CY365 12 January - 18

CY365 12/365 Frost/Ice/Chill

Bourbon on the rocks; warms you up on a chilly night.

“Too much of anything is bad, but too much good whiskey is barely enough.” 
― Mark Twain

CY365 13/365 Pop of Color

Is there anything more bold, more sensual, and more classic than red lipstick? Next to pearls, it is my absolute favorite accessory

CY365 13: Be Positive

I have a love affair with coffee. It's my beginning of my day, my pick me up, and my escape. There is always a story to be shared with a cup of coffee and even in the darkest of roasts, there is always a subtle sweetness that emerges through.

CY365 15: First Taste

Prepping dinner for tonight. First time making and trying Spaghetti Squash.

CY365 16: Snowflake

No snow here in 60 degree Texas today. Thankfully I picked up some of these snowflake pieces that fell off of my MIL's outdoor Christmas decor. My little man was kind enough to take 5 minutes from his playtime so he could pose for me :)

17/365 Off Prompt as I was out all day and left my camera at home. We decided to enjoy the beautiful and unseasonable weather at a local park and I nearly kicked myself for forgetting it when there was the most amazing lighting and a plethora of trees and trails. Snapped a few with my iPhone but just can't capture it like I can with my trusty Canon 60D. So no powder or DSLR but enjoyed the challenge (and scenery) never the less.

18/365: Balance

My dog Kona is as sweet and as spoiled as can be. Her favorite napping place when we are running around the house going about our day is perched on the back of the couch. A safe spot from little hands but a good vantage point to keep an eye on the rest of the household in between zzz's. I am fairly certain her Beagle/King Charles Cavalier mix has a dose of cat in there as well.

White

#CY365 11/365 White
Pearls adorned with my wedding dress. The pearls were an anniversary present and always a favorite accessory.
"Pearls are always appropriate"- Jackie O

This also won the CY365 Photo of the Day!  It is such an honor as there are so many talented photographers on this site.  It has been fun learning and sharing with them.  

Habit

CY365 10/365 Habit

My IPhone and FB. I am a mindless scroller. I check my FB or email multiple times a day for no particular reason. My husband actually mentioned today as I'm getting ready and taking a peak at FB land on my phone "I see why it takes you so long to get ready". I would be so efficient if I could just part with this thing.

Multifaceted

CY365 9/365 Multifaceted

I love the simplicity, weightlessness, and dimensions of this sculpture. I was drawn to it immediately have have it placed in my favorite room in my house

Solitude: Coffee Break

Solitude.  A necessity in life but sometimes only a luxury of a Stay at Home Parent.  This was also the prompt of my CY365 daily photo challenge.

On most days this would have been a problem as it was a non school day meaning both kids home. But on that day, I woke up and knew exactly what I was going to do.  My wonderful MIL watches my kids most Wednesdays so that I can have Mommy Time (or work time, or catch up time, or errand time, etc).  This was the first Wednesday being back from Winter Break and I thought I would take the opportunity to go see The Hunger Games: Mocking Jay Part 1.  A movie by myself midweek in an empty theater sounded life heaven, the perfect solitude I was looking for.  I got dressed, had the kids ready to go, and then realized I forgot to call my MIL to confirm today (it had been a couple of weeks after all).  I called the house, no answer.  My Father In Law sometimes works from home and ties up the line (did I just say that in 2015) so I called his cell.  Held my breath, he answered and I could tell he was in the car, and my dreams were crushed when I learned they were on their way to an appointment.  Why did I not think to call the day before?!  I was bummed.  Kids were dressed and by a miracle ready to head out the door at the exact time I wanted no yelling involved, and I was wearing something other than my classic leggings and tunic sweatshirt ensemble.

Emma, on cue started to get cranky and Jude was anxious to see his Mima.  Put the little one to bed, read some stories to Jude, and he even read some sentences to me.  I went downstairs to drown my sorrows in a cup of coffee.  It was then I realized that aside from a bathroom break, this is my way to escape when I'm home with my kids.  Coffee.  Sweet wonderful elixir that gets my day started and again gets me over the hump before it is deemed appropriate to indulge in a glass of vino.

After a week of this photo challenge which purpose is to help stir up some creativity, I imagined how I could incorporate this sweet escape in a way a parent of young kids could relate.  Hence, this image was born.

Now, I usually do a reveal at the END of the post but I had some interest so I wanted to show you how I came about this.

First of all, I'm a Photographer not a "Photoshopographer".  Photoshop is what I use to fix a blemish, turn it b&w, or to bring life back into my photos as sometimes digital images run flat.  I see some amazing work with filters and dreamy effects which I might play with throughout the project but for now, I like to stay as true to SOOC as much as possible.

I tried to do this the old fashioned way with a super slow shutter speed and a tripod.  I told my son to jump off the couch and hoped his sister would follow him around.  Unfortunately this is what happened.

f/25 1.6sec ISO 100

Two things wrong:
1. It didn't have the wow effect I was looking for.  A bit of a blur but not much more.
AND
2. It is REALLY hard to stay completely still while your child is jumping around you and then for some reason POKING you in the eye after you've had your eyes closed for a bit.

After multiple attempts, he was done and Emma was hungry.

We switched gears and I began to think of how to get the effect I wanted.  I realized I might have to learn, or relearn, a new action in PS.  So, how did I solve this issue.  Simple: A Composite image.

I ended up taking these 6 images.

