Somedays, There Just Isn't Enough

Made by Ian, photographed by Mom.

Please Help My Dear Friend Christina's Country

One year ago I met my dear friend Christina. The internet and scrapbooking brought us together on an outing to Florida with DesignerDigitals. We roomed together in what I labeled "The International Room".  Melanie and Sarah from England, Me from the US, and Christina from Haiti. We stayed up late at night discussing her country and her background and all of the history I never learned in American text books. I was embarrassed about my lack of knowledge and heartbroken to hear the difficulties her country has struggled with.

Yesterday I drove home to the news of the earthquake in her home town. Only driving in traffic, with no way to pull over, kept my tears away.

Today, I can't hold them back.

She has been in contact via Facebook and emails. She and her family are safe. They are among the lucky ones.  Her country is devastated. They need help. Help of a magnitude I believe most of us cannot fathom.

At this point, money is the best choice.

Under a U.S. State Department program, individuals with U.S. cell phones can donate $10 to the Red Cross by texting "Haiti". This is real.

You can also donate directly on the RedCross website.

I did not take a photo with my "real" camera today. I couldn't.

I used my iphone to capture the sky out of a dirty window where I was working. I needed to see light today. I needed to know there is sunshine in the world.

You can see beautiful photos of Christina's sunshine filled life in Haiti, prior to yesterday's disaster, in her gallery at DesignerDigitals.

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Here is an excellent post by Chris Sacca on even more ways to help and understand Haiti.

A Rough Day For Photo of the Day

You wake up. Get dressed. Get everybody out of the house. Off to work.  Return HOURS later to a rainy dark evening. Not conducive to taking a great photo of the day. 

Too tired to get out my flash I was slowly losing hope of taking a photo. Maybe the quick iPhone photo I took would work. It's a photo. It wasn't very inspired. Just a quick snap of some meetings notes I wanted to remember. 

And then we heard honking. A lot of honking. We headed outside to find an entire stream of machinery moving down the railroad tracks. It was like a mini train repair circus! I shot in the total darkness, with a too slow shutter speed, ISO cranked as high as it will go. 

And there we have it. The photo of my day.

Am I the only one who has THOSE days?

Miss The Shot? Request A Photo of the Day Do Over

We've discussed how difficult it can be to photograph your own kids. How often do you see them in the perfect moment, but by the time you have the camera out and ready, the moment is gone?

Ask for a do over, of course. BUT, you've got to know your child to ask.  Give them some reason to want to do it again. I'm not above bribes or cold hard cash (that photo cost me $5.00). Sometimes it can be easier than that.

Today while playing at our local kid's art spot, Ian wandered to the vacant dance studio/classroom space. On Monday's it is one of his favorite places to play. Balance beam, mirrors, echoey, fun. He was looking out the windows on his tiptoes. I loved the lines and the color contrast of the red and of course, him. I grabbed my camera from around my neck. Brought it to my eye, quickly worked for the correct exposure, since we'd just come from the darker basement. Just as I dialed it in, he moved. And saw me.

Doomed. No way he was going to do it now.

I let him play a bit and then, sly mom that I am, asked him to look out the window for his dad. Not a complete lie, as his dad was meeting us later.

I got lucky. He placed himself in the same spot at the window.  The moment he tippy toed up, I snapped. Photo of the day...captured!

Tell us about your favorite do-over photo?

Week 2: Photo Challenge - "Best Face Photo"

I am, of course, quite biased!

Think About The Future When Snapping The Present

We've had a wonderful weekend visit with my mom. I'm sad to see her go home tomorrow and sad to lose the extra set of helping hands. Not only have I had a great time with her, I feel a bit like I've had a vacation myself. She's upstairs now giving the silly little boy a bath and getting him ready for bed. DECADENCE.


I didn't take a lot of photos today. No reason. We had a bit of a lazy day and the weather is still overcast and a bit gloomy. I captured some breakfast shots because it was pretty.

But my photo of the day I shot with different intentions.


We are a Scrabble playing family! I can spell more two letter words than anyone could possibly use in their lifetime of vocabulary. I know what qat means, and play it as often as it presents itself. I learned from my Grandmother. When I lived in the same town, played every Saturday with my mom and sister. And now, every chance we can, we get the board out and play together. So today when decided to play in the late afternoon light, I knew what I wanted my photo of the day to be. 


My family and friends are so used to the camera being out, I get a slight grumble sometimes, but that's it. I shot the board, the tiles. But this had to be my photo of the day.

In the midst of the game. Forming a word. Probably taking her closer to widening the gap between our scores. 


I know when Ian is grown, this photo will mean more than pancakes. This photo will bring us back not only to a day of Scrabble, but to so many days spent rearranging seven letters in search of the triple word score. The hands that hold so much history and are, above all, my family.


Do you have a photo of the present you know will mean more than most in the future? Do you consider the future in selecting your photo of this very day?

What To Do With Your Photos of the Day?

1. POTD 010110, 2. POTD010210, 3. POTD010310, 4. POTD010410, 5. POTD010510, 6. POTD010610, 7. POTD010710, 8. POTD010810, 9. POTD010910

I love seeing my pictures of the day all together, whether it's the single photo a page Shutterfly book I made in 2008, or the weekly scrapbook pages from 2009, or the little something different I'm still working on for 2010. Group them and you begin to see Your life. Captured. Daily. (okay, that's a blatant lift of the SacBee's slogan, which I LOVE!) Seeing them together as the year progresses is also great motivation for keeping the project going!
I used Big Huge Labs to make my collage. Ali Edwards' Grid No. 1 Layered Template might be another fun way to bring them together. There are also many great 365 templates to choose from at DesignerDigitals. You can still download my free tutorial, Give it Your Best Shot: Capturing A Photo a Day that includes a few more ideas.

How are you planning on viewing your photos? Link me to your creative ideas!

A Day of 108 Photos With Only One Worth Keeping

Yes, you read that right. Despite my effort to shoot with more intention this year, I still shot 108 photos today. Granted 60 of them were for a little project I'm working on that required some rapid fire shooting!

Despite all of the photos, I only have one I remotely liked today. No goofy little boy faces, nothing. My mom's visiting and seriously, every photo I took of her? She looks startled. She wasn't, really, she wasn't.

So here's the picture of the day. A decaf soy cappuccino at the Fox and Goose. Notice the froth. They don't always get it right, but today they were spot on!

Would you like to see the runner up? We went on a carriage ride this evening. Meet Luke. 

Photographing At The Speed of A Four Year Old

Photographing children is not easy. Photographing your own children can be, um...challenging. I believe getting light, mood, location, and settings to all coincide is a bit of an art.

Receiving a new hat and scarf from your Mumzy (his grandma for those worried he calls me Mumzy) is a great reason for photos. And nothing says four year old better than the clashing of shirt stripes with hat and scarf. When you get the willing subject, sometimes that means you get the cheesy grin in the less than perfect location.

So you entice him to move to get a better background, but now...

the background is better but wow, that face? Seriously? THAT is not my child. And light, is okay, but still not what I want.

Ahh, now better. Eyes lit up the way I like, almost natural face, background better. Just want to see the REAL smile. Must now resort to the trick of the moment, effective with the 3-4 year old boy crowd, confusing to most girls though. "Do not stand on that spot. Do not look at the camera. Do not look at the lens. Do not smile." And then guess what I get?

The real deal! I'll take the less than perfect composition! This SAYS Ian! Well, unless you know him well, and then this photo really sums up a bit of what we live with!

and of course this too.

Any guesses which one was selected as my POTD? What tricks do you use to capture your little ones?

Week 1: An "I Heart Faces" Photo Challenge

I love the i heart faces photo challenges! Always great to challenge my creative limits! I had a lot of fun with this week's challenge celebrating their one year birthday!

And the fine print:

I am submitting this photo into the I Heart Faces logo photo contest. By entering, I am granting I Heart Faces LLC permission to consider my photo for use in the marketing and promotion of this website.

Behind The Lens: Jennifer Ferrara

Last year I realized my goal, my passion, my need was to help people capture their lives in a meaningful way. I now know, I need to help others learn their way around their cameras so they can capture their moments. Not everyone has the means to hire a professional photographer for their life events, and quite simply, our best life events happen when there is no pro around! So why not help boost the skills of others so they can do what I so love to do!

Teaching Your Life: Captured Through The Lens at Debbie Hodge's website GetItScrapped helps me make that connection.

Jennifer Ferrara was a participant in Your Life: Captured Through The Lens. She begins my new series,  Behind The Lens, a look at regular people with great lives and the beautiful family they call their own. Please meet my dear friend, Jennifer!

What sparked your interest in photography?

