Yellow!

This week's theme for the Crazy Days of Summer photo challenge is yellow. I don't know why I struggled with that, but luckily Luke wanted to wear his rain boots the other day, so I grabbed my camera!

Water Fun!

This week's theme for the Crazy Days of Summer photo challenge is water. I LOVE this photo! We got a baby pool for Luke & this was taken the first time he was in it. He had so much fun! Bret was squirting him with a toy & he was loving it! I've got to capture it on video next time so I can get his giggles recorded!

My Photography Blog

I just started my photography blog, please go check it out!

http://www.laragowderphotography.blogspot.com/

Refreshing

This week's theme for the Crazy Days of Summer photo challenge is refreshing. I had a great idea for something totally different, but couldn't get it all together. I hope I can use it again later, so I just decided to use this photo of a Coke! It is my absolute favorite drink & I actually work for Coke, so it is very refreshing to me!

My Boys

Here is one of my favorite photos of my boys. I took it a few weeks ago while we were at the beach. Here is the sooc:



Here is the edited:



I shoot with a Sony Alpha dslr & I edit with Photoshop Elements.

Crazy Days of Summer Photo Challenge

I am participating in a summer photo challenge, my very first one! This week's theme is flowers. I took these at my in-laws house. They have so many beautiful roses, I really had a hard time deciding which photo to use, so I'm using a few of my favorites!

I love this one because of all of the beautiful colors on this single rose:








Next week's challenge is "Refreshing". This one will take some thought!

Zoo

We went to the zoo a few weeks ago. I got several good shots, but this one is one of my favorites. I shoot with a Sony A100 dslr & I edit using PS Elements.

Here's straight out of the camera:


Here's the edited:

Before & After Blog Hop

I haven't updated in a while, but I have been very busy taking pictures! Here is one from my first shoot. This couple was so much fun to shoot! These were pictures before their prom.
Here's the before:

Here's the edited:


I shoot with a Sony Alpha a100 DSLR, and edited in Photoshop Elements.

365 Project Day #15

While Jack was riding his bike, Luke was riding in his wagon! He loves to ride! And he loves to watch Jack on his bike!

365 Project Day #14

Jack has recently learned how to ride without the training wheels. This is his new bike that he got for Christmas. It was really hard to get a good picture, because he can fly on it! I'm so proud of him!

365 Project Day 12 & 13

Day #12

I just love this picture:


Day #13

We went shoe shopping today for the boys. Jack wanted them to get the same shoes, but it's hard when they are in different sizes (toddler vs. kids), so we got some that are similar & they are both very happy!

I.MET.JACKSON.RATHBONE. (aka Jasper Cullen)

Jackson Rathbone!!

I love the Twilight books & movies. I am definitely Team Edward, but I am also Team Jasper! I love Jasper's character, a vampire from the south from the Civil War era. A true southern gentleman, if that can be said of a vampire, (which I think it can since it's fiction!) And that smile, wow! Here's Jackson as Jasper Cullen:

Anyway, Jackson Rathbone plays Jasper in the Twilight movies (and he's also been in some other movies & tv shows), and he's also in a band called 100 Monkeys. They are awesome! Their music is very funky. Well, 100 Monkeys came to Birmingham on December 27th. Lisa, Charlotte & I bought our tickets right after the date was announced (like 2 months before the concert!). The band had a promotion on their website for their fans to win meet & greet passes for their shows. I WON!!!! WHOO HOO!!!!!

We got to meet them before the show. Lisa, Charlotte & I were some of the lucky winners! The guys were very, very nice. They are so appreciative of their fans.


Yes, that's me, between Jackson & Jerad! WOW!
(L-R: Uncle Larry, Ben Graupner, Lisa, Jackson Rathbone, me!, Jerad Anderson, Charlotte, Ben Johnson)

My friend, Kathy, met us there with her friend, Martina & we all had a great time! The show was awesome! They are so talented. They switched instruments & took turns singing lead. The crowd was really into it so that made it even more fun! They said they will definitely come back to Birmingham. I really hope they do! Maybe I'll get lucky & get to meet them again!



Sigh! I still can't believe that I got to talk to, touch & hug Jackson Rathbone! Check one off of my bucket list!!

365 Project Day #11

I took several pictures today during my lunch. I picked this one because of the lights & the doorway. I also like the angle.

365 Project Day #10

The past few days have been rainy and/or overcast, so I have been trying to find interesting things to photograph. I took this in my office. I do work for Coca Cola (a local bottler), and Coke is my favorite drink, so I took this. I took several shots of different views, but I really liked this one. The depth of field & the focus really make this picture.

