One Month Later...

I think one month is the longest I've gone and not updated my blog.  Things have been pretty hectic around here and I guess that something had to give.

 Here's a few highlights:

My daughter was preparing for and has left for her two month internship in London.  Dropping her at the curb at the airport was an emotional experience.  I tried to stay strong but I couldn't help the tears.  As she walked into the terminal with her suitcase rolling behind her I kept seeing the 4 year old girl in her Snow White costume that she wore until it shredded.  *sniff*

I am exhibiting photos in my first gallery show!  The opening was May 10 and runs until the 30th.  I had no idea how much work it takes to prepare for these events but it's worth it.  I've learned so much.  One of my pieces sold on the first night!  Yay!  Here it is, my black and white photo titled, Gerbera.  It's the same one I posted about last month that took first place in my camera club competiton.

Our son will be graduating from High School in a few weeks, so proud of our boy!

This month's camera club competition theme was sillouettes.  I haven't explored this topic very much and that's what I enjoy about these monthly themes.  It forces me to step out of my comfort zone and try something different.  Since my daughter was out of town my dear friend Jackie's daughter Hannah was kind enough to model for me.  This is the one I entered in the competion, however I took lots of others as well.  I really like the results!

However, it was the photo I took of a hummingbird last summer in Maine that took first place.

Here's another photo of Hannah I took on Thanksgiving day.  I love the connection you can feel between Hannah and her horse in this image.  She reminds me so much of my own daughter and Jackie and I feel so blessed to have raised such lovely and wonderful young women.

Linking up with Foto Friday theme Feathers and Fur

Two Firsts!

I was so thrilled and surprised last night to win two first places in the Chester County Camera Club April photo competition especially given all the incredible images  that were submitted.  Click over and check them out if you have a moment.  I love being part of the club.  I've learned so much from the members, speakers and workshops and have met many new friends with a similar obsession.  I would recommend to anyone to google camera club organizations in your area and see if there's one to join.

Here's my first winning image:

Gerbera 
Catagory: Assigned (flowers) Monochrome

Camera	Nikon D700
Exposure	2
Aperture	f/32.0
Focal Length	100 mm
ISO Speed	400

Second image:
Message in a Bottle
Catagory:  Open Monochrome

Camera	Nikon D700
Exposure	0.033 sec (1/30)
Aperture	f/5.6
Focal Length	70 mm
ISO Speed	200

Both images are low key, shot in color, desaturated in post processing (CS5/topaz adjust filter).
I set up in my kitchen for most all of my indoor macro photography.  I have a north facing sliding glass door next to the kitchen island which seems to work perfectly when I position my 42" reflector (silver side) facing the door.  The light reflects perfectly onto my subject and is very easy to control.  My dark background is just an old black velvet jacket draped over a wooden crate, perfect.  I always use a tripod when shooting like this, especially note the f-stop in the first image.  I have a standard tripod but I recently fell deeply in love with my Joby Gorrillapod.  I probably use this for 90% of my macro photography.  I don't know how I ever got along without it!  A remote shutter release is recommended but if you don't have one your timer setting works well too.

Linking up with Tuesday Tutorial: Low Key Photography

A Week in Black and White- the results.

Wow, was that a challenge!

Here is one of my favorites of the week:

I actually have three shots of this gerbera daisy.  I couldn't decide which one I liked best so I put them all together:

So what do you think?  Which version do you prefer?

Quarterly Top 5

I'm participating in a Quaterly Top 5 challenge.  All you do is post your top 5 favorite photos you've taken of your kids or pets between January and March.  Fun!  Alexa was just home for spring break so most of the photos are of her since Kyle avoids my camera like the plague.  He must take after his mother, ha!

I did get this one of Kyle during one of our rare snow days.  He cracks me up.  I can't believe he's graduating high school in June!

Here's my current favorite of Joy, our dachshound.  She had just been to the emergency vet the night before and was resting in her blankie, poor thing.

I really like the next one of Alexa and Caligirl.  It was taken on March 21st, the one year anniversary of Alexa bringing her back from her spring break in California from an Orange County animal rescue.  It's been quite a year with Cali.  The most expensive rescue dog in history (or at least ours).  I also like how Alexa had just come in from a run and yet she looks fabulous.  Aw, to be young again...

I like this one because of the pose.  Alexa just happened to look down and I snapped it.  She has beautiful eyes and I never thought about posing her this way before.  (eyes closed looking down) It really had to be in black and white.  I couldn't imagine it any other way.

My last photo is from the same session last week.  I love the softness and how grown up she looks here.  Yes, I know she's a grown up (20) but she always complains about people thinking she looks 15 (see the third photo) but here, she really looks like a woman in her twenties.  It made her happy. 

Well, that's my 5.  You can join the fun by clicking the link below!

Quarterly Top 5

A Week in Black and White

Inspired by a few portraits I took of Alexa last week I made a commitment to shoot exclusively in black and white for one week.  I started on Sunday and it's already proven to be quite a challenge.  I want to work more on composition and subject rather than relying so much on color.

 This self portrait was taken a few weeks ago.  How I ever lived without a wireless shutter remote release for so long is beyond my comprehension.  I've been shooting the heck out of it, especially with macros.  Definitely worth the investment! 

I'll post some of my BW images this weekend.  Wish me luck!

One Year

It's hard to believe it's been one year since Alexa brought Cali back from spring break in California.

And what a year it has been!  Never a dull moment with a puppy in the house.

What Alexa is thinking in this photo: I love you Calibelle!

I can pretty much guarantee Cali is thinking: I wish this girl would put me down so I can go sneak over and chew on those shoes someone left in the corner.

Yep.  It's been one busy year of potty training and shoe shopping, and we can't imagine our lives without her.

Alexa is home for spring break this week as well.  When she goes back to school on Saturday I won't see her again until Mid-July!  She leaves the day after school ends for an internship in London. 

It seems like yesterday that she ran around the house in her Snow White costume that she refused to take off.
Of the photos I took of her yesterday these are my favorites.

Isn't time a funny thing?  When they are little it seems they will be little forever and then it seems to go on fast forward when they hit high school and now, she will be graduating college next year.  Wow.  Now off to spoil her a bit while I can.


Linking up with This and That Thursday

The Beauty in Urban Decay

I spent Saturday morning on part of the Philadelphia riverfront that very few people get to experience.  Our camera club went on a photo shoot outing at an abandoned coal pier along the Delaware River in the Port Richmond section of the city.  It's definitely off the beaten path and out of my country mouse comfort zone, but surprisingly, I really enjoyed myself.

The first few minutes were overwhelming; I really didn't know what to expect, or what to start shooting, but then everything started coming together.  I could see passed the litter, paintball spotches and crumbling-soon to be torn down structure and envisioned a canvas instead.  The colors and textures popped, the art became more clear to my eye.  Once I started shooting, the process just flowed.