He's wearing glasses!

We've struggled over the years with the photographer that the Liam's school uses for their photos.  He doesn't seem to be able to photograph someone wearing glasses without huge amounts of glare.  His solution last year was to have Liam take his glasses off.  To us, it didn't really look like Liam, since he has worn glasses since he was 5 years old.

We were intrigued to see what would happen this year.  Liam came home with 2 proofs today.  One, of course, has a glare in it.  The other one doesn't!

Of course, I like the look on his face better on the one with the glare, but I'm still happy with the other proof.

A young Elder

Liam headed off to school this morning to start grade 5 - or be a young Elder as his school refers to them.  Being 11 and "all that" he was not too keen to have his picture taken!  But this camera totting Mama always gets her shot!

He agreed to the first shot, as long as that was all.  I tried to sneak in the rest, with mixed results!

I hope he has a fabulous year!

Liam and Granny

Photo Dilema

When Liam's first set of school pictures came back, we were disappointed that there was a huge glare from his glasses.

 

The photographer offered to touch it up digitally, but 2 years ago he did a lousy job doing the same thing.

So this year we decided to have a retake. Liam can't be the only kid that wears glasses, and how hard can it be to tell a kid to tuck his chin in so that his glasses are at a better angle to avoid the glare? Instead, the photographer's solution on retake was to have Liam take his glasses off.

I'm torn on this one.  To me, that doesn't look like Liam.  He has worn glasses since he was 5 years old. He puts them on before he gets out of bed and takes them off as he turns off his bedside lamp.  We rarely see him without them on.

So the question now is, do I order either of these pictures, or do I simply take my own version and print off copies for friends and family?  I'd love to hear everyone's feedback!

Slice of Life - Round

It's funny that as soon as I get the weekly prompt from Darrah's Slice of Life, that I start seeing the theme everywhere around me.  My problem is that I am often too shy to just whip out my camera and take a picture.  I've started carrying my camera with me when I go places, and even just having it around my neck makes me think that everyone is staring at me.  I see all sorts of great shots, but I just can't work up the nerve.  

So that is my challenge to myself for the next week.  Stop and take a picture, no matter who is around.

Wordless Wednesday

Slice of Life - Reflections

I'm a week behind with this Slice of Life - Life just got away from me!

The prompt this week was "to take a little time with your reflection."

We so often don't take pictures of ourselves because we want to hide our imperfections or don't want others to see what we think we see when we look in the mirror.  I hate pictures of me and have since I was a child. I don't know how to smile, I hold my head at a funny angle, I have too many chins. But one of the things that I really notice when I'm working on Liam's scrapbooks, is that there aren't very many pictures of just me or of him and I together.  I need to make sure to get in front of the camera whenever I can.  I don't hate my reflection when I look in the mirror, so chances are that what everyone else sees isn't so bad either.

Be sure to check out the other Slice of Life posts here.

Slice of Life - Summer

This shot of Liam reminds me of all things summer - the sun, shade trees and  being outside having fun.

Be sure to check out Darrah's blog for everyone else's Slice of Life Summer shots.

Slice of Life

This weeks theme is "close ups".  I'm on vacation at my Mom's and I love to go out in the field and capture photos of the wild flowers.  Before I had even read this week's Slice of Life theme, I had taken this shot.

All of the flowers are so pretty, but this huge dandelion-like one caught my eye. The seeds remind me of jelly fish.  The entire ball looks so solid from a distance, but so very delicate when you get up close.

Be sure to check out Darrah's blog for everyone else's Close Up Posts.

Slice of Life

To help me come up with ideas for photography I am going to try and participate in Darrah Parker's Slice of Life Tuesday events.

This week's prompt was: SKY.  Since we've only had 1 or 2 days in the last 2 months where it hasn't rained, I wasn't sure that I would be able to get a picture of the sky that wasn't just a solid square of gray.  But yesterday it cleared up for a few minutes, long enough for Liam to get out on the trampoline.  And I captured this shot of him jumping as high as the sky.

Venturing out in cooking

I'm daring to make dinner again!  3 dishes - but all roasted in the oven at the same temperature.

Roasted baby carrots with fresh rosemary.

Rosemary new potatoes.

Roast beef with a cognac Dijon sauce.

Fun with food

Pokémon Cheese Ball

My light box

I figured if I was going to take this new hobby seriously, I needed to have some of the "toys".  But when I priced out a light box at a photography store I knew I was in trouble!  Google to the rescue with a DIY light box.  It took me about 30 minutes to get it put together and another 30 to find the lights buried at the back of the closet!

