Birthdays, Sparkles, Balloons and more... / Project 52 ~ Week 14

  Good Afternoon!  Where do the weekends go?  We've spent about 1/2 of the last 2 weekends traveling to and from St. Louis.  We enjoyed a {busy but great} vacation.  Now, I'm going to try to catch-up on editing the hundreds of photographs I've taken since the beginning of April!!
 
  Today's post is actually for last week, Week 14.  On April 1st, my youngest turned 3!  I could hardly believe that 3 years had passed, and so quickly.  I love to spend birthdays reflecting with my wee ones.  We normally have a calm breakfast, followed by preparing their favorite dinner.  I try to make all their cakes starting at age 3, and they always get to pick their flavor and icing colors.   This April 1st was no exception.  My youngest and I spent the day together baking and talking.  She always amazes me with her stories and excitement...and her "princess" attitude!
 
  We took her birthday photographs in a few different locations this year.  And she was more than eager to cooperate after seeing her balloons.  I couldn't decide on just one for Week 14, so I have added 3 of my favorites:

...every Princess should have pink & sparkly shoes..
{Captured: 50mm,  ISO 100, 1/100, F1.4}

..a bunch of bright balloons, pink tulle on her dress and a sprint to the big tree..
{Captured:  50mm, ISO 160, F4.0, 1/2000}

..bright backdrop of azalea blooms, shady area and lots of pink hues..
{Captured:  50mm, ISO 160, F4.0, 1/400}

  The first image was taken indoors, so I adjusted the shutter speed and the aperture to obtain the desired lighting and a bit of blur.  The second image was taken outdoors, mid-afternoon {I normally only like to photograph during early morning light or late afternoon light}, the shutter speed was adjusted for the bright sunlight and her quick movements.  The third image was taken outdoors, mid-afternoon, the area was mostly shaded by tall pine trees so I was able to adjust the shutter speed and aperture to capture the desired amount of detail in the lovely azalea blooms and her cute dress and shoes!

  I'm hoping to catch-up with editing this week, and post Week 15 as soon as possible...it won't be long and I'll be traveling to a Photography Workshop.  I'm so very excited to work with this amazingly talented photographer and continue to grow and learn for YDP's future endeavors!!

Hope your day is wonderful!
--Jennifer

An Abundance of Azaleas / Project 52 - Week 13

...what...a...week...!?!

  I'm going to make this post quick, I need to catch-up on some long overdue SLEEP.  I must admit, that I'm slightly jealous that all 3 little ones are resting peacefully.  We've had a rather hectic day - but a beautiful one...today my youngest turned 3 {more to come on next week's post}!!

  So I'll admit...the last 2+ weeks have been a little overwhelming for me.  Normally I try to handle everything that is thrown my way...but without a break, even I cannot keep up the pace lately.  Vacation...is just around the corner...almost there...

  I didn't get out and about this week with my camera, but did manage to capture some lovely images with my iPhone camera.  Going forward, I'll try not to include these in Project 52, since the camera phone doesn't provide any manual control over images.  This week's photo was captured on our way to the car...and I feel like the image couldn't be more 'fun'.

Project 52 ~ Week 13
{Captured:  iPhone photo}

  The wall of azaleas provided a fun and vibrant backdrop for a quick image of my youngest {who was jumping with joy}.  Those bright pink blooms are in great contrast with the green grass - love when that happens in nature!

Have a lovely week!
--Jennifer

Taking 20 Minutes / Project 52 ~ Week 12

  It's been a fairly busy week and I was so relieved to finally finish editing some fun spring time images from this week.
  On Friday afternoon, I was picking up my youngest from her grandparents.  I had brought my camera along to capture some quick images of the blooming wisteria.  When she asked if we could go visit the billy goats and the chick-chicks with her Pa, I paused thinking of all the things scheduled within just 1 short hour, but knew it was important to her, so I happily agreed.  I am so glad that I spent those next 20 minutes with the two of them.  We visited the goats, then went to the chickens.  She knew exactly what to do, she gathered some grass and calmly fed the chickens.  I watched her for a few minutes, and then when she wasn't paying any attention, captured some lovely images of her in her element...walking back and forth in front of the pen "talking" to the chickens.  It was by far the calmest 20 minutes of the day and I loved the un-planned images that were captured!

