I'm baaaaaack!

Last post: June 17th... from Canada??? That was six weeks ago! I'm not sure exactly how to update. In fact, that dilemma is part of why it's taken so long to get at it. I don't know where this post is going so it might be a little disorganized and will most likely take more than one day to finish. But here goes...

If you know me personally or have read my blog from afar you are aware that summertime is my absolute favorite season of the year. Zeus knows that I will be off playing at some activity from early morning until late at night. This year is no exception, plus a few bonus experiences along the way.

The lack of posts certainly does not reflect the amount of time working on this computer and finetuning the images on the monitor. For weeks the kitchen island was transformed into my workroom. From that vantage point at least Zeus and I could see each other as he also worked at his desk in The Sanctuario. My cameras have been put through their paces recording births, marriages, graduations, birthdays, dancing and summertime activities. Some of my favorite images will be available at the Shooting Blog for those who might be interested. For those who want the abbreviated version, here goes:

THE WEDDING: The wedding of my nephew and his lovely new bride was incredible! The day was perfect and the never-ending smiles on faces were priceless. The breathtaking setting of the Bountiful LDS Temple and the happiness on their faces made photographing the occasion an unforgettable experience. And it was so much fun! You can see more images here.

BABIES: I love to play with newborn babies. In the first week you can fold them like a pretzel and usually they sleep right through it. In May I was excited to play with the newborn baby of some friends whose wedding I shot three years ago. Little Obi is so cute!

A week later I picked on Bella, the beautiful daughter of our close friends. All of that dark hair was amazing! My own daughters didn't have that much hair until they were three!! (only a slight exaggeration.)

Then nearly three weeks ago Little Miss arrived, our newest great-granddaughter (our family tree is very confusing so I won't even try to explain). She is perfect in EVERY way and I fell totally in love with her the minute I saw her. Her mommy was a good sport about letting me play with her! More images here.

THE POSSE: This new found pleasure of riding has become almost an obsession. The exciting part is that since Eris convinced me that I should try it we have now convinced quite a few others to join us. Athena, who never does anything halfway, is now just as nuts about this sport as we are. The Duchess is riding, as are a number of friends who are affectionately referred to as The Posse. Others are talking about joining us and we welcome everyone! Yesterday was particularly exciting for Athena and me as we helped Jubee take her first laps on a bike. She is nearing 14 years old and had never been on one. She was awesome! Little Ms. Eris will be competing in her first mini-triathlon this next Saturday and you can bet I'll be there with a camera! More posse photos here.

Riding vs. ralking, sorry MoneyWalker. In the summer heat there is no comparison. This morning I spent 2 1/2 hours riding the parkway and loved every second of it. I have found a way to continue numismatizing although it will never be as lucrative as ralking. There is a truck stop wash a short distance from the trail that pays out quite well. I'm thinking that in the fall I will go back to ralking at least once a week but for now, it's riding as often as I can.

That's enough for this post. There are a number of other stories left to be told and hopefully it won't take another six weeks to get them up!

(The totals listed below have been collected over the last six weeks.)

$.91

1.71

.93

1.34

1.13

4.52

1.52

1.80

1.16

1.33

6.37

2.41

Never a dull moment

This last week has been a blur. Every single day on the calendar was loaded with places to go and things to do. Early mornings and late nights were the norm. All of these activities were things that I enjoy doing. A number of bike rides were taken and new paths explored. (Future post to come.) We finally got to the pool yesterday to officially begin our summer holidays. (Another future post.) My cameras have been put through the paces on a number of shoots with some of my favorite people requiring many, many hours sitting in front of my computer culling through well over a thousand shots and editing, editing, editing. (Still a few more posts waiting to be written up.)

Zeus has been out of town for four days and is scheduled to return this evening. It's a good thing he hasn't been around because this house is a total disaster! Clothes piled up on my unmade bed, camera gear and computer equipment scattered all over the kitchen and great room, bike gear in all areas of the car and not a thing to eat in the refrigerator. As I returned home from my ralk this morning I noticed a few weeds that have sprouted up in the yard that even I am embarrassed about.