I began taking pictures in high school. My dad was taking a photography class at a local college and I would tag along with him when he would go on his "shoots". After watching him in action, I learned a few things and decided to join the Yearbook staff as a writer and photographer. Between high school and having kids (a long stretch), I dabbled a bit but never really had a nice camera. Just before my son was born, I got a Canon Rebel (film camera) and just after my daughter was born, I made the leap to the Canon DSLR and the rest is history

What makes you happiest about your photography?

I consider myself a bit of a family "historian" ... so I love to document our family life and to capture those special family events. I think a lot, when I take a good picture, about someone lifting it out of a shoebox 15 or 45 or 100 years down the road and telling the story of who, what, when, where ... So any photos that creatively capture the events and personalities of our family make me happy.

What have you learned that helped your photography most?

Just shoot. And shoot. And shoot. Then analyze, fix, and shoot more. Then analyze, fix, and shoot some more. If you want to be a photographer, you have to take photographs. Writers write. Sewers sew. Photographers shoot.

What did you enjoy most about Your Life: Captured Through The Lens?

This class brought together the technical aspects of better photography in a very cohesive way. I find myself thinking about the unity of shutter speed, aperture, lighting, etc. much more now than I did before taking the class.

How has your photography changed since Your Life: Captured Through the Lens?

My photos are much clearer, crisper, and more thoughtful. Also, I am less afraid to experiment and to try new angles and to figure my way into and out of different photography settings and situations.

What are your photography goals for 2010?

I am toying with participation in a photo a day type project. I want to learn more about photo editing. Also, I want to shoot in M all or most of the time. To conquer my fear of shooting indoors. (Is this all possible in one year?)

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Jennifer also writes the fun and helpful Cheap And Cheerful Blog.

To help Jennifer with her 2010 goals, I'm giving her two hours of one-on-one coaching in LightRoom! Congratulations Jennifer! Here's to a great year of photography!

Have I helped you with a class, ebook, or tutorial? Would you like to be featured in Behind The Lens? Send me an email at katrina at katrinakennedy dot com!

The next Your Life: Captured Through The Lens starts January 19th!

Some 365 Photos Are Just Cheesy

I knew today was going to be a picture of Ian or something school related. It was a big day in our house. We visited what I think is our top choice school. We're one month away from jumping into the kindergarten lottery system to decide his future. Just a tad bit nerve wracking!

Today also happened to be preschool silly hat day. So of course, the cheese had to come out! When we picked him up this afternoon, the cheese was still in place!

How did I get him to look at the camera? And almost smile? The great 4 year old boy trick. I simply say, "do NOT look at the lens. Do NOT let me take a photo."  Works like a charm (this week).

Do you think about your photos before you actually take them? Do you think about the subject a day might hold? Or do you just grab the cheese as it occurs?

And On This Day...I Broke A Rule of 365

My very talented friend, Teri Argo, told me she tries to take her 365 photos in the morning to ensure a shot in good light. I talk about that same rule in Capturing A Photo A Day. It makes good sense. Photography is capturing light. Without it, things get tricky. Not impossible. Just means I have to get out a flash or bump up my ISO. Easy enough, but I really like the options natural light gives me.

Ian went back to preschool today which meant a full day of to do list items for me. Catching up on things I've left undone, from before Christmas, making appointments, sending emails, getting a little work done for the job part of my life. Suddenly, it was 430 and the sun was disappearing on an already dark and dreary day. I could take a dark and dreary photo of my workspace, but so not a fan! 

I ran outside in my new garden boots and snapped my snow peas. 

But seriously, not so much a part of my day. I could use it in a pinch if needed. Instead I captured hubby making dinner.  Something he does often. In fact, he claims I've only cooked 20 times in thirteen years. He is mistaken, of course! The only light was from the kitchen track lighting, daylight bulbs. A quick conversion in Lightroom did the trick. Rules? Oh, so easily broken! 

What rules are you breaking?

Choosing The Story Over The Photo

I'm a moody 365'er. Sometimes I choose because it speaks to me. Some days I choose the best photo. And days, like today, I select the photo with the best story behind it.

I shot his little finger pressing the C down wanting it to be my POTD. Hoping it would be perfect, knowing I was at a funky angle, too close to him, just didn't feel right. Since he has the attention span of a 4 year old, shooting fast was important. Keep in mind, I was also reading the music with him, holding him up on the stool, and adjusting camera settings (not to brag or anything).

