Karate At 430

I still haven't packed. Laundry is going in the washer. Dishwasher is running. House is reasonably clean. The "Thursday is pajama day" and "karate at 430" sign has been posted on the front door. I'll throw clothes  in a bag tomorrow morning as I gather the last few things I need before I jump on the early train.

Leaving home seems to get more and more difficult. All of the loose ends that need to be tied up. Remembering the things I'll need while I'm gone. Grabbing notes for my chat on Saturday, hoping all goes okay from my mom's computer. Taking care of commitments I know I won't be able to get to for the next week or so. Hoping Shea remembers to water my seedlings and check the tomatoes for aphids.

I'm headed to my parent's house, the place I call home. Thursday while Ian has pajama day at school, she will be getting a knee replacement. She's a tough cookie, but I can't help worrying about the process. She's walked a marathon, raised five kids, and has cooked more holiday meals than I can count; this should be nothing!

So I'm off tomorrow. I'll miss Ian's first time wearing his Gi for karate. I know there will be more opportunities to see it, but the first time is making me a little sad. But, I get sad everytime I need to leave home. It's strange, I know.

It leaves me understanding why my mom never did much for herself when we were kids, I can't imagine the logistics of leaving home with five kids to get organized!

On a thankful note, I did get to see his trial class last night. And that smile, completely worth it! It was just as big as last year's, but this time I think he's really ready.

50mm | ISO 400 | f/1.4 | ss 1/640

In hindsight, I wish I'd bumped up the aperture a bit and used a narrower aperture. But I'll take this! Sometimes life just needs to provide a snapshot.

Greeblepix Summer Photo Contest

Do you remember this photo from last year? Or from my favorite images of 2009? You can see how I took it on Chalk Talk. To me, it sums up summer.

I Heart Faces Week 20 "Faces & Flowers" Photo Challenge

Each week IHeartFaces posts a new photo challenge. It is a great way to spice up your creativity and try something you haven't before. I'll be leading the Sacramento IHeartFaces photowalk on June 5th too!

I love looking through my old photos to see if I can find anything that meets the challenge.

My entry for this week is from Kylie's Senior Portrait Shoot. We climbed a few hills and trekked through green weedy fields at 7 o'clock in the morning to catch the morning's beautiful even light. She took direction so well and added her own ideas in. I must admit, I got teary more than once seeing her through my viewfinder, remembering her as the two year old, holding up a finger on each hand as she toddled around saying "two, two, two."

200mm | ISO 400 | f/5.6 | ss 1/640

The Perspective Of A Swing

It has been an unusually good Ian photo week.

Tonight we spent time with wonderful friends, drinking wine and raising money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, a cause dear to us. It is a night that had me reminiscing, remembering 4 years ago, the same backyard, the same group of friends, and a little boy who climbed into a big boy swing for the very first time.

So here, you are. Same swing and same dear Becky. The boy has changed some!

I am so fortunate to have them all in my life. They bring me the very the joy you see on Ian's faces!

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Wondering about the photo technique? This is the every popular, stand in front of him and dare him to hit me. The closer he got to knocking me over the funnier he thought it was. A little fake falling over, grabbing of limbs, and crying out in pain and he was all mine!

My Camera Broke!

Remember the day I said Ian wasn't cooperative for photos? It appears I was mistaken. I just needed a new approach.

Last night, while eating dinner outside, as the perfect light was beginning to fade, it struck me. I asked him for photos, he said no. I asked him then to see if my camera was working for me. He looked at me, then away. I told him my camera was broken. I then asked for his silly face, clicked. Wow, my camera worked. But, of course, we needed to test it again.  He loved the idea that it only would click when he made a funny face, while looking at the lens. With a little direction I got kissy face, funny face, silly face, firefighter face, and more! 73 shots later...I have a few I love.

I'm so pleased he was able to fix my camera!

The Beauty of Back Button Focus

Sometimes it just helps to know you've focused exactly where you need to.

