That Crystal Chick

New Flash

2008-12-12T19:25:00.007-06:00

I received my new external flash the other day. I decided to really exercise my brain and I'm trying out "Manual" mode *and* learning how to use this new flash (which is also manual).

Around the house:

Aperture: F/5.6
Shutter speed: 1/8

Aperture: F/5.6
Shutter speed: 1/80

Aperture: F/5.6
Shutter speed: 1/80
(I would normally crop my legs out of a picture like this, but I'm just posting these pics straight off the camera.)

At my folk's church:

Aperture: F/5.6
Shutter speed: 1/200

Aperture: F/5.6
Shutter speed: 1/200

Aperture: F/5.6
Shutter speed: 1/200

Aperture: F/5.6
Shutter speed: 1/200

Aperture: F/3.5
Shutter speed: 1/200

I'm sure I don't need to tell you I took about 50 pictures in various shades of darkness and lightness, and this was the cream of the crop. :) You don't get to see the bad stuff. hehe.

Next goal: Diffuse flash... keep playing.

Portraits: Individual (Lori)

2008-12-03T21:15:00.003-06:00

Lori's shoot was a quick one done over our lunch breaks. We went to the Holiday Inn at University of Memphis. I am really having fun exploring all these new locations!!

This was my first indoor shoot, and considering I still don't have an external flash, I was really nervous. I had to crank up the ISO, adjust for exposure, etc. If you understood any of that, you'll notice it in the pictures. Lori was a trooper while I fiddled with my settings constantly. I'm trying to resist the urge to ignore bill paying this month and just buy an external flash already! Patience...

Ok, onto the pictures! View them all here.

Portraits: Family

2008-12-03T17:00:00.000-06:00

Taking photos of people all over the city and surrounding area is really helping me get to know different places. I'm constantly having to think of new locations, and then finding my way there is fun & challenging. This shoot in particular was in Germantown. We had planned to shoot at Oak Ridge Park, but then it started raining. Luckily, it was Sunday and lots of small businesses were closed, so we took shelter under the coverings of those cute little floral & antique shops.

Check out all the photos in the gallery.

Portraits: Individual (KC)

2008-12-03T11:00:00.000-06:00

I went out for another early morning shoot on Sunday with KC. It was windy, and we definitely froze our tails off! I must warn you: You should put on your shades before viewing these pictures, this girl's got a 1000 watt smile!

Check out the whole set in the gallery.

Portraits: Family

2008-12-03T06:16:00.000-06:00

I did this shoot in Millington. I haven't been out to Millington in ages. I had to do a little research to find a good location out there for the shoot. This park was huge and beautiful and served our purposes nicely.

This was a combination shoot. I did senior portraits for Adam:

I took some pics of his siblings, Thomas & Emily, too:

And finally, I took a few shots of Emily & her boyfriend Daniel:

Lot of great shots from this session. View them all in the gallery.

Portraits: Maternity

2008-12-02T11:00:00.000-06:00

It's getting more and more difficult to find color backdrops in nature. Luckily, I found some green still around for this shoot. Oh yeah, did I mention this is my sister? Check out the rest of the photos in the gallery.

Portraits: Individual (Morgan)

2008-12-02T06:06:00.000-06:00

We did Morgan's shoot early in the morning Saturday. Needless to say, it was a little chilly. And she was nervous. I tend to forget that being on the other side of the lens can be intimidating.

Check out her photos in the gallery.

Portraits: Individual (Leigh Ann)

2008-12-01T11:00:00.000-06:00

This is on my list of favorite shoots. Leigh Ann was a blast. She has a great personality and will do just about anything.

I have tons of faves, but I'll just post a few. Please check out the rest in the gallery.

Cyber Monday

2008-12-01T08:19:00.003-06:00

How many of you are actually doing your Christmas shopping online today instead of working? Come on, you can tell me. It'll be our little secret!

I got an email from Borders.com today stating that all their DVD box sets are 40% off. (Coupon code: CM2008). That's the online coupon I have to share. Most of my other emails have been from Express (love their clothes!) or Hancock Fabrics (I rarely shop there). I haven't gotten any coupon codes of value besides the Borders one.

How many of you finished your Christmas shopping this weekend? Not me! I didn't do a single bit of shopping this weekend. I'll probably get out there next weekend and get it knocked out. What I did do this weekend... photography! I was taking photos and editing like a mad woman. If you have some time between online shopping & work, check out the pics. I photographed...

1 couple,
3 individuals (Leigh Ann, Morgan, & KC),
1 maternity shoot (my sister), and
2 families (here and here).

If you don't have the spare time to look through all those galleries (really, I don't expect you to!), watch my photo blog this week. I'll be doing a little write up on each one.

So, now it's your turn. Dish out those coupon codes. Share the wealth. What are you buying online today?

Portraits: Couple

2008-12-01T05:56:00.004-06:00

I did a lot of photo shoots this weekend. So as not to bombard you, I'll show them all on my blog throughout this week. I'm pretty sure I'm the only one that has the patience to look at them all in one sitting.

Friday I had my first shoot with a couple. Well, a couple without children in tow, anyway. I was looking forward to spending time focusing fully on them. They were nervous though, and that made me nervous. We got some great shots, and had some fun.

Here are a few of my faves, view the rest in the gallery.

Photoshop Magic

2008-11-23T23:00:00.000-06:00

I am by no means an expert in Photoshop, but just like photography, I'm learning more everyday. I love it. (duh!) This is the first time I have used the "healing" tool, and I'm so pleased with the results, I wanted to share it with you.

One of the boys in the most recent photoshoot had scratches on his poor little face. So, I put the healing brush to work and it worked beautifully.

Here's the "before":

Here's the "after":

Thank you Photoshop for being you! I promise to continue to use you for good and not evil.

Portraits: Family

2008-11-23T17:14:00.003-06:00

Yesterday I raved about cloudy days, and today I had another shoot under the clouds. Except about 15 minutes in, it started to rain. But, you know what? This family was so easy to work with I already had some great images of all of them. Take that, Mother Nature!

View the whole set in my photo gallery.

Portraits: Tween

2008-11-22T20:54:00.005-06:00

The "tween" is actually my boy, but I tried to not be "mom" today and tried to just be "photographer". Truthfully though, I worked him harder than I have worked any of my other subjects. But, I got some fantastic shots that we were long overdue for. Now if only I could get some good shots of me & him. (Self timer? hehe)

I shot in Shutter Priority today and really worked hard on getting my exposure, white balance, & ISO settings just right. As a results, I am pleased to say I uploaded a lot of the pics straight off the camera (SOTC), and made notes in the description if I did editing otherwise. I tried to control my crazy Photoshop finger today.

As for our location, well, we had several. We got out really early this morning because I wanted to take pictures outside the Malco Paradiso before it opened. We froze our tails off, of course. After that, we just drove around the area. It was pretty sunny first thing this morning. Later in the afternoon, we shot some pictures in the Wolfchase area. It was cloudy out, which I love. I posted more of the morning pics SOTC (or close to it), mostly because I wanted to give the afternoon shots a little more funk.

Here is one of my faves, the rest are on Flickr, of course. There are tons of pics in this set (I have to email it to family members so they can order prints!). I don't expect you to look at the whole set, but if ya do, God bless.

Let me know what you think of the SOTC ones. I was really nervous about posting them without any post-processing.

Edited to add: For the morning shoot, J's wearing a brown sweater. I shot the entire morning with my Nikkor 50mm F/1.8. For the afternoon shoot, he's wearing either the blue striped sweater or black hoodie, and I shot with the 18-55mm kit lens.

Coming Soon

2008-11-22T09:18:00.004-06:00

My number one man...

This is his favorite shot of the day.

Friday Night Fun

2008-11-21T20:55:00.004-06:00

I pulled up some photos of the ones I love most in this world, and played around with contrast, hues/saturation & curves to give my photos a sort of retro look. If I dig out our family photo albums - I mean, the ones where I'm a tween - I'll find that same look in those pictures. Hmmm. Another idea brewing... before I get distracted again, let me share:

My favorite dude in the whole wide world - Mr. Sunshine

These dudes also own a piece of my heart.

It's amazing how just how much love can fit into one heart. My son, my nephews & my niece ... my cup runneth over.

Ok, enough of the love fest. I realize the pics of the 2 boys, and the girl are a little shadow heavy. They were taken in harsh light. But, I do like the retro tones these images have.

Here's another example of abounding love. Just ask Momma Mel, her heart is bound to be overflowing with love right about now, too.

Portraits: Teen

2008-11-16T17:31:00.004-06:00

My first shoot with a teen, and sorry to all that follow, but she'll always be my fave. Ok, maybe that's because she's my cousin.

I drove over to Mississippi, and asked where we should go. I drove, she navigated. We started out near some shops, and ended up in Snowden Grove. When we first pulled in, I saw a park area and thought this is completely *not* what I want to shoot today. I've got trees and parks in every shoot so far, and since this was a teen, I wanted to go in a different direction. Then we pulled up to the amphitheater. We jumped out of the car and shot so pics in front of the ticket booth. Then, I made her day ... we walked to the gates and busted in! No, not really, the gates were unlocked. There were no "keep out" signs, so we ran with it. How much fun is it to run around a completely empty amphitheater?

The weather was perfect, though it could've been a little less windy. And Keely was a great sport. I want more fun teens! I want to do more shoots like today's for sure.

View the entire set here. I gave them a funky look to go with her punk personality & look.

My fave:

Portraits: Newborn

2008-11-15T13:37:00.006-06:00

Well, I've had a few good portrait sessions, and started to coast and feel confident. And then this week... *grits teeth* oh you precious newborns! in dim lighting! I *need* some new accessories, but it's just not in the budget right now. Besides lighting, newborns are difficult because they, you know, sleep alot. And don't mind you. I am not giving up, you little cutie pies! I will master photographing you!

I took these pics during my lunch date with Mel & Peanut at the Oak Court Mall.

Yo! Call me!

Candy!

2008-11-14T19:33:00.001-06:00

I spied these little treats during my photo shoot today at the Oak Court Mall.

Fog

2008-11-14T19:23:00.002-06:00

We've been having a lot of fog this week.

Portraits: Newborn

2008-11-13T18:44:00.004-06:00

You may remember this photo shoot a while back. Well, look at this beautiful little girl that was hiding in that tummy.

Since this is my blog, I'll keep it real for you guys. This was shot indoors with only a little lighting coming in from outside. It was definitely difficult for me. I didn't get nearly as many photos out of it as I would have liked. My equipment and knowledge limit me. But, as always, my subject was a gem. And her momma was just beaming the whole time.

View the whole set here.

Coming Soon

2008-11-13T11:43:00.001-06:00

Photoshop Actions

2008-11-10T21:56:00.004-06:00

Tonight I was having a little fun with Pioneer Woman's Vintage Action. Is it just me, or does it give these pictures an eery feel?

Mountains

2008-11-10T09:21:00.003-06:00

Did you know there are no scenic overlooks between Knoxville and Nashville? I guess they're all on the other side of Knoxville. So, I didn't get to stop on the way home yesterday to take any mountain pictures. Even if I did, from Knoxville to Memphis was under a heavy cloud cover. But, do not fret. I did snag one good photo Saturday morning. The clouds were laying low in the mountains and it was just breath taking.

Straight off the camera.

Famous London Recording Studio

2008-11-09T13:04:00.005-06:00

I had the awesome opportunity to take pictures at Famous London Recording Studio this weekend. He wanted "close ups" and "moody". I am so thrilled with the results! It is so hard for me to pick just a few to show off here, so you definitely have to go to the photo gallery to view them all.

The goal of this shoot wasn't to show off the space just yet, but to show off the equipment. He wanted "closeups" and he wanted them "moody". I gave them sort of a retro feel. (Which he says isn't retro at all because that's the "in" thing right now. Who knew?)

So, without further delay...

Just to give you the perspective... they've hung striped carpeting on the walls in one room. They call this this Rainbow Room. :)

Portraits: Family

2008-11-09T12:31:00.001-06:00

As promised, here are the pictures of the family I photographed in Knoxville. The little girl is so cute. In the beginning, she'd clap every time she smiled. (She soon got over smiling though and was so over the photo shoot. If she could talk, she'd tell me she had better things to do with her time, I'm sure!)

By the way, the lighting was *perfect* for this shoot. I couldn't have been more pleased. The sun was rising over the back of the house, so the front yard had light, but not direct sunlight. My favorite kind. :)

View the entire set in my photo gallery.

My fave.

Coming Soon

2008-11-08T20:29:00.003-06:00

Here's a teaser of a shoot I did this morning...

Portraits: Children

2008-11-08T20:24:00.004-06:00

Finally finally I've had a moment to sit down and edit some of the photos I took this weekend. Here are the adorable brother & sister I photographed in Nashville Thursday. I mentioned on Twitter that I was nervous about this shoot because we started with only a few minutes of day light left. Low light + wiggly kids + my lack of equipment & proper experience = not a good combination! But, I surprised myself and came out with quite a few keepers. It helps that the kids are so cute, and were so well mannered.

View the entire set in my photo gallery.

Check out those eyes!

Tell me he's not too cool for school!

Coming Soon

2008-11-07T21:02:00.004-06:00

I made it to East Tennessee! *happy dance* And I have to tell you, The Powers That Be were determined that I not get here in a timely manner. I left the office (in Nashville) at 1:30p. Got stuck in traffic, and 15 minutes in my phone died (I don't have a car charger). So, I went back to the office, plugged in, charged up and left at 2:30p. Somewhere along I-40, someone lost a big red gas can. My bumper found it. I pulled over to the emergency lane and yanked it out from under (my poor car!). Arrive in Knoxville to find a detour ... that takes me around the city. I missed one of the connections and had to back track. That cost me 45 minutes.

Ok ok, I'll stop all the whining. I'm here, and I'm alive, and I'm beat. So I'm going to rest up because I've got more photo fun tomorrow! For now, here's a sneak peak at the sweetest siblings from yesterday.

Sweet dreams, readers.

Fall

2008-11-07T07:15:00.004-06:00

When we walked outside yesterday morning (back home), it was like fall had *just* arrived. The day before, everything was green. And now, tons of leaves had fallen, and all these beautiful colors emerged. I was sad I didn't get the chance to stick around and take more pictures. But guess what? The rest of the state is ahead of us and has already been experiencing the change. My drive from Memphis to Nashville alone was filled with fall colors. I'm not sure if I'm passing through Gatlinburg or not, but that supposed to be amazing in the fall, too. If it is, you know I'll stop for a photo op.

For now, here are the first fall pictures from our home in Memphis.

Travelin'

2008-11-06T08:26:00.001-06:00

I'm leaving, like, right now to go to Nashville. I'll be there for work (office work), but I have a photo shoot this afternoon after work. Tomorrow afternoon, I'm driving over to Knoxville. Pics Pics Pics! I'm gonna have a ton!

I'll be online throughout the weekend, so you just know I'll be showing off some of my photos.

Portraits: Family

2008-11-03T08:46:00.004-06:00

I had a super fun shoot with a momma & her 3 boys yesterday at Shelby Farms. I take a lesson from each shoot I do. Today's lesson was that I definitely need to invest in a bounce sheet. J was with me, he could've held it up for me. The first few pics in the set the light is a little harsh. After we moved under the trees more, the lighting was better.

And since I'm making confessions here in blogworld, I'll admit this was the first time I shot completely in Programmed mode. (Yes, past shoots have mostly been in Automatic.) I'm learning a lot lately, and trying to apply that as I go. Not quite ready to shoot completely in Manual yet.

Here are my faves from this set. As always, view the rest in my photo gallery.

Please meet "Shark", along with "Big Brother Fish" and "Little Brother Fish", the nickname bestowed upon them by the middle child, as you can probably guess.

This was my mom's favorite from the group. (Yes, I show my mom my photography, like a kid running home from school with their artwork!)

My fave.

Tour De Wolf

2008-11-02T20:40:00.003-06:00

We did a little geocaching this morning in Shelby Farms on the Tour de Wolf trails. It was a perfect day for a hike. It's a shame our trees haven't changed much yet, they're still mostly green.

View the rest of the set in my photo gallery.

This was my first time venturing out on this side of Shelby Farms. This is the side of the park where you can bring your dog. They have a big off-leash area. I'd love to bring Thunder out sometime (though he'd have to stay on-leash... I'd never get him back otherwise!). I went back to Shelby Farms later in the day for a shoot I'll post tomorrow.

Watermark - Done!

2008-10-28T21:33:00.004-05:00

This is the final logo. It's finished. I might play with the size some more, but the design stays. Click for larger views.

Thanks for the ideas, tips, and input - I always appreciate the honest feedback from my friends! Credit for my current logo goes to my co-worker & friend wackyjacky. She made the suggestion ... I drew it out in Photoshop. (PS. Everyone wish her a Happy Birthday... she's another year younger Thursday!)

Portraits: The Fam

2008-10-25T23:52:00.005-05:00

Next to J, these are my most favorite guys in the whole wide world.

*wink*

Coming Soon

2008-10-25T16:54:00.004-05:00

A couple of the cutest boys I know.

Portraits: Family

2008-10-25T16:43:00.003-05:00

And finally, here are a few shots of the fam:

View the whole set on Flickr.

PS. I was working against harsh sunlight for this shoot, so I did some post processing to tone down the over exposure. I was having trouble remembering how to adjust my exposure settings on my camera. (Going to read my manual again!)

Portraits: Couple

2008-10-25T16:38:00.007-05:00

This couple couldn't be more charming or lovey dovey. I'm so happy they found each other, especially when you hear the way she swoons over him.

View the whole set on Flickr.

And, as I mentioned before, BCBB was a great back up photographer. I leant him my point and shoot while I was taking photos of the grown ups. He had a blast.

He asked me to jump in, and gave great directions for us. Don't we look fabulous?

Portraits: Child

2008-10-25T16:24:00.005-05:00

I'd like you to meet Blues City Bad Boy*. He was super awesome at today's shoot. I'd say "go here", he'd go there and instantly turn around with the most charming smile. He was an even more awesome back up photographer today (see the next blog I'm posting).

View the whole set on Flickr.

*In the interest of protecting children on the internet, I am not using kiddos real names on this blog. (Therefore, if you know this family, please be respectful and don't use their names in the comments below.) Blues City Bad Boy is the nickname he gave me to use on today's blog.

Forget Scrapbooking!

2008-10-24T10:36:00.003-05:00

I've got the perfect idea for you for holiday gifts or even just a memoir for yourself. And you don't even have to lift a pair of scissors, or have hole-punched paper & glue strewn across your dining room table!

A Photo Book.

Not a photo album. A hard or soft bound, professionally printed book with your photos in it. You've probably got a ton of digital photos sitting on your computer right now. This is a nice way to have the photos on hand to share when company arrives, or send a book to grandma & grandpa to show how much your family has grown over the last year (or few years).

Email me and we can discuss details krstlchik at gmail dot com. You'll send me the pictures, and I'll put them together for you in the book. It takes about 2 weeks to get it back from the printer. I wanted to put the word out now so you'd have plenty of time to plan for Christmas.

