MomShots

The new Tip of the Week is up!  It’s a great one, as usual, brought to us by Tye Durbin.  Tye talks about how as photographers we are telling a story and we can use color to help express that.

Tye issues a challenge to take some photos and experiment with colors.  I am going to do that this week and post them here for you to see.

Check it out and let us see some of your results.  Leave a link to a photo on your blog, Flikr, etc. in a comment.  The more discussion we have, the more can all learn together.

Before I announce the winner, I just want to say that I wish I had copies of the book for everyone.  As I was listing everyone’s name and finding a random number generator (I’m a geek.  I like tools!) to help me choose the number, I was agonizing over this.  I didn’t realize how it would make me feel.  I want everyone to have a copy.  I wish I had more copies to give away!!!   

The random number generator chose number 5.  The name on my spreadsheet that corresponded with that number is Shelle of BlokThoughts.  Shelle, Scott Kelby’s The Digital Photography Book 1 is on its way. Congratulations!

Everyone else, thanks for entering.  It was really exciting for me to see all of your comments.  What can I say?  I’m a simple girl.  Comments make me happy.  :)

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Another thing I wanted to tell you about was a cool website I found last week.  It is called Photodoto.  This is the site where I saw the idea to put kids in a container.  When I wrote the post, I couldn’t remember where I had seen that idea.  This is the place.  My toddler addled brain… I tell ‘ya!  Anyway, it’s a great site.  Lots of good information and fun articles.  Check it out.  I’m sure you’ll love it too!

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So…  I had such a fun weekend.  I want to tell you all about it.  That might take a L.O.N.G. time so I’ll just share some of the highlights.  

We had a family reunion on Saturday in Moab, Utah.  The highlight for me was that my Uncle Eric was there.  He is an awesome photographer.  You may remember me mentioning that or remember some of his comments.  He’s great.  He let me play with some of his lenses.  Can you imagine how much fun I was having?  A lot!

To give a little back story, I should explain and say that I have only ever used my 60mm lens.  In fact, I didn’t even know how to take my lens off!!!  How silly is that?!?  So when Eric put a 70-210mm zoom lens on my camera I was like a kid in a candy camera store.  I was running all over the place snapping photos of people right and left.  I think I was kind of annoying my grandma.  She’s so beautiful and I wanted to get a good photo of her.  I kept coming back and snapping more.  It was so much fun.  

After the reunion, we went to the cemetery to see my granddad’s grave and to see the graves of other ancestors.  This is kind of a tradition in my family.

We went to Arches National Park on Thursday and saw some incredible scenery.  Mind blowingly (I know, it’s not a word…) beautiful.  We walked around until the kids were exhausted and then we drove around for a while.  Awesome.  If you are ever in the area, I whole heartedly recommend a visit to the Arches National Park.

On Friday we went to a rock shop and got slightly mislead but that is always an adventure in itself.  We were trying to find some dinosaur bones and petrified wood but ended up taking a wrong turn and then ran out of time so we didn’t get to retrace our steps and try again.  Next time we’re in Moab, I’m going to try this outing again.  It was still very beautiful and fun.

We spent a lot of time playing in our campground’s over chlorinated swimming pool and soaking up the sun.  My boys had a blast practising their swimming moves, playing with their cousins and charming all the other travelers.  It was a blast!

Now we are back home.  I am almost unpacked and we are starting to think more seriously about Halloween costumes and decorations.  Those will be some fun Momshots!  What kind of Halloween or Autumn plans do you have?  Any good photo-ops coming up?

Tomorrow I will put up the new Tip of the Week.  Tye wrote us up a great one.  I’m excited for you to read it!

Today is the day that I am going to announce the winner of the awesome Scott Kelby book.  If you still want to enter I am extending it a few hours.  I am in the midst of unpacking and cleaning my house so I will announce the winner this evening.  If you still want to enter, do it now.  Who knows?  It may be you!

I have lots to post about but will get back on here later today.  We got back from our trip to Moab last night and so I have lots to share and photos to show.  I even have a really cool site to recommend.  I’ll talk to you later!

I am getting really excited and running around like crazy trying to do all the last minute packing and getting things ready.  This afternoon, we are going to Moab, Utah for a few days.  We will be camping and exploring the Southern Utah desert scenery.  I am really excited to take photos out at Arches National Park.  My whole family is going to be there for a Walker family reunion.  So hopefully we can get a nice family photo.  

I am going to take a ton of photos.  I’m excited!!!  Any recommendations?  Our campsite supposedly has Wi-Fi (we’re not roughing it that much) so hopefully I’ll find time to upload some photos for you.

Thanks for all the feedback on the Kids in a Box post.  It is so exciting to me when I read your comments.  Thanks for taking the time to post them.  It really means a lot!

So the obligatory photo of the day is one I found of my baby, Magnus.  This was taken before he could crawl.  I think it may have even been before he could roll over.  It is a close up of his cute little mug and he’s chomping on his fingers.  I converted it to black and white and I like it a lot better now.  Baby pictures work so well in black and white.  It smoothes out their skin tones and helps you focus on their beautiful big eyes.

So if you don’t hear from me for a few days, I’m soaking up the warmth and enjoying the majestic red rocks of Southern Utah.  I’ll be back for sure on Monday with your new Tip of the Week.  Tye’s cooking up a good one.  You won’t be disappointed!  

See you soon, my friends.