50mm | ISO 400 | f/2.0 | ss 1/100

The Best of Today

I didn't photograph it. I have no proof of it. I did as Ian asked and "just enjoyed it." I left the camera at home.

I took my 365 photo. Just an ordinary shot. Nothing special.

Imagine, though, a little boy's smile as he got to hold his mom's hand and she never once had to say to him, "you are too close to the lens."

Why I Take Photos

Lately he is not very cooperative when the camera is out. I can't image having the camera pointed in my direction as often as he does, so I respect his need for me to put it away. It doesn't mean I don't sneak a shot when I can since bribery shots don't work very well lately.

Today, he was playing in the garden and was overjoyed when I returned with a lost toy. He didn't even mind the camera.

200mm | ISO 200 | f/4.0 | ss 1/500

This will be the photo that will remind him of his childhood. He'll see the purple watering can he picked out for me. The pots of herbs on the deck his dad built last summer. The yellow swing he loves to spend time on. The pirate sweatshirt he insists on calling his "pirate coat." Most importantly? He'll see a sign of his joy.

That, my friends, is why I take photos.

This Post Is For My Mom

Did you know my blog was started for my mom? It was simply a way to stay connected to her across the miles, show her pictures of Ian, and to check in with her.

It has changed over the last four years. I seem to post less about Ian, more about life and randomness, and my mom doesn't stop by quite as often. I know she still looks, just doesn't comment as much.

So today's post is for her. A recap of my day. With photos of the boy who was told me all day, "you can do anything you want today, it's your happy Mother's Day."

We decided to stick with our beloved morning routine.

A trip to the farmer's market.

The new, take the live fish home (right after they club it over the head stand on that white board on the back of the truck), is a favorite of Ian's. He announced to them, "we don't eat fish." Awkward.

Then off to the co-op. No photos happened inside, not sure why. They have great lighting.

Then home for rain induced grumpiness on my part. I wanted to garden. We watched a movie, I napped and then gloriously, the sun came out. We finished our evening in the garden.

As Ian was getting ready to take a bath I spotted these out the front window.

We ran into the park to see them. Light was beautiful. Perfect evening beginning to set light. The light I often miss because of a little boy's schedule. I snapped a couple of shots. Someday they'll have coordinated expressions, until then, I'll just laugh at the goofiness!

There you go mom :) My boys and my day!

Any guesses which is my photo of the day?

A Rare Moment of Calm

200mm | ISO 100 | f/2.8 | ss 1/100

Anatomy of a Jump

When you find yourself on the streets of San Francisco with a dear friend on one of the sunniest, warmest days of the year, strange things can happen. Like deciding to let perfect strangers take pictures of you jumping in the middle of the street at the base of Coit Tower. 

We reciprocated photo taking, but their 20 something selves made it look a lot easier.  I set the camera up. Easy for this one, fast shutter speed (1/1250th of a second, ISO of 100 as it was a BRIGHT day outside). I handed it over and told her to shoot away, making it easy to analyze the shot.

First comes the nervous laughter in anticipation.

Followed by the "prepare to spring posture." 

And the bend, to let spring action begin.

and then...

Carrots, Questions, And Exciting Stuff!

Picture of the day today. Picked from my front yard garden in all of their orange and green goodness. They tasted as good as they looked! Last year's carrots were funny shaped, multi-legged, gnarly little things.

50mm | ISO 400 | f/2.5 | ss 1/80

I know I said I'd limit my garden photos. I just couldn't resist.

Can I continue to brag about my accomplishments? The rest are not of the garden variety.

I've had a busy but exciting week. My photo was selected as the winner of the CreatingKeepsakes Fabulous Photo Contest! It was a picture of the day a month or two ago. I just love the real emotion it captures between the two of them.

Did I mention my photos of a friend's garden were published in a book? Edible Estates: Attack on the Front Lawn to be exact. Photos and a credit in the back. It is now perched on my coffee table and for some reason just falls open to a certain page!

In even more randomness, remember Saturday's photo quiz? The photo was taken about 7o'clock PM. I bounced my flash off of my husband's stomach! He had a light colored shirt on so it reflected nicely back onto Ian without giving that harsh flash look. We had a good laugh about the benefit of his stomach size as well.

