LightRoom
A New Year and a new goal. I came pretty much kicking and screaming because it takes me so long to learn new things. I realized that if I want to take my images from my eye to my camera and out the way I saw either through my lens or in my mind-I need to learn more about editing I felt like I had a pretty good handle on Photo Shop-but there was just something missing. I have turned my nose up at LightRoom for too long and felt like my Adobe Camera Raw and PSE together were all I needed-although, my images were not organized in a way that satisfied me and my work flow is WAY too slow. I think that is what sold me–I needed to cut my editing time back-because honestly, I loved editing when it was just me and my flowers and my kids and my life-but then when I started taking photos for other people- there were a lot more images to edit-and I was just not as excited because of all of the time I was spending.
My favorite teacher and artist extraordinaire-began a class on just what I needed. From Lightroom to Photoshop and back again-a Round Trip. It is a very detailed class for me-but I am SOLD on Lightroom and I am so happy I don’t have to give up Photoshop in order to love it-but it does grieve me to say I love Lightroom more than Adobe Camera Raw. Never thought I would say that-but the organizing capabilities in Lightroom surpass any of the organizers I have worked with. My brain does not like to organize-so-I am still wrapping my head around this program-but it is coming slowly into view.
Here is one of my images I have been playing with-I love what I can do in Lightroom-so fun! So-here’s to learning a new trick. The real test will come when I have about 1,000 images to edit-I’ll let you know if it speeds up my workflow! Thanks to Kim-and if you ever need to learn something new or just love lovely blogs-go visit her-she has a sweet place to sit and linger.
Trust
Last year was the first year I picked a word that would challenge my year. It started with a photography project that I only managed to do for a few weeks. That was how my year ran. I would start and lose my way. So many starts and stops. My creativity was gone. I lost my way. Busyness can invade and stop all process for the sake of progress and doing. Then somewhere between Christmas and the New Year-I started to breathe again. I wanted to begin again. Isn’t the New Year wonderful?! “…the eyes of the Lord are always upon it from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year.” Deuteronomy 11:12
The process began of searching for a word that would encourage, push, and lead me this year. A word that would remind me of what I needed to learn and how to grow. What does God require of me this year? Some will say the New Year is just another day-but God gives us a beginning and an ending. This my New Year will start with TRUST. What God says-I will do. But–there is so much more…
Last year about this time I was reading a favorite blog and found a paper written by one of her students. I don’t have a name. I wish I did. I have my suspicions-and I hope I learn. It was all that was in my heart. I have gone back to this paper over and over. It will be on my wall someday-and the inspiration for my word this year.
Trust is not something well-understood, but it is the hinge upon which the Christian life swings, the cable tied to the Anchor that grips the Rock.
Trust is not understanding, yet neither is it blind obedience.
Trust is knowing who God is and believing Him.
It is forsaking your own attempts to remedy the bleakness and blackness of your own heart and accepting the righteousness of Christ.
It is grappling with the wisdom of an Almighty God and at last surrendering to His unknowable omniscience.
Trust is a complete relinquishment of your own control and a humble offering of that control to a Mighty Savior.
It is crushing the ugly, venomous head of worry through the surety of God’s promises.
It is turning over an aching, shattered heart to the Great Physician and allowing Him to heal.
Trust is giving up all human reason, all rationalization, all fleshly intellect, and believing the love of God.
Trust is bold defiance to the deceitful wiles of satan because the Spirit of God dwells within you.
Trust is taking the hand of the One whose loving-kindness is better than life and obediently following without reserve because He promises to work all things together for good.
In its simplest essence,
Trust is resting in the TRUTH.
So my year begins with hope and assurance. I can breathe again.
This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness. The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord.
Lamentations 3:21-26
Family Photo Shoot
So…we took the time this year to actually let someone else take our family Christmas pictures. It was great!
No setting up the tripod…
No running back so I can get in the picture…
No taking a billion retakes because someone blinked…
Actually getting a great picture with My Hero…that the kids didn’t take.
And no matter how creative I think I might be…there is always someone who has a different eye and gets great shots like this.
And how did this boy grow up into this young man…must be the different photographer.
And her…who told her she could wear this hat for pictures–who knew it would be so adorable. Oh…that’s right…the other photographer.
Plus…I can not for the life of me do a realistic squirrel imitation to get a great shot like this…but…the other photographer can!
