Seriously. Is there anything cuter than this little ponytail? Wednesday was the first day I pulled Micah’s hair back, and I admit, I’m smitten with those blonde curls on the back of her head. So precious! We played outside for a long time before I had to go to church. She “helped” Dennis change the oil, and I even managed to snag a picture of the two of us together. That rarely happens, you know, but I’m trying to do better about it.
I read a post on Under the Sycamore last week about “getting in the shot” that inspired me to make it work. I’m always a little too sheepish to ask other people to take my picture, and I’m also a little protective of my camera. But as I’ve looked back through pictures from the past year and a half, there are only a tiny handful of shots with both me and Micah in them. That should change. I’m committed to taking at least one picture a month with her. That may not sound like much, but it’s infinitely better than what we’re doing now. Perhaps it will be a small exercise in helping me be more disciplined and intentional.
How do you get in pictures with your kids? Are you always behind the camera, or do you ever make it in front of the lens? Let me know your tips and tricks!
Until next time, grace and peace.
Welcome to How To Tuesday, where I’ll introduce you to some of my favorite DIY tips from all over the web. I have a folder bookmarked on my computer that’s chock-full of fun stuff. I saved some of the ideas for inspiration and others because I just thought they were pretty or fun, and now I’m sharing them with you.
Enter Under the Sycamore, the blog of Ashley Ann Photography. LOVE reading this blog, but that’s beside the point. Today’s tip is all about how to get sparkly eyes when you’re playing photographer. I tried to use this tip in my photo session with Micah the other day, but she just won’t stay still long enough for me to plan a shot, so I take what I can get.
I succeeded a little bit, right? The picture’s not perfect, but her eyes DO have a bit of sparkle.
Anyway, last week, Ashley Ann posted a little DIY tutorial on a little vintage tin craft, but down at the bottom of the post, as a little side note, she threw in a photography tip that you must go read. If you want to know how to give your kids sparkly photo eyes, click through to read Ashley Ann’s advice {you’ll have to scroll to the bottom of the post to find the photo tip}.
Happy shooting!
Until next time, grace and peace.
My baby girl turned 10 months old Saturday. As she gets older and starts looking more like a little girl and less like a baby, it’s the little things I want to remember.
This excitable nature.
And this sweet little spot on the back of her neck.
This innocent delight.
And, of course, these bright blue eyes and two tiny teeth.
I could go on and on. At 10 months old, Micah has a fearlessness that I envy and a mischievousness that gets her in trouble. She plays peek-a-boo with us, crinkles up her little nose and snorts at us, follows us, and climbs all over us. She’s on the verge of walking and takes every opportunity to practice standing up. Though she started out as a picky eater, now she’ll eat anything we put in front of her, but she has a fondness for Cheerios and bananas that can’t be beat. She’s sweet and funny and easy-going and happy and as delightful as a little girl can be.
As she grows up before my eyes, It’s the little things I want to savor and remember. Soon her mouth will be filled with lots of tiny little teeth. That sweet spot on the back of her neck will be covered with blonde curls, and the chub will fall off her little legs. But her eyes will always be bright blue. And I pray that she’ll keep her innocent delight and sense of adventure. Right now, the little things are the precious things in our lives.
Until next time, grace and peace.
Did y’all know that it’s spring already? I’ve been relishing life without running the heater as the thermostat in our house has risen from a steady 68 to 70 to 72 and has finally landed at 76. That’s when I had to turn the air conditioner on for just a few minutes. My baby was sweating on me while I rocked her. That’s a sure sign that it’s too warm in the house. AC or not, I’m already excited about receiving our next power bill; it has to be lower than it was last month.
Lower electricity bill aside, I love spring. It’s absolutely my favorite time of year. After the coldness and deadness and drabness and dreariness of winter, my soul needs the spring. It longs for sunny days, daffodils peeking through the grass, bursts of forsythia, and Bradford Pear trees burdened with thousands of tiny blooms.
Oh, and flip flops.
And painted toenails.
My soul needs those things too.
A couple of weeks ago, Micah and I ventured outside for her first outdoor photo shoot, and while we were out, I snapped a few shots of the forsythia and Bradford pear blooms. They’re the first herald of spring around here.
Sigh. Seeing those two things made my heart happy.
So do flip flops.
And painted toenails.
What makes your heart happy?
Until next time, grace and peace.
Since Micah decided that she would take good naps yesterday, I was finally able to sort through the pictures we took on Easter, get them edited, and upload them for our friends and family to see. I’m sure that everyone in the whole world has known about photoshop actions for ages, but I only recently discovered them, and they have changed my life. As a communication major at Mississippi State, I took a photography class that covered rudimentary Photoshop skills, and for years, I have relied upon those basics to edit my digital pictures. I’m glad for the foundation I got in that class, but I’ve always wanted to be able to make my photos pop, and I wondered how other people did it with such ease. Now I know the secret. Photoshop actions.
The great thing about many free photoshop actions on the internet is that you don’t have to have the full version of Photoshop to use and enjoy them. I have Photoshop CS2, but my favorite actions are available for Photoshop Elements users as well. Yesterday, I used CoffeeShop’s Perfect Portrait action to transform this picture of Micah from dull to bursting with color and life:
Photoshop actions. If you’ve got PS or PSE, you should try them. It will change your life, just like it changed mine. And now, my secret’s out of the bag. It’s not so much that I take fantastic pictures as it is that I can manipulate them to make them better.
For more of my favorite amazing free Photoshop actions, check out The Pioneer Woman’s PS/PSE action sets.
Until next time, grace and peace.