He really wanted to play. He followed my every direction. Pressing the color coded key as I read them from the music. It was a very discernible Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. The only photo that could possibly better capture this moment would be the look of pure joy on his face when he'd finished playing!

This was probably the best photo of the day, I'll include it for my mom. But as my husband said, "we'll want to remember the story of his first song. We've seen lots of his face."

Project 365 Photo Discovery - Make It Better?

I've discovered a few things while shooting a photo a day for almost two years. My most intriguing discovery? The fact my POTD is often the first photo I take. I'll see something, it will make me think that sums up my day or that really is nicely lit, shoot it, and then try four more angles, 

different light,  and different exposure to see if I can make it better.

I load the photos to my computer, view them in LightRoom and there it is. The first one. The ONE. I know it happened with this photo, and this photo, and this photo. Not every time, but definitely a majority of the time.

I love how working on this project has become a part of me. A part of my routine. I see things and think I must capture this. 

And this

They have the potential to become the picture of the day or just part of my life's visual journal. The visual journal so I can remember things like Ian not wanting to eat the popcorn because it was "too poppy."

What is your experience? Do you select your 50th? Or your third? How does it happen for you?

Selecting THE Photo of the Day

Some days my photo of the day jumps out at me, screaming, "pick me, pick me." Other days I have to beg it to appear. Nothing speaks to me. And other days, I just think. Okay. You work. Fair enough.

Today, Day 2 or Day 367, whichever way you want to look at it, was one of those, okay, you work kind of days.

So broccoli won out over my artichoke with new garden boots,

the amazing gift I received from a dear friend,

and the unfortunate card played by my brother during a game of Apples to Apples!

They all made me happy. Most of them made me laugh. They all sum up a part of my day. They all mean something. The broccoli is an accomplishment. I'm proud of it. So today it is the pick. You might see it again. As I'm sure you will also see the artichoke, the popcorn, and maybe even my brother!

How do you pick yours? Do you know when you take it? Or does it scream at you from your computer screen?

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The cool Ali Edward's 365 Overlay is available at DesignerDigitals. One for each day of the year!

The World Works In Amazing Ways

After spending most of December 2007 forcing my family to go places, see things, and be photographed so I could scrapbook pages, I won a Guest Creative Team Spot at DesignerDigitals. At the time I was excited to get LOTS of free product to create with, naively believing product was to be the best part!

In my first year on the Creative Team I connected with some amazing women, learned more about design, and bumped my photography up a notch or two. I loved it! It was my daily ritual to stop to go to the website, look at pages, leave comments, and play in the community.

Then last January I got the opportunity to go to Florida and meet DD owners, Katie and Randy Pertiet, and the rest of the Creative Team. Imagine more than 30 women from four different countries and numerous states carousing around Disney World. It was amazing to connect with a group who completely understand memory keeping, photography, and the need to capture the smallest moments of our lives.

On that trip I sat on the Magic Express bus next to Debbie Hodge. She asked what my photography intentions were. We chatted. She asked if I'd thought about teaching online classes. I was intrigued.  A few months later I launched Your Life Captured Through The Lens at GetItScrapped.

Katie and Randy asked me at almost the same time if I was interested in writing an ebook. Seriously?! A book? I was flattered and frightened. I selected a marvelous group of talented women to support me and was able to create Get Me Off of Auto.

And then...

The idea of tutorials came about. Shorter, step by step guides to helping people capture their lives. I've loved seeing the results people are achieving with it and the comments people are leaving about their success make my heart happy!

Today I'm able to share my second tutorial as my gift. My gift to say thank you. My gift to everyone for seeing something in my photos and encouraging me to share it with others.

The world works in amazing ways. So if you've thought about a Photo of the Day project, download my tutorial! Share with me a link to your photos and the amazing ways the world has worked for you!

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Edited 7/17/2010

The Photo of the Day tutorial is now available for purchase in the DesignerDigitals store. Thanks to everyone for leaving such great comments and being so supportive of my work! 

Starting the Year with a Photo Walk!

We kicked off the year with a photo walk. Four adults, two kids, five cameras, and a few hours! We started with a list of 10 things to find, my brother texted three more items to add to our list. We explored. Wandered. Discovered. A perfect way to start our year.

1. New

2. Year

3. 10

4. Hope

5. Create

6. 2010

7. Explore

8. Discover

9. Connect

10. Joy

11. Close

12. Electrical

13. Bike

I think we've started a new tradition!