Day 59: Tickles

It rained today for the first time in ages.  But not enough to give some good opportunities for outdoor rainy shots with puddles.  Just enough to completely kill all the natural lighting in our house, where we were having new carpet installed.  So I had to up the ISO to 6400 just to get my shutter speed high enough not to completely blur things but it affected the quality of the image and I was using the self-timer using interval timing to take 10 shots at a time, 4 seconds apart and couldn't manage to focus quite right (or be in the area where I had focused).  But I like the simplicity (the room was empty of all furniture because of the carpet install) and emotion in them, which is what I was really going for as part of the black & white composition assignment for my current photography class.  I just set up the camera and then grabbed the girls and started tickling them and roughhousing and hoping for the best.  It helped all of us forget about the camera and be ourselves and I am going to have to try this again.



50mm, ISO 6400, f/4.0, SS 1/100

50mm, ISO 6400, f/4.0, SS 1/100

Day 58: Gymnast

This is kind of a terrible photo.  Clara was across the gym from me (I do a mommy & me class with Rose at the same time) and I snapped this with my 50mm and cropped it later to get closer in and avoid distractions.  It was the only picture I took today so it is what it is.



50mm, ISO 2500, f/2.2, SS 1/800

Day 57: Toesies

I am so happy with how this photo turned out.  It was for a crop assignment in "Oh So Composed" and I combined it with the aperture perspective principles I learned a few weeks ago to focus on just Rose's little toes while she sat in the afternoon sunlight streaming through the window into Clara's bedroom.  There were books and toys and pillows strewn about her that I didn't want in the image (the room was seriously a disaster) so the close crop and low aperture helped to minimize those distractions.  And by cropping her face partially out of the frame (without decapitating her in the process) it kept the focus on the toes instead of first looking to a blurry face and only second noticing her feet.  Yay for a picture I feel really good about!



50mm, ISO 2500, f/2.5, SS 1/640

Day 56: Frozen Bananas

There are multiple frozen banana stands on Balboa Island that claim to be the original.  We went to "Dad's Original Frozen Banana" stand and got two of the - one with toasted coconut and sprinkles, and the other with chopped peanuts.  They were delicious and I love this picture of the girls sharing.



24 mm, ISO 2500, f/4.0, SS 1/2000

Day 55: Magic Kingdom

It was insanely hot at Disneyland, but Rose and I found a spot in the shade to wait for the parade to start while Paul and Clara were riding Star Tours (2x in a row because Clara said she wanted to).  Like last time, the parade was the highlight of the day for the girls.



35mm, ISO 1000, f/4.0, SS 1/2500

Day 54: Sunset

Paul had a work retreat in southern California, so the girls and I tagged along to make a weekend out of it.  His firm put everybody up at Terranea, which was absolutely amazing.  We flew down Friday morning and Paul spent the day in meetings while I took the girls to say hi to Tabby in Asuza.  Then we met up to go swimming at the pool with Paul before he went back to the firm dinner that evening.  I took this picture of the girls on the lawn behind our room after we showered and cleaned up to go get dinner ourselves.  They were looking over the Pacific Ocean watching the sun sink lower and lower on the horizon. 



ISO 400, 28 mm, f/6.3, SS 1/400

Day 53: Fairy Catchers

At the farmer's market each week there is a booth with a free craft for the kids.  This week it was making "kites" on wooden dowels.  But I told Clara they were fairy catchers and after they were finished the girls and I went over by some trees and swatted the fairy catchers around, snagging fairies left and right and then releasing most of them back into the trees.  Although Clara told me that she had stuffed a few down her shirt to keep until we got home.  When she hopped out of the car at our house, she ran out into the yard, stuck her hand down her shirt, and let the fairies go so that we have some at our house now. 



65 mm, ISO 1000, f/4.0, SS 1/1600

Day 52: Beef Wellington

Ugh, this photo is so not awesome.  But it is all I took for the day.  A friend of mine has come over most Wednesdays this past year and we have tried recipes that have elements that are more challenging for us and since she is moving next week we decided to attempt Chef Gordon Ramsay's Beef Wellington this week.  It involved a mushroom duxelles, an herb crepe, Prosciutto di Parma and filet mignon, all wrapped in buttery puff pastry.  I was super pleased with the cook - it was a perfect medium rare, but overall it wasn't bad but not my favorite thing ever.  Paul said he loved it though. 

 

50 mm, ISO 4000, f/2.5, SS 1/250

Day 51: Vineyard

There is a vineyard not far from the gym I go to and we stopped by this afternoon after my bodypump class so we could explore a bit.  When the girls realized the vines were covered in dark blue grapes they started pulling off tiny bunches and sampling them.  Their hands and faces were covered in juice but they were so happy.


105 mm, ISO 100, f/4.0, SS 1/160

60 mm, ISO 100, f/4.0, SS 1/80

60 mm, ISO 100, f/4.0, SS 1/80

Day 50: Beauty

I took the girls to the historic park near our house tonight to take some picture in front of the weathered barn doors for pattern and texture as part of this week's composition assignment.  This close-up of Clara is my favorite image.  Rose wouldn't stick close and just ran away the whole time and since it was 101 degrees I just let her go and we only stayed for about 10 minutes.

50 mm, ISO 1000, f/3.5, SS 1/1000

Day 49: Trombone

We had Sunday evening dessert at Paul's cousin's house and when we got there their second oldest was practicing the trombone.  It's a new thing for him and his parents kept telling him to put it away.  I'm sure its grating on their nerves to hear him learn to play this new instrument inexpertly everyday, but gosh it was fun and funny to watch and listen for a few minutes before he complied.



50 mm, ISO 4000, f/3.5, SS 1/60

Day 48: This Guy

Paul works so hard.  At his job, on our house, and in his role as husband and father.  He spent today tearing out the horribly stained and disgusting carpet in the living room, then ripping out old wood tile flooring that was underneath that and installing new baseboard.  Hopefully the new carpet will go in soon.  He does all of the baseboard cutting in the garage and I took this picture of him between cuts.  He was goofing off for the camera, telling me to take a picture of his smolder and making ridiculous faces and such, but this image is my favorite - it is the most true to how I see him in my mind's eye. 



50 mm, ISO 1000, f/2.0, SS 1/1600

Day 47: Giggles

We found this bridge next to a park where we met some friends for visiting teaching.  The girls weren't at all interested in letting me take their photo but once I gave up and started playing Trolls and Billy Goats Gruff with them, Clara perked up enough to ask me if she could take a picture with my camera.  I showed her how to hold it and got everything set up and this is what she came up with (I cropped it because it was terribly crooked, but still, not too bad). 



58 mm, ISO 1000, f/5.6, SS 1/250

Day 46: Headshot

It was so frustrating learning how to take this picture and I really had to figure a bunch of stuff out to do it.  Like setting up and balancing the tripod (harder than it looks actually, at least for me), using the camera remote and figuring out how to shoot with an interval setting and a self-timer, manually focusing the camera, and really pushing myself with aperture (shooting at anything below f/2.0 and I couldn't get both eyes in focus without being physically behind the camera to check on what was happening).  I also branched out and started exploring light by trying to get catch lights in my eyes.  I read somewhere that taking photos in the garage with the sun bouncing off the driveway in front of you was a good place, so as soon as the girls went down for naps, I backed the minivan out and set up a couple of chairs with a blanket draped over them for a backdrop and that is exactly what I did.  I might submit this for the self-portrait challenge at the TPE Student Lounge but I think I might want to try to get a different type of shot if I can find the time because while I like this headshot in general, it is embarrassing to have my face be so ... in your face, I guess.  I showed this picture to Clara and she immediately asked, "but where is your smile?" which makes me feel like this isn't a very accurate depiction of who I am, but also makes me happy that she when she pictures me in her head it is with a smile.



50 mm, ISO 400, f/2.0, SS 1/1250

Day 45: Swimmers

The girls started a new session of swimming lessons today.  It goes until December 16th and we almost didn't do it, but the girls love it so much.  They have progressed really well over the past summer and I am loathe to give any of that up when Clara is so close to being a completely independent swimmer.  So here we go again!



50 mm, ISO 4000, f/5, SS 1/250

Day 44: Fall

We tried out a new park this afternoon and found two trees that looked like they were on fire with red and orange leaves.  Clara loves gathering what she calls "rainbow leaves" and we pretended to be looking for and catching forest fairies who had been changing the colors of the leaves.



50 mm, ISO 1000, f/2.8, SS 1/800

Day 43: Dinnertime

The days have felt long lately.  Long hours for Paul, difficult sleep patterns/transitions for the girls both at night and during the day, household chores that never end, etc.  By the end of the day the girls and I are always looking forward to Paul getting home, hopefully before bedtime.  It is almost always just me and the girls for dinner.



50 mm, ISO 5000, f/4, SS 1/100

Day 42: Face Painting

There is a historic site near us called Ravenswood that is an old Victorian cottage on about 30 acres of vineyard and orchard that is only open to the public twice a month, always on Sunday afternoon.  They planted 80 rare apple varieties and each September have a small free apple festival where you can taste these rare apples, have your face painted, and help make fresh apple cider with a cider press.  Since Paul had been gone all weekend on a work retreat, we opted to go spend some family time together there when he got back this afternoon. 



85 mm, ISO 400, f/6.3, SS 1/320

Day 41: Produce

We went to the farmer's market this morning and I couldn't help but taking photos of some of the beautiful produce we saw there.  I had thoughts of taking pictures of the girls but the market was crowded with senior citizens who cast me dirty looks as the girls pinwheeled around the place, so I put Rose back in the stroller and had Clara keep one hand on it.  So pictures of produce it is.



93 mm, ISO 320, f/4.0, SS 1/500

32 mm, ISO 320, f/4.0, SS 1/250

Day 40: Ikea

Another three digit day called for swimming lessons in the afternoon followed by an afternoon trip to Ikea to pick up some picture frames for a collage wall we are doing in the living room.  The girls got ice cream as a treat afterwards and Rose got it all over herself. 

 

50 mm, ISO 500, f/8, SS 1/160

Day 39: Cannonball

Another day of heat, another day doing our best to stay cool.  Thank goodness for friends with a pool at their complex.  Clara was jumping off the edge of the pool like crazy but when I got out to take a photo of her she immediately stopped doing it.  I got lucky and later on she started it up again and didn't pay attention when I snuck back into our bag to pull the camera out so I could snap this picture.



40 mm, ISO 400, f/4, SS 1/1000

Day 38: Sprinklers

It was a crazy 105 degrees today.  Where did the fall weather go?!  When we got home from picking Clara up after preschool we ate popsicles and played in the sprinklers to stay cool.  I know our days like this are numbered with fall around the corner so I should be grateful for them while they last.  The girls certainly are.

50 mm, ISO 400, f/4.0, SS 1/400

Day 37: Bathroom

Today I was sort of challenged to find opportunities within my home to implement some of the new composition techniques I have been learning about as part of the second photography class I am taking.  The homework for this week includes a challenge to take all five images of the same subject in the same location using each of the composition techniques (PALAS - peeking, aperture, low, aerial, sweeping) we are discussing.  So I decided to try it out in the bathroom this afternoon while Rose was stuck on the toilet in a continuation of her potty training (she's doing great, btw - only 2 accidents a day the past two days). 

 

"Peeking" perspective - taken inside the tub/shower peeking past the curtains.

 

24 mm, ISO 3200, f/4.0, SS 1/200

"Aperture" perspective - focused on the Hershey's Kiss I was using to incentivize Rose to go number 2 (this is her biggest struggle - she knows to run to the bathroom when she needs to do it but seems to get anxiety about going through with it).

70 mm, ISO 3200, f/4.0, SS 1/160

"Low" perspective - I actually laid down in the bathtub for this shot and the girls thought it was totally strange of me but were cracking up when I realized there was still some water in a loofah or something that soaked my shorts while I was in there.

24 mm, ISO 3200, f/4.0, SS 1/160

"Aerial" perspective - Stood up on the edge of the tub for this one.  I have no shame to post what a total mess this bathroom is.  Not only is it messy, but its the last room in the house that hasn't been remodeled (and probably won't be for a while).

24 mm, ISO 3200, f/4.0, SS 1/200

"Sweeping" perspective - not exactly a grand sweeping picture, but I stepped back into the hallway and took as sweeping of a picture as I could get in the little bathroom. 

28 mm, ISO 3200, f/4.0, SS 1/320

 

This was fun little experiment and I am going to try to keep doing all 5 PALAS techniques as much as possible. 

Day 36: Labor Day

We played hard this labor day.  Paul spent the morning tearing out the warped, old deck in the backyard while the girls played nearby.  Then this afternoon we went to pool at an apartment complex where a bunch of friends live and had a pool party and cookout with a bunch of friends.  The girls loved swimming and completely wore themselves out. 



24 mm, ISO 400, f/9, SS 1/320

Day 35: Umbrella

Almost every day we go outside in the backyard and sit under the shade of the tree or this patio umbrella that my mom got for Clara for her first birthday (I think).  We love this thing and have had many happy picnics underneath it.



50 mm, ISO 200, f/8, SS 1/100

Day 34: Apples

We went apple picking today at the same orchard we go to every year.  They have a cute barn and store area where they sell pie by the slice and it is delicious.  These two shots are my favorites of the day, using some of the composition techniques I have been learning about in the photography class I am taking that starts up next week.

50 mm, ISO 200, f/1.4, SS 1/2500

45 mm, ISO 200, f/4.5, SS 1/250

 

Day 33: Reflection

This is not much of an image but it's all I've got for today.  Paul has been working long hours and actually got home today around 5:00 p.m. (he also left the house before 5:00 a.m.), so we celebrated by going out for dinner at Cheesecake factory and were given a round corner booth.  By the end of the meal, these mirrors were coated with grime from our girls' sticky fingers and there was a puddle of water and melting ice cubes beneath our feet.  Clara and Rose seriously treated that booth like they were in an 80's hair band and it was a hotel room on their first tour.  I think that I might try to take a self-portrait once a month or something.  This is (barely) a start.



50 mm, ISO 1000, f/2.8, SS 1/100

Day 32: Library

Whenever we go to the library we end up with a huge stack of books to bring home.  Mostly because we never sit and read at the library because Rose is constantly running off or screaming (the librarians literally come check on us to see what the ruckus is all about).  Clara loves checking out our library materials all on her own.  I just should have laid the sign down that is blocking Rose's head. 



50 mm, ISO 1250, f/2.5, SS 1/125

Day 31: Leading Lines

Bear with me on this post because I am including more photos than normal.  The weekly challenge for the TPE Student Lounge is leading lines.  I have read about using leading lines in composition and while it sounds and looks straightforward, I feel like it is a concept that I have been struggling with.  But that's good because it is challenging me and that will help my skills grow, right?  Anyway, we had a morning with no plans and cooler temps, so we drove to Sycamore Grove to go for a walk on a flat trail (with the hope that flat terrain would lead to less complaining from Clara - it did not).  There was a beautiful old sycamore with branches that dipped and touched the earth and the girls had fun climbing on the "sycamore playground".  I kind of think that the crooked branches actually create some more unusual leading lines.

 

50 mm, ISO 800, f/2.8, SS 1/1600

50 mm, ISO 800, f/2.8, SS 1/1600

But it also gave me opportunities to practice another compositional technique - framing.

50 mm, ISO 800, f/2.8, SS 1/3200

And the Rule of Thirds with my little monkey, who probably should not be hanging from that right arm yet until the doctor says her collarbone is all better.

50 mm, ISO 800, f/2.8, SS 1/1600

 

This next shot of Clara on her scooter is another attempt finding leading lines.  Again I feel like it isn't the most traditional approach, at least from the examples I have seen, but I think it qualifies. 

 

50 mm, ISO 250, f/2.8, SS 1/3200

And one last image, from inside a hollow sycamore tree looking at a carving somebody did at some point.  I love the lighting and the framing opportunity this picture gave me.

50 mm, ISO 250, f/2.8, SS 1/640

Day 30: Bribery

Tonight I hit an all-time low and attempted to bribe Rose with Ben & Jerry's New York Super Chunk Fudge to go number two on the toilet.  It didn't work.  She got the ice cream anyway because it was melting and I didn't want to eat it all.  You can see it rimming her lips in this headshot.  Rose's face, when I showed her the little bowl of chocolate ice cream, was pure joy, desperation, and hope though and absolutely worth the unsuccessful attempt at manipulating her compliance.  So Clara, who had her own little bowl, Rose and I sat there in the bathroom with Rose on the toilet and Clara and me sitting on the floor, indulging in a special treat. The good news is that Rose's ability to tinkle on the potty is coming along (we are up to 4 times a day) and that has given me enough encouragement to decide there is no going back at this point.

 

50 mm, ISO 800, f/1.8, SS 1/160