I have ten hours to put my house back in order, clean the car, pull the weeds, fill the fridge with food and hopefully get in an hour of rest on the patio. Until I return with the promised posts I will leave you with a few of my favorite images from the last week.




Have I mentioned lately how much I love my life?

$2.15 (that includes another paper dollar, two in a week!)

$.91

P.S. MoneyWalker, I haven't forgotten. The package is on my list of to-dos for this week.

Transformation

My father was a quiet man. Fran, who grew up with him, told me once that sometimes when a group of boys were walking home from school Dad would just disappear. I didn't realize until I was an adult how true that was. None of his three daughters seemed to pick up that trait. We all tend to be outspoken, bossy and quite loud at times. Dad's grandchildren are also a lively bunch, with the exception of one.

Nephew Brett is much like his grandfather. In the past it has been nearly impossible to get smiles out of him when a camera is involved. He is probably the quietest man I have ever met, retreating silently when our large family gathers. One-on-one meetings are a different story. The playfulness comes out and his mischievous side takes over.

Last week I had a fabulous time with Brett and his fiance Jacci taking photos for their upcoming wedding. For over an hour I watched with joy as they played in the field of old farm equipment and antique trucks. Smiles and laughter were everywhere and before I knew it my shutter had clicked well over 350 times. It was difficult to narrow down the images for proofing because I was so amazed at their beaming faces!

Thanks to B and J for sharing your happiness!


$3.58 (finally went out ralking this morning. Boy-howdy, did those streets need cleaning!)

The pointless post

Time. I don't know where it goes. Seems like just yesterday I was taking that photo of Dad's camera. Four days. It's already Friday and thinking back about the last week there really has been a lot accomplished. My downstairs rooms are finally put back together and the Christmas tree has been moved to the other side of the storage room door where it will stay until Thanksgiving. Scrapbooks are updated, a few cupboards have been cleaned and the floor has been mopped three times (love those children).

Fun things are happening along with the work. A family gathering was held last Sunday to visit with the Denverites. On Grandma Tuesday three little ones got their first experience at bowling. There is nothing cuter than little two and three-year-olds dancing in their itty bitty size 7 bowling shoes each time the pins start to fall over! We've got to do that one again!

Watching the Olympics has provided nighttime entertainment, complete with popcorn or smoothies.

For the last two days I have spent quite a few hours at this computer learning some new photoshop skills. Oh man, will this ever stop? Just when I thought layers had been conquered I find out that the most important aspect of this tool has gone unused in my editing. A new book combined with careful studying, experimenting, a little hair-pulling and quiet profanity have proven to be valuable. (The above image is the Prince taken last month.)

This morning brought two hours of bliss out on the streets. It is beginning to warm up (mid-30s). Add to that the earlier sunrise and it almost feels like spring. Zeus told me this afternoon that the plants in the front yard are beginning to green up.

So goes my life. Every day brings new challenges. Never bored.

$3.14 and a hat

Guilty pleasures

They are known as MWAC (Mom with a Camera). Or AWAC (Amateurs with a Camera). In our very small town there are 35 businesses listed as "Photography". THIRTYFIVE! This last week I took a 6 hour class in which I learned that our wonderful state of Utah is the second from the bottom in the likelihood to succeed as a professional photographer. Soon it is expected to be at the bottom.

I've always loved taking photographs and sharing them with others. I remember clearly snapping a 35mm frame of Jubee playing with some balloons when she was just a toddler. It came out blurry and I was terribly disappointed. The lab tech kindly explained that my nice point-and-shoot camera would not focus at a close distance. About five years ago I sweet-talked Zeus into getting my first DSLR. I was hooked from the first time I held that massive Nikon in my hands and started shooting everything I could. That camera has since been upgraded and additional equipment has gradually been acquired that allows wider experiences in my chosen hobby.

