Just a pic. I love Spring.

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I'm cheating and posting some older photos I've recently played with in Photoshop. I just won't bore you with the details of how I made them. If you want to know that, go to my photography blog.

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Hello Everyone...

This is just to let you know that I've started a Photography Blog, so I don't bore you all with a whole bunch of technical photography and Photoshop entries. That way this blog will stay more about our homeschooling and our family's life At Home On Basketflat!

Here's a link to my new photography blog, if anyone is interested.

http://createdforinspiration.blogspot.com/

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I just LOVE taking pictures. I have to watch out that it doesn't become an obsession. Part of the alure is the artistic component matched with the technical component. Now that I am understanding the basics of aperature (also called depth of field), shutter speed, focal point, steadying your camera, and ISO - I'm in heaven trying to get just the right shots.

Plus, a few months ago I figured out how to open and adjust my pictures in camera raw - which for certain pictures like silhouettes and really blown out pics can make all the difference in the world.

Then, too, while I've had access to Photoshop for years through our business, I've only recently gotten to the point in the learning curve where I can follow more advanced techniques. One of these techniques I just learned through a link on iheartfaces is to make a new layer and sharpen it specifically for the eyes - then apply a quick mask (which is alt the little square with the little circle in it - which for the life of me I never understood what that was for before), then you paint over the iris part of the eye to reveal the sharpening. That sharpens just the eyes - putting an extra sparkle in them - which is especially cool when you are starting with really contrasty eyes like with my Rachel. I think Abigail has pretty cool eyes too.

Isn't that cool???? I know it's technical (I apologize), but it's what professional photographers do and how the get the eyes to just shine! And, the thing is, I know everyone isn't as into photography or Photoshop. But, it was Greek to me too when I started, and with persistence, I'm starting to pick up some things.

Really, I'd say when I switched to the 30D from my G2 there wasn't much difference in most photos. I got action shots better because the G2 didn't take instant pictures like a digital SLR, plus it didn't have a sports setting. But, even still, with all the knowledge I've gained, certain pictures I think turned out better with the G2 because it had an excellent lens (although small). I'm just saying this to say don't limit your photography by your camera. Sure if you have the $100 special from Costco, your options won't be so hot. But the Canon G10 goes for about $400 and is an excellent camera. The Digital Rebel (an SLR) runs about $700. And you can lways pick up used deals through Craigslist. If you catch the photography bug bad, however, I warn you that the thing you will drool over after you get a decent SLR, will be the lenses. Oh, how I drool for a professional level zoom lens!

Here are some pics from my lazy Saturday. You can see that the anti-nausea medicine perked our little Natalie up and she is back to her normal disposition. I probably should have given it to her sooner, but to give you an idea - without insurance one pill costs like $20 or so (she takes a half a pill). We get 3 pills (6 doses) with one insurance co-pay and only one refill in a year. So, I wait till it seems clear the ibu won't do the trick to give it to her.

Oh, I could just eat her up!
 

Love this sister shot.

Expressive
 

Can you tell she's competitive?
 

It's bokeh (the subject is out of focus), but I like it.
 

I love her eyes - especially when I can get her to look at me :).

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One

Five

Seven - she's not feeling well

Ten

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I don't know about your family, but my kids love ANY holiday, no matter what it is. So, they are enjoying their St. Patrick's Day, wearing green, and making green crafts. And...here is this week's I Heart Faces entry. The subject this week is of course green.

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I'm sharing my entries for iHeartFaces' Creative Crop week. iHeartFaces features a weekly themed contest for face pictures. Join the fun!

Here are my two entries for I Heart Faces - Creative Crop week.

Adult Category

Kids Category

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It was my honey's birthday this weekend. He is now just as old as me! :) Since I don't have my computer right now, I had to wait until my honey went to work to upload any photos. I installed the new version of Picasa 3 on his computer since he doesn't have Photoshop on his computer (so I could process the photos).

Side Note: Photo Processing - In Case You Didn't Know

Did you know that Picasa (a free program by Google) has an image processing built in (of sorts)? If you want to play around with your photos and don't want to shell out money for Photoshop or another image processing software, you can use Picasa. It also helps you organize your photos. You can put them online using Picasa's photo hosting site or you can use any other site such as Flickr or Photobucket. Then you make a link to that photo from homeschoolblogger.com by pasting the code your hosting company gives you into the "Source" code on homeschoolblogger. Or, you can use the insert photo, but I find that to be cumbersome and problematic.

Here a couple photos from Jon's birthday.

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