Starting with me solo on the couch

F13 1/10sec ISO640*
*I was having issues getting a fast enough shutter speed and narrow aperture so without over pixilating my picture and using a super high ISO (although higher than I wanted), I opted to hold my breath for a bit without kids jumping on me

Then I narrowed my aperture even more to F25 2.5sec ISO 100

I opened up these 6 images in Photoshop and started with the image of me solo as the background. One at a time, I placed one of the other images above my background image, added a mask, and revealed the portion of the picture I wanted to show. Repeated until I used all of the images I wanted.

No clue what I'm saying. Well, I'm not a teacher but this link explains it beautifully.  Totally ironic that she is on the couch as well.


So there you go.  A day that might have not been all to myself ended up being a great spark in a new photo challenge and a fun project to do with my kids.  It was an escape into a creative side I've so desperately needed, and I got to enjoy it all with a hot cup of coffee.

My Gear

CY365 08/365 

I took a "What's in your Bag" approach to today's prompt. Natural lighting wasn't ideal but I did come home from an amazing day to myself. Wanted to be credible for the project so this was a quick shot.

Where I Stand

It was supposed to be a day of celebration.  It was supposed to be a day where I had one on one time with my daughter and actually non guilty time to myself.  It was supposed to be the day my son went back to school.

Unfortunately, his father gave him his unrelenting cough and unfortunately mixed with my son's weak gag reflux, it caused him to vomit multiple times on that very morning.  We know the drill and have sent him to school in the past if there was no fever but 3rd time was the charm and in bed he stayed.

My daughter insisted she should get up before her body felt ready and therefore was insisting she be held.  I found the irony in the situation, grabbed my camera, and was able to get this shot of my son behind the door throwing up, and my daughter clinging to my leg.  Oh the life of a mom.

6/365 Where I Stand

Ensemble x2

CY365 5/365 Ensemble

Best Friends, Star Wars, and Legos. Is there a better ensemble for a 5 year olds day?

Pearls, faux fur, and a paci are the most essential accessories for every 1 year old fashionista

A Reflection of Me

CY365 4/365 A Reflection of Me

I had envisioned this photo differently.  If I had 100% control over my life, I would have taken the a beautiful brushed nickle with hints of gold mirror from our powder room wall, propped it up against one the trees at my favorite photo location, and had my 2 beautiful, perfectly posed children snuggled up against me as I captured the three of us looking in the mirror with beautiful nature surrounding us and the golden hour sun lighting the scene.  

Well, life as we know, isn't like that.  I came home from a great service at church, my son anxious to go to a friends house, and my daughter ready for a nap.  I knew I wouldn't be able to get the image I had in mind so I tried my hand at photographing me solo in front of my mirror.  It was then I noticed my daughter laying in the background where I had the idea to place my son next to her.  Still hoping for their "angelic" forms, it was anything but.  My son struggles to hold my tired/cranky daughter while he is asking over and over if he's done yet.  In the end, I like this image more.  I think it best represents the post I wrote a couple of days ago struggling with the work life balance.  It's not perfect but it works.  I hope to take the image I had in mind in the near future as I think it would be a beautiful image  but for now, I truly believe this is "A Reflection of Me"

Open Possibilities

Where will your life lead you today?

CY365 3/365  Open Possiblities

Good Morning 2015!

CY365 1/365 Good Morning 2015

2015.  A new year, a fresh start, and an opportunity to improve oneself.  

I spent the majority 2014 learning how to juggle a new business with a new baby, support my husband and his business ventures, as well as adapt to the demands of a growing family.  On top of that, I had a calling to serve the Lord in Panama and used my photography as a way to raise money to help send me there.  All of these changes and demands helped me to have a better understanding of myself, the world around me, as well as grow in a relationship with God.

For 2015 my goal is to continue to improve myself.  Just like any working parent, I often have the struggle between committing to much to one thing while the other falls short.  In my life this is my photography and my children.  It's a personal struggle to give equally and effectively to the two.  I'm still learning this trick as I'm sure many can relate.  

There are many times I beat myself up over this.  Why isn't my business growing quicker?  Why are my children always demanding my attention?  How is so and so succeeding at this and I'm struggling?  Maybe if I just commit to once a week, once a month, not at all.  My children need me.  My husband needs me.  My church needs me.  I need time to myself.  

It's exhausting and honestly, at this stage in my life, pointless.  I am fortunate that I have a supportive husband and we have this opportunity for me to stay at home with our children as well as take the time to figure out my career path what ever it may be.  

Jude will be in Kindergarten next year and these years with Emma will go quickly.  I want to be present with them but not lose myself either.  

So, my friends, my resolution if you will, is simple.  I want to be more present and more positive in my life.  I want to cherish the time with my children, enjoy when I have the opportunity to photograph you and your family (as well as some fun creative sessions), and most importantly, not stress when I can't do it all.  

In an effort to help stay in the present with myself, my family, and my photography, I signed up for CaptureYour365.  This is a site that has a topic of the day and you simply take a photo of what it means to you.  I'm using this as a platform to express my creativity, get inspired, share insights with other photographers, and venture outside my box.  

2015 will continue to have it's ups and downs like life always does.  I will learn, grow, create, stumble, get into deep, but hopefully stand back up and keep on going.  I hope you will take the time and join me as I share this year with you.  It should be a wonderful journey.

CY365 2/365 Think Over