Lovely Women: 3 Kampens + 1 Rutt

While on vacation I took the opportunity to ask some friends and family if they would mind doing some "modeling" for me. Basically, I want the chance to shoot people I knew and felt comfortable. I wanted the practice. I wanted some sweet stuff for my portfolio. So one Sunday afternoon, my Aunt K, her daughters, K and E (my cousins, obviously), and our random friend A, took off for a local park. Of course this is a park that it seems everyone in the area, at sometime or another, have their portraits taken. But, oh well. Like I said, it was local. It was close. And it is the kind of place where you can shoot and shoot and still come out with different kinds of images every time.

So here's a few of my favorites! This was such a fun shoot. I mean, how could it not be with these awesomely fun ladies? We did a lot of laughing.

Mother-daughter shots.

Friend A. So pretty.

Cuz E. The perfect soberish model. Until she breaks out the sista 'tude. Downright outrageous!

More A. Love her and her completely calm gaze into the camera.

BFFs I think. Seriously, it's a riot when these two get together.

I know Aunt K is a little out of focus in this one, but for some reason, I like it.

And this. This, I'm pretty sure is one my absolute favorite shots out of the entire shoot. The soft light. The expression. So very Cuz K. Very demonstrative of her personality. A lot of sweetness with just enough of the "Bring it, girl!" attitude to mix it up.

Than-you ladies for giving me the chance to wield my camera at you! I hope you all were pleased with the results. And I promise. I will be sending discs. Soon.

Back from vacation!

Hey peoples! Yes, it's been something like a month since I posted last. *shudder* But since then I've had a wonderful, long vacation with my little family out East. We did lots of visiting with family. Baby G had lots of fun playing with his grandparents, great-grandparents, cousins, and his many uncles!

Hubby got to talk shop with his dad.

And of course, board games are a staple for good family times. Clue and Blokus being the games of choice.

Hubby got to put on a tux and be in one of his oldest, best friend's wedding.

I got to do some photo shoots involving these:
And this:

More posts to come featuring these super fun photo shoots.

Happy 2010!

Well, Happy New Year, everyone! Hope you all had a wonderful and merry Christmas! I know we did, even down to the blizzard that shut down a major part of the Midwest. But then, I love snow and blizzards and white Christmases.

So we're finally dug out here and now I'll be able to post again. Actually, I lie. We've been dug out for a week now. And our internet was never down. I've just been plumb lazy over the Christmas break.

Of course, this being Baby G's first Christmas, we had so much fun! First gifts!

And we learned the futility of giving an almost-one-year-old more than one gift. Because once they're done opening that first gift, they want to play with the paper and the toy itself and they don't expect anything more. They really don't care to be interrupted to open yet another gift.

Case in point. G is perplexed and Hubby is gleeful.

Particularly because this is a man child's kind of toy. For he-man, tough little boys and their daddies.
Hubby and his gift- a nice multi tool. Oh, get this, between his parents and I we got him the multi tool, a set of bits and attachments for the multi tool, and a Mini Mag flashlight. All of which have their own little case that he can wear on his belt. And he does. He looks something like skinny Barney Fife and all the little cop cases he had on his belt. Hubby now carries the above on his belt, plus his ever-faithful-never-leave-his-side Vise Grip. Plus an extra pocketknife in his pocket. He gets teased about it, but he claims that he's been saved more than once from a field-to-shop run, simply to get a little thingeymabobber.

Our backyard toward the end of the blizzard.

Digging out on Sunday morning, the day after the blizzard ended.

Snowy, Main Street Christmas.

There were 4 huge piles of snow down through the length of Main Street, all the snow pushed together.

And, of course, I need to post something about my dear Baby G's birthday! Born a couple of days after Christmas '08, I have a feeling that Christmas seasons over the coming years will be lots and lots of fun! Obviously, I want to try and keep Christmas and birthday separate for G's sake, but he'll be lucky as there will be much more of a chance that we will be gathered with family over his birthday. Grandparents! Cousins! A bajillion aunts and uncles! Fun!

So here he is with his first birthday cupcake, doing it the way it's meant to be done.

Happy Birthday, Jesus! Happy Birthday, Baby G! Happy, happy, happy! Happy 2010!

Looking back on 50/50/50- and ahead too!

Yep, now that I've finished {FINISHED!} the 50/50/50 challenge I'll definitely be delving into some more of these kinds of projects (photo credited to The Pioneer Woman). Mmmmm! Chocolate!

And, of course, I'll be hanging out with my favorite guys in the world. This is G's first Christmas (he was born 3 days after Christmas last year) and I'm so excited! Even though I know he's too young to get what's going on or even to remember it, it just puts all those Christmas traditions in a whole new light.

And, maybe I'll even be doing more of this too!

I can seriously not believe that Christmas is 9 days away! Wooohooo! I'm hoping to have the Hubby home for the entire weekend, for once. Happy, happy!

And the day after Christmas, I'm making a trip to the mall to go shopping for some much needed clothes. Personally, the after-Christmas sales are the absolute best- even better than Black Friday. But that's my secret. Forget I said that. I don't want the mall to be totally jam packed while I'm there. I want all the sales to myself, thank-you very much! Yeah right, very funny.

As far as future photography plans go, around Day 25 of the 50/50/50, I remember saying something to the Hubby about taking the 365 challenge (1 photo, every day, for a year). He wisely (and because he knows me too well) suggested I finish the 50/50/50 challenge before I decide on anything new. Well, I've finished now and I'm pretty certain I won't be doing the 365. Maybe someday, but not in the year 2010.

But I am considering the 52 photowalk/drive challenge. 1 photowalk (or perhaps, photodrive, in my case), every week, for a year. I think that sounds a little more doable. Plus, what a great way to get exercise!

You may ask, "What's up with the sudden obsession with photography challenges? Why not just shoot?" Well, I like challenges because they force me to get out there and shoot, even when I don't feel like it. I learn new things, see things from a different angle and, overall, just helps my photography skills. Yeah, I know, I've got skills- you know like, nunchuk skills, bowhunting skills, computer hacking skills... Sorry, couldn't resist the Napoleon Dynamite skills quote.

But, back to the point, photo challenges are just plain good for me and my camera. Eventually, when (if) I ever have my own photography business and have the regular challenge of shooting for other people, I don't think I'll need to set them for myself anymore. If that makes any sense.

I'll let you know. I'll be back here blogging in a little while, but for now, I'm going to take a few days off. A few days without touching my camera (maybe) and without trying to think up new blog posts. Maybe I'll be back before Christmas, maybe after, depending on if I manage to stay away from camera or not.

So, if I don't see you before then, have a very blessed and merry Christmas!

DAY 50! COMPLETION!

Yep, this looks like a relatively boring shot, but I happen to think it's cool. See? Look closely- I used a new editing technique. Something I've never even attempted before- a texture. Tell me what you think. I, obviously, think it's pretty cool, but maybe that's just because it's something I actually got right the first time. This technique is definitely something I'll be playing around with again. They can really add something to a shot, particularly in the vintage/retro realm.

I know, this may have not been the best photo to use it on, but I think it works, so so. And this was *blush* the only thing I could come up with to shoot today. I kind of wanted to finish this challenge out with a bang, but, after some late nights and early mornings, my brain is so weary and incredibly low on creativity. So my bang will simply have to be the new use of textures, thank-you very much.

I'll blog more tomorrow about what I'll be doing now that I've finished (did you hear that? I FINISHED!) this challenge, but for now, good-night!

Day 49 (T-MINUS 1 DAY!)

Day 48 (t-minus 2 days!)