Going Digital

I was so excited to win my first giveaway!!!  And at a super fabulous site: Reverie Mine.

I won credit to The Shoppe.  I was so excited!!!!  Now - I am not a professional photographer - but I was still able to find some awesome things.  One of the items I got was Summer Breeze.  It's an engagement layout.  When you go to site's - don't feel limited to what they show you - you can do so much more!  I took their awesome layout and created a cute reminder with my daughter:

So after doing this - I realized I really liked seeing my plain images taken to the next level.  So I started looking into digital scrapbooking.  I played with it before - but that was before I knew photoshop.  So - I stumbled upon this site: Jessica Sprague with some amazing layouts - and there are a lot of freebies right now too - I recommend checking it out.

So - this is one of the pages I did. 

There are many places you can print 12x12 pages.

Or you can be super simple - I forgot where I got this layout - it was as easy as dropping the picture in! (I totally forgot where I found it - if anyone knows - I'd be happy to link back to them!)

I have started using American Crafts albums - there 12x12 D ring ones:

And these are the inserts:

I like this system - because you can have regular 4x6 pictures - or 12x12 scrapbook pages either printed like above - or using scrapbook papers.  And - I can fit almost 500 pictures in an album!  It's a great way to keep things organized yet customizable too!

If you know any great place to get digital elements - please share :)

Photo shoot in the woods - with Florabella

Well - my obsession with Florabella continues!  I just purchased the textures bundle, and I had a vision appear in my head.  I had never gone out to shoot my kids with a post processing technique already in my head.  Well - I did this time - and I think it worked!

Here are the pictures - we went to this woods down the road from my house - we went at about 6:00 - 6:30 - the sun was setting and it was - like I said - in the woods.  When there was light shining through it was glorious!!!  But - you can see with the exposure below - I had to crank up my ISO's and shoot pretty wide.  But - I think it worked!

I used my 50mm, and used all Florabella actions on them, and I think there is a texture on each one as well.  If people want to know - I can start paying more attention to my "recipe" :)

1/160 sec at f/2.2 at ISO2000

1/160 sec at f/2.2 at ISO2000

1/400 sec at f/2.2 at ISO1600

I forgot the action/Textures :(

1/250 sec at f/2.2 at ISO1600

I think it was Tuesday and a texture

1/500 sec at f/2.2 at ISO800

Florabella: B/W Blush with texture

1/500 sec at f/2.0 at ISO800

Florabella: Tuesday and a texture 

1/320 sec at f/2.0 at ISO800

Florabella: Tuesday and Manhattan Texture 

1/250 sec at f/2.0 at ISO1600

Florabella: One of the new B/W actions I just bought

Love to know your thoughts - and if you have used any Florabella or other actions - let me know - love to check them out!

Flora Bella Actions

I recently purchased some Flora Bella Actions.  If you love photography, and photoshop, and if you haven't checked them out - please - go - now!  Well - read the rest of my post - then go :)

Here are some images that I finished editing last night with her LuxeII collection.

The first ones were mainly Tea Time - I did tweak the sliders and adjust a few other - but - the action made the photos!  All of them were shot with my 50mm prime.

SS 1/6400, F/2.8, ISO 320

SS 1/1000, F/2.0, ISO 100

SS 1/1000, F/2.0, ISO 100

SS 1/1000, F/2.0, ISO 100

SS 1/1000, F/2.0, ISO 100

This is one of my favorite of my Hay...such sweet and angelic, with a hint of mischief - which is SO Hay.  And - I am finally figuring out the exposure thing, and how it can make such a difference in the quality of the picture!

SS 1/1250, F/2.0, ISO 100

These were her B/W Blush Action.  Again - I tweaked some here and there and added some other slight adjustments - but - this currently is my favorite black and white change!

SS 1/6400, F/2.8, ISO 320

I love the Bokeh in this image.  I am learning the sweet spot of my new 50mm lens - she really stands out!  Love it - love that blur!

SS 1/2000, F/2.2, ISO 250 Shot with my 50mm 

Ok - now that you have finished reading the post - go check out Flora Bella!!!  I am already planning the next purchase (shhhh - don't tell my husband!)

Getting ready for school

Well - we are getting ready for school.  It starts in 2 days!!!  Well - I guess with the time - tomorrow.

So we had to make sure homework was finished.  Brianna had to draw a picture.  Now with this being her first homework assignment - she got a little confused on where to do her homework - A chair looked good at the time.

Then she found a better place - with better light!  School hasn't even started - and she already looks so big and into her homework :)

Well not to be outdone!  Her sister had to partake.  She got the same sheet - got to work - and it's even hanging on the fridge.

I think these are some of my favorite to date.  I am working on my photography skills literally everday.  And I have to say - I am so happy with the memories coming out of it!

Photography

There is something so beautiful about photography to me.  As I am diving deeper into my passion of photography and learning and absorbing, I am seeing my pictures transitioning from snap-shots to art.  I am seeing freezing an image into creating a moment to remember and capturing all the emotion that goes with it.

Here are some images over the past week or two, and a little bit about why I love them:

This is a picture of my oldest, she just celebrated her 5th birthday.  This to me is bright and beautiful, just like her.  I love the crispness of this shot and the bright colors.

Ahhh - my little man.  This one just makes me laugh.  He is so expressive, has so much emotion, and is all boy - I think looking at this - it just sums that up!

My oldest again.  I love the capture in this one.  I have been working hard at capturing the emotions in the eyes - and I think this one works.  Her eyes are so crisp and clear - and I love that you can see her hand pose in her eyes, and the intensity.

I think this one is one of my favorites.  I don't know what it is about it.  It's artsy and so Hay (my daughter).  For those of you who know Hayhay - you will agree.  There is passion and intensity in her pose, her expression, it's intense - like her.

Another of Hay - I kind of love that she hardly ever looks at me when I have my camera out.  It's her.  She always has a far off look in her eyes, a free spirt.  And - she is always riding around on her Lil' Quad.  I love how the red brick pops, yet blends with the picture.

Bri - she is my little poser - and not a poser in the bad way.  Poser as in - I grab my camera and she knows exactly what to do.  She always has such striking poses.

Another one of Hay.  You can tell when she is smiling and looking at the camera that it is real emotion.  She is so raw.  Such joy.

 Another one of Hay - she just captivated me on this day.  This makes me smile because of her soft expression - but more so - what she was smiling at.  Her father had striped my little man down and was hosing him down - quite the site - and yes - I have pictures of that as well.  Probably not one that he would want me to post.  So we won't go there.

Ok - my little man - he is all boy - have I mentioned he is all boy!  Rough and tumble - just - well - boy!!!  This picture captures the rock in roll in him and the boy.  From his mohawk to his rockin retro ACDC t-shirt.  The intensity (I used that word a lot today) in his expression and that determined look I see all the time.  Love it!

This is my favorite of the three together.  It shows their personalities, their closeness, their beauty. 

If you couldn't tell - this puts my two passions together - photography and my children.  Capturing moments and everyday beauty.

Photoshop - Before and Afters

For those of you that know me - you know my obsession - ok obsession this month is photography - and more recently going into photoshop.  Here are some Before and afters.  The Before's are straight out of the camera.  No more words - just photos for now: