Rock Your Camera 201- Week 2 Clicknmoms

Week two of my workshop really was a difficult one. I was dealing with no sun and three sicko kids at home. Strep and Hand, Foot, and Mouth are never a ton of fun!

This week we learn a little bit more about curves and how it is used in Lightroom. Our shots had to consist of two shots full sun, halo/haze, and a golden hour shot. All pretty hard to get when there is no sun! But the sun did eventually come out and this is what I got.

I did get some good CC and some okay CC mainly with some of my colors. I think that if I get my monitors calibrated I will be good to go. But overall I did very well.

Full Sun

Full Sun #2

Halo/Haze

I had a little difficulty with this one since it get dark here so late and the girls were too sick to take out. 

Golden Hour#1

Poor Hunter has strep and was running a temp of 103. 

Golden Hour #2

Golden Hour #3

Most everyone that has CC my pics so far really love the Golden light #2 and #3. I am really enjoying this workshop, it would be a lot more fun if the sun would come out more, but still I am learning just so much! It is really terrific. 

We are off to Canada this weekend. I can't wait to blog about our trip!

Thirty Days

So while waiting for Travis to tell me I have the A OK to go and get him. I decided to waist some time taking some pictures of JuJu. What a better way to waist time and calm some anxious nerves. I was pleasantly surprised and sorta wished I would have been able to turn some of this in for my workshop!

 

Now on to what you really came here for.

Travis came home today and while driving to pick him up it was hard to hold back tears. While biting my lip I wondered if I was crying because I would be so happy to see him or that I would finally get a break from the girls or just that I am realizing that this is really not the end of something but really just the start.

Travis was gone 30 days this time. While that might be short to some, but gone is gone. Travis missed 30 days of hugs, kisses, school, teeth lost, and boo boos. We missed 30 days of daddy, hugs, love, tutor, tooth fairy, and maker of boos boos better.

Travis will be home for two months and then start on our long journey. I am going to call it the 30 X 8 Tour. So we will miss everything above and more X 8. And while I am glad that he will only be here with us a very short time, I am in a hurry for him to leave so we can get this started and have homecomings like today.

Baby JuJu and I walked down to the wharf to meet Travis. The older girls where in school.

Thirty days of Kisses.

Thirty Days of Hugs.

Thirty days of night nights. 

Thirty days of wheres my daddy. 

Thirty days of long lonely nights. 

Thirty days of little girls tears. 

Thirty Days of Boo Boos.

Thirty Days of waiting for that email. 

Thirty days of I miss you and hope to see you soon. 

Thirty days of events lost. 

Thirty days of will daddy call me today?

Thirty Days of our family being just one short. 

Erases in an instant...

Rock Your Camera 201- Week 1

Okay so I am taking another workshop. I find it really helps pass the time when Travis is gone and give me such self confidence. I am finding out that workshops for me are the way to go. They are interactive and I have a deadline. If I didn't it would get pushed under the rug till I found the time to do it.

This is the first week. We are learning the basics of Lightroom, such as importing, exporting, and the basic editing panel. Also we are learning compesition, there are three basic shots the head, 2/3 body, and full length shot.

Our assignment this week was to take three pics, one of each of the different styles and edit them using the basic paneling screen. Then we are to sign up for a professional printer and have these three shots printed and two from our previous portfolio.

I am so anxious about this class this week. I think mainly because I really haven't had the time to dedicate to it. I am such a perfectionist and found so manly flaws in my shots, but wanted to get it done for Travis' homecoming too. I submitted tonight with one hand over my eyes and hoping for no horrid comments.

Here are the shots that I chose:

1. Head Shot
I chose this, well to be honest, I accidentally deleted the my favorite shot and this was my second favorite. UGH! But I love that I have a pic of her now with no front teeth too!

2. 2/3 Body Shot
I wasn't to sure about this one but I like the pose and I like the fact that I can see the blue in her eyes too.

3. Full Body Shot
I really do love this shot. It is just sweet like Molly.

Here are my other two shots that I chose from my portfolio:

Since I posted so late tonight I am not sure what my CC will be, but I am sure that it won't all be good, but it will be a learning experience no matter what. And know what, I will be that much better next week because of it!

Update from Travis

Travis sent me some pictures this morning of what he does at work and thought I would share them with you. He has been gone about a month now. He will return but only to leave us for about nine months. We are all very sad, but we will get through it and have him home soon. 

Travis is a Shooter aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln. He "shoots" and receives the planes on the deck of the aircraft carrier. Travis is the guy in the yellow vest.

OH and YES I am making fun of Travis with my music selection.

I hope I label these right, but I think here he is signaling to the pilot to light the afterburners. 

Signaling the to fire the catapult.

 

Aircraft going off the end of the deck after shooting it.

 

Setting catapult up for aircraft fire. 

 

Travis with the centerdeck operator. 

 

 

Getting ready to hook up aircraft to cat.

Signaling that the aircraft ordnance is being armed.

 

Signaling pilot to go to full military power.

  

Signaling to fire, right after plane started stroke.

 

Travis with some weird fungus growing on him. YUCK!

Vampires and Werewolves

We all decided to take a trip two weekends ago to Forks and La Push, WA. There were the Lemleys, Mary and her three children, and the Likes girls. Yep, you read that right, 7 children and two crazy ladies. We decided to rent a 12 passenger van and drive together. I felt like the queen of the road trucking in this huge thing!

I appologize in adavance. This is a very long post, mainly with pics so I think you will enjoy it!

The Beast

Doesn't it look fun?

After arriving in Forks we stopped for some dinner and picked up some supplies at the store where Bella used to work.  Everyone is very nice there in Forks, but I would think this is a great income for their community. 

The next morning, Mary made us all a yummy breakfast and we headed out to Forks for some shopping and the Twilight tour. 

The Welcome Sign

Likes and Lemley Kidos

Some of the girls got to try on Bella's work vest. 

We decided to do some shopping first at the Dazzled by Twilight store. 

Gracie is Team Werewolf.

Then we continued on with the driving tour. 

Bella and Edward's High School

Dr. Cullen's Work Place

Bella's House

Bella's Dads work

The Cullens House- the real one is in Oregon.

Bella's Truck

The girls got to try on Dr. Cullen's lab coat while visiting the Forks visitor center. 

This is how much rain Forks has had this year so far. I now know why Vampires live here!

While at the visitor center we found the perfect place for some quick pics. The girls called this Hagard's house. It really did look like it. 

After our photo session we were ready to head back to the cabin, but on the way decided to take a detour to Rialto Beach. The weather was very windy and the waves were crazy. 

After we were done at the beach, we decided to play tourist one last time at the treaty line.

The view from our cabin.

Always time for some more pics of the girls right?

The Lemley Kids

More pics of the girls.
We had a great time with the jumping shots and really the only to get them to let me take pics of them!

Molly took this one of me and JuJu.

Um, yes, I was afraid that she would fall and break a bone!

The kids.

This driftwood was huge!

Another picture of La Push, First Beach, Wa.

Even though at times it was crazy, I would do it all over again. We all had a great time and I can't wait to return to visit all of the waterfalls and rain forest.