Planning a birthday cake

Tonight I was busy baking - not my usual thing to do...
I tried out two muffins, the first were sugar-free applesauce muffins, and the second were zucchini-carrot muffins...we were trying to figure out which ones tasted the best, and lets just say, zucchini-carrot won hands down!  So, since the little guy doesnt like the high sugar (horrible for you) cake that I was going to give him, this is what he will have instead:)

T1i, 50mm f1.4...pic: ISO100, 1/200, f2.8...speedlite M 1/2
In the pic, the applesauce muffin is on top (cause we ate too many of the zucchini-carrot muffins to make a pretty picture:))
The recipe is here: http://www.grouprecipes.com/2737/healthy-carrot-zucchini-muffins.html
And, for frosting: 1 cup cream cheese combined with 1/2 cup maple syrup...
Amazingly yummy, and will see tomorrow morning if the little guy approves:)

Thanks to Anita for the recipe...

Family picture - NOT FAIL!

Today started off bad...the baby woke up early and horribly grumpy...we went out to brunch and he fell off the table face first into the window sill at the restaurant and split his lip open and was bleeding everywhere (not exaggerating, it was horrible!), found out that the strobe lightbulb couldnt be replaced - I would have to get a whole new one (very expensive)...and the little guy wouldn't nap...UGH!

Finally got him to sleep and hubby let me get out...I was going to do a 7 mile bike ride (I haven't ridden my bike in about a year and a half - except for one little 5 mile ride in April of last year)...but, it felt so good to move that I did a 25 mile bike ride (or should I say - it felt good until about 15 miles in and then it was hard, but still good!)...cleared the head...

Got back, figured out the settings of the strobe - since I was able to figure it out while on the bike (dont need a new one and I'll be able to retake the cake smash - yeah!), watched the little guy walk all over the place, and then finally took the picture I've been meaning to take for forever...and I LOVE IT!!!!!

T1i, 50mm f1.4 (cause the 24-70mm was too heavy for the tripod)...pic: 1/160, f3.5, ISO800...
I'm getting a HUGE poster size of this one tonight...I took it by placing the camera on a tripod right outside the door, and then we are inside the house facing the open door...I was able to focus, and then because the self timer beeps and blinks, the little guy looked at it - LOVE!

PS-you can see his busted lip in the pic...poor baby!

Smash cake fail

Today was smash cake day, but it wasnt quite as great as I had hoped...

first problem was that one of the strobe lights was only working at 1/4 power (I need a new strobe)...so there was a shadow that shouldn't have been there...I can edit it out in photoshop, but that takes a while...

second problem was that we had major grump today...not a happy boy makes pictures harder...

third problem was that he didn't want the cake...with two working strobes, I can follow him around better, but with one, the shadows get worse fast...

So, we put him down, he touched the cake (getting frosting all over his hands) and then went over to the blinds and started "decorating" them with frosting...we tried a number of times to get him to eat the cake, but the only way e would do it was in the high chair - and even then, he wasn't really eating it...

Think I am going to get the strobe light fixed, and then try again with a different cake and do it earlier in the day when he is in a better mood...there was an applesauce (healthy) cake that he had a while ago that he loved so I think I'll actually make that for him...

EVen with all the problems, we still got a few cute shots...he was much more entertained by the ballons than he was the cake:)  All were taken with the strobe at f6.3, 1/200, ISO200

At the mall

Today's was "When you love them the most"...this pic sort of covers it, but not well, was crazy busy and didn't have time for much...so, I might try this one again in a few days (tomorrow - if everything goes as planned - is cake smash day!)...

Had a great day with the little guy, he is walking all over the place...he will start out walking and if you are there to catch him, he will faceplant into your arms, but if he is going somewhere, he will take his time and try to get as far as he can, and then crawl the rest of the way once he loses his balance...but it is so exciting to see!

The pic of the day is one of the only pics I took of him today, at the mall...he loves the mall play area...it makes it look like he is in his own little world...

 T1i, 24-70mm f2.8L lens...pic: ISO400, 1/320, f2.8...

Here is an outtake of the week:

Big boy!

