My Daughter's Eyes

Capturing Moments/Don't Judge Me

My sweet and wild 2 year old is highly attached to three things:  me, her binki, and her "Sheepy".
I wanted to capture her in this stage with 2 of those favorite things.


PS. Don't judge me.  Yes, I still let her have her binki, but just in her bed.  I can't bring myself to take it from her yet.  She has had a lot of changes in her little world and still has more to come.

Photo Tip

One of my goals this year is to push myself in photography, to become more confident.  I am intimidated by indoor photography.  My comfort zone is outside in a shaded area.  I like natural lighting, but it is difficult to get enough light indoors to  produce a good photo.  Well, the winters are long here.  I am indoors A LOT with my babies and it's high time I try to make the most of it.
So, I will pass along a tip that I read in another blog and tried this past weekend.
**Stick your subject by any north facing windows, blinds pulled, and curtains drawn open.  This light works best when your subject is facing the window, as to avoid shadows.**
Sounds simple enough, right?  Give it a try.  See what happens.
Oh, by the way, these are two of my three beautiful girls.  I get to experiment on them a lot more than my oldest because she is in school.

Lightroom 3 !!!!

I did it...I forked out my personal "mad" money for the Lightroom 3 upgrade.  I ordered it from Amazon because it was a whole $6.00 cheaper and I didn't have to pay for shipping.  I'll take it.
It arrived today.  Yippee!!
Helped hubsters put kiddies to bed, sent him off to watch the basketball game with our brother in law, sat down with my laptop to install the new upgrade.....oh crud!!! I forgot that my CD drive on my laptop has stopped working.
How am I supposed to install the update without a working CD drive reader (I think that is the correct technical name for it ;) ) ????
The hubsters should be home soon.  He is the technical (smarty-pants) in this partnership...maybe he can find a solution for me...or, maybe this is the direction I have slowly been heading:  a new laptop.

By the way, I am watching the abc 20/20 special on the earthquake and tsunami in Japan.  How awful!  I will be praying for those who have been affected by this massive disaster.
It really puts things in to perspective, doesn't it?

*Update:  yes, I'm kind of an air-head when it comes to this technical stuff...I just had to enter the serial number in from my disc and it licensed my existing file.  Saaaweeet! 

Admiration

I recently came across a photography blog that I am enthralled with.  Mostly because my goal as an aspiring photographer is to take great photos of my own family...especially my children.  This woman matches my style completely (as of now).
I just don't know how to get from where I am now (feeling stuck) to there.  My main problem:  metering.  I can't seem to get my subjects exposed perfectly without over-exposing the background.  Is there some sort of trick I am missing?  Is it just a matter of trial and error?
My other problem:  I don't use Photoshop.  Just Lightroom.  Is this holding me back as well?
Help!  I need a swift kick in the pants with photography.  How do I get from here to there?

 (And, just because posts are much more interesting with photos...here is one of my oldest...nearly one year ago....she is growing up way too fast!)

Working on it...or, Working it!

One of my goals for the year is to work on some aspect of photography every Friday.  Why Friday??  Only because the words "photography" and "Friday" both begin with the same sound.  It helps me remember to do it, seeing as I am working with a brain that is cram-packed with routines, ideas, random information, and useless dribble...as well as still running on interrupted sleep and a shorter supply of brain cells due to nursing.  That is why.
Anyway, last Friday was actually warm enough to be outside.  Still wearing jackets and coats, but the sun was shining and we thought maybe Spring had arrived early.  The kids were out enjoying their new-found freedom, and I busted out the Canon and snapped a few in full sun.
Full sun is always challenging for me.  Harsh light and lack of confidence shooting on full-manual makes me rely too much on the "P" setting.  Thank heavens for Lightroom and digital photography for a amateur like me who cannot devote a lot of time to learning what my camera and lens are fully capable of.
It is a process, and I am enjoying the process and am determined to keep moving onward and upward and challenge myself to try new things throughout the year.
Maybe someday I will get "there".  Whatever "there" may be.

PS.  There is a new post on the family blog:  www.rasbandfam.blogspot.com
Let me know if you need an invite.

Contest

So, there is a local photographer who is having a cutest baby/kid contest on her Facebook page.  The winner gets a free family photo session and a CD of all of the photos taken.
I do happen to think I have the cutest kids around (I am a bit biased though), and we really need family photos taken.  I have yet to hang a family photo in my home (one of my goals for this year) So, I entered my littlest into the contest.
It really is a contest to see who can get the most people to go to the photographers Facebook page and like the photo.
So, could you be a peach and do this for me?  Pretty please?
Just go to this link:
Fauset Photography FB 
Then, you have to "like" her page.
Then, just "like" the photo of my littlest one (it is the photo that I posted just below this post).
That's it!
It would be awesome if we won.  We really need a new family photo since I am always the one behind the camera and I am not even close to being "professional".  I have actually NEVER won anything in my life....that I can recall anyway.  This would be a great first!
Please vote!