Going NUDE........

.......For this weeks challenge that is LOL. My SP for last weeks "Portrait" challenege sparked a bit on conversation about how SP's are done and apparently somewhere in that chat there was talk of taking SP's in Pajamas sooooooooooooo, Wendy decided that for this weeks challenege EVERYONE had to do an SP........Her wording was "in your PJ's (or not if it takes your fancy)". Well......I don't really own PJ's and don't ask me why but the thought of me taking photos of myself in the Nud was actually more appealing than trying to strike a pose in my skimpie nightie. So I had quickly decided "well I will try a tastefull semi-nude" and over a few beers with Naomi I had come up with this idea involving Cam's guitar and my fav pink wool beanie I croched myself, I was actually just joking and just being a tad silly with her but she really liked the idea and was very encouraging so you can thank her for not only seeing my mug again but seeing me with half my kit off LOL. Now remember this is the same Naomi who inspired me to do a SP for last weeks challenge so if you have any complaints you can access her via the link in my sidebar or the hyperlink above PMSL. Now the original (tipsy) idea that we were really being silly with involved ugg boots or unlaced workboots aswell but I could not come up with a way to hide my cellulite on my thigh.....and Cam does not own a big enough guitar LOL. Naomi, remind me if there is anything I left out from that hair brain scheme LOL.

So. Here they are. The top one is the one I entered in the challenge but the one I entered was much less PPed due to guiedlines. I immeditely thought Cam would like this one as soon as I saw it. The second two are the same but I could not resist a funky colour version. Plus you HAVE to see the beanie in all it's coloured glory.

Oh Gawd......my Dad looks at this blog and is prolly sitting there shaking his head PMSL. It's all your fault Dad, your the one who got me into this hobby.

Oh and my new flash rocks, I would never have been able to take these pics at the time of night I did without it. So thankyou honey for my new flash, not many hubby's would support a wifes hobby the way you do. I love you XXX

Running

Just a piddly easy 3kms today. That last 5km may have felt great at the time but I pulled up rather sore the next day.....my body's way of saying "hey fattie, ease up". I am soooo missing the Gym with all the public holidays and Cam working. I was rather cranky that I didn;t get to go this morning due to his meeting running overtime and the Gym shutting at 11.

I am serioulsy considering a "Photo a day" challenge for April. WOuld mean that I won't be able to take part in the beginners challenges for the month cos I just can't justify spending so much time on both................OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG.............my flash just arrived my flash just arrived. Spose I have some reading and playing to do this arvo.

Anyway, what was I saying, oh yeah. I will only do one of the challenges but seeing how the "Photo a day" allows post processing (PPing) I think I am leaning towards that as it is what I love. However the beginners challenge is all about getting it right in the camera to start with which I certainly need to work on a bit more so perhaps I should stick with that. But I in my heart I really wanna do the Photo a Day.......especially now I have my flash LOL. And it is for April which is full of B'days for us.

What should I do? I am soooooo leaning towards Photo a Day. Having just got into textures....I wanna play.

My First Self Portraits

A photo challenge thingie I have decided to join set the challenege for the week to take an adult portrait showing character. Being easter everyone is busy and Naomi had requested I do a self portrait as payment for some help she gave me with photoshop so I figured I would kill two birds with one stone and do a self portrait for the portrait challenge. I'd had this idea that if I ever did one I would so it wearing my Beauty and the bees clay mask. It's just something I love doing and I thought it would be something a little different....plus it meant I wouldn't have to wear makeup or try to get skintones right in the post processing. I had to just hold the camera out infront of me because I can't figure out the self timer, I had to manually focus the lens and hold it away to the distance I focused it at because my lens doesn't auto focus, these shots were taken in full manual on my Nikon D40 DLSR with my Nikor 50mm f/1.8 lens in RAW. I am extremely happy with the end result and have been having an absolute blast Post processing them (you may notice I am not using abreviations this post, Vanessa that is for you so you know what I am talking about LOL). It's funny looking back at the pics you can see the ones I took before I stretched my face and made the mask totally crack cos I got sick of not being able to mive any muscles in my face LOL. I think that it's after I did that I got the best shots cos I was able to relax my face. SOme were taken inside and some were taken outside. The outside ones were the best (and that was after I cracked the mask totally). Oh and if any of you girls reading are interested, yes the mask is lovely and it makes your skin feel like silk. I can't recommend the Beauty and the Bees products enough and I have everything from thier shampoo bars to thier moisturiser, Anna and Ryan are Baby Bees product junkies too.