The boy is growing up so fast...his birthday is in less than 2 weeks and he is learning so many new things evry day that sometimes I just want to stop time and enjoy each new milestone separately...in the last TWO days, he has learned to point, shake his head "No" when he doesnt want any more food, hold a sippy cup and drink from it, and walk...in the last two days!!!

This is him and the sippy...we've been trying to give him one for about a month now, so that he can start drinking whole milk, and normally, we have to hold it for him and he dribbles most of it out all over everything...but today, we went to the park and I guess he got thirsty cause when I put him back in the car, he grabbed the milk and drank the entire thing (and didnt dribble any of it) - WOW!!

T1i, 24-70mm f2.8L lens...pic: ISO400, 1/500, f2.8...

Singamajigs

Off topic today cause the assignment wasnt even a picture taken by me...I meant to take the pic at this amazing nature park where we got to meet cows and roosters up close...a great place to take pictures also - but, I forgot the camera card...argh!

so, this is a Singamajig...we got them for Kaiden's party, and they are incredibly cool and entertaining:)

T1i, 24-70mm f2.8L lens...ISO6400, 1/200, f2.8...it was pretty late at night, and I didn't want to use flash, so, I'm showing off how much grain you can get without noise reduction at such a high ISO...

Portrait

Portrait being a head shot with a neutral background...
I had to do this at lunch, on the UF campus...so, it was about 2 minutes with a million (very distracting) people around...that being said, I got some smiling pics, I got some looking at the camera pics...I dont really know what makes me like this one, but I do...

T1i, 24-70mm f2.8L lens...pic: ISO400, 1/200, f2.8...

Hands

I like this one!
We were at the park, and he was crawling around in the dirt...so, here are cute little dirty hands:)

T1i, 24-135mm f3.5-5.6 IS...ISO200, 1/200, f5.6...

Marathon

Today's assignment was what you do with the ones you love...so, today I present a marathon - and 80 degree heat...the two don't mix well...I didn't do it - nor did the baby, but the hubby is practically Superman when it comes to running but blinding sun and heat are his kryptonite...

T1i, 24-135mm f3.5-5.6 IS...pic: 1/200, ISO200, f3.5 - did I mention that it was blindingly bright out today?

When they are away

Today we are supposed to do what we do when they are away - if they are away, I'm usually taking pictures...but mostly, I'm playing with editting - cause that is what makes a good picture great! 

T1i, 50mm f1.4 - pic: lowest on camera flash setting...ISO800, 1/100, f2.5
PS-this is the pic I was talking about a few days ago of the little guy hugging the kitty:)

Crazy busy...

Yesterday I was supposed to post a date night picture of us, but too much packing got in the way - might try it for Sunday.  Anyway, we listed auctions on ebay cause they had free listings two weeks ago, and this is what happens when over 200 auctions sell and you have to pack them up and get them out...this isn't even all of them - I think this was when we had about 50 left to pack...they didn't all fit in the car there were so many of them...can't complain, at least they are selling, but packing stuff from 3pm (with the little guys help for a while) till 2am isnt the most fun...

T1i, 50mm f1.4...pic: too tired for Manual, I did Auto cause I didn't feel like fiddling with anything...

But, here are some outtakes of the week that I thought were pretty cool:)

 

Staying in

Hard to stay in with the weather we have been having, but this pretty much captures him when he is inside...

 T1i, 50mm f1.4 lens...pic: 1/200, ISO6400 (yea, I know, its a ton of grain), f5 (should have been 2-3 instead cause I might have been able to get to a ISO1800 if I had)...
He is standing on the metal weight bench with his mouth on the metal bar (and his foot dangling off of course) watching Yo Gabba Gabba on the ipad...facing with his back to the window so that I have to literally blow the entire background to get the picture...this is also the furthest away from him I've ever been while we was standing on the weight bench:)

Self-portrait...with your loved one...

I'm back on track and posing with the one I love...my hubby was at work, or else he would have definitely been in here too...

This was hard in theory, but the pose wasnt as bad as I thought it would be cause the timer had a blinker, and I could tickle him - and the boy LOVES hugs...his big thing right now is huge bear hugs every time I pick him up and I get tears in my eyes cause I love them so much...

The hard part really was the focus...I focused on where I was putting the camera (a shelf) then I put the camera on the shelf, grabbed the baby, and the picture took...I also had trouble getting my head directly in front of the camera...but, it wasnt as bad as I had thought all in all, and I have ideas for doing more of these in the future with a tripod and my hubby - I think we'll be able to focus and pose a lot better that way and I'm actually excited that they could turn out quite nice...

Anyway, this one captures us, it is mostly in focus and not too much of our appendages are cut off...even though it wasnt his best day, the boy makes me so happy, I love him so much:)  I put it in black and white cause I took it with an open door with us inside the house, and our house is a bit dark(thats just the way it is) so I couldn't get the color just perfect...

T1i, 50mm f1.4 lens...pic: ISO3600, f5 (so I could have a bit of fudge factor with the focus), 1/160...I do like the catch lights...I think I could take a nice one if there was more lighting coming into the house!

Driving around...

Not doing to workshop today...it was kisses, and you can only do so much to get a baby and a cat with claws to hug before you decide that it is a very bad idea...I might show you the result later, but you should just take my word on it!

Anyway, today was an absolutely wonderful day, I wish I could have it happen every day...
He slept 10 hours, woke ate/diaper change and back down for 2 hours, had playgroup, he fell asleep coming home and went right into his crib for a 2 hour nap, then he ate (well), we played for an hour, and then off to the park and strawberries, done with the park, came home, he fell asleep for 30 minutes, we cooked dinner, ate, shower, play for 30 minutes, and sleep...so so nice!  I LOVE this weather and being outside so much!!

So, this is the pic of the day since the kitty pic just turned out all sorts of bad in many ways...the boy is growing up so fast!

T1i, 50mm f1.4 - pic: 1/250, ISO400, f2...
Am trying a bit different on the editting, am not sure now I like it...I keep seeing great pics and being inspired, but I'm not quite sure this is it...

Everyday...and my Valentine...

Still running a day behind (and dont think I'm doing the assignment that was today which was my loved ones jewelry - my hubby doesnt wear any)...today is something you do every day...LOL, take pictures of course!!

Anyway, it was a beautiful day, and little guy was inside longing to be outside...whenever he is inside, he wants out - he is so happy when he is out and about:)

T1i, 50mm f1.4...1/100, ISO200, f2.5...and flash fill (at the lowest setting - but on manual)...I tried this a number of different ways, and I liked it the best when I could see him with more light on him, in silhouette just didnt look as interesting...still not the most pleased with the pic...

Gonna share one more cute one from today at the park, in honor of Valentine's Day:)

t1i, 50mmf1.4...1/320, f2.5, ISO400...HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!

Eyes

Still running a day behind with the assignments...so, this one is "eyes"

I'm almost constantly doing closeups of the little guy's eyes, so, thought I'd switch it up just a bit...this is the eye of a very bold ibis who came up to get bread from us:)

T1i, lens 24-70mm f2.8L...pic: ISO200, 1/1250 (it was VERY sunny), f4.5...I like the sun angle so that you can see more definitely in the feathers:)

Dreams

This was yesterday's assignment...dreams.

When I was little, I lived in a townhouse and loved going up and down the stairs.  At around three, I had a dream that I could fly - and that the only way to fly was to jump off the top step of the stairs.  It took me quite a bit of time to gear up the courage (stupidity?) to jump off the top step, and when I did, I very quickly (and painfully) realized that I could not fly.  Nonetheless, whenever I think of dreams, this is what I remember...in fact, it is the only dream I remember from early childhood.

So, in honor of dreams...here is flying:)

T1i and 24-70mm f2.8L lens...picture: ...ISO100, 1/400 shutter speed, f5...

I took the pic this afternoon at the lake while we were feeding the birds...can I just say, it is REALLY hard to focus on a bird that is flying...and impossible to pose them...LOL...I put f-stop at 5 so I'd have a bit more wiggle room for the blurr, I think next time, I'd do f10 or so and ISO400...cause it is a faster speed, which I shoulda done anyway but I was blowing out my pictures and needed less light in...shoulda, woulda, coulda...NEXT TIME!!

