Today's photo of the day is one that I took several years ago. My husband was fortunate enough to qualify for and run the famous Boston Marathon. Since it took most of the day for the runners to be taken by bus to the start and then actually run the race, I had a lot of time to spend wandering around town.
I spotted this old church and just thought it was beautiful! It was so enormous my camera could not possibly catch it all from where I stood. I was just thrilled that I caught a portion of it. One thing I love is old architecture. They just don't build things like this anymore...
Hang on to your seats, it's time for the Friday Fives at my friend Beth's blog again! Today's topic is 5 things you may not know about me. Here we go!
1. I HATE crowds! Not sure where that came from considering the number of crowded concerts I attended in college. For some reason, though, now the thought of going somewhere amongst hundreds or thousands of knuckle-heads I do not know just annoys me. Seriously, have you ever sat and just watched the general public? People are CRAZY!! I don't like feeling like cattle in a herd. Rather than paying $50 to see a concert that requires binoculars or standing shoulder to shoulder with some sweaty drunk just makes me gag. I could get a nice steak dinner, alone with my hubby for that!! (ok, I will stop ranting now!)
2. I have an addiction........ to school supplies! I know! This is totally bizarre. I also know that I can't help it. For some reason, when the stores start putting out their stock in July/August to get ready for school I get so excited! The idea of getting loads of pencils, tape, markers, glue sticks, etc. (and on SALE!) just makes my day. I seriously have so many packs of pens and highlighters my kids could never really use them all. I even had my sister come over and help me organize them. What fun that was! (I know, that is strange too. I guess it runs in the family! :)
3. I am terrified of the Dentist. I know this probably seems childish, but oh well! I will readily admit that I am a complete wuss when it comes to the dentist. I would rather give birth again before going to the dentist. That doesn't mean that I don't go, it just means that I HATE every second of it. The idea of needles or anything else sharp going into my mouth just makes me sick to my stomach. If only insurance would pay for those places that will knock you out! Now that is something I could get used to. I can deal with the numbness and soreness afterward, that is why God gave us Advil! I just don't want to be awake while they do it!!!
4. I LOVE true crime stories. No, I am not a sicko, but for some reason this has always interested me. For as long as I can remember my sister and I were watching movies, documentaries, and reading books on various true crime stories. Sadly, we were barely in high school and could name all victims of the Manson family... I guess in another life I would love to have worked in behavioral science, studying this stuff and trying to figure out the "who" and "why". Don't get me wrong, these crazies scare the daylights out of me but I figure someone has to take an interest in it if anyone is going to catch the people out there doing these horrible things. At the same time I think it has made me more aware of my surroundings and the people I encounter. More careful. If that helps keep me or my family safe, who can argue that, right?
5. I am scared to death of snakes! I don't mean just a little scared..... I mean you should see me react when I encounter one!! I am a little better at the zoo when they are behind thick glass, but not much. Last year when visiting the "Farm" with our friends, one of their children found one near the house and captured it. They thought it was just hilarious that I refused to come outside. Then, when I finally had to go out there they got a huge kick out of taunting me. This is the stuff I have nightmares about! In my opinion, they are evil. Check out Genesis, it's right there!
This is Hudson. He's 2 years old. Isn't he adorable? I have been photographing him since he was a little baby. He is so much fun and has the most wonderful big, blue eyes!
I really like how this shot turned out. Not only does it show some of his personality and bright, curious nature, but the bright colors and contrast really make it pop.
I have been asked a couple of times to try and put up a picture of the day. So, this is me trying to get that started! Now, I cannot promise to get one up each and every day but I promise to try!
Sometimes I may post a great portrait that I love, or it may be just a cool shot I think you might like. And sometimes...... I might just post a picture of something I have found that I love, a great product, who knows! So keep checking back to see what it will be!
Here is today's: Isn't this beautiful? This is part of the "Farm", the property owned by some good friends of mine. I posted about it here. I chose this image today because this is one of my favorite places. I can always go there and be relaxed, and feel like the fast-paced world around has paused for bit.
Look at the fog coming off the mountain... It is always so quiet, and with the exception of a few bugs and snakes (in my opinion),it is a great example of God's handiwork. It is truly a small slice of Heaven.
Ok gang, so the "Friday Fives" subject today at Just me and my life is 5 things that make you laugh, smile, giggle, etc..
1. So, first of all I must admit that the joke my husband has told since the day we met is not even remotely funny to me. Maybe it is because I just don't have the dry, corny sense of humor he does. I don't know. The joke is called "the muffin joke" and every time he tells it, he looks at me like I should be bowed over laughing out loud but instead I am looking at him wondering what planet he originated from to think that is funny.