I think this is my fav of the bunch PPed yesterday with some new actions. I thought Renee might like this one.

I also have a new watermark, we are not allowed to use the word "photography" on any of our photos (even the ones we do not submit) to be egegable for the challenge comps so I had to change my watermark. My first one was just a bit of fun to learn how to make brushes anyway and it was a bit annoying because it was hard to find sopts to place it on the photos. I like this new one......like the picture of the "Peahen" in it?

I love the post processing on this one. I have never gone for the "blue toned" B;ack & whites but I have been forcing myself to post process using some techniques I don't particulary like. In doing so I am learning more about what I actually do and don't like and I have to say that I am now very fold of the blue tones B&W rather than the sepia toned B&W. I also love the texture I have used on this one, it has what looks like little nails arond the edge of the photo and up the top and around the edges you can see a kind of wood grain. And there is my old watermark. lol.

Again, a post process with a blue toned action, I love seeing this on other peoples photos but have never been able to bring myself to attempt it myself. I just have this thing about "cool skintones" or should I say I used to have this thing about cook skintones. I am just letting go now and having fun and not worrying so much about "perfect" skintones and just doing what I like instead. Again a testure is added.

And finally, this is the first one I post processed so it is the one I entered into the challenge comp. I love this B&W conversion, it is part of the WOW presets I got a few weeks ago and love to death. This was very east to Post process, not alot was actually done to it and the WOW presets make the basics of it very quick and easy. I am also finding adding textures a very quick and easy way of making a pic more interesting.

So, that's it. My first attempt at a self portrait. I had am absolute ball and love the way they turned out but I would not wanna do it too often. I have used my best idea now I think lol. I do have something I would like to have a go at later down the track with the co-operation of my lovely hubby but it wont be till I get a remote for my camera. I should get my flash soon, I am looking forward to taking some pics for some more friends soon.

Running........

.................More like jogging/shuffeling. Anyway all this photography stuff raging through my head 24/7 is killing me. It haunts my dreams and I am not sleeping well. Post processing, textures, actions, presets, lens's, flashes, backdrops, baskets, fluffy blankets, newborn photo ideas, f/stops, shutter speeds, white balance AAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. Yes I really do want to scream. I need to clear my head, and what better way to clear your head then going to hack at the Gym........Only today is Easter Saturday and the Gym is shut, BUT, it's a glorious day, the sun is out but it is nice and cool so off to Nunn's walk for me this morning were I planned on shuffeling a nice and easy slow 3kms................

............5kms later and my legs are like jelly. They are certainly not used to this LOL. Was a great jog though, perfect day for it and I could not think of a better way to earn the BBQ dinner and glasses of wine we will be consuming tonight. I could murder a bag of bullets.......my bullet habbit will plague me forever I am affraid.

Well, Happy easter everyone......we are not into easter here, lucky for us the kids are too young to know what those shiney colourful foil things are in the supermarkets. We have so far got away with keeping it all away from Anna but I caved this year and got a 10pk of small hollow cadbury eggs for us to hide and for Anna to find. That is the extent of our easter efforts though and IMO more than enough for a 3yr old.

Ryan is 9 months old tomorrow, OMG. His nansty acid poos have stopped and him bum is busy healing now. Thank god that's over.

Anna is getting her last two molars, she got a puzzle off Grandma and Grandpa for "easter" and she is so good at completing it all on her own.

