Little A and her Family

Just finished editing this cute little family's session. Click the picture to view the short slide show I made for them.

Sorry if you hate the song. It's from one of my new favorite singers, Gregory Page. He has that old bar saloon sounding voice. And you know how I like old things. His singing makes me want to close my eyes and absorb the sound. It's so melancholy but happy at the same time. To put it another way...I LOVE IT.
Please excuse all the obtrusive watermarks. I hate that I have to use them, but I have to protect my work somehow.

The video may look blurry and/or grainy if you don't have or don't choose the HD option while playing it. The dvd version of the video doesn't have this problem.

The proofs will be available to view here under Stephen's Family in three shakes of a turtles tail. I'm not sure that's exactly fast but you get the picture.

B

The teeth! The teeth are killing me!

I can't take it! It's too much cuteness!

This may be my favorite from the shoot. I could always crop it so that it's just her face in the frame, but I love her dad's hand holding her up (she was being thrown into the air) and the fact that you can see his wedding band. It just ties it all together for me.
One thing I've learned from this shoot...I have GOT to focus on getting the mom's in on the fun shots. It seems like (for whatever reason) I always get the cutest shot of dad with the baby, but never mom with the baby. And speaking from experience, the mom DESERVES to be in the good shot. Are you with me on this ladies?

This is my new mission. Awesome shots of mom with her baby..that's a promise from one mother to another.

I'm wrapping up this shoot. I have one more set to edit and possibly one more storyboard. I'll post the link on here as soon as I'm finished.

And after seeing this beauty of a picture (in my opinion), it leads me to wonder what I could of accomplished with a less cantankerous baby. wink, wink.
B

Mmmmmmmmm.

I couldn't help it. I had to post another sneak peak shot. This one was just too cute.

At least I think it is.

I think mom and dad are gonna be happy with this shoot. It was a bit of a struggle, but I must be quick with the trigger because I got more good ones than I thought.

Just look at that sweetness!
B

Grandma Strikes a Pose

I'm being harassed, as I often am, by my mother-in-law. My mistake was that I gave Grandpa Wayne credit in the previous post for staying with the kids in the tent all night. It turns out that Grandma LaVena was out there too. I thought she was in her cozy bed in the basement all night.

So I didn't give her credit.

OOps.

She's been whining and complaining for the last two days about how she wants credit for her grandmotherly acts since grandpa got credit.

Well, here's your blog debut, grandma!
Do you feel famous?

You should. I think at least three people look at this blog daily. Three WHOLE people! I'm very popular.

Here's a grandma story for those of you who actually read this blog:

I did a photoshoot with the little bitty girl in the previous post and decided to do some shots with our goldfish. I ran inside to have the kids clean out the fishbowl and bring it to me. Grandma did it for them (that's more "grandma credit" right there).

They brought the fish out and upon my inspection he looked a little "bubbly". Hmmm? Why is he bubbly? I touched the water and it was HOT. Not tepid, not room tempature but HOT!

She was trying to COOK the fish!

I yelled for the kids to take him to the sink STAT and they changed his water, used the paddles (get it? paddles?), and administered cpr. Well, I'm not really sure what the life-saving efforts involved, but we're happy to say that he survived his near death experience and is anxious to tell all his aquatic friends.

He has been swimming in constant circles since the ordeal though. I think he may be brain damaged.

It's HER fault.
B

Cute and Cantankerous

This describes my itty bitty client this afternoon...though she was just mostly cute. Little Ava had us all running around making crazy noises and silly faces but she just REALLY wasn't interested in us.

We got what we could and as I'm slowly getting into the editing I'm finding that I'm very happy with the results.

This is one of the first shots that I've edited and I can't believe how perfectly she's posed.... especially since I know that she was only in that position for exactly 1/10 of a second.
I'll post a few more teasers as I go, but I'm taking a break right now. I'm getting ready to receive a total body makeover by my girls and their aunt.

I hope I like the results.
B

I can't sleep.

I went to bed with a pain in my stomach and woke up feeling the need to vomit. That tends to inhibit sleep patterns. It inhibited mine. That's why I'm here.

That and I had a nightmare. If a nightmare wakes me up then I usually have to get out of bed and make sure the house isn't on fire, the kids haven't been kidnapped, my camera is still working, etc., etc. It must be because I have such vivid dreams. It takes me a while to make sure it was really a dream.

Think about it...you've experienced what my controlled, moderately sane mind can dish out, so just imagine what kind of chaos my subconscious can produce. (raising eyebrows...it is not pretty)

It would be too hard to explain tonight's travesty, but it involved my not being able to get to my house because of a building demolition and the highway being closed, hiding behind a semi trailer to avoid being blown to bits by said demolition, and watching an unknown man's fingers melt off because he touched some weird demolition causing acid.

I guess he should have been wearing gloves.

When I woke up it looked like my room was smokey at which point I went through the routine mentioned above.

Between then and now I have revamped the blog. How does it look? Is it hard to read? I'm still playing with it if you have any suggestions.

The kids decided to sleep outside in tents tonight. I think Grandpa Wayne is still out there with them, believe it or not. What a trooper.

I wonder if I'll be able to recognize them all through the bug bites tomorrow.
B

Good Times.

Summer is definitely here.

Definitely.

The kids played in the sprinkler and on the slip n' slide a few days ago to beat the heat. I wish I could say that these next two shots are mine, but they aren't. My 13 year old sister-in-law took them. I'm humble enough to admit that.

This is London's shoulder after playing in the sprinkler.
And this is Mercede's hair after playing with water balloons. I love this shot! It's going on the wall.

I took these next two.

Grandpa Wayne brought a rocket for London to play with (but mostly so he could play with it too). We all drove over to the school parking lot and fired it off a few times. I've got a few good shots of it that I'll post later. This is London and Mercede running to catch it as it parachutes to the ground.

I love the texture of the ground with the sun shining acrossed it. And of course I love the movement....don't you know how much I love movement by now? I love it!

And this is grass and pavement.

It doesn't have movement.

I still like it.

B

Family

I had a shoot with a two super cute litte families last Sunday...two sisters and each of their individual, little families.

They were so much fun to work with and I'm very pleased with the results.

Click the picture below (one of my favorites....doesn't it look seventy-ish?) and it will take you to Youtube where you can view a slideshow of the proofs.

Or you can go to www.priesterphotography.smugmug.com and click on "Collier Family" to view them. I'd love to hear any comments you have about them...favorites, likes, dislikes.

Enjoy.
B

In reply to comments from my last post...

Em: How did I take a picture of my hands?

Picture this...camera strap is around my neck with the camera resting on my chest. Between my, how to put this delicately....my at-one-time-milk-producing-parts. I'm leaned way back in my office chair and the lens is resting on my stomach. And my what a stomach it is! So I squash my chin so that I can hardly breath to look through the viewfinder and focus on something moderately close to my fingers/keyboard. I press the shutter release (it's on a 6 second timer) and then push my belly out (to about the six months pregnant mark) and hold it till the six seconds is up.

I'm so out of shape that after about 10 attempts my abs were starting to hurt. So, does that answer your question?

WSMInlaw (wicked step mother in law for those of you who don't know that abbreviation):

Neophobia= a fear of new things or experiences. (You're right...I don't have that fear. I like new things...particularly new camera equipment).

Katagelophobia= a fear of ridicule. (This blog is testimony to the fact that I don't have that. I fix up ridicule with a big slice of bacon and eat it for breakfast.)

Cyberphobia= irrational fear of computers or technology. (Phhht. Eyebrow raise. Do I even need to address this one? I didn't think so.)

Pentheraphobia=fear of mothers. (I fear no one's mother but I do have a fear of ever becoming a mother again myself...lord help me.)

And last but not least...

Chelsey: In recompense for my procrastination thus far...here's another teaser for you.

Awwww. Such a cute little family!

Thanks for putting up with my crazy.

B

Procrastinating

In one of my first posts I talked about my newfound realization that I'm a procrastinator. Maybe not a procastinator in the fullest sense of the term, but I get distracted easily. And I like to do things as soon as they pop in my head, which may put other things...like what I'm actually supposed to be doing....at the bottom of the list.

That's what I'm doing right now. Apologies to the Collier Family since I'm supposed to be working on their pictures right now instead of writing this post.

I needed a break! I'll work on them as soon as this is done. I promise! You already got the teaser shots, what do you want from me? Seriously though, I'm on it...right after this.

I just decided that I needed to take a picture of my hands the way they look when I'm typing and, of course, share it with you.

So here it is.
Notice how that lovely little "B" just sits right between my thumbs? Ironic.

And to further prove to you how deranged I am, I'm going to tell you why I was thinking of my hands on the keyboard...

I made french toast this morning for the kids and myself (yes, this is related to the story). I sat down at the computer with my plate and realized that I hate sticky fingers. Not theivery, though I hate that too, but actual sticky fingers.

I think I hate it more than most people. It just seems like EVERY time I sit down with something syrupy or sticky it gets all over my hands on then transfers to everything else I touch. Like King Midas with the gold except it's Aunt Jemima...on my fork, my pants, my FINGERS! I can't stand it! I have to go wash my hands as soon as they get sticky. Is there a name for that? Like some kind of syrupy finger phobia? There must be.

So as I looked at my sticky hands this morning on my sticky keyboard I decided that I needed to take a picture of said hands and keyboard. After, of course, I washed them.

Aren't you glad I share?

Please give thought to how hard it is to take a picture of your own hands while your camera is balanced on your chest as you lean back in your office chair before you chastise me.

I appreciate the consideration.

B

Teaser from Sunday's Family Shoot

Had a blast shooting these boys and their families. We had a couple melt-downs, but we recovered well and got some great shots of these cutie patooties.

I'm totally diggin' the drool. It's too cute.

Just too cute.

B

Last Weekend's Wedding

I've finally finished the editing and I'm attempting to post the slideshow on here.

Please keep in mind that the online version of the slideshow is not very good quality because of compression. The DVD version is sharp and doesn't flicker as much. But the online version is for those who are too impatient to wait (I am one of those people).

As soon as Lexie and Mitch see the video, I'll post all of the edited pictures on my smugmug site, which you can find by clicking here.

Click the picture below to see the wedding slideshow. If you have an HD monitor, I highly suggest selecting it, as the video quality is 10 times better on HD.
Enjoy! And feel free to comment...My favorite part is the last song. :)
B

The Happy Couple

Here are some fun shots we captured at my last wedding.
Tried a little texture on this one.

I love these because they both really let loose and had a good time. I think it was a nice little de-stresser for them...at least for five minutes.

B

This is me happy.

"But wait!", you're thinking. "B is always happy", you say.

I am.

But as of this moment I'm extra happy because I just clicked "buy" on something that's going to take my photography to another level (hopefully).

A (drum roll, please).....Portable Power Pack!

Ooooooooo. Ahhhhhhh.

This may not mean much to you, but to me it means I can take my studio lights anywhere. Yes, ANYWHERE!... old barns, junkyards, abandoned buildings, a wide open field, the woods...anywhere my little heart desires.

This is especially exciting because I have a TTD (trash the dress) shoot this next Saturday (if the weather holds out) and I'll hopefully have the power pack by then. Weeeeeeee!

I decided I needed to post a picture of my happiness while I sat here in my office chair without one stitch of make-up on (aren't you glad I share?). Notice how I've carefully cropped this to exclude my double chin and my forehead wrinkles. Now, the nose...well, there's nothing I can do about that except embrace it. It's definitely my dad's nose. No doubt about it. Thanks dad.
And I posted this second one for two reasons.

1. So I could explain to you how hard it is to hold a camera directly over your head and take a picture of yourself looking happy without trying too hard. And then keep it in focus. It's not easy peasy.

2. Is that a dimple? I wasn't aware that I had a dimple. sigh. I hope it's not just a fat dent. I would much rather it be a dimple.

I could go on all night about my facial issues but that's insecurity...and I like to think I'm a secure individual...plus I have this uncanny urge to go pluck my eyebrows. ??

And as an afterthought...check out my cute little silver leaf earrings! I got them for $3 AND they came with a necklace.

It's the little things in life that make me happy...and portable power.
B

Please Don't Call Child Services

We went to the park today. I haven't taken the kids for a while but we used to go all the time when they were younger. Life is a lot more hectic now than it used to be.

I bought ice cream sandwiches (partly for me because they remind me of when I was a kid and partly because I knew the kids would like them) and we went to play.

Word of advice...don't wear flip flops to our playground. Those little rocks hurt like the devil.

This post doesn't really have anything to do with the playground but this is where I took the pictures of the evidence.

Here's my sweet little boy.
But look at what has happened to his legs!!! Chiggers!

As I mentioned in a previous post, I had a wedding to shoot this last Saturday. Mercede came with me, so Matt had Summer and London. They went fishing.

And this is how he looked the next day. Summer doesn't have one bite (apparently because they all had a smorgasboard on London). She says it's because she's so sweet they didn't like her.

Poor little guy. He's covered in them...even on delicate parts. Owwww.

Good thing they had fun fishing.

B

In Reply

I would just like to address two comments that were made in the post below.

To my WSMIL (wicked step mother in law)...

I do have incredible looking children so I take pictures like the one below so that other people with unfortunate looking children won't feel so bad. It's all about empathy.

To my WMPnlaw (Wicked Maternal Papa In Law? Wicked Mother Priester In Law? ??...I really don't know what this means)...

Uh. Yes, I can handle it. I can handle anything!! I'm superwoman. Da--da--da-da!
Express away!
B

Ok...Pay Attention People!

It has been brought to my attention that one of the reasons (and there are a LOT of them) why you aren't commenting is because you don't know how.

Well never fear! I, the one and only B, is here to help! Da--da--da-da!

1. Find a post that compels you to let your voice be heard. This can be a positive or negative voice...but just remember what I think about negativity. I don't like it. I don't like it one bit.

2. Scroll to the bottom of the post. The bottom of the POST...NOT the bottom of the PAGE. This seems trivial but it's important. Like it could altar the universe as we know it. Well, not that drastic but it IS important.

3. At the bottom of the POST (see #2) it will say, "Posted by B at 10:47" (or whatever time I happened to write that particular post) and next to that it will say "0 Comments". Poor, poor me. 0 Comments! This is where the hard part comes in...

4. Click it. Well. Don't click "it"...click "0 Comments".

5. An amazing thing happens. A box pops up that says, "Post a Comment"! Below it is a wonderfully white, empty box where you can pour your heart out. It's like a blank canvas. Feel free to create something.

6. Type something. Well. Don't type "something"...type words to me or the internet audience about something.

7. After your done typing go to the box that says, "comment as" and click the little arrow beside it. Scroll to Name/Url and select it.

8. Ooooh. Another box! It says "Edit Profile". Beside "Name" type your name or some variation of it.

9. Click "continue". Wow! Look what we did! Now it says "Comment as (your name)"! We are amazing!

10. Take a deep breath. We're almost done. Are you ready? Are you sure? Okay. Click "Post Comment"

TA-DA!!!!**

11. You DID it!!!

**A box may pop up that asks you to enter some crazy word or phrase just to make sure you aren't trying to hack into my computer. Just do what it tells you.

I'm so proud of you! We make a good team!

I hope you enjoyed this episode of "B Explains All", tune in next time for a lesson on how to save a picture.
B

Wedding Teaser

Here's a teaser shot from the wedding I did this last Saturday. I loaded my cards all gimped up and backwards so I haven't gotten to the pictures of them as a couple yet, but there IS a groom.

I'll post some of him later.

Hope you likey.
B

No Pictures.

I can't dwell on pictures today. We've got something serious to discuss...

Why is no one talking to me? I post these pictures and these wonderful, witty comments (giggle) yet no one takes the time to respond.

It makes me sad.

I don't need recognition or praise. I would just like to know that someone is reading this occasionally. Well, I know someone's reading it because I can see the activity on my Statcounter. But WHY are you reading it? Are you interested in photography? Do you want to learn more about photoshop? Would you like to comment on a picture I've posted (good or bad)? Do you have any tips for me on taking better pictures? Are you interested in ways to get better pictures of your family?

These are all things I'd like to hear...or anything else you might have to say.

Hello!? Is anyone out there?

(crickets)

B

Rear View Mirror

This is the view I had today in my rear view mirror.

Aaaaw. My cutie patooties.

Dont' worry. No kids were harmed during the taking of this picture. I pulled the car over and put it in park.
I rented the Canon 17-55mm 2.8 for a wedding I'm shooting this weekend. I WANT THIS LENS! I can't afford this lens. But I WANT IT!

I'm very needy.

This is Merna with the aforementioned lens. Ain't she a perty thang?
I LOVE this picture! As I mentioned in a previous post Summer is NOT a poser. But I happened to get this today while Mariah was making her laugh. I love catching a genuine smile. It makes me happy.

And look! Another genuine smile.

I don't think I've posted Mercede on here yet. Maybe she's in the bubble blowing post. She likes to pose for me, but she gets all stiff when I point the camera at her. So I was very happy to get a genuine smile/laugh out of her too.

Oh. Look at that wonderful blowing hair. I love to catch some motion in a picture.

That makes me happy too.

Oooooh. Look at that creamy *bokeh. Mmmmm. Delicious.

Did I mention that I want this lens?

B

*For those of you not aquainted with photography lingo, "bokeh" is the blurry part of the image. The part that's out of focus. Different lenses create different bokeh. Some have real hard edges on the little circles of light (which can be distracting) and this lens has "creamy" bokeh. Me likey.