirits, so thanx again for visiting my blog, and taking time out of your day to leave me feedback :) Still feeling like I've lost my creativity, but I'm gonna keep at it, taking pictures is what I love to do. Have a great weekend!

Ugggh

My pictures are really missing that special OOMPH quality to them :( They are so blah..Here is a pretty borring sign I saw today, but really liked the structure it was attached to. I loved the wood bridge, but feel like I failed to capture the texture of it, and not sure how to really acheive that. My settings were ss 1/200 f/8 iso 100 shot in manual mode, and then i did some selective coloring, to draw the focus more on the sign. Seriously need some CC guys.......... I'm just not finding the creative angles I should. ALL and ANY CC is so appreciated here, and I can handle it! Thx for looking!

Nasty Roads........

This is what I hate most about winter, highway driving! I snapped these out our front (cracked) windshield on our way home from visiting our families. Nothing special, but wanted to share, and to remember these ugly winter roads! Thx for looking :) SOOC, and I really should have taken the time to crop these better.

Still Alive!

.......and still taking pictures too! I promise to update this by Wednesday :) In the meantime, a picture of the flowers hubby got me for Valentines and my Birthday...also a silly picture of Avery! I've been trying to create a © watermark that I really like, and have come up with NOTHING so far.. back to trying!

What IS this?

I bought it in a bag that said it was a plant. It's kinda spongy and sort of reminds me of a mushroom? So this is my POTD in keeping with theme :) Please tell me what you think it might be exactly!? Thx for stopping in, CC welcome (I just loaded it, and see the dark shadows or blue colors in the bottom right and top left corners...?) I'll try to get rid of that and repost, this is sooc

Settings: Manual mode, Window light, 1/40 ss, f/ 3.2 ISO 400 - SOOC

A week already!!

I know, i'm doing terrible at this photo A DAY thing!! Believe me, I do take a picture every day.... I just don't always get the chance to come post. I feel guilty if I come post and don't have time to look around too! And having a hard time staying on theme too! Sorry!!! So here goes..... a few of my DD this week. We took away her soother *finallY* she is 2 1/2 now...and it was time. It's been tough for her, but day 5 now, and she's been doing awesome :) She's also the lipgloss queen...always has 2 or 3 with her! (I know, I'm gonna have my hands full with her! lol)

I had to throw in a few b&w ones too! lol.....trust me, if I let her, she'd put lip gloss on *all* day! She even takes it with her to bed!!

and here's my attempt at backlighting.....is that right? Kinda? I need to read more about it, and I should have cropped this one better....

Thx for stopping in!! :)

I've been tagged!

Thx to Haleigh :)

Here are 6 weird things about me!

1- I watch All My Children religiously everyday, and sometimes I cry watching it...
2- I won't drink pop from a can, it's just gross to me (and I don't really like pop to begin with)
3- I read in the bathtub
4- If I get up in the night, I have to go look out the front window, up and and down the street before I can go back to bed. (I want to catch the guys who broke into my vehicle *twice* a few months ago, and have since become paranoid
5- I don't like ice cream (I'm not sure, is that weird?)
6- I make a "to-do" list every night before I can go to bed.

I don't think these are that 'weird' but I asked my husband to help me out, and this is what we came up with! lol.... So now I'm tagging: Mar, momstime, AmyC, Shannon and Lucy!! (sorry if any of you have already been tagged)

The sport of crying...?!

This little guy turned 1 today, and since I was babysitting him, his mom asked if I could take a few pictures. I'm still proofing, but definately wanted to give MOM this one, hehehhe. He's such a cutie, with those big blue eyes even when they are full of tears.... I'm just not sure if I prefer the color or B&W, what do you think? I will post more from this shoot later. I also noticed that the focus is on his face, and around his shoulders is really out of focus, should I have lowered the aperture, and increased the ISO? CC appreciated :) Thanx for looking! Settings: ISO 400, 1/80 ss, and f/1.4 in manual mode. Used photoshop to do some editing, and ran through noisewear.