Info:
Book Size // Softcover // Hardcover,Dust Jacket // Hardcover,ImageWrap

Square 7x7 // $27.95 // $37.95 // $37.95
Standard Portrait 8x10 // $34.95 // $44.95 // $46.95
Standard Landscape 10x8 // $34.95 // $44.95 // $46.95
Large Landscape 13x11 // n/a // $65.95 // $71.95

*Pricing is for 0-40 pages, and is for digital images. Any photos on paper that you would like me to scan will incur an extra charge. Price includes tax & shipping.

Customize the Look and Feel
* Softcover - Features durable perfect binding and 4-color, 10 pt. covers with an overlaminate.
* Hardcover, Dust Jacket - Includes durable library binding and 8 pt. black linen hardcover cases with laminated 4-color dust jackets.
* Hardcover, ImageWrap - The cover image is directly printed on the hardcover, creating a sophistcated effect and a durable matte finish.

Expect Bookstore-Quality Books
* Commerical-quality— Books feature 4-color printing on 80# coated, semi-matte standard, or 100# silk-finish Premium Paper.
* Flexibility— Books can be from 20 to 440 pages using our standard paper, or from 20 to 160 pages using Premium Paper.

Mulberry Fest

2008-10-18T20:42:00.006-05:00

Today we headed out to Collierville to the Mulberry Fest. It was another opportunity for me to test myself to take pictures of strangers. I was in a vendor tent, snapping a couple photos when a woman outside said "What are you taking pictures for?". I turned around and realized that she and another woman standing next to her were running these two side by side booths. I explained I was taking them for my own personal practice, and the other responded "Oh, I thought you were with a newspaper". I think I disappointed her, and irritated the first woman. Oh well, at least they nagged me after I got the pictures instead of before.

View the whole set on Flickr.

Mel & Lil Peanut: The Arrival

2008-10-16T08:53:00.006-05:00

I fully admit I conspired to take her home with me. But, her mom wasn't having it. Frankly, J wasn't having it either.

Now, I've another test model to practice my photography on. Thanks in advance for donating your baby's time to advance my skills, Mel. ;)

Click here to view the full set.

Mel & Lil Peanut: Teaser

2008-10-15T21:35:00.003-05:00

You remember these, right? Well, guess who's arrived? Baby peanut, that's who! I rushed over after work to get pictures of the hours-old peanut and boy oh boy oh boy are they precious! But, I can't show them to you until Mel posts on her own blog. What kind of friend would I be if I trumped a momma showing off her baby?!

I held this precious life in my arms tonight. Doesn't it make your heart skip a beat?

Memphis Zoo

2008-10-12T22:55:00.004-05:00

I've been a busy blogger this weekend. In the past couple days I've uploaded pics from Europe (from '04), portraits of Dee, and now I present to you, pictures from the Memphis Zoo. The highlight of our day was definitely the hippos. We arrived just in time for their feeding session, so we learned a lot of cool stuff about them, and I got lots of great pics too. Check out all the photos here.

This is the momma. She had just gotten out of the pool for feeding time. She thought I was going to feed her. Sorry, I left the fresh produce in my other purse.

This is one of my top faves of the day (it ties with the hippo).

Dee - Portraits

2008-10-12T15:51:00.007-05:00

I convinced my friend Dee to let me practice some portrait photography on her. She has been longing for someone to write a blog about her, so I think this is a fair trade. I take pictures, she becomes an internet sensation. We were going to arrive about noon, so I was worried about the bright sun. I decided we should go to Overton Park because I've never been there before (the Brooks Museum & the zoo don't count) and so the trees would provide some shading. However, the day was overcast, so the weather was nice, and the clouds blocked out some of the harsh noon sunlight.

Now it's your turn... who else will be brave enough to let me practice on them?

Thank you, Dee! I love ya, chick!

Europe 2004

2008-10-11T09:33:00.003-05:00

Way back in 2004, I traveled to Europe with my friend Summer. Well, I dug out the picture CD and I've now uploaded all my pictures to Flickr for your viewing pleasure. It was an amazing trip. We visited Paris, Rome, Salzburg (think "The Sound of Music") & London.

All of these pictures were taken on my Olympus C-4040, which you may recall has since departed from my life. *tear* Enjoy the pictures. I cannot wait for the day that I can return to Europe again. (Donations are welcome. *wink*wink*)

Click here to view the photos.

Banner Image

2008-10-07T20:38:00.006-05:00

Woohoo! I finally posted an image at the top of the page. It only took me an hour of sorting through photos, cropping, editing, discarding ... and finally I settled on the pumpkins. So, now everyone join in and do a happy dance with me!

Of course, this means I'll have to change it when the next holiday rolls around, but I'll take enough pictures between now and then to have an arsenal to choose from.

What do you guys think? Do you like the pumpkins in the banner above? Just for reference (and to share one of my trade secrets... shhh!) I used the image below. I cropped it, resized it to the proper width and applied Pioneer Woman's Soft & Faded Action to it to give it that rustic, not quite black and white, not quite sepia, look.

By the way, if you have never visited Pioneer Woman's website before, get your patootey over there, stat! She's got a few different things going on that'll keep you entertained. And, you might just learn a thing or two! (I know I've picked up a few things about photography & photoshop. Shout out to Andrea for getting me hooked on this site!)

Tom's Farm

2008-10-06T21:47:00.003-05:00

There's a farm out in Oakland, TN that my mom's friend, Mrs. Birdie, knows about. She meets up with my mom every year, with my son, niece & nephews in tow, to take part in the corn maze and pumpkin patch. As far as I can tell, it's just called "Tom's Farm", but I can't link you to it because I can't find it online. I can't tell you how to get there because it's way out in the sticks. So, just enjoy the pictures I took there this afternoon, ok? View the whole set on Flickr. (Go ahead, click it already!)

This blog doesn't have enough pictures of me lately. Ha!

Arts & Crafts Fair

2008-10-04T18:50:00.004-05:00

Today was the annual Pink Palace Arts & Crafts Fair. We love going every year to see all the hand made crafts. This year we must've gotten there at just the right time because all the craftsters were busy showing off their skills. It was so much fun watching baskets being woven, glass ornaments, rocking chairs, & brooms being made. And I really challenged myself to become more comfortable taking pictures of people and things in public. I tend to imagine people giving me awkward stares, or feel like I'm imposing on the artists work by photographing it. But I did well today, three cheers for me!

Here are a few of my fave pics from the day. As always, please view them all on my Flickr album.

We sampled this "Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Soup" ... it was so delicious, I decided instead of buying their mix, I wanted to run home and look up the recipe to make it myself.

J enjoyed petting the snake. (I petted it too, I ain't skeered.)

This is a craft I wish I were good at!