However, my 5yr old, Christian has since learned of the muffin joke. Naturally, thinking everything his daddy does is perfect, he laughed and has now adopted it as his own. For some reason, when he tells it I cannot help but laugh. He adds his own personality to it along with what I can only describe as a "growl" to the end. If you know him you will have to ask him to tell his joke. Since you are probably now wondering, it goes like this: "There are 2 muffins sitting in the oven. One says to the other "man, it is hot in here." The other muffin turns around and says "oh my gosh! A talking muffin!"
Don't feel bad if you didn't laugh. Seriously, it's really only funny when Christian tells it.... sometime I will have to post a video if I can get him to do it for me.
2. So, we have all been to wal-mart and you have probably by now seen the "people of Wal-Mart" site. If not, all I can say is WOW! If you want a really good laugh, go to the site www.peopleofwalmart.com. Have you seen these people? What on earth are they thinking? Someone should buy this girl a mirror or at least escort her to that part of the store. This just reaffirms my commitment to run..... Yikes!
3. My mom will probably want to kill me for this, but I imagine she will laugh too and forgive me! She called me one day when my little sis was out of town. She had gone over to her house to feed their dog. I don't even remember what we were talking about when she called, probably asking me where the dog food was. All I remember is that we were suddenly cut off. I tried calling her back only to get voice mail. But, before I had time to leave a message she called me back. From that point on I could barely understand her, she was laughing so hard. She had called me on Kim's home phone and apparently kept talking as she drove away..... she just couldn't figure out why we were cut off!! She tried calling me again only to realize that she was riding down the road talking on Kim's home telephone. She barely made it back to Kim's to hang it up without laughing herself right off the road and finally calling me from her cell. From that point we had to hang up because neither of us could talk about anything else without laughing!
4. We have all done crazy stuff while talking on the phone. I know, this was the theme of #3, but oh well! I was a teenager eating dinner one night when a friend called. I remember my dad (the lifetime army man) getting upset with me for talking at the dinner table rather than asking to call them back. I was busy arguing with him over this when I dropped the phone...... into my plate of spaghetti! My mom and sister immediately starting to giggle, but my dad was unwavering. Until... I leaned over the cordless handset (which was much bigger in those days and now covered in spaghetti sauce) and yelled "hang on!" At that point even my dad could not control himself. We were all laughing so hard he eventually sent us to the front porch to calm down. Lord only knows what we must have looked like out there. We tried coming back in to finish our dinner but it was no use.
5. You may remember from an earlier post HERE that my husband is from New Orleans. So, every year we make trip down to visit the family. The time of year varies, but one thing he and I always do is make a trip into the French Quarter. This is the people watching capitol of the world! I am telling you, this is free entertainment at its best! You can just walk around or simply stand in one place for a little while and see a multitude of things. (not to mention stopping to get a cafe au lait and a beignet! Yum!) I am not even talking about Mardi Gras, that is another bear in itself. Last year we went down in springtime and Chip and I took our usual walk down in the Quarter. We came upon a sight so funny I could hardly control myself. I am used to seeing the street folks, who paint themselves all different colors (silver, gold.... oh yes!) but this was different. It was a long-haired man wearing only a SPEEDO, a cowboy hat and boots! Oh yes, and he was playing a guitar and singing. WHAT A SIGHT! Even worse were the women (and some men...) gawking at him as if this were a glorious sight! He is called The Naked Cowboy and even has his own website! hmm, now that is scary, but REALLY FUNNY!!
Here we are again with another "how-to" post! I really hope these tips have been helpful so far. As always, I am happy to answer any questions you may have! Also, if there is an area that you would like me to cover in my how-to posts let me know so that I can address it!
Ok, so I have taught you a few a things about editing so now I thought I would give you some pointers for taking great pictures to begin with!
The first thing you should know about photography, whether amateur or professional, is that your lighting is the MOST important thing to think about when taking a picture of anything. You don't have to be a pro to make great pictures, especially if you get your lighting right.
When shooting outside, which I recommend whenever possible, there is something you should know. This is the one thing that comes as a surprise to most people. You DO NOT want a sunny day to make good pictures. Clouds are your friend!
Surprised? So was I the first time I heard that. Think about it, though. When you walk into a big photo studio, do they have a bare flash shining in your face? No. They have those big flash boxes covered in a soft white fabric. This is a filter. A cloud is basically a great big filter over the sun.
So, when you get ready to make a picture outside you will need to think about a few things....
1. Don't position someone to be looking into the sun..... I know this sounds obvious, but you would be surprised how often it happens. The last thing you want is a picture where all of your kids are squinting.
2. When possible you should try to shoot in a direction that places the sun directly overhead or shining on the side of your subject's face. This gives you the light you need for your shot while preventing your subject from squinting.
See Christian in his "gobble gobble shirt" (thanks to my sis at Littlebits!) The sun was directly overhead and just to his right. You can see the side of his face and right shoulder are a little brighter, but not too much. This gives it a sweet, warm look. Plus he was able to look right at me and smile with his blue eyes wide open. Love it.