Eeeeks! I'm so behind again :(

Okay, so I'm not doing my POTD very well. I think that with the calendar I feel limited somewhat...and I know the intent is to get us to work outside of what we normally do....but I think what might work best for me...(run on sentence here we go....) is I'll at least post ONE picture that week, that is in relation to the calendar. Does that make sense? I feel like if I can't get a picture to fit into the category, then I'm not posting...which really, isn't any fun at all!!! lol.... so here goes nothing. I'm back on track as of today. Beginning with 2 pictures of Jaden that I took of him 'shaving' last week. (I was trying to get a water type picture, and failed...lol) I was being silly, and combed his hair all funny.... here are my settings: ss 1/250 f/1.4 ISO 200 in Manual. There is no natural light in my bathroom, and I didn't set the wb either...which I think would help with the muddy conversion... something I MUST work on! CC welcome!

Here is one of Avery Grace....and Jaden Colby

Truth be... there isn't much to see in my town. I mean, it's okay, but there really aren't any big monuments, or buildings or bridges..and I could get much better pictures during the summer. Something interesting about my town however is this: It is legal to drive snowmobiles in the town. We are snowmobile central, or sleds...as many call it. I have never owned my own, nor do I care to....but it is a bit interesting that there is an exception to the rule here. Just going to share a few pictures I took this week, CC welcome, but I can't seem to open PS to get my settings... Thx for looking! Oh, hey...I started my photog. class Wednesday "Getting to know your camera" it's AWESOME! I was afraid I would be too much of a beginner OR it would be too basic, and boring. It's actually perfect for me, where I am at right now! In the first class (3hrs long) We covered all the major topics: Aperture, f/stops...composition, ISO, DOF, manual modes...how they all work together to get proper exposure. It was great..some people there had amazing cameras, and a few students had point and shoots with 3.2 megapixel, a wide range. Next class we go straight to the studio to play with backdrops, reflectors and lights!! I can't wait. I have some homework, and I will post the assignment/my results tomorrow and Sunday. I'd like to have it all done by Sunday Night. (Sorry this post was so long!)

POTD: Wednesday

I am soooooooooooooooo behind! We've been a sick house since Sunday, and being gone on the weekend, I've had no chance to post any new pictures~!! Today Rene took Jaden to the sledding hill in our town. It's a big attraction for the kids! Knowing that the challenge this week was OUR HOMETOWN (or something?!) I thought this would be great to show a bit of where we live right now. The town of about 10,000 people is very much divided into 2 sections. "Up the Hill" and "Down the Hill" the road you see in the picture is how you get to either place :) We've lived here for 5 years now, but like some of you other peas have mentioned, it isn't our "home" but where we live right now. In this picture you can also see the Mill which employs a lot of the people here. My husband works in the oil field, which is also huge in this area. It looks like a huge pollutant in the picture, but honestly you can't smell it or anything, and can only see it from a few places. Funny how it is situated right in the town!? Thanx for looking... CC always welcome, my settings for the picture of the mill are: 50mm 1.4 lens, ISO 200, 1/125 5.6 Manual Mode (Signs: iso 100 (too low!) 1/125, 5.6 manual)

I hope to get out before the sun is setting tomorrow ;) I'll have to because I leave for a 2hr drive to my photography class which begins tomorrow night!!!!! :) :) :)

FRIDAY POTD

I decided to pack up my kids and come visit my parents for the weekend...while my husband, Rene works on framing our basement :) With the tools out, and how noisy it gets, just easier that we aren't in the way! So I can't post pictures until I get back home, but I will be able to catch up on everyone's blogs...and get to know everyone better with this weeks challenge! I hope I'm set up on the webring....I think I figured it out, so hope it works :)

THURSDAY POTD

YEAH!!! Just tried out my new 50mm 1.4 today, and I *already* LOVE it so much!!! It seems like what I've been learning, what I was doing wasn't giving the results I expected (with my kit lens)...and can see now that this lens will cooperate much better :) So here is something about me: I love country decor...anything rustic looking, or anything that truly is antique...love them both!! My settings: ISO 400 AV mode 1/125, ap 1.4

