…

I heart faces, animal style…

This weeks challenge at I Heart Faces is pet faces… Tons of super cute and fluffy photos to lust over.  Click the button below and check out all the entries or add one of your own.

I love 4 legged friends pictures… Check out my Facebook page for more images.

…

I Heart Faces, silhouette….
I am having so much fun with the I Heart Faces weekly challenges.  There are so many beautiful images to feast your eyes on! This weeks challenge is silhouettes and I heart silhouettes.  This image was taken on a hill near where my boys practice karate.
Thank you, I heart faces, for giving me the perfect opportunity to share this image!

Head on over to their site to check out more beautiful silhouettes or add one of your own!

…

If I could take a trip, and get lost in these eyes…

 

You have met my son, Jace, before… He’s one of my favorite people to take pictures of… His eyes are so beautiful, sometimes I feel like the camera can’t capture all that I see… I have been messing around today, in a feeble attempt to take my mind off things I would rather not think about today.  This is a new technique on the eyes that I am trying.  I like it a lot, but I do think it needs a little refining.  Basically I edited the way that I normally would, but then grabbed my rectangular marquee tool, and selected just his eyes… I applied a lot of sharpening, and a bit of an HDR feel to the eyes… dropped the opacity (maybe I could stand to drop it less?)- and there you go… beautiful eyes.  Its just something that I am trying out, and I think for sure there is a lot more playing that could be done with it, but… for now- I am satisfied with the picture.  Are you interested in a tutorial showing the steps I used? Let me know.  

 

…

Meet the Sedillo’s!

Funny, sometimes what a small world it is.  I have lived in Riverside about 8 years now, and before that I was in Orange County, but originally here from the IE.  A few years ago I was at the market, and saw a familiar face, although at the time I couldn’t place him…. A few months or so later, I saw him again, but this time, surrounded by a beautiful family and at the park that I coach at- and where my kids play ball…. Small world, it was Anthony (although, back then it was just Tony)… I had worked with him at a small tool distribution company wayyyy back when! Blast from the past though it was, I was happy to see him, and meet his beautiful wife, Jen.  Together they have 4 really cute and sweet kids.

This is Noah.  He’s ten, I think? What a great kid, so polite, and a really good ball player… All of the kids have amazing eyes, and when I asked him to look directly at the camera, he almost looked through me! Love this shot of this handsome young man.

 

This is Kori… I had the pleasure of coaching her first year in tee ball… WHAT A HOOT she is… not only cute, she’s got the funniest little personality.  I could literally eat her up.  She and my son Jace are in the same class together at school…. I like her soooo much that THIS cheapskate bought TWO $2.00 candy bars from her… that says a lot!

 

This is Kody… He’s about three now, and he is just a little prankster!! Always stealth in that three year old way…. sneaking up on me and trying to “steal” my keys, cell phone, etc.  He is super mischievous, but in a good little boy way.  If I am having a bad day, I know this little one would be able to make me laugh in a heartbeat. 

 

Last but definitely not least, Kaulin… the baby of the bunch.  He’s right around 8 months old, and I had the pleasure of doing a session with him when he was just a tiny little baby.  While he hasn’t had as long to identify his role as baby brother in this family, I know he will be just fine… He’s already spirited and determined… did I mention ADORABLE? Look at those lips.  Sigh, boys like this make my ovaries riot!!

Glad though, that it is a small world… being able to reconnect with blasts from your past isn’t always a bad thing, and in this  case- it’s a RAD thing! Thank you to the Sedillo family for an awesome time, and for being who you are!!

…

Johnny says he looks like a boy who lives in shadows…

I say that I lovvvvve me some sun-flare.  Shooting into the sun is sometimes really cool… I love how the rays are positioned just right, so you get that little extra flarey-ness.  That is a word, flarey-ness?? I might have to petition Reader’s Digest for that one.  I love the bit of back lighting… that curves his hat and face.  Also, since you are reading this, I am about to tell you a super big, maybe never revealed photographer’s secret… shhh… you have to keep it between you, me, and the world wide web…..shooting into the sun is also a super awesome undercover way to hide the look your kids are giving you after you say, just one more- wait, just one more……We now return to our normal blog post.

 

So aside from the last few shots shooting in the sun, the primary reason for getting out my camera today was to try out a new background, er…..onclearancefromHomeDepotcurtain, that I have had for a while… While its not exactly wide enough for a boy who moves around in anticipation of being done, it does make a beautiful backdrop.  I would show you… but, Johnny wasn’t in top model form today, and… well, yea, let’s just leave it at that.

Notice anything different about the blog today? Another reason for this post…. Am I ever satisfied? Thanks to a tutorial @ I Heart Faces I found out how to change this up a bit… and while I am still not super 110% satisfied with it, I do think its getting there.  Would love some feedback? Oh, and are my comments working? 

I love my little boy

This year when the kids go back to school, its going to be super hard for me... I mean, it always is, but this year will be especially.  All three of my kids will be in school this year.  Kayleigh will be a sophomore, Johnny will be in second grade, and my baby starts kindergarten... I keep thinking about what it will be like, to be home alone... I mean, yea, its only half day, but it will be the first time in a lllooonnnnggg time that I will be home alone.  What will I do when I have to go potty? Do I shut the door?

Took this picture of my little man the other day, in our backyard.  He's very good about letting me take pictures and I am grateful to have these amazing images of him.

I say it all the time, but its so true... I LOVE his face. 

The boys!

Seriously... I look at the calendar and am just in awe that its already the end of July.  Where has summer gone? My kids will start back in about a month.  I know that seems like a while, but if you know me, you know that I am super duper attatched to my kids... This year, back to school will be particulary hard.  All three of my littles will be in school, and its my baby's first year!

Yesterday was a pretty mild weather day, especially for being summer & Riverside.  Instead of being cooped up in the house, I decided to take my boys downtown for a little mini photo session.  These are a few of my superfavoriteloveshots of the session.

Here is my little tough guy, Johnny.  He looks so grown up, and ahem, if I do say so myself so BUFF! Now, really, its probably because he is holding his arms that way, but he really likes this image of himself- cause he's got "ninja muscles" Maybe this is the photo that I could use for his Senior page, when the time comes?

Again, the crazy lady laying on the ground to get this shot in front of City Hall.  I love the angle here, and the lighting was really good, too! I love how soft (without being washed out) this image feels.  His eyes are perfect!

Jace hamming it up in the alley.  One of the many cool alleys I found to peruse while walking in Downtown.
 

This was taken right outside of City Hall, there are a lot of fountains that just called out to my boys.  I love this image for so many reasons... I love the reflection of light to his face off the water most of all.

Johnny & Jace can't keep a straight face for anything!!! I had them sit down in front of City Hall for this shot.  I am sure patrons doing business wondered what this mad woman with a camera was doing laying down to get this shot.  Oh well, I say WORTH IT!