Project 52 Week 5: Shadows

This week's theme over at my3boybarians.com/ is Shadows.  This sounded easy enough at first, but as I got into it, I realized the challenge really lied within the creativity.  My first attempt was a boring shadow of myself holding a camera.  I am sure this would have been be fine, but I wanted to keep trying.  A few of my other attempts involved a plastic flower and a pinecone.  Those weren't so good either.  Here are my best attempts, but I still think I can improve...

Other attempts:  

I really think I should have included a portion of my son with his shadow.  These just seem a little creepy by themselves to me for some reason!

I Heart Faces: Oh So Silly

This week's theme over at I Heart Faces features silly faces and goofy poses!  Such a fun theme!  

My little guy loves to be silly.  He makes me laugh every day!  He loves when I call him 'goofball' for acting so silly.  He hardly has time to look at me for a picture, but I managed to snap this one on the verge of some extreme silliness!  I love this little goofball!  

Be sure to head over to iheartfaces.com to check out more goofy, silly photos! 

Project 52 Week 4: Self Portrait

OK, here I am ... 

This week's theme was challenge for me, but it was also a very valuable experience.  I learned several things:

• How to use the self-timer on my camera
• That I look a lot more like my mom than I ever realized
• And that I have a new love for Lightroom's adjustment brush -which allowed me to reduce the clarity of my skin, thus reducing my wrinkles! :)

Here are a few more:

I thought my legs were a little weird in this one, but I liked my smile a bit better...

...so I tried to blur them a bit, but I think it might be a little cheesy looking now!

Asleep ... By the Book

This week's theme at I Heart Faces is "By the Book".   Emily had been reading "Fox in Socks" by Dr. Suess a few minutes before I snapped this photo.  And if you've ever read it, you know just how tiring this book can be!  It is full of tongue twisters and it completely exhausts me too!   Sleep well little girl - you can finish it later.

Be sure to head over to iheartfaces.com to check out more entries featuring books!

Project 52 Week 3: I Dreamed a Dream

What are you dreaming about, baby girl?

This week's theme is "I Dreamed a Dream", inspired by Dr. Martin's Luther Kings famous speech.  I thought a lot this theme and about the dreams I had had for myself when I was younger.  I realized that my dreams had really come true and that I am living the fairy tale I had imagined for myself - happily married with three beautiful children.

Now my dreams are for my children.  They are so happy and secure right now and I want that for them always.  While they sleep, I wonder what they are dreaming about.  I wonder what their dreams will be.  Who will they become?  I want their dreams to come true as well.  Sometimes watching them sleep grounds me and reminds me of how just much I have to be thankful for.

Sweet dreams to all my children.

Project 52 Week 2: Made with Love

Cookie Time

We LOVE, LOVE, LOVE homemade chocolate chip cookies at our house.  It is a miracle that we got them on a plate in order to take a picture, because they certainly do not last very long!  And my family thinks I make them better than anyone in the history of chocolate chip cookie making.  I must say, they are pretty darn tasty and I secretly eat more than my share!

But the cookies pictured above were only photographed by me.  I didn't make them.  I recently passed this special family secret onto my 10 year old daughter and she loves to make them.  She gets a little help with the oven, but other than that, she does it all herself!   She made this batch because her Grandpa loves them too and he was visiting the next day.  She also shared them with us!  And they were very good.  

IHF: Best Face from 2011

Katiebug

I think this is my favorite photo of 2011.  I took A LOT of pictures this past year, trying to learn the technical and artistic aspects of photography.  I have several good ones and many, many not so good ones.  After a December session on natural light, I asked Katie to model for me {once again!}.  Even though I tell her, she has no idea how pretty she is.  She is a great model too - those eyes and freckles warm my heart.  I have many other favorites of her and my other children, but for today, this seems to be the winner.  Thank you Katie {and Emily & Matthew too), for putting up with the constant camera clicking!  :)

Be sure to check out more "Best Faces from 2011" at iheartfaces.com.