Week 13 - Shoes

Shoes. What could I POSSIBLY shoot this week to make my images fit this theme. Too bad I don't have this bad habit of spending way too much money on shoes that are cuter than shit. OH WAIT... I do have that problem! In fact, I exhibited this bad trait of mine just this week by spending a ridiculous amount of money on a pair of shoes that Avery is going to grow out of in just a few months time. My justification: They are just so DAMN cute!!!!!! How can you not buy tiny shoes that are adorable and perfect? It worked out perfectly (surprise surprise) that I bought these shoes this week and I was able to take a picture of them for my challenge. I also, a few weeks back, bought a pair of teeny tiny Toms for my little person. I can't have 6 pairs and her not have any (again with the justification.) I couldn't leave the Toms out, so I shot a couple of shots with those, too.

I was excited to have, yet another, sunny day outside to take these shots. So, I took advantage and used our new raised beds... thank you very much Buddy... as my platform to display the cuteness that is Avery's shoes! Amazing how quick I could get these shots with Avery napping up in her crib :)

(1) ISO-100, 1/640 sec, f/3.2, 50mm             (2) ISO-100, 1/640 sec, f/1.8, 50mm

Along with my spontaneous purchase of over priced infant shoes, I had the opportunity to take a few Maternity shots of my good friend,  Caylynn. She had her baby shower this weekend and I jumped on the chance to steal her away and shoot a couple of pictures in her adorable nursery. Here are a few from that shoot! Can't WAIT to do a full outdoor session with her in a few weeks, but mostly, I can't wait to meet this little baby in only eight more weeks!!!

Week 12 - Angles/Multicolored

I need to be upfront and honest... I waited until the last minute again this week. This is totally something I need to change. Sunday rolls around and .. "OH SHIT!!! I haven't done my challenge this week yet!!" Then I proceed to bring up my blog and look to see what my theme is for the week. Awesome.. I don't even know the theme. I try to always look at the theme the week before as I am posting and start thinking of ideas. When I did this last week, let's just say I started thinking of ideas that included Angels.. because... well.. my brain isn't that sharp on Sunday nights. Let me tell you, those images in my head were going to be pretty difficult to pull off. Luckily, the theme was Angles, totally different. Not sure why I say 'Luckily' because I still couldn't think of anything. Therefore, the multicolored theme dominates my image for the week! Didn't pay any attention to it last Sunday, but when I revisited today, it clicked: Our new playroom floor!!!

We recently decided to turn our formal dining room into a playroom for Avery. It was such a hard decision seeing as we have had one meal in that room in the last.. 2.5 years! So we bought a floor for it and started the transformation. Avery loves the floor and loves to sit there and scratch at it. Apparently the texture is just the coolest thing in the world. The floor is also, you guessed it, multicolored!! To keep in tune with my trying to fit both themes into one week, I took a shot of Avery from two different angles (not angels.) Kind of boring but, it works.

In this process, I have also decided that I am no longer going to try to edit out Avery's slobber. I don't call it 'drool' because it's equivalent to the amount a St. Bernard may mess your clothes up with. It's the phase she is at in her life right now, so, why edit it out? Plus, it's in every picture and I just don't have that kind of time!! So, here she is, slobber and all!!

(1) ISO-800, 1/60 sec, f/4.5, 35 mm          (2) ISO-800, 1/60 sec, f/3.5, 18 mm

Avery and I also did our 7 month photo shoot this week. I can NOT believe this tiny person is already 7 months. I also can't believe how much easier it was to shoot her and get great faces with her being able to sit up on her own. I just had to post this because I love this face, it makes me laugh! And, of course, I love those little feet and the fact that she is so in love with them, too!

