Best of 2011

I don't like to make New Year's "Resolutions" because the word alone lends itself to failure, and who likes failing?  So instead I'll just discuss my "To-Do List for 2012."  Among the obligatory weight loss and more quality family time, I really want to get back to blogging.  I maintain 3 blogs that mean a lot to me (this one, my cooking blog, and a family blog), though I apparently use the word "maintain" loosely.  But I love to blog, and I love having these creative outlets, and I really want to give myself some kind of routine in the coming months.

To start off, I figured I'd share my favorite shots from each month during the past year.  They might not be my best work from a technical perspective, but each one not only makes me smile, but also taught me something.  Enjoy!

January: For Christmas last year, my husband gave me a new lens.  I couldn't wait to host a little photo shoot with my kids... and Ryan couldn't wait to explore with his new telescope.

February: This isn't even that great of a shot, but I am in love with the look of concentration on his face.

March: This shot is a little distorted but how can you look at that face and not smile?

April: Another shot that's distorted since it's so wide, but I love it.  It's hanging up in my family room.

May: I don't remember what captivated Danny's attention (presumably a plane or helicopter) but I'm sure glad I captured that sweet expression.

June: This is another that makes me laugh - taken during a little dinner al fresco.

July: This is one of the shots I took when my "baby" turned 2.  It didn't make the frame, but he's holding a giant ballon in the shape of a 2 and is enamored with it.

August: I love this shot of my two landscapers!  And the glare is truly indicative of how beastly hot it was.

September: Ryan looks so official and dedicated in his soccer get-up!  Too bad his David Beckham stint only last a practice and a half.

October: He was determined to carry his own pumpkin, and only after he dumped it into the wagon did he finally admit to it being heavy.

November: I have nothing to say about this shot except that it makes me giggle every.single.time I see it.  You can practically HEAR him saying "aaarrrrrrrrrrr."

December: I just love this.

Bonus: This was taken on Christmas morning, and I snapped it before my flash was ready to go off.  This resulted in a super dark photo that I nearly deleted before doing any editing.  I'm so glad something told me to hit that auto-contrast button - their faces are PRICELESS as they see Santa's bounty for the first time.  This photo serves a reminder to me that photography is not about capturing the perfect photo - it's about capturing the perfect moment.

Happy 2012!

Up Up and Away!

This past weekend was the annual Quick Check Balloon Festival, and the balloons launch from an airport not too far from us. We usually drive around and find a spot to park (usually in a location where we can also purchase Munchkins!) but this year we hit the jackpot.

As we drove around "following" them, we actually stumbled across where they landed. And they clearly don't have a designated landing site, as evidenced below; they land where they land, even if it means landing in someone's front yard.


This one literally landed in the middle of the road. They eventually moved it to a driveway so that they could properly deflate it and pack it up.

Many landed within a block or two of each other. The neighborhood was just buzzing with crew trucks and excited families. Can you imagine going out for a pizza and coming home to finding this?? (Or worse... coming home to find out that you MISSED this!)

My kids, of course, thought our night was just amazing. I'm pretty sure we'll never experience a balloon festival quite this exciting again!

Hiatus

It is the end of the school year (3 more days!) and I'm drowning in final exams, book fine slips, and portfolio evaluations. Once the dust settles next week, I'll be back on my game and participating in challenges and workshops.

In the meantime, enjoy a shot of my nearly-two-year-old (!!) as he eats his morning yogurt with both a fork and a spoon.

Hey, Girlfriend!

The other day I took a few shots of my friend's gorgeous little girl for an Easter card. She kept taking her headband off, and I snagged a shot of her trying to share with me. It looks better on her. :)

Okay, now I want a macro lens

My friend Kim gave a really cool photography class a few weeks ago which included lots of practice time. This photo has a little too much noise and isn't really in focus and I think the composition is awkward, but there's something about it that really draws me in.

It was really exciting for me to learn new things, some of which I've been applying almost every time I shoot or edit.  And it was even better to be taught by someone with whom I feel so comfortable.

Movement

I spend most of my time behind the camera trying to AVOID blurred movement in my shots and have deleted countless pictures due to a fuzzy hand or foot.

The shots below, however, are the exceptions. I can't say I set out to achieve this look, but I kind of think they're cool.

Ryan, playing "human basketball net" with Pat:

Here's Pat, "demonstrating" how to fly the kite. What intrigues me about this one is that Pat is mostly in focus (except for his legs) but the background is blurry. How did I do that?!