The questions have been swirling in my head for quite some time. I have long considered myself to be an amateur/hobbyist and have had no desire to take that next step to professional. There are many reasons for this, the biggest being that I don't want my playtime to become a job. There is plenty of self-imposed stress involved at my current level without having to worry about deadlines, legal issues, taxes, advertising, etc. etc. etc. I never want to replace the unlimited enjoyment with a 40 (or more) hour work week.

So why the guilt trip? Several times and in various forums I have heard professional photographers express contempt for amateur photographers. It seems that MWACs and AWACs have deeply cut into the pros' earnings potential. Most are struggling with lagging incomes and fewer clients. Equipment, insurance and other business expenses quickly eat up any profits that might come their way. The Internet has made it possible to share images with distant loved ones, no need for prints. The once-lucrative photography profession has taken a hit in the pocketbook by rapidly changing technology.

With the advancement of digital cameras and the ever-improving computer technology even a first-grader has the ability to produce nice photographs. On the flip side, I have invested countless hours in classrooms, books, research and practice to get to where I am currently. As I blogged recently, there is so much more to learn.

Finally, I have come to terms. I am comfortable with my position. I am a GWAC. And I do not feel guilty.

$2.06

(The camera once belonged to my father in the late 40's. It took wonderful candid photos of my parents and probably would still work if I could find film for it.)

The Lonely Rhinestone

The popcorn has been vacuumed up off the basement floor. The furniture and decor has been returned to the rightful places. Tutus are in the toy room waiting for the next onslaught of little girls. Images have been edited and printed. Zeus has safely returned home from his short trip to the south.

The photo above is an earring that is without a mate. All I could come up with was the oval rhinestone. Hopefully in all of the excitement of the evening this lonely earring got tangled in some tulle and it will glitter it's way back home. (It does have some sentimental value to me.)

Can you mommies please check your backpacks and toy boxes?

There is a stack of unclaimed items that were gathered up after the storm of XX chromosomes left on Saturday. Among those things are a pink coat (Addi?), a baggie of small clothes, two bags of fingernail polish, some miscellaneous baubles and a large canister of red licorice (get it out!!!).

Some of my favorite photos of that memorable evening have been posted at the Shooting Blog. Click on over to see what fun we had!

$2.05 (I am loving the earlier sunrise and slightly warmer temps!)

The Power of Pink

Move furniture to the garage and other places to make room for mirrors, pink balloons and all kinds of sugary treats. After the house is nearly empty then clear it of any living thing that is male.

Next fill those rooms with piles of velvet dress-up gowns, colorful tulle tutus and other dancing costumes. Bring out boxes of old prom dresses, cheerleading uniforms and pom poms. Set up a table of costume jewelry complete with sparkling rhinestones, pearls and beads. Throw in a stash of feather boas, sequined belts, patent leather purses and a variety of large hats and bonnets.

Now invite ten wide-eyed little girls, ages 6 months through 14 years who had no idea what to expect at the party. Add nine grownup girls who all are in need of being totally silly for a few precious hours.

That was the scene on Friday night. Within minutes after walking through the door my home was total chaos and little girls' clothing was strewn across every surface in the house. Feathers, velvet and tutus were flying all over the place. Sounds of ooohs, aaahs and giggling echoed with each new outfit. The grownup girls were good sports about getting dressed up, even those who are extremely shy about getting in front of a camera.

My shutter clicked over 300 times in those four hours. As I look back through the images I am impressed by the absolute beauty and inner strength of these women.

Every. One. Of. Them.

(Note: I will be spending the next few days editing and will post when they are available. In the meantime the feathers and popcorn on the floor will just have to wait...)

(Additional note: Littlest (purple dress) was suffering from a bad ear infection and spent most of the evening on the couch. She is feeling better now.)

