#Instasize

For a little while now, I've been seeing hastag-Instasize.  I'm all like, "what the heck is that?"  Turns out, it's kinda everything.  For too long I have had to crop out way too much when I upload a picture to Instagram, it's too much if you ask me, but now, I don't have too.  Feast your finger (via the app button) on Instasize.  Instasize has put an end to cropping all sortsa good things out of my pictures and for that I say, "thanks, Instasize!"  So, use it Ladies, use it all up!

Pictures Have Never Been Easier

When I was pregnant with Arden, Jim and I decided that we needed to get a "good" camera.  Sorry, rinky-dink point and shoot, but we wanted "profesh" grade pictures of our kids.  We did minimal research and found a camera that we love(d).  Naturally, we ran to Target that very day and plunked down our benjamins and walked out with a camera that was more expensive than my wedding dress.  That camera is amazing.  The photo quality is impeccable and I absolutely LOVE the moments that have been captured, like these:

But as time goes on, I'm reaching for our big,  good camera less and less; these days, it's all about my iPhone 4s and as it turns out, I don't think I'm alone.  I've been reading on a few other mom-blogs about the camera phone replacing a professional grade quality camera and like these women, I'm not feeling bad about it.  I'm sure each of them have their reasons, mine is two-fold: first, I'm trying harder to capture more organic moments and lugging around a two pound camera with a big, dangly strap isn't conducive to that and second, I'm lazy; obviously, laziness is more of a factor than I care to admit.

Lately, I've been feeling a little guilty.  After capturing hundreds of moments with the good camera during Jameslyn's first week, the dslr camera has been sitting on the counter since then, staring at me.  However, my phone, which is in my hand more than it should be (tisk, tisk), has been snapping away.  One day, I'm very sure that I will be glad that I've heard the apple-camera-snap more than the authentic dslr click and I've all but resigned myself to the fact that these pictures are going to make up the majority of my children's photo documentation.

Despite my acceptance of my phone replacing my dslr, I wish that phone pictures were better quality.  But wait, there's hope for people like me and it goes a little something like this: photo editing apps and basic photographic skill, both of which Kelle Hampton has helped me explore.  Recently, I read her how-to tips and I'm glad that I did, these are all useful, practical ideas that can be used with both a dslr and a camera phone.  After a few days of being conscious of her tips while taking pictures, I think my point of view behind the lens has changed... for the better.

Don't get me wrong though, photo editing apps like Afterlight are still my jam and for good reason, the quality of the iPhone will never hold a candle to the dslr (check out the before and after below).  These days, with a little luck and the right exposure, I'm pleased with the photos that I'm taking; although, I think it helps that the subjects of my photos are beyond cute, because there ain't no app for that!

Family Pictures

Over the weekend, we I decided to get family pictures taken.  We went to a chain picture snapping store and we scheduled the first appointment of the day.  After twenty minutes of different poses and promising candy and then taking it away, we finally managed to get a few adorable pictures of everyone, myself included!  We bought the "rights" to the pictures so we got a cd with the originals on them and I know from the picture numbers that we took about 70 frames in order to come up with about 15-20 good shots; there's a lesson in all of this, be patient... and if you ever work in a chain picture store, don't ever show up to work hung over, that would be a nightmare.

Here's some of the winners:

And here's one picture that me laugh, allow me to explain.  Before we went, I told the boys that they could do a silly picture. However, they didn't get that you only do one silly picture so here were their faces every time the photographer told us to say cheese; for about three seconds they'd be completely fine and smiling and then she'd step away to take the picture and they be like this:

I love this picture so much, because it's an accurate representation of who they really are.  The photographer wanted me to get birth announcements for Jameslyn using this picture and I declined... but if I did, here's what they would say:

Friday Short

Buy this app, it's worth the $.99; trust me.

Going To The Chapel

I love wedding pictures.  But I mean really, does anyone not love wedding pictures?  Probably, but by now, those people have already stopped reading.  Here are some pictures from before the ceremony that I was able to snap as Megan got ready on Saturday.

It's The Bangs, Right

Arden is fascinated with technology.  He knows how to slide open both the iPad and my iPhone.  He can then go to YouTube, our PBS app or the video app and watch his favorite things.  I'm pretty sure that there are some adults that I know that couldn't do this... ahem, Dad.  He loves it when I let him have a photo shoot and by that I mean that he clicks the picture button a hundred times before I say, alright that's enough.