I

 

Our ironing board doubles as our craft table and has various other usages, none of which include ironing.

The grass is actually a piece of scrap booking paper. The options are endless, but I did find that a solid white background worked best (check out yesterday's soup)

Now I just have to find somewhere to keep the box that the cats can't get it, or I'll be replacing the tracing paper every time I want to use it.

Daring a new hobby

I love taking pictures.  To the point that Liam just rolls his eyes and makes faces at me any time he sees me with my camera.   So after I got my new camera at Christmas, I decided I would expand my picture taking to things that can't complain!  I even started a second blog, Today's the Day I Photograph, where I post pictures that I think are post-worthy.

I really enjoy taking pictures of food, and the great thing is that there is often new and unusual food things happening in my house.  I have a lot to learn about staging and lighting, but for now I'm having fun with it.

Hilary made a comment the other day that has set the hobby ball rolling in a new direction.  She said that I should also do some more cooking so that I have more things to photograph.  Hilary has always done the bulk of the cooking for our family, simply because she is much better at it then I am.  She is confident, she can touch raw meat and she understands which flavours go well together.  Left to my own devices, I wouldn't starve, but it would be pretty bland (and probably vegetarian) fare.

I've decided to embrace the challenge!  Since I can't just look at an ingredient and be inspired to whip up something awesome I needed some help.   I had already been checking out photoblogs for food, like Taste Spotting to see how other peoples pictures looked. While I was surfing around there I came across some recipes that I liked and felt I could make.  I'll be doing my first one tonight! It's a surprise for Hilary, so I'll share tomorrow what it is and how it worked out.

I then came across another website, The Daring Kitchen.  Once a month they post a recipe challenge, and you have till the 14th of the following month to cook it, photograph it and blog about it.  They also have a Daring Bakers challenge, but since I am already comfortable with baking I signed up for the Daring Cooks challenges.  I should be getting the first challenge later today.  If all goes well, I'll be posting the reveal on May 14th.

I'm excited to see where this new hobby takes me!  Now I just have to make myself a light-box, and I'll be all set!

Such a cute little girl

I recently reconnected with my God-Sister Charlene (her parents are my God Parents) on Facebook.  She sent me some pictures that she had that her Dad had taken when I was little.  It's fun to walk down memory lane!

My first communion.  Yes, it was the '70s and I wore a peach coloured dress (I had been a flower girl in a wedding just before this, so my Mom just recycled the dress)

It's hard to tell because of the exposure, but there is a bird on my head!  I had completely forgotten that my God Parents had a bird, and I now have vague recollections of being scared of it.  I certainly do not look thrilled to have it on my head!

My God-Sister Charlene and I. I'm guessing I was about 2 years old.

My God-Mother, Lena, Charlene and I at my 3rd (?) birthday.

A selection of Christmas pictures

We had a wonderful Christmas!

The stockings were placed on the couch with care!  The cats' stocking was hidden in the cupboard overnight as Buster tried to destroy the packaging to get a nip fix at midnight.

Wearing his new strippy PJs and looking a tad excited! 

 Santa came through with the Hot Wheels Acceleracers!  Way to go Big Guy.

 The yearly tradition of a new Canadians gift from Monica.

Boxing Day was spent honing his skills on Star Wars the Force Unleashed 2.

My camera has been giving me grief, so I didn't take very many pictures this year, nor did I get a single shot of either Hilary or I, or one of the 3 of us.  That will be my goal for New Year's Eve!  If you have any advice on cameras or camera shopping, please chime in.

Happy Halloween!

I hope you have a safe and fun Halloween!

Love Luigi, Mario and Toad.

Liam and Mama

Since I'm the one who takes most of the pictures, I'm not often in them.  So this one that my Mom took is now my current favorite shot of Liam and I.

School Picture

So Liam brought home the 3 proofs from his school pictures this year. Other then the messy hair (which really... that just IS Liam) I think they are all great!

So help me out! I've put a poll over on the left side bar for you to vote for your favorite. Here they are a bit bigger to see! (the colour is a bit washed out because we don't have a scanner, so I took pictures of the pictures!)


A:


B:


C:

And the winner is...

Lori! (on her second guess, but still a winner!)

Yup, that's me, permed hair, makeup and a ruffled shirt. **shudder** I was 13 years old and in grade 8. I also looked old enough to be able to buy beer without ever being asked for ID (in fact, the first time I was asked for ID I was in my 30s.... go figure!)