Vignetting

Trying my hand out at some photoshop techniques, this one is called a vignette. I've also included some updated pics of the other dogs so they won't feel left out. Pictured are Lola and Molly (napping) and of course Jack with Danielle in the vignette. And not to be forgotten, Bunny in the Bluebonnets!

Easter at the Park

We took Layla and Elizabeth to the park in Alvarado on Tuesday. I packed a picnic lunch of lunch meats, cheeses, chocolated covered strawberries, chips, fresh fruit, vienna sausages, and the fixings for tuna fish sandwiches. Plus an Easter basket filled with goodies like bubbles, balls, candy, stuffed bunnies and more for Layla. We played for awhile, snacked for awhile and I snapped a zillion pictures. Layla is finally warming up to us and actually followed me around unlike she had ever done before. Both Elizabeth and I were amazed! Fun was had by all, can't wait to do it again. Once we got back to Elizabeth's house Layla was surprised with a phone call from her daddy. And she gave her auntie Danielle some TLC before we headed back home. Such a sweet little girl, I am so glad that we are blessed with being able to watch her grow up.

Beauty in the Bluebonnets

I took Danielle out on a mini photo shoot Monday to capture some bluebonnet pics. These are a few of my favorites.

Moola is a grandma

The barrel racing picture is Danielle competing on Moola and the two in the stall of are of Coach, Husker's son and Moola's grandson. Husker was born on Cinco De Mayo and will be 4 this May. Coach was born at 5:00a.m. Sunday the 22nd of March. Coach is a Dash for Perks and Buggs Alive in 75 colt.

Layla

Took these yesterday...I was hoping for some much better quality shots, but the lighting was horrible and kids want to be doing what they want, where they want. It doesn't help that we don't see Layla enough for her to feel comfortable with us yet.

Springtime Colts are sprouting up everywhere

We have been waiting and they are finally here!

Fun with Flowers

I'm going to the Dallas Arboretum on Saturday with NTPC so I've been practicing taking more creative pictures of flowers. I just read that Kroger's has Daffodills on sale this week and since those are my favorite I can't wait to get a bunch and practice with those as well!

Happy St. Patrick's Day

St. Patrick was a boy, who at 16 was captured in his homeland of Wales and taken as a slave to Ireland, where he remained in captivity for 6 years. Later, after returning to his family, he had a self-proclaimed vision, which inspired his return to the people of Ireland as a Christian missionary. The remainder of his life appears to have been in evangelic service to the Irish, concluding with his death, which most believe to have been March 17, 460 A.D. Ergo, the date of St. Patrick's day we now celebrate. "Legend also credits Patrick with teaching the Irish about the concept of the Trinity by showing people the shamrock, a 3-leaved clover, using it to highlight the Christian belief of 'three divine persons in the one God'..." Modern day celebrations include wearing green which most likely "...gained its prominence through the phrase 'the wearing of the green' meaning to wear a shamrock on one's clothing." Many US cities, as well as those throughout the world, participate in multi-day celebrations and parades. Increasingly more employ green dyes or other measures to demonstrate their respect for St. Patrick and his example of Christianity and missionary work. Chicago, Illinois is famous for dyeing their river green and even the White House's fountain water was dyed green this year to commemorate the occassion.


As promised...here is my attempt at Food Photography:

Denton Courthouse at night

I'd been wanting to take photos of the Courthouse for awhile now and last night was the perfect night to go down to the square and take some shots.

4 more days 'till Spring

I'm told that this is a White Crowned Sparrow; my first real attempt at "shooting" birds!

Danielle & Jack and a Texas Sunset

Trying a trick from Scott Kelby's "Digital Photography Book" The step by step secrets for how to make your photos look like the pros'! Exposed for the sky and then turned on pop up flash to add some fill flash. Not sure if it worked perfectly, but I like it!

Self Portrait/Photography Class

Self portrait using a timer and taken with natural light. Small touch-ups in photoshop.

Photo Shoot with NTPC

Taken last year with the NTPC photography meet-up. We used available light, off camera flash, pocket wizards, diffusers, and reflectors. This location shoot was SO much FUN! We learned so much...and I now have many more items on my ever growing "wish list"

Pink Walls

If those look like pink walls behind Danielle, it's because they are! She and her friend Amamda spent the weekend painting and now Danielle's room is pink. Including several spots on the carpet(not happy about that) The Blackberry that Danielle is on I'm pretty sure is permanently attached to her ear. We'll just call it a new piercing (kidding)

More "Natural Light" photos

Danielle; with light from a North facing window.....

Valentines Roses

Trying my hand a "natural light" as homework for photography class;

FIRE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Okay, so it wasn't really a fire; but Danielle's Chemistry class did set off fire alarms and have the Denton Fire Dept respond to a 911 call. In a case of experiment gone wrong, in this case adding two tablespoons instead of two teaspoons caused a huge puff of smoke that just happened to be right under the fire alarm. After evacutaing the church and waiting for the fire dept to give the all clear classes were allowed back in to resume science class. We have all been warned to watch out for those "mad scientists" in Chemistry class!

This picture was actually taken in the summer of "05" when a grass fire started on the side of the road, probably from a cigarette thrown from a car "Shame on you, you smokers"

Happy Valentine's Day

Make a Smilebox scrap pages

Rural Texas

We stumbled across this very cool barn and windmill traveling the backroads in Krum, Texas. I haven't edited the picture with PS yet, but would like to lighten the shadows to bring out the John Deer tractor parked in the front. Love the Phillips 66 painted on the backside of the barn. Danielle was driving "Larry" and was just sure we were going to be shot for trespassing on these peoples property, but I had a plan! If an outraged farmer came out with his sawed off shotgun, I would politely explain that I was a photography student and our homework for the week was to photograph old barns. I would explain that his barn was "by far" the most interesting barn I had come across and that with his permission to use the photo I would be sure to get an A on my assignment! If that didn't work, we would turn on "Crazy Larry" and drive like Hell!! Luckily, nobody was home!

You might be a photographer when (Jeff Foxworthy type one liners)

you show your friend how to use their own camera and then end up taking all their pictures for them

You are in Yosemite and your wife is telling you how beautiful it is and all you can think of is the lights too flat and there is no contrast.

You might be a photographer when you walk around with your left eye closed composing photo shots in your head.when your walking along the beach at sunset with the woman you love and think . . . . . . . . . f8 at 1/200th

For Christmas your kids gets bright clothes and your wife gets a jacket thats 18% gray.

In the RAW has a totally different meaning that most others.

You might be a photographer if you bookmark this thread and put a shortcut on your desktop.

While shopping with the wife, you checked out the local Mall's photographer stand, not because you're interesting in having the pics taken, but want to know where he got all the props.

..If there is a tornado warning and you head outside to see if you will be lucky enough to get a really cool picture instead of going to the basement

When your non-photographer friends show you pictures of their kids, the kid is the last thing you see. Instead you're mind is on the following:* They should have cleared all that clutter in the background.* Don't shoot down at children!* Rule of thirds would have helped this picture.

And Finally...

You ask a friend to join you for some bird shooting.He brings his shotgun, you bring a telephoto.