Favorites

Going back through all of my pictures over the last few months, my learning period before the snow hit and the lucky few I have gotten inside recently, I wanted to share some of my favorites that have never made a post.  

I separated them into categories, grouping them into themes to make them visually more appealing..and because I'm a nut.

What else have I been up to?

I have been revamping some wedding pictures of a friend of a friend, trying to give her a different and fresh take on her existing pictures.  I am learning a ton, thanks to her, in photoshop - which is right where I should be in my learning phases! Hopefully, I will get to share some of the storyboards and my interpretations of her pics with you here sometime this week. 

My most recent goal is to learn the flash inside and out and decide on the best gear to purchase when the time comes to purchase.  The web is seriously my right hand man, my cliff-notes in this learning journey...how did people ever learn an iota without it? ;)

Plus, I have been seriously thinking about possibly maybe someday getting into couples shoots. There is something in the love of a couple, capturing the special moments, the snuggling, an engagement ring, the thing that connects them, whatever it is...that keeps me up at night. Seriously.  I need to get a life.  I can't sleep because I am thinking about taking pictures of couples?  Yikes.  I've got it bad.  I keep thinking about my garden out back and the barn and the different kinds of shots I could get - and it makes me shiver with excitement.  Grow, plants, grow!  I can't wait. ;)

Anyway, enjoy...and let me know if one jumps out at ya.

Cole and His Moon

Cole has this thing about the moon...ever since we showed him a big old Full Moon and taught him the word, many moons ago...everything circle is the moon.  It's funny and cute and endearing and dang hard to correct!  But, he also looks at the moon in the sky and says "'oon!" and that is pretty hard not to smile at.  

Here was the one time we ever caught it, him gazing at the moon.  I just love this picture.

Cody Bear

Yep, the golden baby of our lives... he gives me the ability to practice on him and then I snuggle him to death on the couch.  It's a great arrangement we have going on.  ;)

Storyboards

The Sky

Dusk and nighttime are favorite times around here, so it's only fair I snapped a few to document these hours. It's a pity we really can't see the sunset from our house...but I wouldn't trade the trees.

The color was just beautiful...

I love the little detail in this one, all the leaves... the moon makes the picture so eerie.

Nature and Stuff

All the outside stuff I've taken and liked...including our stack of firewood. Yep. I don't know why I liked "the pile" so much this year - the patterns on the outside, all the color, the uniformity...I just kept taking its picture. ;) 

The Barn

This needed it's own category, since I am officially in love with a 150 year old decrepit shack.  I love its color, its peel and fade, its pattern and missing windows.  Most of all, I love the best backdrop in the world for those couples pictures I am talkin' bout.  Can't see my vision?  Just.you.wait. ;)

So much character screaming at me every single day.

C'mon!  Picture the girl, back to the wall, hands in pockets with jeans and some kickin high heels on, the guy leaning into her, like he's about to kiss her. Oh, so good. Classy meets character. 

Lovin those copper patches.

This is where it really gets good...looking right at the camera or just snuggling together...right at that sweet spot where the wall is in focus.  *this is the part that makes me not sleep at night...crazy, I know!*

Again, can't wait.  Couples!  I need you for practicing...or just for quieting this crazy obsession welling up in me so I can get some sleep!  ;)

Jimmy the Fat Cat

Yes, I know.... more of Mr. Jimmy!  But he is just so darn cute, I can't help myself.  Well, that and, like I said, he's too lazy to run away when I start snapping.  

I just love the close-ups of his eyes - he just reminds me of a lynx or something....something more terrifying than he is.  ;)

Little Miss Em

Emerson is Elizabeth's youngest, only 6 months older than our kids, so we are looking forward to them all being very close, very soon!  I am psyched that Alex has another girl to play with, since we are so not trying for another.  ;)

It was kind of an accident to have her end up in some of these shots - we had planned to take a few of the "adult" women in the house, but since she hung out for a few minutes, I just had to take a few of the interaction and luckily, some came out!  Her and Beth are so adorable together.

I would have loved to keep some of the ones with the blue hat on in color, since they brought out her big, blue eyes so well...but these were all calling for black and white, so I listened...

I can't wait to get some shots of Ethan and Ella, and maybe some of you and Mike?  I love that you are so good at being "practiced" on!