Photo Friday - The Other Side of the Lens

As you may remember, I am trying to become a better photographer (hence, Photo Friday). The best way to become better at something is to "practice, practice, practice", so I have been taking an abundance of photos lately. While looking through and editing the photographs my husband and I have been snapping, I started pondering something, something I never really thought about until now. For every photograph, there is a photographer. Simple right? For every moment caught on film, for every yawning newborn, for every beautiful sunset, for every first kiss as husband and wife, and for every last breath captured, there is someone on the other side of the lens sharing in the moment. There was somebody reveling in that beautiful sunset, it didn't just fall on blind eyes, SOMEONE was watching. There was someone adoring the brand new baby whose soulful eyes gazed straight into the camera. There were proud parents clapping, smiling and cheering while commemorating every "first" caught on film. SOMEONE was there, someone was living their life on the other side of the lens.

Here is just a breath of the moments we have been living. Enjoy.

18 Month Photos

I gotta tell you, Day 1 of the 18-month photo extravaganza did NOT go as planned! Does anything ever go as planned with three silly toddlers? Probably not. I expected the little ones to be nearly impossible to contain, to be looking everywhere but the camera and to run off a few thousand times, but I did NOT expect two of said silly toddlers to make the clever decision to dump water in their laps immediately prior to going out in the 40 degree weather for the photo shoot! Oh no, right? The sister-in-law and I were only able to muster up enough happy-boy-ness for a few pictures before the snot and tears (from MY boys) started flowing. Thank goodness cousin H is such a trooper! Here are the few decent shots from Day 1. The happy looking one, yeah, he's not mine. :~)

Turns out I didn't have time to get out for "Day 2" of the 18-month photo-shoot. Runny noses, low grade fevers and 18-month check-ups got in the way. Maybe we will get around to it this weekend, but in the meantime, how about some candid shots of some SMILEY boys!! Notice in one picture, E is sitting in the
dog food cabinet. It's apparently become a favorite hang-out spot for both boys. :~)

Photo Friday - A Secret Revealed

In my attempt to become not only a better photographer, but to become better at processing my photos, I came across a little Photoshop secret, using action sets to "fix" photos. Action sets make it super simple to tweak your photos and bring out features that otherwise may have gone unnoticed with just the click of a button. A quick online search yields many many results for "photoshop actions" some are free, some are quite pricey. I actually have my eye set on this one, but I just can't justify paying for it quite yet. :~) I did, however find a really nice set through Bloom and Grow Photography which allows me to make my pictures look more refined and, well, pretty. Just to give you an example of what their actions can do, here are a couple of photos - first straight off the camera (SOTC - look at me using the "lingo") and then using some of the Bloom and Grow actions along with my own adjustments. I still have a lot to learn and even now I look at these pictures and I think, "hmmmm, I should have done....", but it's a start. Enjoy.