Blast from the photography past!

While I was pregnant I was ALL about researching newborn photography! All the hats, blankets, sleeping newborns...I wanted to capture my baby like that!! All in auto-mode, mind you. (Still too scared to shoot in manual!)

Here are some examples of my photography "geniousness" (and oh, yes, I loved to wonky colors back then!). 

If I would have read more tutorials on newborn photography, I would have known that the best sleepy-baby-photos come from being shot within the first 10-14 days after birth. I waited a month. BUT...I just had my first baby! I was exhausted, breastfeeding like a maniac, EXHAUSTED...really, the last thing on my mind at the time was photography. But, at least I tried, right?

I did know that my bedroom had the best natural light and I made a little make-shift studio with what I had (on my bed). I ordered a few knitted hats from an Etsy seller and the black fabric came from my baby wrap! haha!! Hey, it worked. And did I mention that I love photoshop? :) Oh, and I watermarked my name!

Ben's one-month-old "photo shoot"!

 Taken on December 27, 2010

Here I was trying to figure out placement of light and trying to get that shot of newborns with just their eyelashes in focus. Yea...this is NOT that shot. Haha!

Ben at two months.

(I do notice that I am getting a LITTLE better at finding natural light. Even though he's not facing it in the right direction, I know what times during the day are the best times.)

Here are some more shots I took of him at three months old using the black baby carrier wrap draped over my headboard in my bedroom. Loved them then, and really dislike them now! Still in Auto mode.

Taken on February 24, 2011:

(hahaa! I love this crying one!)

Okay. So, I know some of these aren't totally horrendous, but it was probably just a fluke.

Oh, CM...if I had only found you sooner! 

Ordinary day!

I haven't posted anything in almost two weeks! I haven't even whipped out my camera in about a week or so (besides my iPhone) so I thought I'd get some quick shots of lunchtime!

Brace yourselves, people....it's so exciting, I just can't take it!! Haha!

Progress!

I've been a part of an amazing photography forum called Clickinmoms.com for about 7 months now. Three workshops (with another to start in two days) later, my photography has jumped leaps and bounds, and I'm not even close to where I want to be!

Some of my early "work" lol.

In these later photos I did do enough reading that natural light was best and actually used it the best I could. But I'm still working in auto-mode here on my camera and don't really nail my focus. I've also learned to sharpen eyes! (A bit much, unfortunately!)

Here are some photos 6-7 months later!

I've really learned that, yes, nailing your shot is important, and knowing the rules are important too...but a great shot doesn't have to be perfect. Just capture the moment.

Catching up!

Wow, it's been a while since I've posted!

Today Ben is 10 months old! In only 2 months, he'll be 1 year old. That amazes me! He amazes me.

He'll be walking soon. I guesstimate in a month. He's crawling like a banshee and cruising along the furniture at lightning speed!

I wanted to get some photos with me actually in them today, and Steve jumped in to do it! He's a savvy photographer too, so I wasn't worried!

In my family we have a long line of piano players, myself included! Might as well get a jump start! :)

6th Grade! 6th Grade!

My niece is entering the 6th grade!! Wow does time fly. I remember moving out to California from Minnesota when she was 4 years old....fast forward 7 years!!

Taken on August 31st, 2011

 Now, I by no means know anything about portrait photography...so I just winged it! And for now knowing what I was doing with the posing, I don't think they turned out so bad. :-)