And for the person who asked about the speedy puppy photo yesterday. I did take it on manual. You can notice in the last photo, I changed my shutter speed just a smidge, thinking I was overexposing some. I wish I'd left it alone. The perils of Manual mode! I am choosing #2 for my POTD. Thanks for casting your vote!

Want more good news? I'm teaching one of my favorite photography classes starting later this month! You can register for a discounted price until tomorrow afternoon. We are closing registration early this time, so please don't miss out.  I will be explaining manual mode, shutter speed, and smidges!

So, what's going on in your world?

I Caught The Dog!

Everything came together tonight to shoot the dog! The light was fading quickly, but there was just enough to keep my shutter speed just fast enough to stop his motion.

Shea and I sat in the grass of the park about 20 feet or so apart. Ian ran back and forth between the two of us, with the puppy chasing him! The dog is FAST and short! It seems the closer he gets to the lens the faster he goes!

Now for the tough decision, which do I pick for my POTD?

200mm | ISO 800 | f/2.8 | ss 1/200

200mm | ISO 800 | f/2.8 | ss 1/200

200mm | ISO 800 | f/2.8 | ss 1/250

And one for my mom, who always likes to see Ian too!

Who needs focus? You can actually see exactly where I was prefocusing to try to capture the dog.

Macro Monday in the Garden

It happens every year. As spring kicks into high gear, I wander outside with my camera and suddenly I'm taking nothing but photos of green things. It looks like this year is going to be just the same. My garden is months ahead of where we were last year. Everything is growing, blooms appearing. The first signs of tiny green tomatoes on the vine, while my strawberries are turning bright red!


I wandered around this afternoon looking for a fun macro shot. My POTD? A mango squash, a new variety for me. The information said early and quick growing. They didn't lie! There are three tiny squash already developing!

148mm+36mm extension tube | ISO 400 | f/2.8 | ss 1/160

Will the photos I take after cooking this count as from the garden? I'm saying no!

Mother's Day Is May 9th

Just a shameless post to remind my husband that NEXT Sunday is Mother's Day.

Since he reads my blog every morning, it just made sense to leave some friendly reminders here. I know I'm not his mom, but he does need to help out a 4 year old in our house.

I'm shameless.

Interested in helping me collect ideas and inspiration for him? I only need a few things in a gift.

1. Personal
2. Inexpensive
3. Contains no calories
4. Takes up little space
5. Ignore # 2 if it is this or this or this (the last one in red please)
6. #3 can be ignored for this
7. I'd even ignore #3 for this
8. Travel is okay

Hoping this list is somewhat helpful :) Anything you'd add?

Time For A Photography Quiz!

When I took this photo yesterday, I knew it was a perfect candidate for a photo quiz.


Here's is the edited version with settings.

40mm | ISO 400 | f/4.0 | ss 1/125

And the unedited, SOOC shot.

You know that photography is all about light. That is where we are focusing for the quiz!


Tell me about the time of day I shot this, and the direction and source of my light! Have fun!

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Are you wondering how I got his pose and expression? It was all him. He was sad because, as he told me, he'd just "broken his leg." Other kids were running and playing, and there he was. Stuck. With a broken leg. Poor guy. Thankfully, no trip to the emergency room was required.

Sacramento - I Heart Faces Photo Walk Preview

Only 9 spots left in the June 5th, I Heart Faces Photo Walk! Did you see there's a prize for one lucky photo walker?

It's not too late to register!

We'll be visiting this wall.

And this wall.

We'll find a few more along the way!

I'll also be walking my monthly PhotoWalkWithMe on May 8th at 9AM. I'm thinking nature, river, flowers. Any suggestions?

Behind The Lens: Angie Wagner

I love watching people's photography talent improve. Angie is one of those people I've watched. I remember the first time she posted a photo of her son that took my breath away! I knew then she had begun to master her camera!

Please meet my a friend and photographer, Angie Wagner.