Too sleepy for dreams...

TOday's theme was dreams, but I didn't get on the computer to find out the theme until the little guy was asleep...so, we are just gonna go with cute today...cause I need sleep:)

Busy, wonderful day going to Disney to meet friends for the first time...and little guy was in the most amazingly good mood, I couldnt even believe it, hope it continues tomorrow:)

Anyway, I'm still working on good pics with the speedlite, and I really like this one...little guy is on the phone with his great grandmother, and she is telling him to be a good boy on his trip, and I'm proud to say that he listened to her:)

 T1i, lens 24-70mm f2.8L...pic: 1/100, ISO100, f3.5...speedlite on M 1/4 bounced off back wall, there was some natural light coming from the window also, but I couldnt get a good pic at anything under ISO3200 so I used the speedlite and it worked well, starting to feel a bit more comfortable with it:)

Some quick outtakes - trying strawberries for the first time, and loving on daddy:

Where they are comfortable

Today was a busy day...started off with K falling and busting his lip a bit, then he rolled of the bed and fell on the computer and got a black and blue mark on his cheek, took the hubby in to work cause it was pouring, off to the DR for K's nose (a staph infection, so we had to get antibiotics), packing and more packing, then off to The Villages for me and K (first night ever away from daddy!)...

Given all that, I had a great pic for "where they are not comfortable"...I drove down to my mother in laws house with K alone tonight, and he was great for the first hour, but after he woke up from his power nap, he screamed his head off the entire rest of the way there...gaack!!  My poor ears!!

But, once we got here, we got him in the high chair and we got some wonderful homemade food from my mother in law (did I mention - WONDERFUL!!), and he was very comfortable...so, high chair pic it is...

Camera T1i, lens 24-70mm f2.8L...picture: ISO100, 1/200, f3.5...and Speedlite M 1/2...I'm not thrilled with his face, he was doing squishy face smile (corny boy:)), and I was more interested in getting him to sleep then in getting the perfect look, but I'm really liking how the lighting looked...this pic was taken at 8:30pm, it was completely dark out, and just the kitchen lights are on, the speedlite was bounced off the wall behind me and the lighting looks good, and I got the sharpness in the picture too cause I kept the shutter speed faster, whoo hoo!!

Passions and hobbies

My husband has many hobbies and is good at everything, I am so envious of that:)  He collects and sells transformers, so, thats the one I'm focusing on for today's assignment...so, this is the little guy playing with the transformers that daddy just got in, he loves opening boxes with us and helping - in his own special way:)

I'm trying a few different things with camera settings today based on the workshop...basically, I always seem to get a little blurr and she seems to think that is because my shutter speed is too slow, she likes to keep it above 1/200...and just play with the ISO more...anyway...

Camera T1i, lens 24-70mm f2.8L...settings: 1/200, ISO800, f5 (I wanted to get all the toys in focus and I was pretty close)...and speedlite bounced off the wall behind me at M 1/2 (very pleased with the speedlite today)...I think I like it, but next time, I'd maybe go to M 1/4 on the speedlite and f3 or so...but I like the catchlights from bouncing the flash behind me instead of at the ceiling!!

PS-Check out his red nose...I have no idea what is going on there, it just got red today for some reason?

Gift from the heart

Today's theme is gift from the heart...basically your best gift ever...my husband is an incredible gift giver and I've gotten some wonderful "things"...but, the best gift he's ever given me - I know, you totally didn't see it coming:) - is our little guy...who is 11 months old TODAY!! 

We had a wonderful day today, and I think this candid just captures him:) 

T1i (gift from my husband) and 24-70mm f2.8L lens (gift from my husband:))...picture was taken at 4pm and it was pretty dark in the house so I bumped the ISO to 1800, shutter 1/100, f2.8...my white balance was white fluorescent...and no flash, the light in his eyes are from a side window...I did B&W cause the coloring just wasnt as pretty as natural light (next to a window or outside), and I've gotten a bit spoiled with some beautiful pics lately:)  I also ran it through noiseware cause we definitely had some grain going on...