If your kids are anything like mine, they are always going full speed.  There is no chance that I can gather them together, pose them in a sweet angelic way and then be able to snap some beautiful photos that show how cute and adorable they are.  Not gonna happen until they are maybe 20…

Does that sound familiar?  Well if it does, you may think this Momshots Tip is pure genius.  I do!  

Contain them.  Put them in a box.  Put them in a basket.  Put them in something that makes it difficult for them to run away.  They enjoy the novelty of being inside a container and you get to snap some shots while they are immobilized.

I took a series of photos with my three boys in this wooden planter bucket.  We use it as a laundry basket and so the boys thought it was really fun to climb in and play around it.  

Try this tip yourself and let me know what you think.  I would love to see some of your results.

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The next item of business is the new Tip of the Week.  We are focusing on the letter B this week.  For B we are discussing Backgrounds.  Check it out and the next time you start snapping your Momshots, think about what is behind your subject.  Are your darling kids going to end up with a tree or telephone pole growing out of their head?  In some situations that would be really funny.  However if that is not your intended purpose you might be disappointed.

I love your feedback.  Don’t forget to leave a comment.  Do you have any funny shots where shovels are growing out of your kids’ ears?  Do you have any great ideas of containers you can stick your kids in to get some good shots?  Let me know.  I love to hear it.

 Huh? Huh?  I know you do.  Who doesn’t love to win cool stuff?

Momshots is hosting our first giveaway.  It’s really rather exciting!  I have one bran spanking new copy of photography guru, Scott Kelby’s book The Digital Photography Book 1 available for one lucky Momshot reader.  

This is not just any book, mind you.  It’s a book that is so chock-full of photography tips and step-by-step instructions to take professional looking photos that when you read it your life will unequivocally be changed for the better.   You will sing the praises of Scott Kelby for the rest of your days and maybe you will love Momshots a little bit too…  *wink*wink*nudge*nudge*

I own this book and it’s sequel and have found both of them to be full of so much valuable information.  I am sure that you will love it.  Scott Kelby takes you with him on a photo shoot and tells you exactly what to do to get the shot.  He doesn’t get all preachy and scientific, he just tells you what to do and how to do it.  I found it to be very helpful and a great teaching tool.

So how do you win?  Leave a comment; one per person.  If you want 5 additional entries mention this giveaway on your blog or website.  It’s that easy!  

I will announce the winner on Monday, September 29, 2008.  

Good luck and happy shooting!

There is a great blog that I read daily called Random Tips from Karen.  She puts up a new tip each day that could range from a sale on children’s toys to a restaurant walk or cool websites she has found.  Karen always has great tips and I have to say that Thursday’s tip was not to dissapoint.  The featured tip was…  take a minute to gues…  You got it, it was Momshots!!!  

I was very surprised and excited when I saw her post.  Thanks for the post Karen!  You made my Thursday.

Have you seen Martha Stewart’s blog?  I have been a fan of Martha for years.  She is a force for creative good in this world.  She often has great ideas and projects that I want to attempt.  Her recipes are fantastic!  

In her usual Martha-ness and love of sharing information she is promoting and helping people blog.  She has a great article about how to get started.  It’s pretty informative and interesting.  Here’s the link for that article.

In other Momshot related news, I have a fun idea for some photos.  I am going to attempt to take some shots today and share them with you in the very near future.  Check back tomorrow, my friends!

Our newest Tip of the Week is up and it is a really good one.  It is about Adjustment layers in Photoshop Elements and CS.  I highly recommend checking it out - there is some really great information there.

We are starting a new Tip of the Week theme; each week the Tip of the Week will relate to a letter of the alphabet.  Part of this could be because I have preschool aged children at home but part of it is because there are so many things to learn that the alphabet seems as good a place as any to organize our thoughts.  I hope you enjoy these tips.  We have some really, really good ones planned.  By the end of the alphabet we are all going to have learned so many cool things.  I’m super excited!!!

On another note, my children and I are working on two projects.  Both have to do with photography.  I have been sharing my love of photography with my kids.  We have been working on two photo books.  One is based on the alphabet.  We work on learning one letter, it’s sounds, shape, drawing it, etc.  Then we go around our house and neighborhood and photograph items that start with that letter or the actual letter itself.  We have only done three letters so far; A, B & C.  We will probably do D tomorrow or Friday.

Here is an example of one of our pages…

The other project we are working on is a book on colors.  We photographed a whole bunch of objects yesterday and I will put them all next to the appropriate color.   I was inspired by this crafty lady.

Here is an example of my layout for Blue. This is not finalized but it give you an idea of where I’m going with this.

I guess the point of what I want to say here is that photography can be a whole family experience.  It doesn’t have be just mom or dad behind the camera documenting everything.  It can be a tool that helps build teamwork and unity in your family.

Tye Durbin, our illustrious Tip of the Week author, is offering a really great opportunity to learn some digital scrapbooking skills.  Tye says:

For any of you Digital Scrapbookers out there, I am currently working on an extra’s disk for my Scrapbooking class this fall, and if you have any suggestions on what you’d like to see for content on a CD let me know! If I use your ideas/suggestions (i.e. type of custom brushes, patters for papers, embellishments etc…), I will mail you a free copy of the CD so PLEASE make sure you leave me your email!

You can leave comments here or on her site.  This is a great opportunity to learn some amazing skills and fun ways to do something new and creative with your photos.  If you haven’t tried digital scrapbooking yet, there are many applications for the skills involved, other than just putting together a fancy photo album.  I highly encourage you to think about any questions you have or specific things you’d like to learn and let Tye know.