Masthead header

CM Monthly Challenge: Mobile Phone Photography

This months theme was mobile phone.  In an attempt to keep my kids busy and myself sane while they are all four home during summer break, I decided to teach my seven year old son more about photography.  For as long as he’s had an iphone, which is around three years (I feel compelled to explain that it has no cell service, so its more of an ipod touch), he has been setting up “scenes” for his toys and then photographing them from different angles.  It’s really amazing toView full post »

CM Monthly Challenge: Shallow Depth of Field

For this months challenge I decided to take an image that had a relatively shallow depth of field and then show you how you can enhance this effect through the use of Alien Skins Bokeh 2 plugin for Photoshop. The base image was shot using a Canon 5D mk III | 100mm f2.8 L lens | at f4.0.   I ran that image through a series of filters emulating the effects of various traditional lenses: Canon 50 mm f1.8 @ f1.8 and f5.6 (not a big difference here) Canon 85mm f1.2 @ f1.2 and f5.6 (at f5.6 itView full post »

CM Monthly Challenge: Ugly Beautiful

The joy at looking at old pictures is realizing how much I have learned since.  Looking through this file of images from 2011, I am pretty sure I broke every rule of macro photography–not enough light, too shallow depth of field, bad–BAD–focus, not using a tripod, and almost all of the images are centered composition (how boring). The first image is a water fountain in a public park, the next two were taken in my backyard and they were my ONE AND ONLY attempt at insectView full post »

CM Monthly Challenge:Shooting through glass

Sunset Shot 4.30.13 Canon 5D mk III 100mm 2.8 L Settings: Aperture 3.5, ISO 100, SS 1/400 Please continue our blog circle by checking out what Tamra did for this months clallenge!View full post »

CM Monthly Challenge: Food Photography

  From right to left: Nonfat Plain Greek Yogurt topped with Cinnamon Honey Grape-nuts Cereal Sweet Potato Puree Grape-nuts Cereal Sweet Potato and Chocolate Puree Please continue our blog circle by checking out what my talented friend  Kristi has done with the food photography theme–here’s a hint, it will make you smile!View full post »

Letters to our Sons: You are my heart

My dearest pigs, You are my heart right now.  Your little body is so full emotion, that it often bursts out of you without any warning. Sometimes that means warm & full hugs and big & soft smooches. Other times, it means stomping your feet, throwing your hands down (or up, or sideways, or crossways–you name it and I’ll bet you’ve done it), quickly followed by the phrase “I don’t like it, I am not a baby.” That right there is the hardest part aboutView full post »

Letters to our Daughters: A very happy birthday!

Dear Beans, I am so excited it’s your birthday because five is really the age where I started building memories.  I remember when I turned five, I thought that I would get to start school on my birthday.  I was disappointed to find out that I would have to wait until the fall. When I was five, I learned how to ride my bike without training wheels–which meant that I had to ride down a super scary hill and I was pretty sure I was going to crash.  I can still remember my dolls fromView full post »

Letters to our Daughters

Dear Beans, Being your mom has not always been easy. As a baby you cried, and cried, and cried.  It wasn’t the normal “baby cry”, it was something different. You would cry and my heart would almost stop for a split second and then I would feel your pain.  It was like the pain from your cries would vibrate through my body and resonate in my bones.  I had never felt that pain before I heard you cry. You were my inconsolable baby.  No amount of rocking, or snuggling (which youView full post »