Jumping, Yet Again

2008-10-04T18:36:00.003-05:00

What? I thought you said you wanted *more* trampoline pictures.

Jumping, Again

2008-10-01T20:49:00.002-05:00

Photo courtesy of J.

Jumping

2008-10-01T12:28:00.003-05:00

My favorite subjects to photograph are always family. I don't post a lot of pictures of them here because I have a private family website where I post nothing but pictures of them. Frankly, you would get sick of seeing all the pictures I take of the kiddos. But, I'll make an exception today. The weather is beautiful outside today, so I spent my lunch break watching my niece jump on the trampoline outside.

Downtown Memphis

2008-09-27T17:36:00.002-05:00

Today, I dragged my friend Murl downtown and we played tourist. It was so much fun. Here are a few of my faves, but please check out the full set on Flickr.

A Beale Street flipper in training.

Farmers Market

2008-09-20T12:07:00.003-05:00

I was supposed to have a photo shoot this morning, but it rained yesterday, and it's been raining off an on today, so I had to cancel. Instead, we went to the Farmer's Market at the Agricenter. I took my point-and-shoot because I wanted to practice, but I still feel awkward walking around taking public photos. The little camera is more inconspicuous than the D40.

Pumpkin pie anyone?

There was a stand selling Venezuelan food. My nephew (2) is always hungry, so he had to partake.

This means he likes it.

These mini pecan pies rocked! Fortunately, I know how to duplicate this at home. Yummmm.

Avast, ye hearties!

2008-09-19T18:19:00.005-05:00

Happy Talk Like a Pirate Day!*

This was a freebie I got in California. It's already growing "hair"! :)

California: More Pics

2008-09-14T21:19:00.002-05:00

Here are the last of the pics I'm posting. They are not up to my usual high standards of photography, but the people want to see pics! I like to give the people what they want.

I think I need to take another trip back out to CA just to make up for the lack of really great pictures. Do you think the company would fund it?

Our hotel:

The view from Ruth's balcony. She said the noise coming from the pool at 3am would wake her up. (Not guilty!)

My balcony. Not the view, just the balcony itself. Fascinating, right?

This was my view. The cab drivers waiting anxiously to overcharge the travelers. (One lady I spoke to didn't know she could book a shuttle from the airport for $20 ... she paid $150 for a cab ride.)

This is where we spent most of our downtime. Restaurants... shopping... need I say more?

Cheesy touristy pictures:

I'm really not a fan of the touristy pics, but sometimes you just have to do it (especially when your boss tells you to, right?).

The blur in the background ... that's downtown LA. Nothing wrong with the camera or photographer, the city just moves too fast.

California: Bus Tour Pics (Part 2)

2008-09-14T09:37:00.003-05:00

I am finally home ... the weather's warm, the tap water's drinkable, and my sinus are in full effect. I finally have a minute to sit down and show you the rest of the pictures from the bus tour. I'm still bummed that I couldn't take pictures the rest of the week, but you know I'll never make the mistake of leaving my charger home again!

So, the other day I posted pictures from one of our stops on the bus tour - overlooking downtown LA, catching site of the Hollywood sign, and I didn't show you, but we were right below Ron Howard's house.

The next stop was Universal City Walk. It's a big open air touristy shopping mall.

Ruth as an LA Oakland Raider. (Obviously I'm clueless about sports. Thanks, Sean.) I think she could pull it off, don't you?

I took this picture for the benefit of my Star Wars obsessed boy.

After Universal City Walk, we hit Hollywood Boulevard.

Mann's Chinese Theater

Kodak Theater (or theatre, I'm pretty sure we can spell it either way, right?)

We didn't want to pay the fake celebrities for pictures, so I tried to snap them on the down-low.

Another picture for J.

Our final stop was Beverly Hills.

Beverly Wilshire Hotel - where they filmed Pretty Woman.

California: Bus Tour Pics (Part 1)

2008-09-11T09:10:00.003-05:00

I don't have a lot of time to spare, but someone here at the convention was complaining that the only pics I'd posted so far were of the dessert I ate at PF Changs. (You know who you are.) Here are a few pics from the Hollywood/LA bus tour. More to come soon!

PS. Andrea, if you are reading this, we've all been talking about you. Wish you were here to hang out with us! (There's an extra bed in my room not being used if you change your mind. hehe.)

California: Bus Tour (Videos)

2008-09-10T07:53:00.004-05:00

Here are a few videos I took on the bus tour:

In this video you'll see downtown Los Angeles. The Hollywood Bowl you can see at the beginning in the bottom of the screen, and at the end you can see the Hollywood sign (blurry, I know).

These two videos were at the Universal City Walk.

Can you see this one? On my computer it looked fine, but when I uploaded it, it looks darker.

California: Tuesday

2008-09-10T07:43:00.003-05:00

Tuesday was a good day. We ate breakfast in the hotel, then went down to the Garden Walk again, wandering around the shops. There we bought tickets to a Hollywood/LA bus tour. We ate lunch at California Pizza Kitchen, then headed off to the one class we had for that day (boo! work!). After that we were on our way to Hollywood. I've got a few pictures, but it was very hard to take them - my point and shoot is not fabulous at night or in moving vehicles. But I'll post some of the clearer shots later. Bus tours are a great thing when you are visiting another city and you don't know where to start, or in our case most everything is either too far away or too expensive.

I have a few minutes to kill before I get ready for our full day of convention stuff, so I'll try to get some pictures up before I go.

California: Tuesday Morning

2008-09-09T08:59:00.002-05:00

What do you do when your body is still 2 hours ahead of your local time zone? You wake up at 4:30am. At least that's what I did. That gives me 4 1/2 hours until breakfast time. I tried to busy myself so that I didn't spend the entire time laying in the bed watching tv, even though that bed is extremely comfortable. So I...

Went down to the 3rd floor vending machine (there isn't one on my floor yet due to renovations). Debated over whether to spend my $2.50 on a soda or water. (Note: California tap water is not tasty at all. You all should come to Memphis and drink our tap water, you'll wonder how you ever did without it.) I settled on Mountain Dew.

Came back to the room and did some yoga. (I haven't done yoga in ages, so don't think I'm some disciplined exercise nut that sticks to her routine even out of town. I'm just killing time here.)

Enjoyed my crisp Mountain Dew with a Kashi granola bar I brought along.

Stood out on the balcony - nice view, great weather. The high here today is mid-80s, the low is in the 60s. Note: I didn't even have to use the a/c last night in the hotel room. Can I take this weather home with me?

Watched various crime drama's on television (hey, you knew I'd have to give in at some point).

Plugged all my electronics into their chargers. Searched for my camera battery charger. Sadly, I discovered I left it at home.

Ate another granola bar.

Typed a thrilling blog detailing my morning in the hotel room.

And, I still have 2 hours until breakfast. Guess I could always read that USA Today they left on my doorstep. Nah... back to the crime dramas.

California: Monday Night

2008-09-08T21:39:00.005-05:00

Our hotel is surrounded by more hotels, so we walked a 1/2 mile to dinner tonight. We ate at PF Changs (yummmmmm!). Afterwards, we tried their new mini-desserts. They were delicious and the perfect size after a ginormous meal. (I had tiramisu & Ruth had apple pie.)

Then we walked a 1/2 mile back to the hotel. By now the air has gotten chilly. Glad I packed sweaters/long sleeves for the night time. I love this weather.

J left notes in my suitcase - one for each day I'm gone. Today's note said "Draw something you ate today". I don't have a scanner to show you, but I drew my tiramisu.

California: Arrival

2008-09-08T18:41:00.003-05:00

We've arrived in California, and I'm exhausted! A day of flying really takes it out of you. Our flight from Las Vegas to Anaheim wasn't long (30 min) but it was not fun. Very bumpy! Anywho, here is the tour of my hotel room. I'm going to pass out on the bed and then go eat some dinner.

California: En Route

2008-09-08T14:11:00.003-05:00

Hey there, faithful readers. I'm currently in the Las Vegas airport recharging my laptop, refilling my belly, and waiting on my plane outta here.

Here are some pictures from my morning commute. If you can name those states you win a prize.*

*The prize is my shock and awe. Hope that's sufficient.

J's Birthday

2008-09-07T12:55:00.006-05:00

So after the fun fun times at Mel's baby shower yesterday, I ran home and we had a party for J's birthday. We had fair food (corn dogs & steak fries with cheese dip, corn on a stick, cotton candy, popcorn balls). We had homemade fair games, and the cake and presents. The kids had a lot of fun.

We've had this cotton candy machine for many years. I knew it'd come in handy again someday.

The cake I made was inspired by two places: The recipe I got from Cupcake Project. I used her Soda Fountain Cupcake recipe (though I couldn't find Cream Soda flavoring for the icing, I did find Sassafrass extract for the cake at Mary Carter's). The actual design itself was inspired by a cake a spied on Instructables. J wanted a Star Wars cake, so I borrowed my nephew's figures and put Obi Wan & Anakin back in the lava scene.

The root beer scent filled the house when I was baking this. (I chose root beer because J is crazy for the soda.) The flavor is a bit over-powering (the cream cheese icing helps cut it a little). When I make this again, I'll just use a little less sassafrass.

The kids *loved* this cake. The design & the flavor (though most agreed a little goes a long way since the flavor was strong). The boys are huge Star Wars nuts (they've both beat the Lego Star Wars games several times over), so they went crazy for this cake.

As far as the gifts - J got just what he wanted. Cube Worldsssss. Amazingly, out of everyone buying him Cube Worlds separately, he didn't receive any duplicates.

Today, J said to me: "How far away is Christmas?"

Ugh.

Baby Shower

2008-09-06T22:48:00.006-05:00

Today was my good friend Mel's baby shower. She's been kind enough to let me photograph her journey, and today was a blast. I ended up taking over 300 pictures! Whoa! It was fun, and I felt more comfortable taking pictures constantly in this group. I whittled down the 300 pictures to just 100. Here's a sampling. To view the rest, visit my Flickr page.

This is probably my favorite picture of the day.

The hostesses with the mostesses.

Cakes

2008-09-04T23:21:00.002-05:00

I confess, I have a bit of insomnia tonight. Could be all the cake today? Hmm? Speaking of cake, I uploaded a bunch of cake pictures to Flickr.

A few years back a I took the Wilton courses through Michael's Arts & Craft stores. I didn't think I'd like it that much, but I ended up enjoying it a lot. So, for a while I made cakes like crazy for friends & family. Now I mostly make them just for family, and a friend every once in a while. I like making them less frequently now, just for fun, ya know? Check out the whole set on Flickr, but here's a sampling to whet your appetite. Can you smell the buttercream?

Now that you're good and hungry, what kind of cake do you like to have on your birthday? Ironically, I'm not a huge fan of regular cake for my birthday - I'll eat it, I just prefer other desserts. I like cheesecake on my birthday. Go ahead, throw calories & fat grams out the window, and tell me what you love to indulge in on your birthday!

Following

2008-09-04T19:08:00.002-05:00

Blogger's got a new thing happenin'! You can easily follow this blog by clicking this link (or see the widget at the bottom of this page). I guess it's an alternative to using subscription services like Google Reader. Once you are following a blog, you can quickly find and read updates from your Blogger Dashboard. Try it out and see what you think.

...a few minutes later...

I am trying it out myself. Though I'm an avid Google Reader fan and don't plan on quitting anytime soon, this is kind of cool too. One thing I like is that blogs that are set to private (which can't be used in Google Reader), can be added here. It will sure make it easier to know when they've updated their blogs! Weeee! I wonder how it affects my Feedburner stats when people follow me this way though. Hmmm...

What do you guys think? How are you following your favorite blogs?

Happy Birthday, Part 2

2008-09-04T18:32:00.006-05:00

I took the day off work today to spend with my son since it's his birthday. I'm a firm believer in doing birthdays up right, ya know? If you saw my previous blog, you know he had a chocolate ~~muffin~~ cupcake for breakfast. He then got to go shopping with his grandma to pick out a birthday gift from her. Then we had lunch, and my mom treated us to her own cupcakes.

Jacob licked this and said "Hey! That's not ice cream!" Nope! Mom baked cupcakes in ice cream cones and topped with buttercream icing.

Afterwards, we went to see Clone Wars (finally!). Since it was the middle of a weekday, we were the only ones in the theater (yay!). And we're finishing off the night with a little Xbox. No better way to come down off that sugar high than to zone out in front of video games.

Happy Birthday

2008-09-04T07:19:00.001-05:00

, originally uploaded by krstlchik.

My boy is 9 years old today. *tear*

This is what he got for breakfast.

Impressive

2008-08-29T08:21:00.002-05:00

Want to see the winner & runners up from the Scott Kelby's Worldwide Photo Walk? These shots are fantastic and very much deserving of their prizes. I can't wait until I'm that good. ;)

The Challenge of Finding a Winner For My “Worldwide Photowalk” (and the winners are revealed!)

I hope you've already looked at my photos by now, because they do not even compare to the quality and greatness of the winners! They are inspirational, and make me want to run out of the office right now and become even better.

Even in the Flickr groups dedicated to the Photo Walks, just browsing through some of the pictures from around the world is just so much fun. Here, try clicking here and browsing via Flickr's interestingness:

http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=kelby+photo+walk&ss=2&s=int

Ok, that's enough photos to keep you busy for a while. I'd love for you to share what photos you see out there that just blow you away.

Goodbye, Tree

2008-08-27T20:57:00.005-05:00

You saw the branch from above this morning. J got to spend some quality time with his granddad tonight doing some manual labor cleaning it up. He had a blast, and came in famished. (He even ate a dinner he didn't previously want. I'd like to think my stir-fry was just that delicious, but I think it was more the power of hunger.)

Good Morning, Tree

2008-08-27T06:35:00.007-05:00

Walked out back this morning, and look what I discovered.

I guess that storm the other day loosened it up. I'm just glad it fell in the middle of the night and not when the kids were out back playing.

Summer's 30th

2008-08-24T21:48:00.005-05:00

In addition to the Photo Walk, yesterday I went to my friend Summer's 30th birthday. I asked her if she'd mind if I brought along my camera to practice, and she didn't mind at all. Here are a few:

Don't forget to tell me your top faves from my Photo Walk yesterday. I need to narrow down my selections to upload them to the group! Click here to let me know!

Photo Walk

2008-08-24T08:54:00.003-05:00

Saturday I participated in "Scott Kelby's World Wide Photo Walk". The idea was that a group of photographers meet up, walk around one area of the city together, but individually, snapping photos of whatever we want. At the end of the time (2 hours), we were to meet up at a specificied location for lunch to sit and chimp (oh and ah over our photos). J & I participated in the walk, but ended up going elsewhere for lunch. We had a blast. I uploaded a ton of photos to Flickr. I'm going to upload J's photos soon. I need a break from the pc for now though!

Click here to view my pics from the Photo Walk.

PS. Do me a favor: I can't submit all these pictures to the Photo Walk Flickr group, so I need your help picking! Tell me your top 3-5 faves from my set.

Mushrooms, Take 2

2008-08-22T12:21:00.002-05:00

, originally uploaded by krstlchik.

After more rain last night, I went out this morning and the mushrooms had all opened up like umbrellas.

Blog Layout

2008-08-21T09:34:00.000-05:00

I've let my squarespace trial expire, and I've changed things up here a bit. I wanted to be able to display larger images here, and blogger's templates were not keen on that. Those pesky sidebars always got in the way. So, here's a template from another site I'm trying out. I need to find (or snap!) a picture to use as my header. We'll see what I come up with. In the meantime, I hope you all find this blog easy to peruse (all the personal info, links and whatnot are now located at the very bottom). As always, feedback is welcome!!

J plucked the largest mushroom from our yard this morning and proceeded to march around gallantly with it.

Mushrooms

2008-08-21T08:38:00.001-05:00

, originally uploaded by krstlchik.

After a day of drizzle, I woke up this morning to find our lawn covered with these guys.

Flower

2008-08-20T20:43:00.001-05:00

, originally uploaded by krstlchik.

Caught this during Ashley's maternity shoot.

No Experience

2008-08-19T08:43:00.001-05:00

So, my mom keeps sending me these opportunities from Craigslist - people that want their wedding or engagement photographed for cheap. I have no experience doing anything of the sort. I'm just trying to break out of my shell to take pictures of friends. That's intimidating enough. Think about how scary it would be (for me) to take pictures of some strangers big moment. Not to mention, the only equipment I have is my Nikon D40 w/18-55mm kit lens and a Nikon 50mm F1.8. No external flashes (hint, if you need to buy me something for Christmas. haha), or, well anything else.

I'm just writing this to express my fears. I'm sure one day, maybe soon, I'll actually take one of those cheap/free jobs for the experience of it. And a year or two from now, I'll look back on this blog and laugh at how ~~timid~~ freaked out I was.

In the meantime, if you have any books or resources you'd recommend for those types (or any types) of photography, I'm all ears. I'm trying to soak up as much knowledge right now as I can. What I'd really love is to find someone locally that I could tag along with and glean knowledge from.

Honorable Mention

2008-08-19T08:21:00.001-05:00

I submitted a photo to another blogger/ photographer's contest, and I got an honorable mention. Isn't that fun? This was taken on my new lens (50mm F1.8). Stop by Pics & Kicks to check out the other great "Summer" photos.

Maternity - Ashley

2008-08-13T22:10:00.000-05:00

I sent out an email to all of my friends letting them know I am taking volunteers. I need as much practice as I can get. (If you are a friend and would like to volunteer, or know someone who might be interested, get off your fanny and email me!) Ironically, the more practice I get, the more I see I need to learn. Anyway, I shot a friend's kids a couple weeks back, and she forwarded my pro-bono plea to her niece.

Today's shoot was the result. I shot Ashley and her belly during my lunch break today (yeah, quick shoot, right?!). I was nervous, yet again. I'm sure that just made her nervous too! But in the end, I think I got some good shots. Practice makes perfect. If I keep getting volunteers, I expect to be perfect in no time.

Check out Ashley's pictures here.

I am going to wear out my new lens. I am in love with taking shots like this now.

And before you go, let me ask you this: Does your silence in regards to my maybe-new site mean you are not a fan? (You can view it here: http://ccphoto.squarespace.com) Is it not functional and pleasing? I added a link to Ashley's pictures in the gallery there tonight, and it kind of was a lot of trouble. So I'm starting think it may not be the way to go for me. We'll see...

Mel & Lil Peanut, Third Trimester

2008-08-09T23:36:00.001-05:00

Mel is now due in 2 months! We've already begun planning her baby shower, and now I present you with updated pictures! I had a lot of fun with this one. Look how much that belly has grown in the past couple months. Can't wait to meet you, lil peanut!! (Also, can't wait to find out for a fact whether or not you are actually a girl, as most of us suspect!)

Please take a moment to view all the pictures from today's shoot on my Flickr page, here.

Stay tuned... I anticipate a Lil Peanut photo shoot in October. :)

Yard Sale

2008-08-02T08:24:00.001-05:00

, originally uploaded by krstlchik.

Mom was helping host a yard sale at her church. I figured it would be a nice opportunity to practice taking more pictures.

The Sky

2008-07-31T20:31:00.001-05:00

, originally uploaded by krstlchik.

I was in my room, watching tv, when I noticed the light shining through the closed blinds was a bright golden brown. When I went outside, this is what I spotted.

