Bzzzzz....

Since I'm stuck at home with a bug today, I decided to edit and prepare my photos for our assignment this week!

This week's lesson was titled "Color and Balance."  More specifically, creating a composition with complimentary colors and contrasting colors based on the color wheel. Also adding a little color to a scene that has lots of it's complimentary color in it. All while keeping things balanced and using a 'less is more' approach.

How's that for a lesson? I feel challenged! I have had a much more... interesting... time figuring out how and what to photograph this week.

Not to feel like a broken record, but I photographed my boy! Since the purpose for me taking this class is to learn how to take better photographs of our family and more specifically Baby C, I don't feel guilty!

I chose to use a few simple backdrops on our kitchen floor by the back sliding doors. I clamped down the sheets/blankets (with Chase's clamps from the garage) to the backs of our dining room chairs. (Stole the idea from Blaire Perry!) Then I set him up with a very special knitted hat given to us by one of my sweet student's mom. My heart just about melted after seeing the very first picture. Instead of high color contrast, I used a low color contrast and used different hues of green to try to create a calmer photo... Not sure if that's technical or anything, just trying stuff out!

It just kept getting better!

Then, I flipped the blanket over to show the second sheet underneath (which was just a plain old white sheet). We removed the hat and substituted a very special toy given to us by Grammie (Hubs' mom).

I love his chubby fingers and dimpled hands.

Now I know red and orange aren't exactly on the complete opposite side of the color wheel, but they popped in these photos.

I'll keep on experimenting!

Snapshot!

For about the last year, I have been obsessed with an app on my iPhone. It's name? Instagram.

It rocks. I can connect with other mommas and people across the world who are interested in taking an obscene amount of pictures of their cute babies and other interesting subjects.

Just within the last month, I have started following a gal who runs the blog http://www.littlefashiondiary.com/. She blogs about fashion of course, but also about photography and life in general.

Well last week, she decided to put together a free online photoraphy course! I have wanted to take a photography course of some sort for the last three years, but due to paying off debt, or just time constraints, I have yet to do so! So I signed up for that puppy and right away got to work on our first assignment. The assignment was about composition. (using the rule of thirds, interesting subject, non-distracting background, etc...) Of course, I chose my sweet baby boy as my "interesting subject" and we sat out on the back deck that Chase built a couple of months ago and laughed it up! I got a few absolutely adorable shots that I plan on framing, but the winner was this picture.

 It just goes to show that all will be provided in due time... patience grasshopper.

I'm so excited to be better able to capture precious moments like these and display them in our home or share them with my family and friends. Since our families live 4 hours away in each direction, I want them to be able to experience their grandchild day-to-day, even if they don't get to see him daily!

So, anyhoodle.

My main reason for blogging, is that when I opened my mail inbox this morning, I let out a squeal and happily announced to hubs that my photo was chosen along with 7 others as a "Class Standout!!"

I also got my first badge!! I shall display is proudly on my humble little blog for all to see.. ;)

 

So there you have it folks! I'm just plain smitten and can't wait to get started on next week's assignment- "Complimentary Colors & Contrast."

Minication

Ah... what a relaxing weekend! Hubs and I took a short minication to Eureka Springs this weekend and it was exactly what we needed. We didn't go with a long list of sights to see or an agenda. Our goal was to relax. The Grand Treehouses were absolutely perfect for accomplishing just that.

Besides the fact that they were cozy, cute and comfy- they had a relaxing fireplace and jacuzzi to boot!

We weren't hermits the entire time. We did enjoy the delish food at a few local places. "Local Flavor" was my favorite though... also during our stay we saw the "Big Jesus" as Chase called it, or "Christ of the Ozarks." It was my second time seeing it (first time was when I was 13ish) and it seemed just as humongo to me as it did the first time! Favorite quote from Hubs was when we were walking up to the statue and he said "Freeze!..... We're standing in the shadow of Jesus..." and in fact, we were.

 My favorite part...

 Happy little man at home with Grandma!

Messy and happy little man...