{Project 52 / Week 12}
{Captured:  50mm - ISO 100 - F3.2 - 1/1600}

  Some of my most favorite images are the spontaneous ones, they become welcome memories of a wonderful moment in time.

Hope everyone has a wonderful week ahead!
--Jennifer

Excited For Spring / Project 52 - Week 11

  It's been an exciting week - and an even more exciting weekend.  We've spent LOTS of hours outside this week, cleaning, raking, planting, and expanding our paths in the back gardens.  It is so great to see all our hard work transform year after year!  

  Yesterday my youngest and I were continuing to tidy up the back garden and she was "helping" me build a new pebble walkway / path.  She's been a bit terrified and paranoid lately that the giant bumblebees are going to "get her" and we made frequent trips inside until it was safe to return to the garden.  It was a pleasant surprise when she found a small toad {or otherwise known as her friend}.   I quickly retrieved my camera to capture some quick shots:

{First 2 Images: Captured: 50mm - F3.5 - ISO 100 - 1/1000
Last Image:  Captured: 50mm - F2.2 - ISO 100 - 1/2000}

  She was completely entertained with every little move the toad would make - pure toddler bliss.  After the toad found his escape, she returned to her "gardening" as seen in the last picture.  To her defense, she'd had a hard day and it was rather hot.

  She really wasn't much in the mood for being the subject of Week 11, and I could understand.  We'd had a long morning of chores, she'd gotten a few bumps and scrapes and had fell on her eye earlier {it was not her day for balance}.  I wanted to make sure I let her choose how she wanted to be photographed, so I provided no "coaching" and didn't ask for a smile.  Instead we had a fun conversation about the toad and she decided to demonstrate {to the best of her ability} how the toad's mouth moved.  

Project 52 / Week 11
{Captured: 50mm - F2.2 - ISO 100 - 1/2000}

  I set my aperture at 2.2 because I wanted to capture the details on her shirt, but not too terribly much of the background.  She was in constant movement, telling her story, and the sun was very bright, the shutter was set at 1/2000.    While normally, with toddlers, I like to make sure they are at their most relaxed and have tons of patience to get "just the right" shot, I knew that this wasn't 'her day'.  Instead, I was happy to share the story-telling moment and capture a few shots of the sillier expressions that toddlers make!

  Adding one more image this week - I think this was during the point of her telling me how the toad was covered in polka dots and stripes but wasn't too pretty:

{Captured: 50mm - ISO 100 - F2.2 - 1/2000}

  I love to work with toddlers - I love their sense of humors and huge grins!!

Hope everyone's week is wonderful!

--Jennifer

Hazy Sunlight / Project 52 ~ Week 10

Hello and Happy Sunday!
 We've had a wonderful weekend, so far!  The weather has been amazing, and the sun quite beautiful!  We spent yesterday cleaning indoors and headed outdoors to clean-up and add-to our front and back gardens.  The kids were especially helpful, which was much appreciated, so I had promised them a trip to visit with the baby chicks.  We left late afternoon, with plenty of beautiful sunshine left.  The kids had so much fun seeing the progress of the chicks {and scaring them}...they eventually moved on to running towards the cows {and communicating with loud 'moos' and laughs}.
 
  After a quick trip through the pine trees, we walked past the cows once again {poor cows} - it was then that I captured a quick image of my oldest daughter.   She had climbed the gate and was having a blast "communicating" in loud 'moos'.  The sun had lowered and was casting a lovely haze on the scene.  I took a moment to snap two shots and chose this one for this week's image:

Project 52 / Week 10
{Captured:  50mm - ISO 100 - F5.6 - 1/400}

  I love how the sun cast a hazy yellow light on the tree line, cows and my daughter.  She's calm being in an environment of her choice, with no posing or smile requested, leaving the final image relaxed and a bit more serious.  I find that some of my most favorite images are a result of "following" the subject so that they are more relaxed and natural.

  I am looking forward to more of these lovely sunny days this year!
Have a wonderful week!
--Jennifer

Focus, Focus, Focus / Project 52 ~ Week 9

Good Morning!!

  We've had such a topsy turvy week here - and the {seemingly endless} rain has been nearly unbearable.   I remained focused this week and remembered to capture some cute shots of my youngest on Friday morning.  It was mildly warm, quite foggy {or spooky according to her}, and the sun was just barely peeking through the thick cloud cover.   She was busy riding on her sister's scooter and checking on the back gardens, I found this to be a perfect opportunity to practice with some different lighting and backgrounds.
  This week's image was one of my favorites {we had a vote on two final images, the girls both loved this one}, her wide eyes, hint of a smile and far-off stare capture 100% of her personality.  Her attention was momentarily diverted from her scooter mayhem to a small flock of birds flying overhead.  I've always loved catching moments like these, I find them much more natural and relaxed.

Project 52 - Week 9
{Captured:  ISO125 - F2.8 - 1/160}

  Normally, I'm a firm believer in the best portraits being at the subject's eye-level - this is even more important for the wee ones.  This image was taken at a slightly higher point, providing a different perspective, but still keeping the same focus.  I'll be using this year's Project 52 to try lots of new lighting, backgrounds, colors and perspectives.

  I believe I've forgotten to mention the lens I've been using for Project 52.  I'm in love my with my 50mm!!  It was a big switch for me to get used to, but for about a year now, this has been my go-to lens for portraits.  The low-light abilities and ease-of-use are amazing.  Eventually, I'd love to add to my lens collection with an 85mm.  For now though, I feel comfortable learning and growing with my current lenses.

  Have a lovely week!
--Jennifer

Rushed Moments / Project 52 ~ Week 8

  This week's post is a bit later than normal.  First, I must admit, I forgot to take a picture!  I can't believe it, but Sunday morning arrived and I had multiple nature photographs (for my JLP Project 52), but had neglected to capture even one image for this week's Project.  So, this week's image was actually photographed this morning.
  Earlier this week, my girls and I had noticed several of our Hyacinth bulbs had emerged from the ground. We planted these seemingly forever ago...and were delighted to see the beautiful pink and purple blooms!  Regretfully I didn't have my camera outside with us to capture a quick shot of the discovery.
  This morning, I asked my 8 year old {very sweetly} if she would accompany me outside to get a quick shot for my Project.  She was willing {thank goodness} and I allowed her to choose her outfit and pose outside.  With her relaxed, I was able to capture a side profile of her with these lovely pink blooms:

{Captured:  ISO 125 - F2.8 - 1/250}

  While processing this photograph, I chose to add a few different layers for more of a "vintage" feel with just a slight haze added and some selected color pops to make the main subjects stand apart from the dark brown garden floor.

  This week has shown me that I really need to set a reminder to make sure I work on the Project at least once per week!  I'm definitely going to do a check each Wednesday going forward.

  We have some fun announcements coming soon - the next 8 weeks has some exciting adventures and fun sessions planned for Y.D.P.!!

Hope everyone has a wonderful week!
-Jennifer

Low Lights and Shadows / Project 52 ~ Week 7

  We've been enjoying some serious family time this weekend and managed to fit in about 4 fun activities yesterday, in under 8 hours.  The kids had a blast and I enjoyed watching their smiles as they saw and tried new things.  We ventured into South Carolina yesterday to visit an aquarium, the beach and to stock up on some clothes for the little ones {boy, do they grow FAST!}
  It was my youngest's first trip to the aquarium {that she could remember and really enjoy}, but it was just as awesome to see my two older children reading about the different tanks and enjoying the sights.  This week's image, was by far my favorite from yesterday's visit.  My oldest, who was taking lots of pictures himself, was glued to the wall sized tank watching intently at the brightly colored fish.

Project 52 / Week 7
{Captured:  ISO 400 - F1.8 - 1/80}

  I found it a great challenge to achieve just the right detail and desired image in the extremely low light that was available.  There was also a lot of movement from the fish and several other visitors.  I stood a great deal away {across the room} and had to adjust my ISO quite a bit higher than I really like to, but the end result was exactly what I had envisioned!  Best of all, he had no idea I was photographing him and the result was a very relaxed and natural image.

Hope everyone has a wonderful week!!
-Jennifer

Red Boots, Umbrellas and Clouds / Project 52 ~ Week 6

  Oh! What a week it's been.  Then adding in some COLD weather and cloudy days this weekend...we're in a bit of a gloomy mood today.  Which worked well for a theme on this week's photo.

