Snow Day!!!

So, my friend Beth is on a little vacation down south this week, but I've tried to edit a couple on my own....I tried to do much less as the comments I heard were that it was too much and now I'm not sure I've done enough and I've tried to upload and move around soo much I can't tell what I'm doing anymore!! I think editing is hard and you'll never make everyone happy and I'm not sure what I like best!! This is why originally I decided not to practice editing but to just practice taking better pictures in the first place. However, I do think some editing is really great, I'm just not there yet....

This first picture is kinda funny cause Max was actually pulling Casey around the yard!! I'm not used to having video so I didn't think to switch to video, I just took pics!! Next time...

The bird pictures are taken out of my deck window of my new bird feeder that I got for Christmas from Mom and Dad. At first I didn't think the birds liked me, but they finally found us!! Hooray!!! Now I have incentive to keep my window clean!! Who knew? See, Al, you just need to find the lotion!!!

Here's my second go at Editing....

Remember this picture??

How my face was soooo red? And I just made it black and white to get rid of it??

I like the black and white. It's different...
But here's something Beth showed me how to do to get rid of the red and still have color!!

What do you think? Do you like the color edits or the black and white?

Then the other day, I read about backlight vs. front light on Pioneer Woman.
So I took my camera out and tried it. But with that lovely backlight the front of the picture is dark! UGH! Now I need to learn to take the picture differently if I am going to like it....

But Beth says not really!! She is sooo good!! Here is the edited version....

I really like it!!Do you?



Here's my example of front light. It is a lot brighter...not so soft...But also much warmer....I like it too. This picture has no editing done and I still like it. How about you?

I am going to have to get organized though and compile my notes so I can find them again when I need to. Also, if I keep this up like I am supposed to, it might actually stick and I won't have to go looking for notes :)!

Thanks Beth!! Check out some of her own Photography and edits at http://www.playinwiththepaulsens.blogspot.com

Some Christmas Fun...Phase III

     We actually celebrated Christmas with Al's sisters and families on New Year's Weekend, but on Christmas Day we headed out to his grandma's house and visited at his parents awhile.

     Al and I had felt like we kinda splurged on our respective birthdays so we had decided not to get each other anything for Christmas. And I hadn't. He cheated and bought me a couple pairs of fun high heel shoes that I had been wanting, but nothing else. But, Al had a surprise waiting for him at his parent's house on Christmas. He wasn't expecting anything...maybe a shirt or tool or something from his parents, but what he got was....

a really big surprise!! I am never able to surprise Al, he always guesses and or figures everything out. This year I got him!! He absolutely positively was not expecting the Ipad he got!!!! Love it love it love it!!!

These are two of Al's uncles who said I must be hard up for pictures if I have nothing better to take pictures of than them sitting there!!!

Grandma B!!

Al's mom having a good laugh!!

The crazy family picture which is always my favorite cuz it's who we really are!!!

The token picture of someone taking a picture!!

Al's sister and hubby...

Blaine and his wife to be...He's being silly in case you were wondering.....

Emily quickly wrapping up her presents...she made button bracelets and button bookmarks for everyone this year. All by herself!! I love mine. It's UNI Momacat!!

Paul playing guitar, one of his favorite pasttimes.

I took these guys again cuz Casey thought I should have a picture of them with their pictures?!:)

I don't have a picture here of everybody or everything, but I tried to encompass all that it was. It was full of family and love and lots and lots of fun!!! We're always sad to see everyone go, but we loved every minute we got to spend with everyone!!! It was definitely a very Merry Christmas 2011!

Some Christmas Fun...Phase 2 (First Christmas in our New Home)

On Christmas Eve, we came to our home and got ready for church. I put supper in the oven (Valentine's Chicken) and we went to Mass. Supper was ready when we got home. My parents stopped over and had a bite to eat with us and watched us open presents and brought me my camera battery that I forgot at their house so I could take pictures!:)!

Casey was so enthralled with this "big" present that it was the first one he chose to open...an extra large dry erase board and markers.

Emily's favorite present was this blanket; zebra on one side and soft fuzzy turquoise on the other. I admit I knew she had to have it when I saw it, but her favorite gift?/ Who knew?

Carter wanted only one thing really: Skylanders for wii and of course we got it for him! Stump Smash is his favorite guy to play with and he got that one too. (pictured with my happy boy!)

Our family picture was a hurry so we could open presents and we are never really still anyway....

I love my crazy happy family!!! I ended up converting these to black and white because my face was red like I'd run a marathon or something...Beth says she'll teach me to fix this yet this week...

Coincidentally, I received a couple pairs of really awesome shoes...I think I am developing a shoe addiction...and Al's present was yet to come....

A New Year's Resolution

For New Year's this year I thought I'd try a Resolution. I'm not very good at keeping them, but I thought I'd try something I've wanted to do and make it very doable. Hopefully. Anyway, I wanted to learn something new. At first, I thought of an instrument, but at this point in my life I think that is beyond me. So, I thought, I have a new camera and I always complain I don't know much Photoshop, so there you go. That's what I need to learn more of...My friend Beth volunteered to help me every Friday with editing a photo since I thought I'd do one a week. She talked to me about a couple of things in Photoshop on Friday and then said I should put up a before and after ala Beth and Stacey!

Basically, I've adjusted levels, sharpness, and some color correction along with cropping. This eagle was outside my parents big windows on Christmas Eve. Carter is totally happy opening a present on Christmas Eve. The Kitty in the barn door was at a nearby farm that my dad was caring for the animals. So, tell me what you think...Too much of something? Too little? Maybe it's not a great crop?? Please give any suggestions so that I can improve!

The real question I have is...Why do you edit? Do you edit because you are going to hang the picture on your wall? Do you edit because you are making a book? Do you edit just for fun? What do you intend with the pictures?
I'm not a very good printer of pictures and I am wondering if I should be printing all of these I'm trying to edit...Also, I am wondering how to know what size to crop to when I don't know what I am doing with the picture in the end?
Just questions and ideas I have....

Some Christmas Fun...Phase I

Our first Christmas was at my Mom and Dad's house. We started by actually going to a movie together, technically for Al's birthday, but the start of Christmas just the same...Carter was sure he could get Grandma to let him open presents early, she always does he said.  We held him off a little while, but we did eventually open a little early...

I do believe he and Casey stayed in their pjs the whole time!! How perfect!

Don't know why Ems has her head down...probably tired from all the opening :)...I actually got to go on a hunt this year!! I never get to...I am always the one giving the hunts...My Dad made this bird feeder for my deck and the hunt was for a garbage can and bird seed!!Fun!

We made grasshoppers this year for something different. Yummy.

My aunt and uncle always come and spend Christmas Eve time with us and this year wasn't any different. It just wouldn't be the same without them...