The other day, he wasn't feeling well and so I scooped him onto my lap and he started snapping away.  Three or four days later, when I went to delete most of the pictures, I stumbled on this one; don't we look like twins?  I'm pretty sure that it's the bangs and the hair color, but it's cool, I'm still going to claim it.  I don't think that either of my children look like me.  Obviously, Cullen looks just like Jim and I think Arden looks like my Dad, who he calls Pa- just like Little House on the Prairie.  I've said before that our third child will be the tie breaker and then Jim and I will be able to claim victory in the genes department.

So, I guess if I'm going to get more pictures where I look like my kids that it's worth letting them take hundreds of shots while my picture count soars into the thousands.

 

My Grandpa's Style

I have seen this picture before.  Apparently, old school picture organization came in the form of rolodexes and we are lucky enough that my Dad's parents were picture loving people- I surely get this from them.  So, this means that we have pictures upon pictures, some from meaningful occasions and other randoms that were just "because" shots- I'm thinking this is a just because shot.

Recently, I've been obsessed with Macklemore's Thrift Shop, which is not appropriate for small ears, so don't Google it while they're around.  But there's a lyric that really hits me and makes me think of this picture

I'ma take your grandpa's style, I'ma take your grandpa's style,

No for real- ask your grandpa- can I have his hand-me-downs?

Velour jumpsuit and some house slippers

I can't help but think about this picture, taken in 1970, 43 years ago and how it's still relevant today.  I also can't help but think that I come from a long line of people with tons of swagger- we're confident and cool; velour jumpsuits are part of that look, y'all.  So next time that I'm feeling down and thinking that I'm not as hip and cool as I used to be (and yes, at one point I was very cool), I can remember this: one day, my grandchildren will hopefully be listening to a popular song and be like, "that reminds me of my grandma; she's one cool gal."

Really, Real

One of the kinda annoying things about me is that I tend to under report "realness" up on this blog, but let me just reassure everyone that things aren't always rosy-colored puppy kisses, and sometimes things just don't go as planned.

Now, let me tell you about one of those times.  Recently, we attempted to have the four of us be all cute and take some photos for our annual fall photo shoot; yeah, that didn't go so well... in fact, it was kind of a fail.

So here are the top 5 fails of the day:

#5

#4

#3

#2

#1

Okay, so it didn't work out quite the way I anticipated, but here's the thing: at least we were all unhappy together... at the beach, so it wasn't all bad.  (I just can't let the optimism go, right?)  In happier news, we rescheduled the photo shoot and got some fantastic pictures, which I will be posting soon.

Thanks for lettin' me keep it real, I'm sure there will be plenty more of this to come.

My Baby

This picture gets me every time.  

Every. 

Single. 

Time.  

There's nothing more that I can say and nothing more that can be written. 

The Politician and The Rock Star

I think every parent at one time or another tries to project their child into the future and take a guess at what they will become; I do the exact same thing.  The boys had their picture day at school recently and before they left, I made them get pictures for me; it was a picture before picture day thing, I'm pretty sure that all parents love to do this, right?  (It's kind of like if you ever had someone coming into clean your house, you always clean up first, right?)  The pictures turned out okay, but it was what I realized after I took them that made them more meaningful.  I'm calling this picture the The Politician and The Rock Star.

Arden, of course, is the Politician and Cullen will forever be the Rock Star.  It's more than just how they look in their school gear, it's the legendary personalities that these two groups of people tend to have.  Rock Stars are loud and boisterous (try getting Jagger to sit for a picture) and that's my Cullen, he's 100% rock and roll. And Arden, well he's quiet and unassuming, but don't mistake this for weakness, he runs the show and up in here; he's got the power.

Happy Picture Day 2012.

Here's Another One

Not too long ago, I wrote an entry about a picture of my Mother and I that I really enjoy and I elaborated in that post that there were other pictures that I felt similarly about, well here's another picture.  My niece was fortunate enough to be born with 1 Great Grandparent and let me tell you, he adored her.  She was born shortly before Christmas and he was not in the best of health when she was born, but that Christmas was magical.  He stared intently at her and didn't want to put her down; I'm pretty sure that he fell in love with her the moment he saw her.  He wasn't with us nearly long enough to see the little girl she's become, so this picture means a lot to me.  It captures the innocence and wonder that a child can bring to anyone's life, regardless of their age.

I didn't have enough time with most of my Grandparents and the time that I did have came while I wasn't old enough to appreciate it.  This picture reminds me me that family instincts, bonding and love, transcend generations and health conditions, they are literally boundless and something to be remembered and memorialized as often as possible.

Olympics Party

This Friday, friends and family gathered to watch the opening ceremonies of the XXX Olympic games and it was awesome.  There were lots of Pinterest inspired delights and an Olympic ring installation that came out almost better than I expected.  Please enjoy some pictures of the day.  I will be posting some how to's in the days to come.