  My 8 year old daughter enjoyed playing with an umbrella yesterday {what little one doesn't?} - she even braved some cold temps to assist with capturing this week's image.  We had fun editing this one too.

Project 52 / Week 6
{Captured:  ISO 100 - F7.1 - 1/160}

    I chose a much larger aperture this week to really bring in lots of dark and gloomy details.  During editing, I wiped out most of the color from the surrounding background {it was much too competitive with her red boots and floral skirt}, during final review, I noticed the image was still missing just a bit of drama to emphasize our "gloomy" moods - so I added a scratchy texture.  I was in LOVE with the final photograph!!  More importantly, so was my daughter.

  Do you find that young ones seem much more relaxed or excited during a photo session when given an interesting and fun prop?

Since we won't be posting until next week - we didn't want to miss an opportunity to wish you all a very:

  Hope everyone has an amazing week!
--Jennifer

Toddlers, Apples & Flash / Project 52 ~ Week 5

  I'm normally a well thought-out, very meticulous planner, organized {maybe even a little bit too much} person.  I've been attempting this year to really let events unfold on their own...even if it means it's not what I expected or planned out.   It's really, really hard for me to let go of some control....really hard!

  I'm also completing a Project 52 for my nature photography.  On Friday afternoon, as I was photographing a few different objects - my youngest woke up from nap.  Normally I cannot capture my still-life type photography when she is nearby.  Friday was no exception.  While I was trying to wrap up with a few shadowed green apples, she sat excitedly in a chair {very close by} asking me "what was I doing".  I smile while I think about that scene this morning.  She is fully entered into what I like to call the "endless toddler question" phase.  Within a few minutes {while I was reviewing the last few images} I looked up to see her sitting right in the middle of my still-life scene, holding one of the two green apples in her tiny toddler hands.  She looked right at me with what seemed like all the confidence in the world and told me "here you go mommy" as she held out the apple balanced on her tiny palms.  My first thought was that she wanted me to grab the apple...I was wrong.  She in fact, wanted me to finish photographing the apple, but wanted to also help by holding it for me.
 
  This was just too precious to pass up.  Her wide-eyes from a long nap, her willingness to be included in a photograph {there's just some days that she does NOT want to be photographed}...there was only one issue.  The lighting in this area was perfectly set-up for a still-life, but in no way would it work for a portrait.  I knew that moving her, could possibly mean losing her silly attitude and the whole shot.  So, I had to resort to my external flash {I know...I really didn't want to!}.  In seconds, I had the flash attached to the camera, quickly changed a few settings and captured the following series of images which make up this week's photo:

Project 52 / Week 5
{Captured:  ISO 200 / F2.8 / 1/100}

  I couldn't decide on just one, so I decided to choose three which would tell the story.  The first image is the adorableness of her attempt at helping with the still-life, the second image is her toddler attention span when she finally couldn't "help" anymore and instead was hungry and that last image is one of my all time favorites - a pure and beautiful smile.

  I know that if I had not used my flash, I never would have captured these images.  I much more prefer natural lighting at sunrise or sunset - and really dislike bumping up the ISOs over 300.  But, as an artist and photographer {and mom to some fast moving children} I think we sometimes have to be prepared for all circumstances and unplanned events.  I am grateful that I had this flash in my bag, even if I rarely use it, I will keep carrying it along for all the "just-in-case" situations.

  Here's another one of my favorites from this quick impromptu session:

Hope everyone has a perfectly wonderful week!
-Jennifer

13 Years of Capturing Memories / Project 52 ~ Week 4

  We've had an exciting {and busier than normal} week since last Sunday.  First, my oldest had his 13th Birthday last Sunday!!  As I write this, I still find it completely unbelievable that 13 years have passed by so quickly!  Last Sunday morning, I woke up a bit earlier than usual and I reviewed his first 3 years of photographs, looking for the perfect one to place in his Birthday diptych {or as he called it his "before & after}.  I have thousands of photographs that I have taken {seriously, thousands}!  When I get a chance {normally on Birthdays}, I love to look back at these images and sometimes there's smiling and more often a lot of happy tears.  Looking at his first 3 years of photographs really reminded me that life moves too quickly.  I am forever thankful for the memories I was able to capture over the years and I know my little ones will enjoy all of these images to share with their future families!