I had set this up on the floor in front of my livingroom window...I like the focus, and dof, but not that the little runner underneath has no focus....but anywho.. ALL CC VERY MUCH WELCOMED!!! Thx for stopping by and checking out my blog today! Have a good Thursday *smile*

As promised, I would take a self pic today.... tada... here it is! No CC please, I just took a shot, and I know I should have looked at the settings. I have one question though.... How do you make the whites WHITE?! And why does it look like I don't know how to hold my camera.... anybody else think my arm looks awkward?! Anyways, thx for stopping by! A new picture will be posted tomorrow :)

WEDNESDAY POTD

Well, I'm starting this with 50 more things about me (and hope not to duplicate any that I wrote from yesterday!) I will update this with a picture of me later today...

51) I am scared of Heights
52) I don't know how to swim
53) I love to sing with my kids
54) I really can't sing though!
55) I am definately a night owl
56) I spend too much time on the computer
57) I am trying to raise my children to be polite, and to respect others, themselves, and to believe in themselves
58) I stood in line at Walmart at 5am for a Sony Playstation 3
59) I sold it!
60) I love to browse on Ebay
61) I am not a good decorator, but wish I were!
62) I love that I've known my husband for a gazillion years
63) I can speak French, and took French Immersion until 8th grade
64) I have a really good friend who I've known since I was 5
65) I like to sit and talk with people who are older then I am
66) I have a big heart
67) I try to drink 8 glasses of water everyday
68) I bite the skin on my thumbs when I am nervous
69) I like to write
70) I don't understand why so many girls live with guys before they are really serious
71) I am an open book with people I trust
72) I trust too easily
73) I wear makeup everyday even if I don't leave the house
74) I will wear pj bottoms all day if I'm not leaving the house
75) I am overweight, and hate it
76) I joined weight watchers last year, and plan to rejoin in February
77) Christmas is my favorite holiday
78) I had my first child on Christmas day
79) I don't mind moving houses, but can't wait to settle into one
80) I constantly contradict myself
81) I used to read Archie Comics all the time
82) The first conert I went to was Bon Jovi
83) I LOVE VEGAS
84) I wish I would have applied myself more in highschool
85) I loved junior and highschool
86) I was there to socialize
87) My husband proposed to me on Christmas eve in front of my family
88) 4 months later I got pregnant
89) I didn't change the date, and still fit into the wedding gown on our wedding day, I would not change a thing
90) I wish I went to Church more regularily
91) I would love to travel the world
92) I try to not play with my kids too much, I want them to be able to play with other kids, to be young, and to have an imagination
93) I love reading to my kids, taking them swimming and shopping, and playing dress up
94) I let me kids listen to the same music as me, and I proably shouldn't
95) I listen to Top 40 and some country
96) I like to try and rap along side of Eminem
97) I love to have 'me time' every day
98) I would kill for a massage right now
99) FOR ONCE I am at loss for words!
100) I pray with my kids every night.

TUESDAY POTD

** Challenge this week: Introductions....**

So I am going to do the *50 things about me* today! I might do another 50 tomorrow.

1) I am a wife 2) Mother 3)daughter 4)sister 5)I am Canadian 6) I have the Canadian Maple leaf tattoo on my foot 7) Just got it this year, and won it in a contest! 8)I am a procrastinator 9)My family and friends never expect me on time 10) I am Catholic 11) I grew up in a small town of 400 people 12)I met my husband in the 8th grade! 13)We've been married 4 years 14) We have 2 children. 15) I am the first of 5 kids 16) I talk to my mom on phone at least once a day 17) I loved our trip to Vegas 18) We are going back this April! 19) I took Early Childhood Development at a college after I graduated 20) Now I'm a SAHM and babysit 21) I love to scrapbook 22) I love buying the supplies to scrapbook 23) I am passionate about photography 24) I love that I have a huge extended family 25) My kids know all my aunts and uncles and cousins! 26) My best friend has the same name as me 27) Her grandmother and my grandmother were friends 28) My mom and her mom went to school together 29)I start many mornings with a Tim Hortons Coffee 30) I am 26, and turning 27 one day after valentines day 31) I have learned more about myself in 2006 then ever before 32)I really don't like rude people 33) I don't like animals that much 34)I've never really had a pet 35) I drive a mini van 36) I love company 37) I don't like when company shows up before phoning first 38) I have a hard time liking people who are very self centred 39) Breast Cancer is in my family 40)I love the city 41) I love going to the country 42) I love antiques and anything rustic looking 43) I am a reader 44) I enjoy books and all kinds of Gossip Magazines, and I read the newspaper every day 45) I love Survivor, Desperate Housewives, and The OC 46) I also like most 'reality' tv shows 47)I hate winter 48)I live where winter happens more months then summer 49) I love to buy clothes for my kids 50) I go to tanning beds.