The Guest Room Quilt

I grew up sitting at a sewing machine. Barbie doll clothes and personal clothing was my specialty. The first quilting attempt was while waiting for Athena's arrival. Over the next 20 years I made the occasional quilt, mostly squares and usually tied. About 15 years ago I got serious about it and took a few classes. I quickly learned that the art of quilting is much more than sewing squares together and fastening them with square knots. Constructing a half-square triangle involved using math skills and precise 1/4 inch seams. Pressing correctly could make or break whether or not your block went together effortlessly or ended up lumpy. For twelve years I completed countless quilts and gave them away.

My first "real" quilt is still on the bed in our guest room. It is certainly not my best work. Seams don't always match, the hand quilted stitches are much longer than desired and there is one block that is assembled incorrectly. Over the years my skills improved and a few years ago I even had the guts to have a few appraised. These are the "heirloom" quilts that will go to my grandchildren some day in the future.

The same evolution of skills has taken place in my photography. Today I had the unpleasant experience of seeing an image that I took over two years ago. Oh my, it was awful. Well, the image itself was not particularly awful but the post-processing was mind numbingly hideous. As soon as I got home I searched through my archives where (luckily) the original files were found. Reprocessing has been done. New prints will be made tomorrow and hopefully hung in that hallway. The old 8x10 will be brought here to my lair where it will hang in front of my monitor as a reminder that there is so much more to be learned.

The frightening part of this experience is knowing that in 2012 I will most likely look at images from 2010 and want do-overs on every single one of them. Again. Ugh.

01-15-10 Note: Replacement prints were made today and are now hanging in place of the old ones. I feel sooo much better about them. Remind me in two years to do another comparison. On second thought, don't.

$.76

Greenscreen is a blast!

As promised earlier, here are a few of the greenscreen photos that we did way back in November of the Eris clan. A couple of years ago I tried this technique but couldn't quite wrap my aging brain around layers.

Waterskiing on the bay

The instructions given to Eris and etc. were to come dressed in solid colors, any color except green. They brought with them swimming gear and winter hats and mittens. A trip to the DI netted the fashionable orange life vests for a dollar each. They also were instructed to bring along cooperative attitudes and a good sense of humor because we were really all shooting by the seat of our pants on this one. The kids did what they were asked and for an hour we just played around with some fun poses.

A modern family enjoying the wonders of Utah's spectacular Monument Valley.

The next step was post-processing on the computer. In a nutshell it involved magically erasing the green backdrop and superimposing the subjects onto another photo. I had gone through my archives and picked out a few possibilities but still wasn't sure what I would end up with.

Each image took about two hours to process. They are certainly not perfect, nor are they meant to be. Along the processing path I learned many techniques such as changing perspectives, transforming, layering and many other geeky things. For a week I had a blast combining old and new images to form a unique end result.

Jumping off Coit Tower. This is actually six processed images combined into one.

I'm ready to experiment with this technology again. If you have any ideas or you want to play just let me know. I'm ready.More photos at the Shooting blog.

$.85

True Colors

It's that time of the year when the days all begin to run together. The calendar that Zeus and I share is carefully tracked so that we don't miss anything. (Still regretting that forgotten soccer game last week Mr. Eris, Jr.)

Last Saturday was one of those days. Seven appointments were carefully lined up beginning at 8 am. Breakfast with friends, an open house at the Nature Center, two soccer games, a church dinner and a bunch of family portrait sessions. It all went surprisingly well with no hitches. Our great room/kitchen had been converted to a studio the night before and the kids were a blast to work with. Some little ones are naturals when they get in front of the camera and do all that is asked effortlessly. They make this hobby of mine worth it and I always look forward to playing with them again and again.

Those kids come in all sizes. While firing some test shots these "kids" showed their true colors.

Culling through the raw images it has become clear that personalities can be accurately captured when I ask for "the goofiest faces". The photo below wordlessly describes each individual.

Right now it is 16 degrees outside with a nasty, wicked wind taking the chill factor down to 6. The roads are icy and the snow is drifting. A good day to stay in and edit.

$.48

Move over Ansel Adams!

