You can dress him up - but you can't take him out!

Continuing on from yesterday's post on at the park with my HayHay and Shooting into the Sun, this one is my little man - and what a boy does when he is all dressed up at the park...So - here is him all dressed up.

Then - this is him - looking - and pondering a mud puddle.

He is running away (ahhh - look at that back light...lovely)

And - it's done - the mud - the mud puddle.

Ohhh - let's see what happens when we throw a rock in....

Or maybe just lay down - take a nap in it?

Ok - now what....

Ahhhh - more rocks - that makes sense. 

Exploring the texture the puddle.

You can dress him up - but can't take him out.

"So what's it to you - I'm covered in mud!"

What!

Well - we were done with the mud puddle - now on to the playground.

What - I can go on a slide - while covered in mud!

It was fun watching Mikey go from clean boy to big mud puddle mess in a matter of...oh - say 5 minutes. At first I looked at my husband and thought he was crazy - why would you let him go near a mud puddle - but this was perfect.  What better way to capture a boy than letting him play in a mud puddle.

I learned a lot through this day.  Yesterday's sun post - I learned shooting into the sun - well - I should say practice.  And with this - I was trying to figure out focus. He is a wiggling little boy!  I really need to practice nailing my focus, that is my next step.

Shooting into the Sun

Tonight I twisted my husbands arm and got the kids dressed and went on a photoshoot.  It is my favorite thing to do you know!

So we went to the park.  Today I am going to show some pic's of my HayHay - My husband and the other two kids went off ahead and Hay stopped to play in the leaves. 

I had my 50mm prime on the whole time, and I shot into the sun.  These were the images I captured.  I am loving the Bokeh of these images - just need to nail that darn focus - you know - the little things!

I love that I carry my camera around so often - my kids don't even realize I am taking pictures of them half the time. 

Get out there and get snapping!

Cousin get together

Today we had my husbands side of the family over.  Now that I am crazy photo obsessed - I take these opportunities to get some pics of my nieces! 

The ones from my husky down to the end were taken with my new flash - I am loving it!!

My new toy!!!! A new Flash

So - I had some money - I wanted to spend - and I bought myself a new toy! I got myself a Speedlight (a Nikon Flash), I am crazy excited. 

Here is case and point of why it is awesome!  Here is a picture of my daughter from tonight - with the flash.

Then I took it off real quick - more to justify to myself (and my husband) that the purchase was worth it. So here is the picture with the onboard flash.  It cranked up my ISO's so it was grainy - it's super bright on her face.  Not so pretty.

Which do you prefer - I don't know about you - I prefer my new flash!

When I first started looking at photography I read so much about natural light photographers - and I thought - yes - that is what I want to do. But - after buying this - I think it is a crazy great tool to bring when the lighting isn't perfect.  I can't wait to learn more!

Chillin' in the Kitchen

So, when you are only making pancakes for dinner - it allows the kids to play a little more and me to get some good pictures!

So this is what Mike does while getting ready for dinner.

I like this picture - Mikey is almost 2 - don't you love how at this age they kneel down like this.  That perfect posture.  He loves going in the kids cupboard and getting everything out.

Everything out!!!!

He also loves to color. And as he is starting to talk - he'll ask for "paper".

This is probably one of my favorite from tonight.  Very "life at my house".

So representative of where he is right now.  Feet hanging over the edge, just being a little boy.

Yes - that is chalk he is putting on his head - at least it's still in the wrapper.

Then we get to the actual eating of the pancakes.

Mike "More please" - Man those kids can house pancakes!

Then the oldest making sure everything is clean.

I really like capturing our day to day life - it makes me happy.

Pure Joy

So - this weekend I let the kids just go wild in the backyard with the hose.

As I sat here looking through the gobs - yes I said gobs - of pictures I took, I found that the majority of the ones were of my middle child - Hayhay.....And below - you will see why - look at this expression!

That my friends is called pure joy!!!!!!!!

The best way to describe this child is infectious! She has this power - the power to infect you with her feelings.  When she is experiencing joy - it is pure joy.  You see it in every being of her body.

Yes there is smiling and laughing - there is playing and being a kid.  But with Hay - there is something that consumes you and you can't help feel what she feels.  Her smile is contagious, her laughter is infectious!  When she feels joy - you feel joy - and when she is hurt - you can't help but cry.  Her emotions are so raw.

One of my favorite things about capturing the memories from this day - is capturing that innocence of my children playing with a simple hose - and the sheer joy it can bring to their heart - and mine!



 Don't wait for birthday's and holiday's to get those memories of your children.  Capture them all!