Babies, Etc.

The past few weeks have been busy, but also have been slow.

Concerning my photography studies, it has been slow. I've taken a lot of photos that I hope will fill two of my Unit three requirements. I knew that the outside shots might be hard to get with the weather getting cooler, so I worked ahead. I have quite a few photos to sort through & decide if they will work.

Shot I may choose for my next project - Shagbark Hickory tree in my yard

I was asked to take photos of my niece's baby shower. That was so much fun.

My niece, Ashley

Once the ladies started playing the "Guessing Game," they forgot about me & my camera! It was a fun afternoon. I did have to use my flash & that is always a challenge, since I still need to learn more about this aspect of photography.

My sister-in-law, Ashley, Ashley's sister & mother-in-law

Then the next week, another niece, her boyfriend & three month old baby, came for a visit. All my brother's kids that live at home came over too - they can't get enough of their new niece. So, all my side of the family, except my oldest niece & my sister, who is out of state, were over. It was a nice day outside, plus the ping pong table in the basement, the guys & kids had plenty to do, while the ladies had plenty of "woman" talk!

Lillith Jade

I just had to have some of my own photos of Lillith. She loves the camera & loves the attention. Such a sweet & cute baby! (Yes, I'm prejudiced since she is my great-niece!)

Lillith's "Gerber Baby" look

My desire is to take more photos of children, babies & bigger people! I find it is fun to capture beautiful eyes & smiles & capturing memories.

Blessings to you all.

Ashley's Baby Shower: http://drmrsy.smugmug.com/Family/Baby-Shower-for-Ashley/19982376_qnBLzv
Lillith Jade: http://drmrsy.smugmug.com/Family/Lillith-Jade/19963114_c3XM7T

One Busy Summer & Fall

I hadn't realized that it had been months since I last "blogged"!

Field of Flowers at Paul Ruster Park, Indianapolis, IN

Last May & June, two of my nieces were married. I was one of three photographers for the June wedding. That was fun & interesting being a "shadow" for the day. I enjoyed talking to photographer John during break times. It's a bit sad that he lives on the east coast & I live in the Midwest, because I would enjoy talking more about photography with him AND I always learn something from others' experiences.

I continue to enjoy Lightroom V3. How did I ever "edit" without it! And I love my New York Institute of Photography (NYIP) "Professional Photography" course. I have completed two Units & have started my third Unit. I have gotten good grades on my two unit tests. On the photo assignment critiques, I've done well. I always get nervous (I don't know why). I guess it's the nature of taking tests! My Student Adviser is kind & very, very good at explaining to me how to improve the techniques I am trying to learn (I receive an audio file of his critique). When I get a "very good" or a "great" it means a lot!

Submitted for my Unit Two assignment: Cumberland River & top of Falls, seen thru the trees

One thing I enjoy that has nothing to do with the course, but with how my Adviser says my name! With his east coast accent, he says my name like I remember my Nana did & Grandpa does, who lived in New Hampshire! Here in the Midwest, my name more often gets pronounced as "Donna."

When I complete my third unit, I will be half-way through the course! But peeking ahead, I see that the assignments get harder!

My husband & I went to Cumberland Falls Resort State Park in Kentucky. I had picked up a flier at one of the rest stops one time & saw the info about this park. If you are there during a full moon & the conditions are right, you can see a "moon bow." Well, we decided to go for a few days. Before we left, I researched about how to take long exposure shots & learned where all the settings were on my camera. And we prayed for the right conditions & the Lord Jesus blessed! I got a few good photos of the moon bow. (With the long exposure, the colors of the bow can be detected on the camera, but to the naked eye, it was a bright white, misty bow.)

Moon bow - Cumberland Falls

The park is beautiful. The Cumberland Falls are pretty. One morning, we went to the falls & I got some beautiful rainbow photos. I had so many photos it was hard to pick just a couple to edit & post online!

Rainbow: Cumberland Falls

My other photo project was a bit last minute - taking some photos of my niece. She graduates from High School next spring. Her mother's brother is a professional photographer & usually does all the senior photos of his nieces & nephews, so I didn't think that I would be taking any of my niece. Then a few days before they were to come & visit, her mother asked me to take some. Of course, I wanted to. And my niece & I have always gotten along.

Brianna

Apart from the weather, I was able to get a few great photos of Brianna. I will even use one of those photos for part of my Unit Three photo assignment. My niece is a beautiful girl inside & out, but not until I started editing her photos did I really see that she is all grown up! We went over to my landlord's farm & used some of the old buildings as back drops. My only problem was not having an assistant to hold the shade umbrella & reflector - it was very windy with gusts up to 30 miles an hour - it got to be quite comical at times! We had fun!

