Week 4 - Yellow

This week, I tried sitting down and coming up with an idea that fit either of the two categories: time or yellow.... Easier said than done. Then, one morning, I was sitting and playing with Avery and her favorite Caterpillar, Caty, and guess what... Caty has a yellow head! It was at this point in time I determined I would take this week's challenge quite literal and capture Avery playing with her Yellow headed friend.

I started off by thinking, "OH, I will take a cool point of view photo by looking at Avery THROUGH her little friend." (Caty is a ring of a caterpillar.) While Avery had a lot of fun playing peek-a-boo through Caty, the shots didn't come out as good as I pictured in my head and really didn't put an emphasis on the Yellow of her noggin. So, I decided to just get a shot of Avery playing with her. Luckily, Avery likes to touch things with her adorable chunky fingers so I was able to capture her feeling Caty's fuzzy face.

I found myself struggling with what I wanted to be the MAIN focus of the shot. While the theme lead me to think I should focus solely on Caty, my love for my child made me think I really didn't want Avery to be blurry... always focus on Avery (I swear my child won't be spoiled.) I decided to go with never putting baby in a corner and still kept her tiny hand in focus while making Caty pop a bit in post production. This is a challenge focusing on ALL aspects of the photo, may as well challenge myself in a different spot on this one. Even though I know the day will come when Avery isn't the center of attention in the photo... that day is not today. Today is share the spotlight day... So without further ado, I introduce, Caty the Caterpillar!

ISO-200, 1/20 sec, f/1.8, 50 mm

Week 3 - Quiet/Closeup

I liked both of the themes this week and decided, well hell, I will just do them both!!! So, surprise surprise, I took a picture of my beautiful sleeping baby. I was really excited about this week because I had originally wanted to learn how to take closeups of Avery: baby feet, baby hands, baby noses... they are all just the best!!! I GOT TO DO IT THIS WEEK!!! I am in love with her eyelashes and catch myself looking at them when she is sleeping... I'm not a creeper if she is my baby!!! Therefore, I decided to do a close up of my quiet, sleeping baby's eyelashes. 

Like Week One, this was a bit of a process. First I had the obstacle of light... I needed it to take the picture, she needed it's absence to take a nap.. quite the pickle. Luckily, she naps twice a day so I had plenty of times to try it out and I was able to find the perfect balance of light. Then came the sound obstacle. First attempt, I woke her up with the beep on my camera when it auto focuses - bye bye beep!! Second time, I woke her up with the Auto Focus just making noise while it focused - bye bye Auto Focus. Then came the trick of focusing correctly on her tiny eyelashes without making any noise. I found myself holding my breath the whole time. I got the PERFECT shot twice and just as I was about to take the photo, Avery would rub her eyes. It's like she knew - "Mom needs to get good at this - here's an obstacle." Poor baby also had her little 5 month photo shoot as well, so we were ZONKED come second nap time. I woke her up with each picture and she just rolled over and went back to sleep. She made me work for it a bit, but I am really happy with it and kind of want to plaster it all over my house!!  

ISO-400, 1/10 sec, f/5.6, 55mm

Week 2 - Eyes

Buddy, Avery and I were headed to my parents' ranch this weekend, so I decided I was going to take some really cool pictures outside that caught the color in Avery's eyes. Instead, I took pictures of my mom's sheep. Seeing as that really isn't the point of my challenge, I took pictures of Avery while Buddy was changing her. I'm sure every photographer takes gorgeous, life changing photos of adorable babies.... while their butt is being wiped. Oh well, I think it still turned out pretty good!! 

ISO-800, 1/30 sec, f/4.5, 36mm

Now, as for those sheep. I tried three different lenses to try and capture a cool image of their really weird, alien-like eyes. However, the dogs were either scaring the sheep or I was only getting blurry images. SOOO I went back to my trusty 50 mm and settled with it not being a good closeup of their eyes. Now, not only am I gaining skill and experience from this challenge, but I am also gaining patience, seeing as I am bound and determined to only photograph animals and babies (the two hardest subjects in my oh-so experienced opinion.) 

