Before and after...

Well I wasn't going to do this post just because I haven't been around www.iheartfaces.com very long. I have learned things, fun things mostly, like how to make a camera strap cover...now that was an awesome tutorial! lol Faces is a great place to share and learn and grow and I wish it were around when I was JSO....

However, I have had some AMAZING mentors over the years! I belong to a couple little private boards where I was blessed to have one of the top children's photograhers in Alabama guide me in my journey to learn.

I know I am continually improving... every time I go out and shoot. So, I really wanted to see how far I have come. I also wanted to show others...there is hope, if you shoot shoot shoot and read read read, you WILL get better :)

This was taken 3 years ago! I had a Kodak with manual capabilities...I practiced so much with that camera and I was pretty proud of myself with this picture of my girls...





This was just a couple months ago...with my Nikon



In the beginning, there was desire and hope and a bulldog sense of 'never give up'...I just needed time and practice...ready?

see if you can tell the before and afters....

There is no rare disease that turned her orange, I promise....

thinking I may have been color blind at some point in this journey.....cause I know she wasn't bluish....

She's not supposed to be red either is she.....and, what do you mean I chopped her hand off? I was a limb chopping ninja in the beginning, lol


You can't tell at this size, but this was is terribly OOF...another of my 3 girls that I was so proud of! I had it hanging over my mantle.

And seriously, take my advice on this one...you can NOT trust friends to tell you the truth about photography. I had people asking me to take pictures of their kids when I was at this point in my learning journey....seriously, and wanting to PAY me! Luckily I had some good online photographer friends who were honest with me, giving very gentle CC...making me see my screwups without making me feel bad about it,lol

So here I am, its been nearly 3 years since I bought my first DSLR...probably a good 5 years or so since I seriously became interested in photography. I have always had some slight interest....even way back in the dinosaur age of film I was taking photography classes in high school and learning dark room development...fun times!

Photography has become much more fun with the age of digital, much more affordable too! This has been a blessing to those of us in it for the love of a good shoot. Unfortunately it has also managed to breed a whole new group of photographers...you know the ones I am talking about. They go out, buy a bottom of the line DSLR and put a sign out front offering a session for $20 including a CD of all images!

Off my soapbox....

Just have to add....
Its been a fun journey for sure and I have made some great friends along the way! Photography has opened up doors for me. My local photography club is my refuge where I can go and hide out with grown ups a few times a month...grown ups who are as camera crazy as me!

Here are some of my recent shots....I am branching out a little, breaking some of the 'rules' trying more vintage stuff, more textures, and loving every minute of it :)

So, moral of the story...if you have the desire to become a great photographer, never give up!

Feeling Nostalgic?

Then come on over to www.iheartfaces.com and check out all the super cool entries this week! The theme is nostalgia....hmmm, it made me nostalgic going through all my old pictures to find one to enter! Looking back at my girls pictures as they have grown...it is going by way too fast! Thats one reason I love photography, I can stop time, if just for a moment.

Well here is the picture I finally decided on, this is my oldest child...I have always loved this picture of her, the whole feel of it, I hope you enjoy it too :) Writing by candle light brings to mind visions of Little House on the Prarie for me :)

bubbles bubbles everywhere!

At www.iheartfaces.com this weeks competition is all about bubbles! Well I have quite a few pictures of my kids blowing bubbles, but this is my favorite bubble picture by far....this is my baby girl in bubble bath, with all her rubber duckies! This was also one of my first attempts at bouncing my flash :)





Come on over to I Heart Faces and check out all the awesome entries this week!

Iheartfaces pets!

I almost forgot to enter a 'pet' picture, though these are not really what I would consider pets. This is a mama pea-hen and her chicks...beautiful family portrait doncha think? lol

Come on over and check out all the fantastic entries!

Funny faces and iheartfaces

Here is my choice for the contest...this is a 4 year old little girl, photographed with her newborn baby sister. I think you can see by her expression that she is not quite sure what to make of the new addition to the family...The princess now has to share her throne :)




I am entering this photo into the www.iheartfaces.com weekly photo competition for 'Crazy, silly, funny faces' Come on over and check out all the great entries!

getting geared up for the next contest...

Over at iheartfaces.com! Next week is crazy, silly, funny faces! Got to decide what to enter...I am sure I have a few, need to decide.

Wow! The giveaway on www.iheartfaces.com this week is awesome!

Wow!! Can you believe this contest!



Surprise Tamron Lens Giveaway!


We’re SO excited to be giving away one of these... (WOW!)




A Tamron 18-270mm VC
The World’s First and Only 15X Zoom Lens!
(Value $629)


For Canon or Nikon DSLR users.
If you use a different camera, Tamron will substitute an appropriate prize.
Must have a U.S. mailing address to win.


Wouldn’t you love to have this kind of zoom??? I WOULD! lol, I have been wanting a good zoom for a long time now...along with a good macro....an upgraded camera....etc.etc.etc. The never ending want list of a photographer :-D

OK, gonna give it a try..."My story in photos" Summer Edition..

Can it be? Is this what it will take to get me blogging?

I have had this blog for a while and never do anything with it....ever. So along comes www.iheartfaces.com and they have these weekly contests...I LOVE a good contest! So, I start entering, then...holy crap, I win one! Now I am feeling the push to have an actual 'Blog' to enter from, instead of using my flickr.

Anyhow, this week is not a contest week, its a blogging week....so, here I am, blogging about....My Story in Photos, Summer Edition! Here it is, for your viewing pleasure :)

This summer, we have done ALOT of swimming...

At the beach....

In the pool...we learned that Daddy Longlegs can walk on water :eek:

and if you hold real still dragonflies will land on your hand...

We spent lots of time sunbathing...

We splashed in waterfalls...

And along the way, I had some awesome opportunities to take some amazing pictures of my girls...stopping time for just a moment, capturing their innocence.

And celebrating the joy of my children playing in the waves at sunset.

It has been a glorious summer!

I won :)

I have been entering photos into the www.iheartfaces.com blog weekly photo contests for a month or two now. This is the first time I have placed :) I love this image because it is my baby girl, on the beach, in Panama City Beach. her and I went out for a walk, and of course I brought my camera. I feel I captured the innocence, her beauty....thank you again for the first place win!