I still have a lot of photos to edit - some for my assignments for Unit Three, or just for fun, & experimenting. I'd also like to try the suggestions my NYIP Student Adviser gave me for improving. With cold weather coming, it will be harder to be outside, so I hope to take all the nice days I can & get out with my camera. I'll share links to those when I complete the editing - hopefully soon!

Hog Barn on the Schramm Farm - in HDR (to be in a future gallery)

Blessings to you all!

To view the galleries that these photos are part of, please use these links:
Field of Flowers: http://drmrsy.smugmug.com/Nature/Field-of-Flowers/18141283_sWnrc3
Cumberland Falls: http://drmrsy.smugmug.com/Vacation/Cumberland-Falls-KY/19355805_XF3V8p
Brianna's galleries: http://drmrsy.smugmug.com/Portraits/Brianna-Senior-Photos/19590829_hCStPt
http://drmrsy.smugmug.com/Portraits/Briannas-Fun-Photos/19589487_WwcxHC

Two Senior Sessions

Kyle

This weekend was busy, because I had two senior photo sessions! The weather hasn't been that great for outside shooting, but the Lord held off the rain for my Sunday evening session.

For those who will graduate in 2012 & wish for me to take your senior pictures, please schedule your session soon! August through October would be wonderful times to have your photo-session for Senior pictures (or school pictures for younger children). Please contact me in July for August sessions & for pricing. I need 2-3 weeks advanced notice before your session.

I have learned a lot more about Lightroom V3 this past week. Every time I use it, I like it more. Also, I am almost done with my first unit in my photography course. I love learning more about photography. I sure wish I had a "photographic" memory, though!

Blessings from Jesus to you this day!

My First Project in Lightroom

When my husband told me about the World Trade Center Beams coming to Indianapolis on Saturday, April 9, 2011, I was interested in seeing this & taking pictures. The day they were to arrive started out with a lot of rain. But about noon the rain had stopped, so we got ready to go. I wanted to use my new 70-200mm f/2.8 lens, but when we got to the overpass & tried it out, I ended up using my all purpose 18-250mm f/3.5-6.3 lens. As the we waited, the sky brightened, so I had no problem with lighting.

Flag draped from one of the Buck Creek Township fire trucks.

Taking the pictures & being with those gathered was a nice time. It was a long wait, but no one really noticed or cared.

Truck carrying the two forty foot beams from the World Trade Center

Then the "fun" began for me: learning Lightroom. I ended up buying a book by Scott Kelby on "Adobes Photoshop Lightroom 3." I can't begin to tell you how many times I had to stop & take a break from reading & trying to understand. But as you can see, I finally was able to get this project completed! I was so tempted to go back to the old way of editing, but made myself stick with learning to set up my library, then develop pictures & export them. I cannot say I have it all figured out in my mind, but I know it will get easier & faster.

Buck Creek Township fire engine - I70 & motorcade in back ground

Interesting fact: I heard the motorcade was 16 miles long! It took a long time for the thousands of motorcyclists to pass!

Some of our real, everyday, unsung heroes!
Buck Creek Township firemen waving to those in the motorcade atop their truck

I am thankful for the Lord's help in learning some basics of Lightroom 3 & for providing the money to purchase what will help my work flow in the future! I have two senior portrait sessions coming up this week! Then I'll get to learn more of what Lightroom can do!

To view all the photos: http://drmrsy.smugmug.com/History/World-Trade-Center-Beams/16799226_JDc24V

To learn about the 9/11 Memorial in Indianapolis: http://www.project911indianapolis.org/Project_911_Indianapolis/Home.html

Blessings to you this day!

I'm A Home School Student!

Today I received my course information & student ID card from the New York Institute of Photography. It usually takes 12-18 months to complete their course of study. I am excited about doing this!

I have had good advice from a friend. She suggested purchasing "Understanding Exposure" by Bryan Peterson - very good advise! It really helped me to expand way beyond just clicking pictures! Thanks Joni!
I also have another text book "Complete Digital Photography 4th edition" by Ben Long. These books have been worth the cost. I also have learned a lot from a free website called "Digital Photography School." In the summer of 2008, I had one week's notice before shooting my first wedding. DPS has many great articles about wedding photography & portraiture - sound advise for shooting my first two weddings (that were less than two weeks apart!).

I think this home study course will add to what I have already learned & will give me a systematic mode of studying. I have tests & assignments, which will challenge me & I know I will enjoy. I'll get grades & critiques of my photo projects.