ISO-100, 1/125 sec, f/5.6, 50mm

At the end of the day, I thought to myself "Hey, my mom has really pretty eyes.. and... she's not a baby OR an animal." After this (obvious) realization, I decided I would give myself a break and photograph my beautiful Mother. Talk about easy. I didn't have to battle skittish sheep, rowdy dogs, baby wipes or poop. It was just my camera, my mom, the pretty sun and her green eyes (which I obviously did NOT get in the whole 'making a baby process'!!) It also helps that she has a really pretty smile!! 

ISO-100, 1/25 sec, f/6.3, 50mm

Clearly these aren't all picture of Avery, but, they are all pictures of things that are a big part of her life and mine! AND... there's no rules on this challenge and I really wanted to take pictures of sheep and my mom :) 

Week 1 - Self Portrait

I hate selfies!! I despise them. I defriend people on Facebook when they post them, or if I'm feeling nice, I just hide them. I guess a Self-Portrait is different? A bit more classy? Who knows. Either way, I really didn't want to take a picture of myself. Insert: Adorable baby!!! I LOVE taking pictures of my child. So I came up with the idea of taking one with the two of us, keeping in tune with the Self-Portrait theme. My next self-proclaimed genius idea was to make it a silhouette so I wouldn't have to actually see my face in a picture.
I realized that taking pictures of yourself (without the iPhone reverse camera technology) was a little more difficult than I thought. Then, adding a 4.5 month old into the mix, well, it became a little more difficult and entertaining at the same time. Luckily, I love the curtains in Avery's room and was able to use those and the adjacent changing table as a baby landing pad. I would lay Avery on the table, she would squawk at me as I set up the camera until I pushed the button and the timer would start counting me down. I then gracefully bounded over my wonderful set up (a tripod standing on a laundry basket) grabbed my kid, and positioned us just right. This took me a few tries and a few trips back and forth to get the one I wanted. Good thing is: Avery LOVES to be held in Super Baby pose and she has the cutest little profile (that adorable nose.)
When all was said and done, after being able to memorize the self timing beeps and a little editing, I'm REALLY happy with how it turned out!

 

ISO-100, 1/50 sec, f/5.6, 50mm



 

THE CHALLENGE(S)

I have always loved and been jealous of those who were able to take their camera and create these beautiful images from it. So, when my parents gave me my first "real" camera for a graduation present, I was sure that I would be creating equally as wonderful images as those photographers. Instead, I took a picture of a barbed wire fence (I was real proud of this one) and a few pictures of some trees and then the usual pictures of people smiling at the camera, saying cheese. I would get discouraged because not much turned out how I pictured it in my head, realizing my problem was because I didn't even know how to use my camera, aside from auto mode.. I ROCKED auto mode.
When I found out I was pregnant, I realized I would want to capture the life of my child as she grew up.... ergo..... learn how to use my damn camera. SO, I started messing around and googling (I love google.) Changing different settings/modes/everything and getting myself used to life outside of auto mode. Naturally, when I got a few good images, I figured I was awesome.. then, after more googling, realized I haven't even tapped the potential of creativity that I could squeeze out of my camera and my new editing software, which I know how to do about five things in currently.
Blah blah blah, long story short, I decided on a New Year's Resolution of completing a 52 week photo challenge that would help me grow as a photographer by forcing me to use new and different techniques AND I will get to document and take photos of my adorable baby girl!!!!
Mostly, this blog is for me, to document AJ's growth throughout a year by trying new things with my camera and editing. However, realizing some people may enjoy seeing pictures of a cute baby (and I reserve the right to have an occasional off topic week) I figured I would share as well.

Being the indecisive (Buddy's least favorite quality of mine) woman that I am, I have chosen two different challenges to follow. Really, it just gives me the opportunity to pick whichever one I damn well please :) SO... Here are the two lists I will be following and picking from (I'm choosing to ignore that one is for 2013):



WOOOO HOOOO!!!! So excited to kick this challenge's ass!! Cheers to 2014 and actually following through on a resolution :)