In my bag!

I have been asked recently what kind of equipment I have, use.  Well, I'll share my dears!  I want to start off by saying though, that I am a little spoiled, have grandparents in the field and all, and get some pretty great software and equipment as gifts.  I can in no way afford this great stuff, and in all honesty, you really don't need it.  However, there are a few items in my must have bag...

First off my main squeeze is my Nikon D7000.  This is my baby, my love, and also an incredible gift from my mother. I also have  Nikon D5000, and if you would like to buy it, no lens though, let me know.  It is smudged a little with gesso!  Not kidding! For my everyday lens, I keep a 18-108 3.5, but I prefer my prime lens, 35mm 1.8.  If I were loaded, I would go for the 1.4, but anyways...  I would love a macro, but that just won't be happening for a while.   I am a huge lover of DSLR's.  I used to use a film SLR and I love being able to change lenses for what I need. Since I mostly take shots of kids, I need some serious fast shutter speed.  I have never been able to get clear kid shots with a point and shoot! ...I love talking light, f-stops and the such. I am a little nerdy in that way.    I also have a fisheye adapter, this is a cheap $20 plastic lens, that fits on a basic kit lens, but I don't have a lens like that anymore.  However, it does fit on my 1.8 but only gives me a wide angle effect.  For $20 you can't beat it.  I took these with that adapter!

hehe...this last one is of Hogwarts at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando! Woot!  If you think this adapter is awesome, let me know and I will send you the link!  It takes full fisheye that look like this...

You can crop this image into a nice square and you won't see the circle.  I do it all the time!

Now, I firmly believe you can get incredible pics without all this great stuff.  Light, knowing how to use your camera, and creativity will let you get great shots with any camera.  Just look how much I post pics from my iphone!

Now, software.  Well, honestly, I have it all.  But what I use for simple things, for layering textures, and for doing templates into books, is Elements.  But, what I really use for everything, and I highly recommend if you can or want to edit, is Lightroom!!!  I also have full photoshop, and honestly, I just don't go there.

For my video, I used my oldest daughters video camera, and she has a SamsungOIS or something. It is in full HD.  Lucky her to have this great camera, she saved!!!, and lucky me I get to use it!!!  I edited my video in imovie.  Yes, we are a huge family of mac heads! (FIL law used to work for Apple, and you know what they say...once you go mac, you never go back!  HAHA, that was naughty!) ...If I didn't have her video camera, I would have used my phone which takes great video as well!

I don't have a speedlight, yet, and I rarely use my built in flash.  If I were to use that flash, I would recommend putting a white card in front of the flash to soften the pics, or to buy a plastic puffer.  They work well, and are only a few bucks.  I would rather have a soft pic than ugly flash face!  Just my opinion.

Oh, I also have a tripod, but not a good one.  MUST get a better tripod.  Such an amazing tool to have. I also have a cordless remote which is awesome sauce! I have some filters that make fun twinkles in lights, and I think that is about it!

here are some twinkle lights!

Here is a pic from last year that I layered in Elements.  I just layered one shot over the other.

Having a 1.8 will give you the tools to make bokeh!!!

I heart bokeh!!! and that 1.8 will be able to give you depth of field like this one below.

So, that is what I have, in my bag!  Hope you enjoyed.  I love reading what others have and use!

If you've been reading my blog for a while, sorry for the picture repeat.  These shots were already shown in the past.  I just thought I'd share again!

...and I am putting together a slide show to share, hopefully tomorrow or the next day, of shots I took at the beach last month.  They show such joy!~

...and excuse my ramblings...I tend to do that!

Letting Go...

Letting go must just be a life lesson.  So many things get bottled up, and really we just need to breath and let go.  And this is true for this long cardboard painting I made in early fall called Live a Colorful Life. Right after I made it, and posted in on FB, I was asked by an old friend from years back, if I was selling it.  Immediately I said no.  I just couldn't let go of this, but in reality she has a great home for it.  She just opened her own Montessori school, and how wonderful that she would like to make it a home there with her students.  So, I told her I would  make her a painting, but I never did.  This painting just rests on its side in my room.  It has never had a true home.  My husband asked what was to become of it, and I just said I didn't know and that I keep wondering if it is meant for that school.  He said it must be.  So, I am shipping it off as a gift, for an old friend with a perfect home.

Sometimes I wonder if I was holding on to this happy place in this painting.  I don't feel happy often.  I don't really talk about it much, but in all honesty, my days are dark.  I feel dark. I struggle and struggle raising these girls, and I just know I am not all that good at it.  I love them, and I want to give them a life like in this picture, but I am not like this painting.  It is so idealistic though.  A dream.  (ok, I will add, it really has just been a bad dark week.  I don't think I feel this bad that often.  I am really just writing from where I am at right this moment, this week.)

I was told recently that I do seem to paint in lots of color and lots of pink.  How odd really.  My walls are burgundy, I wear tons of dark clothes... but color does come out all over my life.

So in the dark, I see bursts of color, and in the struggles of Aspergers, needs, tantrums, noise, and need need need, color still shines through.

A post of this and that!

oh this week...this crazy whirlwind of a week.  I am so glad we are nearing your end!  I have no painting for this friday, but I am ok with that.  This week has been one of those just-get-through-the-week kind of weeks!  Ups and downs and all arounds...here are a few iphone pics, Instagram of course!!! to share with yoU!!!

So first off, something random and exciting happened.  I got an email from someone that saw this on another site, and was interested in buying the original.  After much thought and excitement and talking, I decided to price as I would like, and not sell myself short.  I have not heard back from the lady if she would still like it, and I am ok with whatever happens.   I don't want to sell something cheap just to sell it.  I think this is something we all need to think about.  How do you value yourself, your time, and your art.  It really is something to give a lot of thought to!

ok, I cannot believe I am posting a pic of myself without make-up...haha, but seriously, I did take this odd shot, and it was in my phone waiting to be seen!  hehe...