And I don’t even think to do a black and white half the time…but…
There is no way-no matter how long I tried or how many times I would tell everyone to smile or the dog to stay–a tripod is just not a photographer. This one is going up on my wall on canvas!
So, do yourself a great service-go get your picture taken by a real photographer. We photographers are so guilty of not taking the time or not wanting the hassle or a host of other excuses–This is my Christmas Card picture this year. Love…Love…Love….
Oh–you want to know the Photographer-I don’t know-I kind of want to keep them all to myself–ok–ok…
Photography by Jack–Nicole Elizabeth Photography
Hoping they will soon combine their business–now that they are married and all…They have a great blog–which they did combine-Jack & Nicole–go visit them–Call them–let them take your picture. And I hope you are enjoying this wonderful time of the year!
Happy Thanksgiving!
School Pictures
Had a wonderful day trying out my new camera-the Nikon D600-and I love it! It is fast and the 3d tracking for football pictures is nothing less than amazing. I home school my children, so some years the school pictures end up being just what I could scrap together from snap shots. I tried to be more proactive this year. Now-if they end up at the printers-then we will be set.
This is one of my favorites–I had them throw the leaves in the air then put their arms down while I clicked-clicked-clicked.
They each had to have a picture with Remy!
A New Addition
This is Remington. He arrived last Friday night and has already captured our hearts. When we picked him up after his 12 hour journey at the airport-he was wagging his tail and I think he knew he was home.
He is sweet. So gentle. We have never had a puppy like this.
He is playful. He loves being outside-
And he can already at 10 weeks fetch and sit at command. We are still working on the potty training.
The most amazing thing about this puppy is his ability to know what it means to be in this family. He lays right by the dining room table while we are eating-never begging for food-just wanting to be there. He knows when its time to play and when it is time to rest-he never leaves our side. Pretty amazing to me. He also doesn’t shed! My Catie is not allergic! She can now nuzzle her puppy without sneezing and wheezing. What is he? He is an Australian Labradoodle. His breeder is Beau Monde Labradoodles Because I know you want one!
He’s Growing
My little guy is growing so fast. It was hard when my son and daughter-in-law ran off moved to Pennsylvania 3 years ago-but then they had my grandson-and now it is really hard to have them live so far away! We go there every chance we get –and he is growing up way too fast.
He is sitting up…
Then the day we arrived–he started to crawl!
I am so glad he waited for us–
He is the spitting image of both his mom and his dad–and I really can not get enough–
Even with a St. Louis Cardinals pacifier in his mouth-we still love him.
And–if you want to know how he is growing so much–
This pretty much says it!
A Wedding
Just a little sample of a beautiful wedding I was able to shoot. It was beautiful and I loved every minute–okay–well except for the endless hours of editing. My Hero says I am too picky–but I love the way it turned out and I would do it all over again–maybe just not in 10 days time to edit almost 900 images. Live and Learn. Now that I have the feeling back in my arms and fingers-I am once again back into routine and wanting to record our lives —
Sneak Peek
Just a sneak peek–Erin and Jeff.
This was the most beautiful bride and groom-both inside and out. Can’t wait to show them all. With another wedding to shoot today-there will only be sneak peeks for now.
A Heritage
We celebrated her birthday together. Family. Family has a way of remembering and adding and growing more and more into a circle. We came together to celebrate family.
But somehow–somehow–it was this little guy that put the icing on Andrea’s cupcakes!
…And we did have cupcakes–!
…And pie!
Allen had his first taste of whipped cream–and if you haven’t already guessed…
The center of attention was Allen–
The heritage this boy has —
starts with his Great Nana and Pop–Andrea’s grandma and grandpa Leslie.
and…his grandpa Leslie.
And of course–Lindsey will always be watching over him with his Grandma Sandy.
This boy will have a lot of accountability in his life–from his Aunt Sharon and Uncle Jim and Aunt Bethany–to his new cousin soon to be born. The family grows…
This boy really doesn’t stand a chance…his (not so great) Nana and Papa-and Uncle Adam and Aunt Catie–will be watching out for him too.
Adam promises to tell him about John 3:16 and to teach him some baseball.
And just because I could post a hundred and one pictures of these two–“Allen, you have a Heritage indeed!”
Psalms 16:6
The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage.
Following Splendor 