I trust that the Lord will bless my studies & my work projects. I learned long ago, He wants me to trust Him in all things, even a little thing like this study course. He has always helped me learn & get good grades in the past. And I trust Him to help me again. Because I really do want to glorify Jesus & give Him the glory & praise for any success I have in my life.

Oh, I have also taken the plunge & purchased Adobe's Photoshop Lightroom V3. So, I have another photography "thing" to learn! I am borrowing a friend's book on how to set up & use Lightroom V3. I am not finished with chapter one & I have already purchased Scott Kebly's book!

With God's blessing, I hope to learn & improve my photography! Blessings to you this day!

Bumble Bee in my backyard taken with Sony prime 100mm f/2.8 macro lens

Spring Through A New Lens

With the cold winter, I didn't get many pictures. I didn't do much photography after working on the wedding from last December. But after a while, I wanted to get my camera out & take photographs.

I had been researching on line about studio lighting: learning about different kinds & brands, comparing the benefits of kits or building my own studio lighting ensemble. I still hadn't answered the questions: do I really need studio lighting & if I did, what should I get?

Dwarf Iris
taken 17 March 2011 in my front yard (faces east), mid-afternoon.

One day, I decided to look at a lens I desired & found one in my price range! I know there are those who will only buy brand name lenses & I would agree. But it would be a long time before I could afford a brand name lens the size I wanted. But, I found a Tamron lens within my price range! And this is the lens I shot these photographs with.

Spring Snow on Leaf
taken 30 March 2011, in the woods behind our yard

I was blessed to get a Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 zoom lens! It came with circular polarized, UV, & "warm" filters. Since the end of the lens is 77mm, I count the filters as an added bonus.

So, I have enjoyed taking a few photos with it. I have a lot to learn about using it. The depth of field has to be taken into account when using this lens, but I love that it lets in a lot of light, even when zoomed out. I am thankful to the Lord for providing.

Spring Snow covered Daffodil
taken 30 March 2011, in my "Reclamation Area" garden next to the woods

This past weekend, I was also blessed to get Adobe's Photoshop Lightroom 3. Now, to LEARN it! I have heard great reviews about it & hope it will help me with my work flow, editing & organization. I also have signed up for a home study course in photography. I cannot wait to start studying to improve the photos I take. I have always thought of photography as science AND art!

I am excited to get my camera out & take more photos, learn to use Lightroom & start my "classes" on photography! Blessings to you this day!

To view all 33 photos in my gallery "Spring Thru a New Lens" use this link:
http://drmrsy.smugmug.com/Photography/Spring-Thru-New-Lens/16355101_ttCw5

Shooting My First Wedding ...

Well, it isn't my "first" wedding, but it is my first wedding using my DSLR camera. And it's the first one where I felt a little like I knew what I was doing, or knew what I should be doing! As I have said before, I learn something every time I pick up my camera! And this wedding was no exception.

Dear friends of ours were getting married mid-December. The groom called about the time we received our invitation asking if I would want to be the photographer for their wedding. I was blessed to be asked. I feel they wanted me, because we know each other very well & would be comfortable with me. We chatted for a while & finished our conversation stating that he & his bride would talk it over & pray about having me. I would pray, too, but I was pretty sure I would be their photographer. I did have some time to prepare, which was nice.

Chuck posing for me while I try out my new 50mm f/1.4.

My dear husband (pictured above) was willing to be my assistant - keeper of the photograph lists, holder of the equipment, g0-for & model for me to practice on. He was a tremendous blessing. He held my reflector, found a way to rig up my wireless flash to sit on my tripod, so I could bounce the light when taking formal shots.

Bridal bouquet: in natural light taken with my 100mm f/2.8 macro lens

The ceremony was a sweet & simple service. There was a gifted young pianist, several special songs, a time of singing worship & praise songs to Jesus, a little sharing by their pastor, then the exchange of vows & rings.

Bill greeting Sally to finish her walk to the stage at the beginning of the service.

Shirley, maid of honor, Sally, Bill & Elliot, nephew of groom & best man.

Bill & Sally during the cake cutting.

I also had some time to take some photos of a few families & friends
that turned out well & were a lot of fun.

The Dobrzynski family - sang "In His Time" at the wedding.

Sample of wedding pictures available for public viewing:
http://drmrsy.smugmug.com/Weddings/Hartje-Wedding-Samples/15256982_FvqaD

The gallery of the family & friends portraits:
http://drmrsy.smugmug.com/Portraits/December-Portraits/15111634_XpPCt

It was a blessed time & though it was a challenge, I feel the Lord really blessed my work.