Early in October Little Ms. informed me that in her first-grade classroom all the students were required to enter the Reflections Contest. She chose photography and asked if I would help her. Whoo hoo!!!!

I strapped my heavy DSLR around her neck, set it to AUTO and showed her how to zoom the big lens. We were busy for about 90 minutes in four different locations while she shot 145 images. Back home we looked at the images. She chose the milkweed as the one she wanted to enter. It was hard because they were all pretty good!

The only post-processing done to her image was cropping (required) and she did it herself after I showed her the steps.

Tonight we proudly watched as she accepted an Award of Excellence for her photograph. It was also chosen to advance to the next round of competition at the district level.

Oh yes, this is one proud Grandma!

Chaos!!!

How can it possibly be Friday already? This week has flown by and although a lot has been accomplished there is still much to be done. Seems like I have twelve projects going at one time. Wait, I guess I do.

Wednesday was the busiest day for me. I knew it was coming and had prepared for it the best I could. First order of business was making the hand mold of the new Prince. Athena loves to make babies cry (she is very good at it) and she eagerly came to participate. We really don't hurt the babies, just make them very angry by plunging a little hand into a cold, slimy goo and holding it still for a few minutes. (Mommies or daddies are not allowed to watch.) The prince was actually a pretty good sport and Eris was standing by to comfort him when the process was complete. He quickly fell asleep.

After attending a school program for Mr. Eris, Jr. it was time to get back home for three separate family photo sessions. It occurred to me a few weeks ago that my great room was more than adequate for doing this and that turned out to be true. The shutter on my camera has clicked over 750 times so far this week. Ahh, so much fun! The camera-computer tether worked beautifully. My house is nearly put back in order, just don't go downstairs. Now comes the time-consuming part, editing. Working with the greenscreen was so much fun. The Eris clan were good sports and just did as I asked, including using some strange props. I even got Jubie and Bubba over for some photos! Jubie's images have presented quite a dilemma because every one of them is a keeper.

(True story: There were so many cars coming and going from our house all day on Wednesday that our neighbor stopped Mr. Eris in the driveway to make sure we were okay and that no one had died. I finally got a chance to call her at 9 PM to thank her for the concern and to reassure her that we were just experiencing a little more chaos than usual over here. )

Title: My grandkid can beat up your grandkid.

A very busy week that's not over yet. sigh.

$2.61

Problem solved.

Camera->Computer->Monitor. Seems fairly simple, right?


I knew that Nikon software needed to be installed on the computer but the new program messed with my editing software. Tried connecting various ways then gave up and uninstalled Nikon software. Tried new HDMI cords directly from camera to monitor. Nope. Gotta have the computer to navigate the image to the monitor. Reinstalled only part of the software and just like magic, it worked!

There really is a reason for this madness but I won't bore you with it.

My brain hurts.

$2.76

It's all good.

It's been a good day. A very sunny, warm, good day.

Here's my list of good things that happened.

1. Went to the big SLC to attend photography workshops on lighting. Learned some new techniques from both classes and also realized that I knew more than I though I did. Unlike a few years ago, the mere mention of f-stops and apertures does not faze me anymore.

2. Picked up the new brown backdrop that I've been trying to find for over a month. I'm ready to go!

3. Listened to Rod Stewart and Bette Midler croon the oldies at top volume.

4. Got good news from both Athena and Eris tonight! Being a very proud mother is one of my FAVORITE THINGS!

5. Someone peed on a stick and it came up positive! Yippee!!! (Not related to #4.)

6. Wore jeans that I haven't worn for two years.

Yes. Life is very good.

$.93

(I know the picture doesn't have anything to do with the subject. On the other hand, they make me smile, too!)

Seeing green

In the past I have played around a little with chroma key photography, sometimes called greenscreen. If you ever watch the weather reports on television or have been to ChuckECheese you have seen this technology. The subject stands in front of a bright green background and through the magic of computers that green is replaced with weather maps. Any color will work as long as it is bright, solid and the color doesn't appear in the main subject.