  It is so hard for me to think of him as a teenager...even a week later.  He was my first baby and continues to be 'my baby' ... even against his will.  He is an amazing child {ooops, teenager}, he's super smart, full of humor, gracious, very humble and just the right amount of sensitive.   I have no doubt, he's going to be an amazing adult {in like 5 years?!?}.  I've spent his whole life teaching him to embrace everyone's differences, to be thankful for everything and everyone and to turn the other cheek when people do not treat him with the same amount of fairness that he was taught to show others.  He is now an awesome young adult!  I'm sure as he begins his next 5 important teenage years, we will have some ups and downs as he needs more independence, but I have no doubt he will keep his great core values.

  {Sidenote:  You can NEVER have enough photographs of your little ones.  Whether with your camera, phone camera or professional images - it's so awesome to be able to look back at each year of their lives and they also enjoy looking at these photos through the years.  Cataloging these digital images by child, events and/or years helps to easily find the images when needed.  And don't forget to back these up as often as possible!}

  I chose this photograph for Week 4:

Project 52 / Week 4
{Captured:  ISO 100 / F5.6 / 1/500}

  I picked this image for a few reasons:
    1. He's a little sullen in this picture, more serious - which really worked well for a "teenage" theme.
    2. Black and White can be difficult  - but this image was easily transformed with all the tires, metals and shadows. {I never capture images in b&w, instead I capture a highly contrasted and rich image first, then transform to the right amount of b&w}.
    3. This one wasn't planned out - but instead we used what was available, sunlight included, to capture this image.
    4. He 'posed' himself, making him more relaxed and at ease.

  On a different note,  my sister came down from VA to visit with us this weekend!  The kids and I were so excited to visit.  She is one super amazing sister and aunt - and a very important part of Y.D.P.  I captured this image of her yesterday as we were crossing the road to photograph some baby lambs.

  I love my little sister - she is so super cool, and forever patient with me when I get an idea like this one.  I wouldn't choose such a busy road to photograph on normally - but when the idea hit, and we were already on the road, it was a must.    Next time {if she's willing}, I have another idea I'd like to try on a road...with yellow dotted lines....fingers crossed!

Hope everyone has an amazing week!
-Jennifer

Balloons + Toddlers = FUN / Project 52 ~ Week 3

  Happy Weekend!  It's been a hectic one here, as we are celebrating my son's 13th Birthday {more on this for next week's post}!  This week's photo was really planned out...and it worked {YAY!}.

  I had an idea earlier this week involving balloons, helium, a floor backdrop, gorgeous headbands/outfits , lots of natural light and my youngest.  I purchased the helium (easy) - but I didn't like the balloons that came in the package (very dark primary colors) - luckily I had some pearlized balloons left over from a while ago in white and pink (love when that happens).  The floor backdrop I had purchased earlier last year, but hadn't had a chance to test it out - this was the perfect opportunity to make sure I knew exactly how it would appear in future photos.  I told both of my daughters the plan (way too early - for exactly one day they wanted to know WHEN the balloons would begin, about every 30 minutes) - lesson learned!  The front rooms in my home receive some great sunlight beginning about an hour after sunrise through about 1pm - so I knew exactly when I wanted to begin.  BUT, the sun decided to hide yesterday...we had nothing but overcast clouds.  That's ok - we had just enough natural light, I'd just to have adjust some minor settings.

  So we began by setting up the floor:

And adding the pink and white balloons at different heights:

  The result was perfectly magical (to my toddler) who was amazed at all the lovely balloons.  Initially she really liked the idea of having her photograph taken (mainly because her older sister went first - and "it wasn't fair"), but I was soon met with a small resistance as seen in these here:

{this one makes me smile - a mini tantrum}

{Yes, she is rolling her eyes!}

 And then I got some silly ones - when we resorted to singing and giving her some balloons ...

{singing 'Hey Jude'}

{she let her balloon go on purpose}

  But when I was finished processing and editing most of the photos - I found my favorite, which quickly became Week 3's image:

Project 52/2012 - Week 3

  I fell in love with this image for a few reasons:
     1. It's totally a toddler attitude
     2. I can sense her complete boredom with her sister and I trying to attempt to amuse her {note to self, must come up with some new tricks...and soon!}
     3. She 'posed' herself, which is always great!


