Project Life: Week 1 Continued

I love how this page turned out.  I intended for the page with my granddaughter’s birthday to be pink… I thought I’d have more photos, but realized I didn’t have enough for an extra page for Week 1.  I’d already started it, and wound up going with the original colors I put in the template.  I used Sherwood Studio’s kits for Week 1.  I really love her stuff.  It’s totally my style.  Lots of solids and easy going prints that can be mixed & matched in most of her kits.  I used her a lot when I did my December Daily album for 2011.  Yeah, I didn’t make one of those for 2012.  That’s ok.  I’m a Project Lifer now.

I also used Cathy Zielske’s Instagram template to add in the Instagram photos we’ve taken.  I figure this will be an awesome way to incorporate photos that my kids take.  I can just download them, and voila… additional shots for my album!  I love the little Instagram symbol so you know that if the images are a bit blurry, they were taken with a camera phone.  Being the perfectionist that I am, that would drive me nuts looking at a photo album.  I’d be like, “Hey, why did I put that in there?  I know I’m a better photographer than that!”  It’s a work in progress.  I like that I’m sticking to this goal, and I think my kids will LOVE getting a copy of the album after the end of the year.  Maybe I’ll give them to them for Valentine’s Day 2014.

It’s late.  I’m rambling.  I’m extremely tired.

Urban Art

I found this urban art on my way between Las Vegas and Arizona this past summer. I wish I knew the name of the artist so I could give proper credit.

Three Lakes

I had a little more iPhoneography fun this week during my vacation in the Arizona White Mountains.  A lot of wonderful places to take some beautiful photos… I took a lot with my Nikon, but also had some fun playing with the iPhone.  The images from left to right are:

• Hawley Lake
• Woodland Lake
• Horseshoe Lake

I used my SmugMug camera app (I love, love, love that one), and played a little with textures on the left image.  I’m so horrible at keeping track of what processing I do with that app.  I need to be better at keeping track.  (I sound like a broken record).  I have a ton of images to post, so get ready!  If you follow me on Instagram, you’ve already seen all three of these…

It’s going to be hard to come home.  I’ve had such a wonderful time reading, relaxing, and going on adventures with my mom & my kids.

5 Fact Friday – The Comeback Edition

I know I posted my final 5 Fact Friday, but I enjoy & miss my fellow Behind the Scenes mates… and I miss playing along even though these are usually my “least liked” posts (and I’m posting on a Saturday).  I’ve come to the conclusion that photography blogs get a lot of “likes” in the WordPress Reader since it’s easy to click on the like button without actually ever having to read the blog post. The image stands out, so it’s fast to scroll through the reader and like the most attractive imagery.  I’ll admit I’m guilty of that the same as the next person… if the first 3 lines reel me in, I will go into the post and read the whole thing.  So, I’m concluding that having a boatload of likes doesn’t necessarily mean anyone is really following me or liking me, lol.  And THAT was quite a ramble.

On with my (day late) 5 facts:

Chloe, me, Gabbi, Jesse

1. I took my kids to Charlie Clark’s steakhouse yesterday for the first time.  It’s my favorite place to eat up in the White Mountains.
2. Spending time with my kids has been priceless.  No school.  No work.  Just us hanging out, going on adventures.
3. I’ve been shooting RAW consistently, and am amazed at the colors in my photography.  Perhaps that’s the camera as well, but I really don’t have to process any of my images.  They’re pretty much perfect SOOC.  (I think I get to cross that off my list of 101 in 1001 (#58) officially, now.)
4. I’ve been playing A LOT with HDR in Photoshop.  Eventually I may switch to Photomatix, but for now, I’m using the software that I have.  Who knows what else I’ll be able to do with Lightroom once I learn that software.
5. I’ve been having a blast with iPhoneography & Instagram.  (I may have already said that in another (or several) posts).  It makes life easy in a restaurant to just whip out your iPhone rather than a big, bulky Nikon & lens.

Me & my mom