Birds of a feather....

 

Newport Aquarium

Apparently the gods were with me in Ohio, because for once I actually got all 3 kids in the same picture, all 3 looking at me, and all 3 have their eyes open.
Yes, that is a real, live shark swimming in the shark tank in front of me. Yes, it looks just like a character out of SHARK TALES. Believe me, it's not. He's alive, he's real, and he would bite.

I will admit these probably (ok, definately) are better snap shots than portraits, obviously. They are not the best I've ever done, and the post processing is done with a free shareware program instead of a professional software program.

Having stated all of the above disclaimers, the above pictures are my kids at the Newport Aquarium, just across the river from Cincinnati, in Kentucky. This was our first morning in Ohio with my dad and his wife. 

Another one of Tate

This one has some catchlights! Got her! 

Tate

This is my ever elusive daughter, who now clamps her eyes shut tight whenever a camera is pointed in her direction. She is sick of hearing about the beautiful catchlights I can see in her eyes, always.

This one she actually agreed to, mainly because she didn't have to look at the camera. 

A Father's Love

I love this picture of Batman and Princess. (he doesn't like himself in it) I love the emotion I feel when I look at it.

Just a little back story, Princess was playing and hurt her leg, scratched it a bit. Of course, it brought tears, and Daddy was there to offer the hugs and kisses needed to 'make it all better'.

I see the love he feels for her, hurts for her, and I know that she needed him, just to hug her to make it better. 

Baby C part II

 

Baby C

By popular demand, I am posting more pictures!!! I know, I've been really awful about this, and I have a TON of pictures to go through just from Cincinnati alone. Problem is, my PC is at Batman's house, awaiting major surgery, and so I've been having to edit/post pictures from work, on my lunch hour. Hopefully Dr. B will be 'in' this weekend and I can get my pc back.

So, here's what I've been up to.

This is Baby C. She is Batman's 8 month old neice. This baby is the Happiest Baby I've ever seen, always with a smile. Loved her, loved her, loved her. And she loved the camera. I had so much fun with her. 

Princess and Scooter

Batman's kids, Princess and Scooter. Lucky for me, they are not used to me chasing them with a camera yet, like my kids are, and therefore I actually stand a chance of catching them. I love taking their pictures, and I love sharing them with Batman. Here are just a few. 

Princess AJ Part II

For whatever reason, Blogger will only allow me to upload 4 pics at a time, so here is more of Princess AJ. I just love her laughter, her smile, and I loved chasing her with the camera. She loves cameras and apparently they love her too. 

Princess AJ

These are pictures of Batman's Daughter, Princess. She is just a light, a joy, she is pure laughter, and she is 100% Diva, hence the name Princess.

These were taken with my Nikon D70 a week ago. It was overcast outside, but she was having so much fun, I couldn't resist. 

AJ's Motor cross Proving Grounds last weekend. New Nikon D70

Here are 2 pictures I shot with my new Nikon D70. I am so impressed with the clarity and the focus even on a moving object. There will be more pictures to follow. 

Another step in my journey

I have taken steps, several, huge steps to realizing another goal of mine on this journey I've started.

I went to Kansas over Memorial Day weekend to visit family. While I was there, M let me use her DSLR, her Nikon D70. I tried not to be too impressed with it because I knew it was so completely beyond the realm of my reality. I didn't want to fall in love with it only to have to give it back and not be able to have one for months, if not years.

So, imagine my complete and utter disbelief and tremendous thrill when I recieved the following email from M a month later. "I'm thinking about sellling my Nikon D70, along with the 50mm 1.8 lens I bought for it. I'm really just a Cannon girl at heart, and I don't use my Nikon that much. Would you be interested?"

And thus began a step-by-step plodding towards realizing another dream of mine. I have made payments to M to get this camera. My birthday money? Went to my camera. The money I would have spent on a manicure? Went to my camera. My bills are paid, my children are not going without. I am buying the kids' school supplies this year (my mom has usually paid for them) I have taken care of all the required, necessary things, I have taken all the responsible steps to do this right. I have saved money, saved change, I started taking my lunch instead of buying it, and the money saved, went to my camera. I have money still set aside for the kids' christmas presents. All of my bases are covered. Next week, I will be sending my final payment to M for my camera. In fact, I'm sending her a little extra to be sure all the shipping charges are covered and she is not going to spend a dime, or lose a penny on this transaction.

God willing and baring any disasters, I will be holding my new Nikon within 10 days. I still can not believe it. But even with the digital, I will continue to shoot with my Minolta (also curtesy of M) which uses film. That is my first love, and it forces me to learn skills, and technical aspects better than digital can. I am also aware that it is the photographer, not the camera that makes the photo. So I will continue to explore my vision, my talent. I will continue to learn and grow and practice.

I am humbled beyond belief that M believes in me enough to make this incredibly generous offer to me, to offer her support, and encouragement, advice and help. Without her help, her generousity, her support and encouragement I would not have made the leaps and bounds on this journey that I have made.

Wish List

I’ve been hanging out a lot at my new home on the web, ILP.  I love that place, and I always come away from there inspired to try new things.  I have a bagillion ideas for pictures of the girls I want to take, and now I have a wish list of things I want to get.

• Obviously, I want my digital camera, my Nikon D70.  I’m just a couple of weeks away from that, and once I have it in my hands….look out!

• I want some backdrops.  Either muslin or seamless paper.  I know that I can use king size sheets, or comforters.  I just need something to use for a backdrop.

• I need reflectors.  I am all about saving money and finding short cuts because I don’t have a lot of money, so I know that those sun-shields used in cars, you know, to keep it cool in the summer, well, they can be used as reflectors (if you get the silver ones).  

• I need lights.  The natural, (and unnatural) light in my apartment SUCKS!  My lights in my apartment suck.  I can’t take any pictures in my apartment, at all, period.  Which really limits my photography options. A LOT!

• I could also use some willing models who will let me practice on them.  My kids are getting damn sick and tired of the camera always being pointed in their direction.  Hard to get good pictures when the kids are running away, screaming “NOT AGAIN!”

  

An evening with my girls

I took the girls to a near-by barn a few weeks ago, just playing around, practicing, always practicing.

Here's Newt

Here's Tate

Tutu's at Grandma's

A couple of weeks ago I made tutu's for the girls and then we went to my mom's to take pictures. These are just a few of my favorites

My New Favorite Newt

I have a new favorite picture of Newt...