Oh, I am getting my flash. I am so excited. Fingers crossed it's what I need to get clearer photos. While I am back on the photo subject I have been playing with textures. The last photos I posted of Ryan were my first real attempts, the background was pitch black like the ones of William but I added a texture so the background looked like "linen". I have been playing futher with textures and found a use for many of my digital scrapbooking papers. No examples though because I am playing with Tean's photos for now (William's Mum).

Anyway that's it from me. Have a happy and safe easter and keep the choc consumption to "in moderation".

XX

Meet William......

......Isn't he just so scrummy yummy. Of course I have "Mum's" full permission to publish these on my blog. Tean, don't worry you wont have my watermark all over the ones on your C.D. They also wont be as sharp as these unfortunately, these have been "sharpened for web" mainly because I have to compress them so much to post them here.

This "shoot" was not easy, my camera was playing up, some idiot had buggered her light meter settings stuffing around with the camera at some stage so I had to pretty much guess my exposures, I had the White balance wrong, I had misplaced my Phojo, the backdrop was threatening to blow away and my subject had a bladder problem LOL. It wasn't easy but it was alot of fun. I took ALOT of pics but only got a handfull of good pics. I also took some pics of Another friends little baby girl, she would have to be the most beautiful little girl I have ever seen and I am hoping "Mum" gives me another crack at it now I have my new lens. The ones I got are not great (not the subject's fault at all, just the silly old cow behind the camera".

Not much else from me today. Ryan has been crook with some kind of tummy upset for about 5 days now and as a result he has lost the skin off him bum, it's just a mass of bleeding and weeping welts. I am not in a good way about it, it's very hard to see such a thing on your own precious bundle. He is in alot of discomfort with it. I have also made a pact with myself not to play with any more of my photos untill I finish processing this lot for my two friends. So you wont be seeing anything new from me till then.

As just mentioned I got my new 50mm f/1.8lens and I lurrrrve it. I have also found my old flashgun so I am able to bounce a flash off the ceiling/walls to help me along with my "natural light" but then found out there is a possibility it may blow up my camera so I have to try and resist using it........as a result I am in the market for a new flashgun that is compatible with my camera. Mothers day is coming up......and Cam did promice me something extra special for this Mum's day while I was near or in the pushing stage of Ryans labour. Time to cash in me thinks.

Anyway enjoy the pics of sweet William, oh and yes two of them are the same just on different angles. Tean he really is a sweet little spunk and I loved meeting him again and catching up with you and Nikki.

Now I have a choc cake in the oven for Mum's group tomorrow. I don't want to ruin it so toodles XX

I know what your thinking........

........This chick only takes photos of her daughter. Well your pretty much right. My little girls spends far more time with the camera in her face than my little boy. Purely because he is way too busy for me, that's right. He has far too much to do to spare me some time for a photo session. However I begged and pleaded with him and after some clever bargaining he agreeded to squeeze me into his ever so busy schedule this morning for a very quick/rushed photo session and I could not be happer. FInally I have a few semi decent photos of him. Mind you to keep him in the one place (not I did not say "still" I had to have him standing in a clothes basket LOL.

This is a face he pulls that gets me laughing every time.

These two are the same pic, different crops and different PP treatment. The bottom one is my fav.

I am loving Lightroom Presets......

........And this is why..........

That top one is my new fav pic of Anna. AM loving how this B&W conversion brings out her freckles.

Same Shoot Different Gravy

Anyone who knows my kids knows they have eyelashes worthy of all womens envy. This pic is from the same shoot as the last posts pics but the PP done on this one was done purposely to show off her lashes. I knew exactly what I was going to do to this one as soon as I saw it. It turned out exactly as I imagined it. I love it.

Playing with Actions

I have had a whole heap of actions for ages but never really play with them. I think most of them are suited to outdoor shots. Anyway, as soon as I processed this pic I wanted to play with action on it. SO here I am testing all these different actions on it. Here are a few of them. I am still playing LOL. I am saving them all with the action names for future reference.

The Original

Overall Mood-Sad (a fav of mine I think)

Retro feeling - Reddish

Hard Love

Something different.....

