Continual State of Becoming

Week 16:  Snowscapes We had a decent amount of snow this week, which gave me plenty of opportunities to play around with my camera and all my lenses.  I think each one is represented here at some point (50mm, 28mm, 55-300 zoom, and even the lensbaby).  I absolutely love snow, especially when we are able to get out and play in it (which we did a few times, I just didn't pick those photos for this post).

"Sledding is sooo fun, and just a little bit terrifying." He's almost seven.  I can't believe it.  Matt and I jokingly told him that since his birthday falls on Easter this year, he doesn't get a birthday and that means he has to stay 6.  I love the idea, he wasn't so crazy about it.  Since he won't stop growing up, I guess I'll just have to keep capturing moments like these. This is the first winter he's really into to sledding (Aaron on the other hand, still finds sledding completely terrifying).  There's a bigger hill about a quarter of a mile from the house, but since it was only like 9 degrees out and we don't have proper snow gear I told him he could sled in the backyard instead.  He still had a blast. He got bonus points for learning to roll out of the sled before crashing into the trees. It was so ridiculously cold.

Continuing with more color photos (see the red pictures), this time orange.  A little warmth for the coldest day in the DC area since 1896.

Lens Baby, medium wide aperture, ISO 100, 1/4000ss Lens Baby, smallest aperture, ISO 200, 1/500ss Week 15 (February 13):  Sunsets The sun is starting to set a little later, closer to dinner time, the extra light is a wonderful thing, especially for picture taking.  I think I've also found something fun to do with the Lens Baby lens.  I'm going to try and shoot interesting sky shots for a while (until I return the lens) and see how that goes.  I like these so far, plus shooting at the sun actually gets enough light into the lens to keep the images from being super dark, blurry, and noisy... which is why I was finally able to use the smallest aperture and finally get some level of sharpness with this lens.

"But the thing that got me through that moment, and any other time that I’ve felt stuck, is to remind myself that it’s about the work. Because if you’re worrying about yourself—if you’re thinking: ‘Am I succeeding? Am I in the right position? Am I being appreciated?’ --- then you’re going to end up feeling frustrated and stuck. But if you can keep it about the work, you’ll always have a path. There’s always something to be done.” -Barack Obama (via Humans of New York)

Happy Valentine's Day I just finished reading a photography book I picked up at the library this week (National Geographic's Life in Color).  It's all about vibrant color photography, and while I typically shy away from color (in life and in photography), I adored the book.  It was broken into sections based on a color and the whole time I was looking through the absolutely stunning images I kept thinking "huh, I have some colorful pictures, I wouldn't have thought I did, but I do."  So I've decided to put some of my own pictures together and share them in one space much like the book.  Mine aren't quite as stunning, but then again, I'm not a National Geographic photographer either.  My real hope in doing this is that I break into the world of color a little more. And since it's Valentine's Day (which we don't really celebrate, other than by having Dylan fill out names on his school valentine's day cards) I decided that red

Carry On by fun. For running.  Though I technically don't listen to music when I run I will occasionally sing my own songs in my head (or out loud if no one is around).  I actually like it better because I can just repeat the parts that resonate over and over again.  From this it's often "My head is on fire, but my legs are fine" or "May your past be the sound of your feet upon the ground" or "We are shining stars, We are invincible, We are who we are, On our darkest day, When we're miles away, With hope we will find out way home."  I also really like singing "I Want to Break Free" by Queen.  Because it just sounds like he's letting go and giving everything and finding his own power when he sings that song.  And because it helps me feel like I'm letting go and giving it everything and finding my own power by busting through my own self limiting barriers when I run.  ps- the official music video for this song is bonkerssssss

50mm, ISO 160, f/8.0, 1/125s, with speed light Week 14 (February 5): Bathtime I'm trying to make more of an effort at taking photos with both kids in the same shot.  I'd really like to capture how they interact together.  So here they are playing in the tub together.  They enjoy bath time and get along pretty well (especially when there are no toys to fight over).  This was taken before the dreaded hair washing.  Dylan is pretty cooperative, but Aaron isn't quite so understanding.  I usually have to climb into the tub with them, corner Aaron, use one hand to hold his chin up while I use the other hand to soak, soap, and rinse his head as fast as possible (and I feel terrible while doing it, like I'm waterboarding my 2 year old, but I try and remind myself that I'm doing this out of love... and fear of lice).  There is lots of screaming involved, but the whole process only takes about 30 seconds and as soon as I'm finished Aaron says "all done all don

Not the race, but the runner. -George Sheehan

In an effort to meet more photography people online I am participating in a new link up.  Looking forward to seeing some great images :)

50mm, ISO 100, f/13, 0.8s