What sparked your interest in photography?

When I started scrapping in the late 90's, I got a lot more interested in photography. I discovered digital scrapbooking in 2005, and my interest grew. I got my first dSLR (a Canon Rebel) in 2006. I took tons of pictures to get the perfect shot, but everything was on auto until just this past fall. I decided with the release of Get Me Off Of Auto, that I wasn't happy just getting lucky whenever I got a great shot. I wanted more great shots. I wanted control.

My pictures have changed so much since I got the confidence from GMOA to take control of my camera. Controlling aperture has made such a dramatic difference in how my photos look. This is a great example of how I used a wide open aperture to get this dramatic look. I used the smallest f/number the lens would allow. Before the book, I was afraid to touch or change anything. Not anymore!

What makes you happiest about your photography?  

I love being in control of my shots. I love the variety I'm getting. I love the editing process. I love taking pictures for other people and having them be so excited with the results.

What camera do you use?  

I now shoot with a Nikon D90. I bought it while I was still shooting on auto. Now that I don't touch any automatic settings, I would like to upgrade to a Nikon d300s.

 I used the rule of thirds to make the crop more interesting and dramatic. This is one of my favorite pictures. I was thrilled that I chose the right aperture to keep the entire fishing pole and line in focus.

What is your favorite lens?  

My favorite is definitely my 50mm 1.4 with the 85mm 1.8 being a close second.

  

What have you learned that helped your photography most?  

I've learned not to be afraid of my camera and all of it's buttons!

I chose just the right focal point to get his eyes sharp. That was the goal. I absolutely love being in control of focal points!!

How has your photography changed since reading Get Me Off of Auto?  

My pictures are more dramatic and more crisp. I am not afraid to take chances and play with settings. I am a better photographer and GMOA and Katrina are the reasons for that.  Thank you so much, Katrina, for sharing your knowledge and love of photography! My thanks to DesignerDigitals for making this all happen.

What are your photography goals for 2010?

I am in the process of fulfilling my dream of having my own photography business focusing on kids and families. Katrina made that possible! My goals are to finish my website, increase my business, and continue to grow as a photographer. I want to get faster at deciding on settings and setting up my shots.

You can find more of Angie's great photography on her blog And1Makes4. 

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Thanks Angie for such kind words! You are truly talented!

Get Me Off of Auto and my GiveItYourBestShot tutorials are on sale through the weekend at DesignerDigitals! 

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

A Speed Bump Along My 365 Project Path

I lost my phone.

Let me rephrase. We lost my iPhone.

I haven't cried over it. Yet. I expect it will sink in today.

We've looked everywhere. We've retraced steps, cleaned out drawers, moved piles, searched cushions.

We are almost certain we know what happened. At a restaurant for dinner. Ian playing with the phone.  I didn't carry my purse (because I often leave it behind) or have a pocket. Shea carried my phone in. When we left, we are both certain that we must have just walked away. Me thinking Shea had it. Shea not thinking about it because it's my phone.

We went back. They don't have it. I sent their corporate headquarters an email. It's been routed to all of their managers.

We wait and continue to look in all of the places we've looked three or four times already. I am beginning to feel sick.

I'm sick over the loss. I'm sick over the expense. But most of all...I'm sick that some of my 365 photos were only on my phone. A busy April meant several photos taken with only my phone. A busy April meant I didn't download according to my usual routine.

A lost phone means those photos are gone.

I started 365 in February 2008. I've never missed a day. Now I won't have proof of that. Now I'll have these little spots of nothingness. Yes, it's not the end of the world or cancer. But I am still missing them.  Those of you on the 365 journey with me will understand. There are other things too. Like the collection of funny things Ian says in my notes. Mileage records (sorry IRS). And probably a few things I've forgotten about. It is my photos I am aching for.

It's a speed bump. And I am sad.

Puppy Photography

...is not my strong suit, but I'm working on it! He is a mover!

Who can resist that face though?

Any puppy shooting experts out there? I can shoot babies, toddlers, even 4 year old boys, but the puppy has got me stumped!