Holiday already??? Yikes!

I have done a few photoshoots for friends' holiday cards and haven't been thrilled with the results. Glad no one is paying me yet!
Today's photo was my friend's vision. She wanted selective color on the red scarves. The photo quality isn't great (I had a HARD time with the little girl!! She was EVERYWHERE and all she wanted to do was eat pretzels!) but the image is cute anyway. Next year will be so much better!!

Bummed

I'm having a bad photography day. I am getting so nervous for Skye Hardwick's workshop I want to throw up!! I am soooo behind all the other photographers attending. In a moment of what I thought was shining wisdom I decided to take this workshop for trial by fire - to get better quicker by surrounding myself with pros. Now I feel like I am taking this step WAY too soon. I am really cramming in shots for the next two weeks before I leave for Austin. I MUST get better before I go. Not only do I not want to embarress myself, I want to get the most out of it that I can.

Ugh, my stomach.

Took this of little J this morning. I am working on black and white today.

(double click to see enlarged) And do not steal or you will be shot, burned at the stake, then tarred and feathered. Actually, that would be tarred and feathered then burned at the stake. You get the picture)

Today Daddy is away so I had all morning to torture Jack with my camera! (insert evil Halloween laugh here) Honestly, the poor thing is such a sport and really must think that Mommy has this thing completely attached to her eye at certain parts of the day. This pic is sort of him getting ready to tell me to just quit it... well, if he could talk anyway.

This week I'm working on getting tack sharp eyes. I have been starting to what looks like overexpose on my meter - it seems to get me much better exposure! I had this little AH-HA moment when reading on ILP noteworthy section - the camera reads to 18% grey - which I knew. However, most caucasian skins are lighter than that, so some cameras might be better to compensate for that while metering. Genious!!! A little light bulb went off. I just couldn't understand why it was underexposed when all my little lines were lined up and I was spot metering off the face. Now I get it!!! YAY!!!

Every day

So I've decided that I must take a photo a day. Whether it stinks or is great, I need to keep working at my craft. Gosh, that sounds corny when written out!
I've also decided to put my blog on my siggie at ILP and Creative mentoring. Otherwise I'll get too lazy about posting.
I had a horrible sitting with my son the other day. The weather was perfect, his outfit was perfect, the setting was perfect - and I blew it!! I was only able to take a few shots before he got really cranky - unfortunately not enough time for me to get ready. Where's a photo assistant when you need one?!!! Yeah, pretty far away from that! ;)
Took this of Jack early in the morning. He loves playing by the window, which is just perfect for me to practice!

A Start

So I'm starting this photography thing and I'm freaking out a bit. How can I leave a successful career in the fashion industry to pursue something I barely know? I'm trying to tell myself I didn't know a bit about fashion when I started either, but, I was just a kid and didn't know better. That's one of the curses of getting older and wiser - you're smart enough to get scared.

So here I am. New mom, beginner photographer. Trying all these things at 35 years old. A second career out of a constant obsession. If I don't try now, I'll never know.

I am definitely a work in progress!!