i heart faces: hilarious outtakes

I shot about 1000+  images over the Christmas week. There was bound to be a few (hundred) outtakes.

This one of my husband's cousin, Rachel, eating her post-unwrapping presents dessert.... I think she was tired of my lens in her face by this time.

Each year, our Uncle Julius wants to wear this shirt to our family Christmas lunch. And each year, my aunt tells him 'no.' So each year he hides the shirt under sweater or pullover and eventually gets too hot to keep said sweater or pullover on. This was right before it made its annual appearance.

Head on over to i heart faces for more funny outtakes!

I Heart Faces: Constructive Feedback

I would actually love feedback on the picture I entered of Jackson. I couldn't seem to get it as crisp and sharp as I wanted it. I'd love feedback!

The SOOC shot.

Editing Software: Photoshop CS3
F-Stop: f/4.5
ISO: 3200
Exposure: 1/90 sec.

I ♥ Faces: Pets

Here is my baby. My love. My joy. My boo boo.

His barking gives me headaches. His 'accidents' ruin my carpet {just laziness}. His specialty dog food cost an arm and a leg {food snob}. He can't control his gas {bad manners}. He's a crafty escape artist. Sometimes he a grouch {all the time}. He only does tricks when there is a treat involved.

A couple of Januarys ago we had a terrible kitchen fire. The firefighters opened doors at both ends of the house to let the smoke escape. In the chaos of the night, Jackson ran away. The moment we knew he was gone, the fire took a backseat to his absence.

It was a couple degrees above freezing and we knew his 5 lbs. body probably wouldn't last the night. Frantic, we drove slowly up and down the streets of our neighborhood for hours. In my head, I knew he was gone. But in my heart, I never gave up hope.

In between the yelling and my crying my husband heard a tiny jingle coming from a large field. Immediately he recognized it as the sound of Jack's tags on his collar {we will never buy a tag silencer}. He called out once more and Jackson came running our way, freezing and terrified. I didn't know what happy was until that moment.

His gas may knock me out. But he's home. And that trumps everything else.

Check out other boo-boos at I ♥ Faces.

Lately...

As you can see, I haven't been up to much lately- photography speaking, of course. I'm hoping to sign up for an SMU photography class by Rob Hull, but as I understand, his courses fill up fast. Crossing my fingers I can get in as he teaches in Plano, so that would be pretty much perfect.

Update: I just got in the class! Whoop!!! Can't wait for it to start in February!

i heart faces: pets

I took this picture of my neighbor and friend's feist, Rissy. She's adorable and I was so happy with the way this picture came out.

Shutter Sisters: Daily Click

These pictures have always made me stare for a bit. I wonder what's going on in each other their heads while the picture was snapped.

i heart faces: silhouettes week 20

Here is my entry for this week's silhouette challenge.

This silhouette is of my maternal grandmother. I am so very close to her and delight in spending time with her. My sisters and I spent our summer vacations with her and I hold each and every one of those memories so dear to my heart.

the daily click: shallow depth of field

just a couple of shots from the past few weeks

These past few weeks have been so busy. I've been shooting but definitely not as much as I'd like. Here are just a few of what I've shot. I'm still working on a logo, so forgive all the changes!

hello, goodbye

one sissy saying hello to another upon her return from her first year at college. even though it wasn't taken with my 'fancy' camera, I'm so happy i captured this shot.

listening

"Can I crack the egg in the bowl?"

"If I do it gently, can I please hold your new puppy?"

"Is Elvis still alive?"

My niece is full of things that I wish I had more of- wonder, excitement, curiosity, playfulness, bravery, certainty.

I listen to her and I remember being like her. Before the homework gets to you. Before the peer pressure and school rumors chip at your happiness. Long before dating and unreturned affections, and taxes and bills, and presidential races. Long before life catches up with you.

To be seven again...when life was good because hula hoops waited for your return all day.

i heart faces, week 13: my friend and i

This picture was taken yesterday evening. It shows my husband and our new shelter rescue baby, Mattie.

Mattie was a rescue from the most recent large puppy mill raid in Arkansas. More details and pictures of sweet Mattie tomorrow.

working hands

After work last week, my husband decided to go outside to do some yard work. I spotted his hands- his strong, working hands that provide for me as his wife. I am so blessed by his simple hands. They don't have diamonds on them. They don't gold rings on each finger. But they're mine and they're perfect as they are.

It is amazing and powerful what those hands accomplish. They hold mine tightly when I get scared taking off on plane rides. They bring me my nightly vitamins every day. They envelop my hands when we are praying in church. They tuck me in at night. They hold my face tenderly when he kisses me. And for this and more, I'm so blessed.

Suburban Monday

These are the things that happen to the people in our little bubble of suburbia. Children playing, faceless men and women rushing to work, spring finally starting to appear.

Next Top Model

Some of our good friends flew out of state to attend a funeral this weekend. We got the chance to babysit their sweet dog, Rissy. I was able to get a couple of shots in with her. She's a fast one, but I snagged on of her looking right at me! I LOVE how the first one came out. I think I'll get this one framed for them, seeing as she's an 'only child.'

On these last two, I used a Pioneer Woman Photoshop Action called 'Vintage.' While I normally love it, I don't think it works best on these pictures. Good thing I always save the original. :)

Saying goodbye to Penny

I recently upgraded a smidge from my Pentax K100D to the Canon EOS XSi. I've never been a Canon girl, but I am definitely loving my new DSLR. But, I can't help but feel I'm cheating on my beloved first DLSR- the camera that spurred my love for photography. Thankfully, I will still get to see it, as it was sold to a dear friend of mine. I can only hope that it brings half as much joy to her as it did to me. There will always be a place in my heart for Penny the Pentax.

In honor of Penny, here are some of my favorite moments with her...