Theme of the Week: New Lens

2008-07-24T20:12:00.000-05:00

This is just a few random shots I snapped off quickly with my new lens. I like to call this series "Running around my backyard before the sunlight is completely gone for the day." (Well, all but one are from my backyard) I'm still not completely comfortable with the new camera, but I'm half-way through the Field Guide so I'm learning a lot. I probably should have waited to get a new lens until after I figured out how to use the one I have now. Oh well!

To fully enjoy these pictures, you must click to enlarge!

Theme of the Weeks: Coming back...

2008-07-21T17:15:00.000-05:00

I slacked off my theme of the week (after only 2 weeks?!), but I'm starting up again. Check back Thursday for more pics!!

Photo Scavenger Hunt 3

2008-06-23T09:29:00.000-05:00

Go post your pics now!
http://www.flickr.com/groups/776508@N21/

Here's a sneak peek at mine:

Oh Em Geeee!

2008-06-17T13:32:00.000-05:00

I just ordered a Nikon D40. Should get here in a day or two.

Excuse me while I run outside and scream for joy!

Photo Scavenger Hunt 3

2008-06-02T09:34:00.000-05:00

Time for another photo scavenger hunt. Come play along... the more the
merrier!!

Click here to view the list and join the Flickr group!!

The hunt runs from June 2 - June 22.

Theme of the Week: Utensils

2008-05-29T20:02:00.000-05:00

Once again... what a challenge limiting myself to just one subject for an entire week. After processing these pictures, I realized that I don't play with lights and background nearly enough! Look for more light & background play in next week's theme. For now... bon appetit!

As always... click image for larger view!

Theme of the Week: Hands

2008-05-22T20:04:00.001-05:00

Last week I told you I was going to take an entire week and photograph one thing. The theme: hands. Lots of hands. Focusing on one specific thing is quite a challenge. But, I ended up with 94 pictures (before weeding through them all). I'll tell you my faves at the bottom. You tell me your faves in the comment section!

(Please click the images to view larger versions)
















My favorites showed up in the pictures I took at the last minute. In reviewing my pics last night, I felt like they were all the same old thing. I think I'm afraid of my flash. :) But, when I decided to get silly, get bold, try flashing the heck outta some stuff, I found my favorites. See the ones with the metallic backgrounds? That's my car's sunshield. The hand? That's my son's hand inside his school book covers. So. much. fun. I'm also fond of the one with three hands (4th up from the bottom, right column). That's my mom, my nephew and my niece. I like a few others, but I'm done yammering on about it for now. Have a fabulous Memorial Day weekend, everyone!!! (Unless you're outside the USA, then just have a fabulous regular weekend).

Next week's theme: Utensils

Zoom {answers}

2008-05-21T20:20:00.001-05:00

Here are the answers to the Zoom game! Nice guesses, Jackie & Murl.

1.
Wooden #6

2.
A Rose

3.
Staples (after removal)

4.
Pavement (the bird in the corner is just an added bonus)

Zoom

2008-05-17T16:32:00.000-05:00

How about a little guessing game?

Tell me what you think these are... I'll reveal the full photos in a few days.

1.

2.

3.

4.

Edited 05/21/08 8:25pm: For the answers, click here.

New Project!

2008-05-15T18:15:00.001-05:00

Inspired by a book I am reading (I'll tell you what it is when I finish it!), and dying to keep posting fresh new stuff on this blog between down times, I'm coming up with a weekly project. Each week, I'm going to pick one theme, and photograph it throughout the week, posting my results for you all to see. I'll let you know in advance what the next week's theme will be in case you decide to play along every now and then.

I'll try to show my results each Thursday (that'll give you something to look at while you're at work Friday, right?). This week's theme: Hands.

I'll see you next Thursday with my results!

Mel & Lil Peanut, Part 2

2008-05-05T21:38:00.001-05:00

For your viewing pleasure, may I present the rest of the pictures from Saturday with Mel. These were all taken on Ole Gussie (Olympus OM10). She's quite finicky at times, so I was nervous taking her out (the old camera, not Mel). But considering it's the only SLR I have right now, I threw caution to the wind (and brought a backup ... little blue). The result, I think, is that you can see Mel's truly vibrant spirit in the photos. I love ya, girl. It was a lot of fun!

Please click the pictures for a larger view.

Hee. Hee. Hoo. Hoo. A little practice never hurt, right?

I love this one. So. Much.

Mel and Lil Peanut

2008-05-04T07:45:00.001-05:00

Here's your first peek at my session with Mel Saturday. We went to the Botanic Gardens, sadly, so did the clouds! This was a first for both of us (me photographing someone other than family, and her, well, being photographed by me), and even though we are good friends, it did tend to get a little awkward. Ha! I know it'll get easier as I go (I hope!)!

Thanks Mel for letting me take your pictures. Can't wait until you get huge in a couple more months so we can do it all again!

These pictures were taken on the little blue camera (Olympus FE 220) I brought as my backup. The rest of the pictures were taken on Ole Gussie, the Olympus OM10. Since it's film, you'll have to wait to see the whole set.

Please click the images to view the large versions.

Two Buddha bellies in one place? That's a lot of good luck!

So, who wants to be my guinea pig next?

This Weekend

2008-04-30T20:51:00.000-05:00

I have my first shoot with someone who's not a blood relative. Be on the look out for pictures soon!

PSH Winner!

2008-04-27T20:34:00.000-05:00

It's much easier to type PSH than spell out Photo Scavenger Hunt over and over. So, let this be the official declaration of the new nickname, mkay?

The winner has been announced! Please go by and congratulate her! And while you're there check out all the great photos everyone submitted! Look for PSH round 3 this summer, folks!!

PSH 2

1 More Day - Scav Hunt Deadline!

2008-04-25T12:31:00.000-05:00

You have until tomorrow to post your pictures in the Photo Scavenger Hunt Group.

Upload them to Flickr. Create a Set, add them all to it. Add that set to our group and voila! C'est magnifique!

...then go talk about it in the group discussion!! That's part of the fun, let us all hear about your experience!

I'll post the winner (who had the most pics) Sunday!

Stop & Stare

2008-04-23T20:43:00.002-05:00

Do you ever get the urge to pull over to the side of the road just to snap a picture of something? I do. So I did. (Hint: The images are much better viewed large, so click the pic to check it out!)

19 is such a random number, don't you think?

While I had some time to kill in Collierville today, I spotted a couple construction vehicles that were just screaming to have their pictures taken. I was spotted shortly thereafter screaming as I discovered something slithering under one of the treads.