Keeping our overabundance of cooties confined to our house has been a real challenge lately so today I stayed home and played with my camera and computer. Littlest and Little were here so I had some good models to shoot. Here's the process:

Start with two cute little girls in front of the screen. Pose them to look like they never fight or argue.
Through the magic wand of Photoshop remove all of the green pixels in the image.

Through some more Photoshop layers magic insert the subjects into another photo, this time an image I took last spring at Thanksgiving Point. I've been struggling with layers for a long time. All of the work today just might have been a breakthrough.

I'm nowhere near mastering the complexities of Photoshop but at least this is one more challenge well on the way. A few more images are posted on the Shooting Blog.

$1.82 plus a 20 Mexican centavo coin and a Canadian nickel. I did manage to get out yesterday but will probably take another few days off. It's not easy to run with a box of tissues in one hand while sucking on cough drops. Damn these bugs!

Closing the pool, Part One

(Sorry, this post is in three parts due to length and photos.)


Yesterday was the final day at the pool. There were 21 of us joining together to mourn the end of summer play. It was crowded for the first few hours but by the end of the day we were the only ones left. My camera shutter clicked over 200 times catching smiles of young and old, the pain of water-slapping back flops, band aids and tears from stubbed toes and skinned knees plus the cheating games of Shark that never ended.

Each child started out the summer with two swimming suits that are now faded and saggy due to prolonged sun and chlorine exposure. The elastic lost it's stretch weeks ago and safety pins are now required to avoid accidental flashing.

Sunscreen was applied religiously but those deep tans won't completely fade before the next summer months arrive. Blond hair has taken on an eerie shade of green. The swimming skills will have to be relearned, fortunately it will only take a few minutes in the water to remember and put them to use.

The screams of laughter and excitement will now take place on soccer, track and lacrosse fields. Scholastic accomplishments and homework will be the new goals through the winter. At some point I'll devote a few days to lovingly repair the rolling cooler with a roll of duct tape (by popular demand). Oh yes, I will!!

I'll be counting the days until Memorial Day 2010!

More summer photos at the Shooting Blog.

$2.33

Part Two

A.W.E.S.O.M.E.

Oh yeah, we were AWESOME! For the last few weeks I've been bribing the kids with milkshakes to perform flips off the diving board. Kelsey jumped right on it (in it?) and started working, eventually doing a fairly decent flip. Mr. Eris, Jr., took quite a bit longer but eventually earned the shake.

Eris decided that she should be able to earn a shake, too. Flips were standard tricks for her in the teen years but hadn't been attempted since then. Success!

Didn't take long for Tracy (Kelsey's mom) to want in on the deal. Same for her, no flips since the teen years. Impressive!

I don't even remember how the final challenge was issued. In my days at Rainbow Gardens as a kid I could do one fine Jackknife dive off both the low and high dives, coming dangerously close to scraping my nose on the end. In fact, I believe that somewhere in my filing cabinet is a certificate won for performing that feat. Flips were never part of my repertoire. Yesterday I found myself climbing onto the board to the accompaniment of clapping hands and the chants of "Flip! Flip! Flip!" One deep breath, a run and a good hard jump left me rotating in the air then finding myself spinning underwater not knowing which way was up.

Applause! Applause! Applause! After reorienting myself and finding the top of the water I resurfaced to the sound of cheers! The spectacular feat was repeated a second time after Zeus arrived for a visit.

Note: This morning Tylenol was on my breakfast plate. My mind sometimes forgets that the body is over a half-century old.

Part Three

BOGUS RETURNS!

Who knew that after a few years absence Bogus the whale would return and provide loads of fun on the final pool day? For hours the kids (and a few adults) took turns trying to ride the whale to the wild applause of poolside spectators. Of course, any ride longer than a few seconds was impossible.



Note: Bogus was donated to the pool bag by Athena. When the Duke walked in he immediately commented about this whale hanging over her desk a few years ago!