I just felt like doing something different today. I am glad I did cos I am in love with this pic. Our grass is non existant, it's just weeds, it's ugly and it's really really prickly. My arms are scratched up from takign these pics today......I wonder what Anna's are like? She will be awake any minute now so I will find out. Anyway, I am glad something good has come of our crappy dead lawn. This shot just would not have looked right with lush green and healthy grass.



Oh Anna is awake. And what are the first words I hear her say after this lovely afternoon nap "I've got a bum crack" Nice one Anna.

Our little miss serious.......

Hmmmmm, yes............don't be expecting too many photos of Little Miss Pop smiling in here. She is one surley little girl once the camera is in her face. Besides that I am very happy with this shot. Why is she wearing a t-shirt and trackpants? (not that you can see the trackies).....well because that is what she wanted to wear after lunch this arvo and who am I to argue, I know much better than that these days. It was an effort to get her to wear something to bed just now LOL. I promice some pics of my mini boss to come. He is not photographes as much simply because he wont sit still long enough. There is not a shutter speed quick enough o capture my little bolt of lighting. I am hoping my new lens helps. I did manage a few snaps earlier though, fingers crossed there is at lease one in focus.

And another one from the mini shoot we had outside the other day.

Outdoor lighting.....

Thankyou Sharon, I think your right. Outdoor pics are much easier to PP. Who would ever have thought that our daggy beige outside blinds would have made such a nice backdrop? I have no idea what Anna was doing here. I think she was singing and dancing hence the need to sharpen the crap out of this photo as she would not stop moving. Looks like she is swinging a bat though and I love it.

Having a break......

...............From damn skintones that is LOL. Nothing like good ol' Black & White to give you a much needed break from tricky skintones. I just love this photo, I have a friend who would like me to take a photo and make it B&W but leave part of it B&W.....something I havn't done for a long time so I thought I had better have a practice so Andrea if you read this, thankyou very very much cos I prolly would not have played with this pic the way I have if it wern't for you and I just love how it has turned out.

O.K.....That was a short lived break. Could not help myself. Here is another one I just did. I love it! This one is definately getting printed to send to my Aunt who got Anan the Jumper. She is going to love it.

Damn skintones.....

I swear....these damn skintones will be the death of me. They are driving me nuts. I just can't get it right. This one is getting closer to Anna's natural skintone but still too pink. However if I adjust the tint too much in lightroom her hair turns green.

Anyway, at least I got the focus right in this one. Looks like I will have a new lens soon, Yay yay yay.

Actually I don't think the skintones are as bad on this one as I think. Hmmmmmmm, anyway. Thanks Kellie (EB) for the CC, it all helps. It's very valuable to get other peoples opinions. XXX

Anna's new jumper

Anna and Ryan both recieved B'day presents from thier Great Aunt in Scotland yesterday. I was allowed to open them right away incase they could wear them before thier B'days. Anna got this beautiful pink jumper and I could not resist getting a few pics of her in it. There are more to come, I didn't only take "Mugshots". I wont get to process them for a while though.

My cheeky little girl.

Here is another photo from the same little shoot I did just testing the new camera settings and improved lighting in that room. Two different crops of course. The bottom one has been cropped specifically for a 4x6 print. It is very very unlike me to have "eyes" in the center, I generally always have them up the top where they are but to either side BUT I am trying to break some of my rules, trying to loosen up a bit, trying not to try so hard cos it does my head in when I do not succeed. Cropping is also a rule I have recently broken, I would not crop any of my photos as I concidered it cheating. If I could not get the composition right in the camera then I just had to cop it and learn from it but then Cam made a point about post processing and how can I be comfortable with say applying a colour pop but but cropping. Good point love, so here I am stepping out of my comfort zone and cropping.

I actually really love this photo and at first I hated the bottom crop but the more I look at it the more I like it, you could even say I love it now. Oh and I am really loving my watermark. I may not be in such a hurry to make another one afterall. Not bad for "just playing". I only made it to teach myself how to make them into brushes on PS. I wasn't intending on keeping it LOL.

Anyway, Mum & Dad will be here soon.