See Christian with his pumpkin? This was a shot that went directly to the "trash." He came to me with his pumpkin and I instinctively took the shot but realized later it was no good. He is squinting, looks really uncomfortable, and has a shadow across his face. Yuck!
3. If it is a really sunny day, try to find a spot that is lightly shaded. You want to avoid standing under a tree, but the side of the house or a building that blocks the direct sunlight will help. What we are trying to avoid is the shadows. Have you ever taken a picture and then noticed later that it looks like your subject has a black stripe across their face? This is the effect you will get on a sunny day, standing under a tree..... that is never good!
4. If shooting inside you will need your flash. The fact is that without studio lighting you are not likely to get great inside shots. The best option when inside is a window. If you can find a window that lets a lot of great light into the room you can position your subject near it and probably get some nice shots. But, be careful.... see #5 5. Do not "backlight." This is almost as bad as having the sun in your face. You never want to shoot INTO the sun. This includes any inside shots when sitting near a window. If you have someone looking at you with bright light behind them you may as well turn your camera off. All you will see is the bright light and a dark figure where your subject is supposed to be.
Sometimes this can work pretty cool when you shoot it this way, but you must make sure that this is how you want it to look. Usually you will need to be sure your subject has light on at least part of their face.
See the bride? This was a backlit shot. However, once I got it into Adobe Photoshop I brightened it a little bit. So, the background was still much brighter than my subject, but I stood in a place where she blocked the sun AND I used a flash so that she was not a total silhouette. Sometimes it works, you just have to play with it!
So, that is about it! You are now ready to out and get some great pictures!
Please let me know if you can see a difference in the pictures you take. Everyone deserves to have the skills to take the pictures you will keep forever. Now you can go to the beach or the park, or anywhere and come home with pictures you will want to print and keep!!
As always, leave me a comment if you have questions! I am happy to answer them as best I can!
Today's "Friday Fives" is a list of 5 things I would buy if money didn't matter! We all have days when we say "If I won the lottery, I would....."
Well, I got to thinking that this is something we should all consider. Not that we are likely to win the lottery, but if we would all use common sense and get debt out of our lives, we would find ourselves with a little more money in the bank. Eventually we could get to the point where money would not matter! Just think about everything we could do and how much we could give back if we lived our lives this way!
I am a big fan of Dave Ramsey, whose book The Total Money Makeover and daily radio show made a real difference to me and my family. We handle money totally different now and are working our way through his plan to be debt free!So, here is my list of things that I would do if money did not matter. I am hoping to be there someday.....
1. Give to my church I am a big believer in giving your tithe, but above that I also believe in helping to keep your church up to date. The building and grounds are something that many people don't fool with because they think someone else should do it. For the last couple of years I have been on the committee to give our church a "face lift." We started with an out of date kitchen and fellowship hall and have set our sights on other areas, but we rely mainly on donations and fundraising. In this economy it is tough to do. So, if I were to reach the point in my life where money did not matter I would love to write a check to get our church that "face lift" it really needs!
2. Take a VACATION
The only down side, I must say, to being strict on the schedule to get out of debt is that my husband and I have not had a real vacation since our honeymoon more than 10 years ago! I so desperately want to go back to the Bahamas to the Sandals all-inclusive or even to the Moon Palace in Mexico.
I just need a vacation!
Last year we took the kids to Disney, which was great. But, let's face it, this was not exactly a relaxing break from reality.....
3. Buy cars for various family members!
Let's not get crazy, they would not be new, thew would be gently USED but I would get a big SUV for my little sis to drive carpool and haul all those kids around and a BMW for my mom that doesn't stall in the middle of the road.....
For my husband, it would be a bigger truck to haul his dog and all that bee equipment (Yes, he is a beekeeper and will have honey soon!) Personally, I love my Suburban so I would probably just upgrade it for one with a built-in dvd player.
4. Buy a vacation home (or 2....)
Can you tell I need a vacation? I just love to travel, but cannot always afford to stay in the nicer places that are truly a home away from home. How amazing would it be to have a house on the beach or in the mountains where you could go anytime.
As I mentioned here in an earlier post, some friends of mine have a "farm" house where they can go to get away, take friends along and relax for the weekend. It is amazing what a day or two away can do to lift your spirits. No reservations, no crowds, no cheap hotel towels. Just gather a few things and go.
Ahhhh, if only.
5. Open a business
You know, something like a nice restaurant chain. Then I would hire someone to run it for me. Let's not get crazy, I don't know anything about running a restaurant but I would love to have a "family business" to pass down to the boys. Somewhere they could work as teenagers to learn a good work ethic and save their own money. One of our favorite places to eat is the Genghis Grill. We have talked on a few occasions about how much we would love to open one in our area! Who knows, maybe one day. I will have to hope for that long lost rich uncle to leave me a fortune, I guess.
Until then I will keep working on my debt snowball. I have my list ready, although I won't start researching the beach property just yet.....