(1) ISO-400, 1/80 sec, f/5, 46 mm          (2) ISO-400, 1/80 sec, f/5, 39 mm

Week 11 - Springtime/Orange

Well, life got to me last week. I ran out of time and just now got around to getting the picture up on my blog. I did, however, take the picture on Sunday, so technically, I'm not late :)

I was so excited when I saw that Springtime was one of my themes this week. All I have wanted to do is take Avery outside. Being a brand new newborn in August and then a little baby throughout one of the coldest winters in Colorado's history, this poor little child has been a hermit!! So, to say I was craving a nice Spring day would be the understatement of the century. Plus, I am in love with opening all of the windows in my house and letting the breeze help air out the Winter stuffiness. Luckily, we were blessed with one of those days on Sunday. I could not WAIT to get this little stinker outside (and also to not have to take yet another picture of her inside.) Unfortunately, our grass is still in it's hibernation state, so it's not very pretty but.. oh well, soon she will be able to wiggle around in it.

As for the actual image I chose. Avery is sooo funny right now. The faces she makes usually make Buddy and me laugh uncontrollably. So when I sit her down and put Buddy to work behind me to make her smile, we get some pretty great faces. I was looking through all of them on my computer and fell in love with a smile in one of them, that big cheeseburger, I'm-an-adorable-baby smile. However, I came across the image my final image and couldn't pass it up. Does she not look like she has her game face on and is about ready to kick some ass??? What makes it even better is that she is in her little ORANGE basketball outfit. That's right, I hit two birds with one stone again this week. I have to dress her to go outside on the nice SPRING day, may as well put her in Orange and may as well post her game face! Little stinker!!

ISO-100, 1/4000 sec, f/2.2, 50 mm

Week 10 - Texture/Up Close and Personal

Well, my friends, it was inevitable. The baby-with-food-all-over-her-face-picture was bound to happen. How does that type of picture relate to one of the two topics, you might ask? To be honest, it was a bit of a stretch. Let me take you through my thinking process (beware):

Looking back on my blog, I tend to lean towards always doing a close up of Avery.. and it's only been 10 weeks. From the closeup of her eyeballs to the closeup of her eyelashes.. then her hand.... then her feet... Shit, almost all of my images are a closeup. My solution was doing a closeup of something that wasn't Avery, but still played a large part in the every day life of Avery the tiny person. Insert.. bottle/pump equipment/baby dishes drying grass!! This is one of my FAVORITE things that we received at my baby shower. I love it so much, that when I knew we would start having more dishes for Avery because she started solid food, I went out and bought the Lawn version. Yes, I now have a full counter of baby dish drying grass.. be jealous. It also has an awesome... wait for it.... texture. So, I decided I would take a closeup of this wonderfully texturized (I made that word up) grass that we literally use every day, sometimes twice a day. But then I thought to myself: "Well, that isn't really a picture of Avery. What can I add to the grass that would fit the category without it being a closeup."  Avery started eating solid foods about two weeks ago and the biggest challenge is getting her to enjoy eating new.. textures (insert slightly embarrassed face here.) I know, I know.. I stretched it a bit here, but who can resist a picture of a baby with food all over her face, even up her nose a little bit? I sure as shit couldn't. So, here is my mash-up of closeup of non-baby and texture!

Grass: ISO-800, 1/80 sec, f/1.8, 50 mm
Adorable Baby: ISO-400, 1/100 sec, f/1.8, 50 mm

Week 9 - Three/Furry

Once again, I started the week by looking at the topics and thought to myself: "Three and Furry??? What the HELL am I going to do?" I began brainstorming and wasn't able to come up with anything and then got an amazing text message from one of my best friends telling me she is pregnant with her second baby. What does that have to do with either of the topics you might ask? Well, I have this group of best friends from High School, and now we are starting to add little people to the group. And just guess how many little people are going to be in the group in September.... you guessed it. THREE!!!!!!!!!! Congrats to Kim, Logan and Leah! Can't wait to win meet the new addition and I can't wait for AJ to have another little best friend. 

ISO-800, 1/160 sec, f/1.8, 50 mm

ISO-800, 1/100, f/1.8, 50 mm

As I was leaving my parents' house after the above pictures, packing the baby up, grabbing my 243 bags, my parents' puppy dog, Hondo, was showing his undying love for Avery. How freaking perfect!!! Naturally, I had already packed up my camera but Hondo just loves Avery SO much, he kept licking her in the face.. and she loves it!! We have to tell him to stop or else he would lick her forever and she would sit there and let him. Warms my heart and makes me laugh a little! 

ISO-800, 1/125 sec, f/1.8, 50 mm