**Red pettiskirt is from Chasing Fireflies...super soft & extra bouncy!
**Headbands from Poppy Row on Etsy...this shop has some lovely hair accessories for little ones to adults!
**The darling knot dress is from MomiBoutique ... we LOVE this designer!
**The skirt and tank top outfit is from Sunnybrook Farm Designs on Etsy ... gorgeous clothing!
**The floor backdrop is from Silver Lining Backdrop Shoppe on Etsy!
**The red sequin heart long sleeve tee is from Gymboree!

Hope everyone has a wonderful week!
-Jennifer

Changed Plans / Project 52 - Week 2

  So, I had a specific idea for Project 52 this week.  I have images that I'd love to capture, poses, lighting, props, people, etc.  Sometimes, these ideas will bother me...until I can get them captured and processed.  I had planned a beach shot, late afternoon, with balloons, my 8yr old daughter, pettiskirt, the waves in the background...in my head it was 'just perfect'.  We headed towards the beach early yesterday morning for a planned 'girls day'.  While the girls day was a success, the photograph was not.  What I hadn't planned, was the much colder temperatures which hit NC this weekend, including the bitter cold wind.  Needless to say, I just couldn't ask my daughter to stand on the beach (in the cold, cold wind) to capture the image that was stuck in my head.  I felt somewhat defeated.  I had planned the photograph (on the last day of the week)...what was I going to do now? 
  Instead, later in the day, I captured her playing on her newly constructed "bridge".  The lighting was far from perfect (it really was much too late in the afternoon), the background was certainly not the serene beach I had in mind, but I enjoyed listening to her tell me about the "bridge" and watching her reflection in the puddle as she was attempting to make ripples.   Below is the final image I selected to for Week 2:


Project 52 / 2012:  Week 2
{Captured: ISO 250 / F4.6 / 1/180}

  {A funny thing to share, my daughter REALLY dislikes black and white images.  I'm not really sure why, but she gets a little frustrated with me when I process some of her photographs into black and white.  This image, with the reflection, low light, setting and mood was, in my opinion, much more dramatic and dynamic in black and white.  I promised her, I would share an "approved image" which was in color and showcased her new haircut:}


Photographed: 1.14.12

     While, I was not able to photograph my original planned idea, I was able to capture my daughter, relaxed, in her chosen environment.  I'm still hoping we can revisit the beach photograph on a MUCH warmer weekend - spring is going to be here soon!

 

  Have you ever had photograph ideas which you just HAVE to capture?  

{This adorable owl outfit was purchased from Dress ReHERsal on Etsy.  They have some great outfits and pieces, both of my daughters love them.  You can see their shop here.}

Have a great week!
Jennifer-YDP                                           

The Beginnings {Project 52 / 2012}

  I've always thought beginning something new was one of the hardest things to do.  Today I'm starting a new blog for Yellow Duck Pictures.   Over the next year, I cannot wait to share my journey with portrait photography!!

  This post will be short and sweet - my main purpose to is to not fall behind on my Project 52 in 2012.  I'm sharing Week 1's photograph today - and will hopefully follow-up with another post later this week which contains more details, some before/after images and other random thoughts!  If you're also participating in a 52 Project this year, please leave your link, I'd love to follow along!!

  It was taken on January 1st.  My sister and I wrangled up the family for some beginning of the year group shots.  It was late afternoon, and as anticipated, the sun shining through the tall pines was nothing short of awesome.  This shot was actually a "practice" shot.  I was testing some of the manual settings to ensure everything was perfect for my sis to take our group photos.  I haven't finished processing all of the photos from this day, but this photograph of my youngest captivated me, so it made the "cut" for Week 1!


Week 1 / Photographed 1.1.12 {F8.0 - 1/200 - ISO160}

  There are quite a few reasons that I loved this shot.
My top three:
    1. I know it's not perfect
    2. No posing
    3. Lovely afternoon lighting = one magical image!

{If time permits, I will post a follow-up this week which includes the before/after of this shot.}

Stay Tuned - Lots more to follow in 2012!!
-Jennifer, Yellow Duck Pictures