.....That was strange to do! lol.... hope you know me a bit better anyways! Here's a picture of one of my favorite coffee places :) No CC for this one, I took it out my window, check out the snow! Hope to follow up with a self pic at some point during the week. Our weather is miserable right now, with huge weather warnings about a blizzard heading our way. Nice eh?

I hate that I wasn't able to post yesterday..grrrr... but here is Sunday's picture. And it's technically Monday 12:01am! Eeeks. Anyways, here is Jaden, my son who turned 4 on Christmas day. He is very much into making such strange faces when my camera is out...and when I do get a good one (when I sneak up on him) his face is soooo dirty! lol... I am really working on crops right now, and conversions. I still need to sit and learn how to add actions that so many peas are using...another day. My settings are: Canon XTi, manual (i think, any way to know for sure??) iso 400 ss 1/60 ap 5.60....but I think my flash went off, because I have shadows (that really bug me too) ?! So maybe it was in auto... anyways, I'm off to see how many peas posted pictures today, or well, yesterday!

Re Crops.....

I really need to work on in camera crops! Are these better though? CC please!! :) THX!

I am cheating on this one.... I took this a month ago, but just finally proofed this set of pictures today. Here is DD laying in a pool of balls at West Edmonton Mall, in the kids play area. Our kids love coming to this place, it is so cool, and we always have so much fun! Love the static in her hair. I would love to learn how to do actions, because I'd like to see this with a color pop. I'm not fond of her hand at the bottom, but wasn't sure what to do to fix it. I can tell already that I need to work on creative crops! Thx for looking, and here are my settings: Can't remember if this was shot in manual, but I think so? Iso 800 (probably too high right?) SS 1/40... ran through noisewear, and sharpened..that's about it! CC always, ALWAYS welcome!! :)

This didn't work out well!

There is absolutely nothing special about this picture. I took it today of 2 moose just off the hwy. It's not everyday I see them, and I was more excited then ever, and I'm not even sure if this was in manual or auto or what?! But here are the settings I do have. ISO 400 SS 1/125 Ap 5.60 flash Canon xti

It's so drab, what could one do to spruce it up a bit? (no pun intended!!)

I liked the catchlights in Avery's eyes, even though the picture was really noisy (still not sure where I went wrong) testing the waters in manual mode....but wanted to do something I liked, and something different with this picture. Not sure where I went wrong technically, so any CC greatly appreciated! Thank you for looking :)

Settings: Iso 400 M mode ss 1/125 Aperture F/5.60..... converted to black and white with high contrast (Photoshop 5.0) and ran through noisewear.

January 1, 2007

Not sure what the settings are, and this picture is from Christmas. I know everyone is frantically looking into all the blogs, and I didn't want you to see nothing when you stop in here :) This is my son Jaden, who turned 4 on Christmas day! With him, my daughter, Avery who is 2 1/2. This picture was taken quickly to capture the moment, but I hope to not have many of those in this challenge. I'd like to make each photo-a-day something I took time on to look at settings, and I really would like to work on Manual mode. Anyways, here is my first picture.... more of an introduction to my children who you will probably see a lot of here! Thx for stopping by!

Up for the Challenge!!!

I am challenging myself to post a picture everyday in 2007. With High hopes that this will take my love for photography to a new level this year! Check back soon for more updates!