365 Project Day #9

Ok, I'm already slacking a little on actually taking new pictures every day. I'm trying, but it's hard. So, I thought I would use this one of Jack for today. I absolutely love this picture. He looks so grown-up, like he has an attitude or something! I did edit the color saturation a little. I'm really loving that edit now. I love how it can soften a picture.

365 Project Day #8

I found my usb cable! Whoo hoo! Here's my picture for day #8 (really, I'm working a day behind since I don't usually take the time to do this at night!). I love this picture! I really love pictures that show the backs of heads in kids & babies. They were looking out the window for Callie, our neighbors dog.

365 Project Days #6 & 7

Day #6
Jack always loved to play in the window sills. I guess they are just the right size & height for little boys. I don't know if he showed Luke how to play in them, or if it's just natural. Here's Luke playing with his trains:



Day #7
I did take some more new pictures, but I have temporarily "misplaced" my usb cable, so I just thought I would use one of my favorites for day #7! Enjoy!

Christmas 2010

We had such a wonderful Christmas! We saw our families, actually had a white Christmas, watched The Polar Express on Christmas Eve, and played & played! The boys really had fun! The big gifts this year were Legos & a basketball goal!



Our white Christmas was the first in Birmingham (except for flurries), in over 100 years! We didn't go out in it on Christmas day, but we did the day after.

365 Project Day #5

One of the purposes of this project is to document your life each day. Of course I could take pictures of the boys all day, but I know I need to show other parts of my day & I need to practice photographing other subjects.

So today, I went out at lunch & went to the drive-thru at Zaxby's (yum!). I noticed these lights & I thought they were really cool! I took several pictures while I was waiting (knowing that the other people in the drive-thru line and the people eating inside were probably wondering what I was doing!). But this one is my favorite. I love how there is a shadow of one light on the awning. I did edit the picture a little, just to enhance the color. I'm still learning about editing but I thought it turned out pretty good!

365 Project Day #4

More ice pictures!



I think we are all ready for the ice to melt!

365 Project Day #3

the dark side...



Jack LOVES his Legos, especially his Star Wars Legos (actually he loves everything Star Wars!) He had these on the dining table & I wanted to get some pictures of what he had built. He works so hard on them & he really enjoys playing with them when he's done. I liked this picture the best, I don't really know why. Maybe because they look so big when they are really tiny? Maybe because he had the bad guys together?? Anyway, this picture is for Jack!

365 Project Day #2

Here is my 2nd photo for my 365 Project:



My sweet Luke. I just love this picture! He wasn't sure about the snow & the cold weather. Bret was holding him because he didn't want to be in the snow!

365 Project

I'm starting a photo project called 365Project, you can read more about it at www.365project.org

It sounds like fun. All you do is take a picture each day & post it. I don't know if I'll be diligent about taking a picture every day & posting it, but I'm going to try! I hope it will help my photography skills. Here's the picture I took & posted today:



Today was our first snow/ice for 2011. I love how the ice really shows on the branches. This is a tree in our front yard. I took it from the porch since our steps & sidewalk were still covered in ice. I put my big lens on so I could really get the detail.

Luke's Birthday!

I can't believe my sweet baby Luke is 2! He's such a sweet little boy & we love him so much! Here's Luke on his birthday: We had cupcakes that night so we could celebrate. Jack loves to sing "Happy Birthday":

Since his birthday was a few days before Thanksgiving, we decided to have a Turkey party! Isn't his cake cool? Daddy helping him blow out his candles: Luke's cousin, Evan, has the same birthday. He turned 12! Evan thinks it's cool that he & Luke have the same birthday, so we did their parties together on Thanksgiving: Luke's new scooter! He had to show Grandmother (his great-grandmother), that he could ride it: Riding outside with big brother: Happy 2nd Birthday Luke! We love you!!

Happy Halloween!

I LOVE Halloween! All of the candy, costumes, trick-or-treating. We have some really cute Halloween books that Jack & Luke both loved to read every night: Ten Timid Ghosts, The Little Old Woman Who Wasn't Afraid of Anything, Scooby Doo's Halloween, Dora's Halloween, etc. I always loved Halloween as a kid, so I'm glad my boys love it! Our neighborhood is great for trick-or-treating. We have so many kids & we all know each other, so it's really a great night. Here are some pictures of my sweet little shark, and my very handsome & cool Obi Wan Kenobi!

Some of our neighborhood kids: