May 13, 2013

Just checking in. We all had colds over the last couple of weeks, so I had to get through that. I feel like all creative progress has been slowed, because I can't write through a headache. My fatigue has been so overwhelming today that I had to have a little meltdown of frustration and discouragement before fixing the kids their lunch. I am taking a multivitamin, Floradix iron and herbs, vit c, garlic, vitex berry, eating decent and seeing no improvement whatsoever. Staying off the gluten keeps me from extra discomfort and inflammation. But I can barely drag myself through my day on 9 hours of uninterrupted sleep.

It doesn't help that the house is torn apart because we knocked down a wall in our living room. My living area is 10 by 16, and it has felt cramped no matter how I rearrange it. We expanded the office nook into a dining area that we never used, and now have an extra 9 by 17 room that feels much more open. It's going to take a while to finish the drywall work, repaint everything, carpet it (because it's two different types of flooring and uneven), and then arrange the furniture. We will have desk space for 3 computers, Mac's business stuff, and a long table for my crafting/kid art. I'm painting the long wall a dark color like Martha Stewart Poppy Seed or something similar. The rest of our walls are Pewter Tankard (from Sherwin Williams). I want less color and visual clutter (no more granny chic and colorful boho), so I'm going with a rustic industrial palette of white, grey, black, brown and mustard.

The kids are going through one of their unmotivated periods. The only way I can get them to do anything is to dangle screen time as the reward. It's not even really hot yet, and they don't want to be outside. In springtime past, I would hardly even see the kids during the day, because they'd be out in the backyard for hours. That would be more convenient right now. W & N have watched 4 seasons of an X-Men cartoon on Netflix in the last week or so. I'm needing more structure that I don't have to orchestrate. I'm thinking about signing up with Veritas Press self-paced history again. G & J are working through all of http://more.starfall.com, and the new first grade content. She is still not reading, though she knows some sight words and phonics. J is picking up on several sight words; he will probably start reading sooner than she will. I'm still really surprised with all the world's technological advances that I haven't found better than Starfall and Veritas. Apparently, there's no money in educational content.

Photos from Veterans Park 5-4-2013

Photos taken after a practice shoot of mothers and children yesterday. A humbling experience rife with rookie mistakes, but I learned a lot from it. I'm happier with the earthy shots of my kids in the gardens there. I've been experimenting with shooting with with low apertures, and wasn't quite prepared for how shallow the depth of field really gets!

My blog has getting more attention from me this week than the past month. I only like to post when I have photos, and only have photos when I have more free time to play. I'm still writing every day; for my zine, and for the contributor blog.

Not currently reading anything; it's been a tv week catching up on Call the Midwife. Kids are learning all about dog and cat breeds. It's all they talk about!

Don't forget to come see me on Pinterest!

More bridal shoot photos

 Here are some more photos I've processed. I was using a rental lens; a Nikon 24-70, and I have to say, while it was nice to be able to zoom in and out and change the composition quickly, prime lenses are definitely growing on me as being my favorite. I would like my next lens purchase to be a 35mm, and then I think I will have all the ones I need.

We also took photos indoors, in natural light and in flash, and the natural light ones turned out underexposed. Big learning curve there. I'm happy for the things I was able to experiment and learn from this shoot!

me at scarborough fair

Taken by my oldest boy.

We visited Scarborough Fair on student day with our homeschool group, and saw other friends there as well. It was a hot and sweaty afternoon, but we had a nice, relaxed day. The school buses leave by 2:30pm, and the park clears out so that you can stroll around without the hectic crowds.

The kids have to have the smoked turkey legs, and I always grumble about the price. But it's a once a year tradition, and worth it for the memories.

a friend's bridal shoot

 I had the privilege of doing my friend's bridal photography this past Monday, and love how her photos turned out. She has great style, and is very easy to photograph!

A Waldorf-inspired Homeschool

My first post of a two part series on So You Call Yourself a Homeschooler is live today! I'm sharing what inspires me about waldorf education, and how I incorporate it in my mostly unschooling home. Check it out!

April 11, 2013

Here's what I'm up to:

• Ordering some books to read on my topics o' the month. Hooray for happy book mail!