What they love

Well, in honor of having the grumpiest grump baby ever today...we have "what they love"...he loves me and wants me to put down the camera and pick him up and love him (and the feeling is mutual:))

Camera T1i, lens 50mm f1.4 - pic: speedlite M 1/1 (bounced off the wall on my left), f6.3, 1/100, ISO200...honestly, today was rough, it was almost bedtime and I hadnt taken my pic, so I didnt mess with the settings much, I just shot it and picked him up...

Generations

I'm doing tomorrow's today and today's tomorrow...this is "Generations"...grandma (baba), daddy, and the little guy (and his lamb from baba:))  I love this pic, but REALLY wish I'd taken it at a higher f-stop number since there is a bit of blurr...next time...

T1i, 50mm f1.4 - pic: 1/125, ISO200, f3.2

Love to hate

Today's assignment is Love to Hate: "You KNOW your loved one does something that drives you NUTS (but you LOVE to complain about it and the day just wouldn’t be the same if you didn’t have to complain about it).  Capture it…"

Ok, so, the little guy ALWAYS falls asleep in his carseat, right before we get home...which means that I either have to sit there in the driveway with him waiting for him to wake up, or I wake him up and try to get him back to sleep in his crib and he doesnt go down...

well, this is my little guy falling asleep in the car FIVE minutes from the house today (and wont wake up for anything!)...which means that he will not go down for a nap when he gets home because he got in his power nap...which means that he is a grumpy boy for the rest of night...grumble grumble...

Camera T1i, lens 50mm f1.4...picture: 1/125, ISO400, f3.2

What they wear

This was a fun one cause our family is just.not.fashionable - in any sense of the word.

So, it was hard to choose just one thing, but this pretty much describes my husband's fashion sense...when it is a bit cold and he is going to be running or biking any time soon (today we were driving to the post office and then he was riding his bike into work from there), he wears a tank top tee shirt, socks on his arms with the toes cut off, and gloves because his hands get cold (and what you cant see is that the gloves even have holes in the fingers). I love him so:)

Camera T1i, lens 50mm f1.4 - picture: 1/320, ISO400, f2.5 - I think my ISO was so high cause I was taking a fast pic and its faster in manual to bump up the shutter speed than to change the ISO...

And for the outtakes of the week:

Oh yes, we have steps...just a few, but definitely steps - uhoh! :)

Then and now

Today's assignment is then and now...description: "How long have you known your loved one?  What has changed since you first met him or her?  Try to capture this change in photos. it would be even cooler if you can show a photo from the time you first met him and put it side by side with a now photo."

Of course, I chose the little guy and my husband...the first picture was almost 11 months ago, when they just met - little guy was only a few hours old and this is my husband holding him for the first time <3...the second picture is from tonight...little guy was in a great mood, and nothing makes him laugh more than being upside down...quite a difference:)

Then pic - I have no idea...
After pic: T1i, 24-70mm f2.8L lens...picture ISO100, 1/200, f3.5...Speedlite bounced off of the ceiling at M 1/2...

How they look

The assignment of the day was "How They Look": " TRUE essence/expression/attitude/posture that SCREAMS your loved one!"

This is the essence of the little guy, he is thoughtful and pensive and serious and sweet...here we are at a birthday party today, once again they wanted us to focus on natural light, in this picture, he is facing a huge sliding glass door and it lit him perfectly:)

Camera T1i, lens 24-70mm f2.8L...picture: ISO1600, 1/160, f2.8

What they do

I'm doing a photography workshop this month called "The Joy of Love"...so I have homework every day, because of that, this month is going to be a bit different from the randomness of last month...not to worry, there are 10 more months in the year to be completely random:)

Anyway, the first day is "What they do"...well, what little guy does is eat, sleep, and play - what a life, huh?  So, this is him eating.  The assignment wanted us to focus on indoor using natural light, so we are inside Subway, using the natural light of the window at the front of the store.  He isnt faced as toward the window as he should be, and I barely have a catchlight in the eyes, but I like the excitement in the photo - the boy loves food:)

T1i, 50mm f1.4 lens...pic: ISO400, shutter speed 1/125, f2.8, and white balance was white fluorescent light.