Mmm, avocado!!!

This is a journal page in my Smash book.  Yup, I am a sell out.  I don't make everything.  My girls love to Smash as well... it is a family affair! This is a pic of my friend Amy and I when we were like four.  We are still friends to this day!

Today was a sun shiny day in Colorado.  I was curious if my phone would capture a swing shot, and holy moly, it did!  This new iphone rocks my socks!

That's my babe, in our house.  My floor is always dirty like that as we have three kids, three cats, and a dog, and a bird.  I really do clean it all the time!!!

And last, but most happily not least, is my new wall of AWESOMENESS.  I am painting my hallway, just white again, and re-doing all the pics.  I am pretty pleased with this arrangement and will continue it like this down the next wall!  This is about as creative as I got this week!

Happy Weekend to you all!  Eat some pizza!!!

Just a pic today

This is my oldest daughter Kelsey. For Christmas we were in Northern California visiting family. We spend one day at Half Moon Bay.  Like all kids, and just about everyone I know, the girls love the ocean! Here is one from that day.  I have so many to edit!  So behind!

Vision Board

Just a quick note today.  I am feeling really rotten and just plain not great. ... Uber lethargic, but there is so much housework to do.  Boo.  I took a two hour nap with babe, but I'm not feeling any better.

This is my Dream Board, I call Vision Board, for Lifebook.  I am going to add this page into the book itself.  I don't like or dislike it, but journaling your goals is always good.

I think this week, I am going to focus my learning on editing, and work on my home.  I have a couple sets of pics, I shot in RAW (made the switch) and manual (I am so proud).  One set is from Half Moon Bay from last month.  I really want to see if I got any good ones.  Also, a trip to the zoo this weekend with my chicks. And my home needs some love.

See you all soon, and I'll post some pics throughout the week, if they are any good!

oh wait, I'm not done.  See, my posts can't be too quick.  Suddenly I am feeling a wee bit perky!

On Sat, after the zoo with my babes, I went on an alone date.  Can you tell I was happy!!!

 And on Sunday, I went scrapping with the girls, and Miss Maddy too.  I worked on my altered cereal box journal...which has turned into my pregnancy book! (Pregnant with Paige that is!)

I am pretty excited about this book, and hope to dabble in it a bit this week, you know, during all my down time!  :)

Three Ice Creams Please!

I am so humbled and grateful for all the feedback last week on my video.  It means more to me than I can express.  I am so pleased it was so well received and I enjoyed making it so much!  Thank you Thank you Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

My little foursome is complete and happy.  The three girl canvases each represent one of my girls and their love for ice cream cones after a day swimming in the summer.  This came to me after making the little ice cream cone page in my altered journal out of styrofoam.  I thought it turned out so great, and with such great feedback, I would make a canvas with styrofoam as my key ingredient.  Once I had that vision in my mind, I knew I had to create this foursome with my girls and their love for ice cream.  *kelsey and I these days are only eating almond dream, but hey, you know!!!

...and I just looked left, and saw that I have 99 followers!  I guess one more and I will have to do a give-away!!!

 

also linking this shot of the styrofoam ice cream up to Texture Thursday!!!

another little peak

Good day to you!  I have for realz finished my four canvas set and I am elated by the outcome.  I learned a lot about my style, or lack of a clear-cut style, and how valuable experimenting and playing it to finding what really is mine!  I am excited to share these, and my goal for tomorrow is taking all the shots and putting them together to tell my little, very silly, story.

Horsey here is protecting the kitchen, turned studio, from clean-up!  She does a good job at it I think!

I have also thought a lot this week on where I need my focus to lie.  Networking, blogging, making my shop yes, but I think creating must come first.  This past week I completed four canvas pieces.  I let go of a lot of other important things, but I feel practice and learning must come first for me to get where I want.  I think those other things, which will still happen all year, will come naturally, but this is my year to make lots and lots of art!  (within the art spectrum, I also mean my photography, which btw, I have gone completely manual!!!) ...and with making lots of art, means submitting lots and lots of art.  This is my year, I tell you, and I will shine!

Sneak Peaky 2

I am overwhelmed and elated by the feedback in the past post about my video.  Thank you to everyone.  I am strengthened by you!

Here is the last canvas of the four...well, just a peak. I am still finishing the third, as I gave up some painting this weekend for family and old friends.

I can't wait to share the completed foursome, on friday!

Oh, can you tell I am in major love affair with Instagram!  You should too!  And join me!!!

Two of Four, and a VIDEO!!!

I have a goal to complete tomorrow. This is Four Square Canvas Foursome, 10x10 each, that was sparked by a challenge.  Nearly three are finished, and tonight, on this grand night before Friday, I will share with you two, and my first video!!!

I really just made this video for fun, and to see how to do it.  One of my besties wanted me to take a photo of the WHOLE process of making a girly painting, and I was like no freaking way!  But, I can make a video!  So I did, and I am very pleased.  It is a bit over 6 minutes, hopefully not too long.  To keep you entertained, I added fun captions, and the end a slide show of these photos here.  It was great fun, and my 11 year old taught me everything!  Kids these days!!!

(oh, funny quick tale.  My mom got an ipod touch for Christmas.  Teaching her how to use it and load music was the greatest laugh ever!!!  She's old school!!!)

So here we go.  First two, of four... and the video is of the first painting!

Can  you guess the theme, or what I'll do with the last canvas?

and here is my very first video!!!

Untitled from Daniele Valois on Vimeo.

Linking up tonight with