• Taking part in a focus group to start a new contemporary service at my church, where I might be on the worship team. I've had two meetings this week, and the plans sound exciting.

• Finishing up the 4H semester; I'm always relieved when it's done, but thankful I've done it. I'm already thinking about the project I will lead next fall. I learn so much every time I do this.

• Planning the layout and topics for my new zine. Blogging has never been a big satisfaction for me; to spend so much time on a post (and the corresponding photo, I'm a perfectionist) and then let it sit there in cyberspace. It's why I don't really post more thoughtful, useful content here anymore. Printed words have more permanence; it can sit on your shelf and be read over and over. Let's bring print back!

• In order to do this, I bought a cheap & portable word processor that I can write without distraction of email and Pinterest.

• Planning my classes for our homeschool co-op. I'm leading Lego Challenge and gym, and that starts next week. 

• I've started a local meetup for creative journaling and zine publishing. I know it's a rare breed that is into this kind of thing, but if it takes a long time to get going, I'm okay with that.

• Writing articles for So You Call Yourself a Homeschooler. I will be contributing once a month. I'll let you all know when my next post is up!

I haven't been *this* busy (especially with things I actually want to do) in a very long time, but so far, my health is cooperating for the most part, and my house is staying decent.

Wood Crafting with Children

My wood crafting project for our local 4H group finished up yesterday. Here's what we did:

• Practiced knife technique and safety; carved soap
• Debarked and whittled pine branches
• Carved an arrowhead shape out of basswood
• Made little wood "boats" and sewed a felt mast
• Sanded and stained tic tac toe boards

 

I planned activities that were entirely different than what I originally envisioned. I think that is important, to be flexible, when you're leading a group of kids and you don't know their skill or comfort level. I am still happy with how the projects turned out, and my students had a good time. When I told them it was their last class, they groaned and said, "Do we have to stop already?"

 

the menagerie

My mom called and told me two ferrets had been dumped in her apartment dumpster, so I have added them to our backyard menagerie. We have 9 hens, 2 ferrets, 2 cats, and a corgi.

How to Choose a Photographer for Your Family Portraits Part 2

In part one, we discussed the reasons to hire a professional photographer to take portraits of your family.

How do you find one? Your best bets may be:

• Facebook - most people who get portraits done post them here, and often tag the photographer's business page. 
• Pinterest - Photographers often create pin boards for inspiration for photo shoots, and pin some of their work as well.
• Word of Mouth - Ask around. If you love a print hanging on your friend's wall, they will be happy to share with you who took them. 

So, how can you tell someone has the talent and technical know-how to trust with your images?

• A consistent portfolio - beginners have happy accidents that may look impressive in their gallery, but they might not know how to replicate it for your shoot. What a disappointment that would be! You don't want to see distracting backgrounds anywhere in the gallery; that shows a lack of attention to detail. Images should processed with a clean timeless look, not heavily relying on filters or exaggerated color treatments that are trendy. Is the exposure correct? Are faces shrouded in shadows, or bleached out? Is there a greenish cast to the skintones? Are the eyes sharp, and do the subjects look connected with the camera? 

•  Posing - Are subjects posed in the most flattering way? Body language should look natural, and hands relaxed. Professionals have been trained in posing to make bodies look their best.

Each photographer has a genre that they find most exciting to photograph. Their portfolio should reflect what they love to shoot, and the type of client they are hoping to attract. If their website features lots of families and children, you can be sure that they are passionate for subjects of all ages. Same goes for glamour, maternity, weddings, boudoir, etc. Experienced photographers have a 'style', which is defined by their preferred use of lighting (whether natural or flash), and color. You'll notice some photos have vibrant color tones in processing, and others may use more muted, earthy tones. Some photographers excel in the traditionally posed family portrait with handpainted backdrop, while others use a photojournalistic approach that documents relaxed and candid family moments. And if you desire a family portrait taken at the Botanic Gardens, you will find many that specialize in that, too.

What style appeals to you? Photographers want you to be delighted with the folio of images that they present to you, so choose one that aligns with your vision as close as possible. Communication is essential! A pre-session consultation helps everyone be clear on the expectations for the shoot and finished product, so ask if this is included in your price quote.

I hope I've helped you make a more informed decision for your family. Thanks for reading!