challenge accepted

My friend Tersea is very inspiring to me. Here are two examples:

1) I've had my new camera for almost two years. I've taken TONS of photos and scrap-booked and love it.... but, I haven't ventured into learning the manual settings. Teresa is constantly posting the most amazing pictures of her kids and giving hints and tips that are written in a voice that makes it sound like something I can actually do! So, I decided to really give it a shot. It has been a lot of trial and error, but here is my favorite 'learning' moment.

The Boys were all doing homework.

Double L was in a good spot, with the light behind me as I faced him. I didn't have to change the setting at all. 

 Skarface (I have another story to tell you...) was the opposite. He had the light behind him, but he was a little ways away from it.

You can tell how dark this one is and it wasn't how the room really looked filled with natural light. With a higher f/stop, this is the result:

 Caught the moment perfectly!

Then, I went to find B-man. He was trickiest because he was directly in front of two windows....

Well, that wasn't what I was going for at all! So, I upped the f/stop and finally found the perfect setting:

The next thing I think I should work on is holding the camera straight.... I find lots of pictures that are leaning... maybe my right side is that much shorter... but probably I just need to be more aware of holding the camera straight!
So..... Go play with the f/stop on your dslr and see how your pictures change. 

Here is the second way that Teresa has inspired me.

These were taken in front of the new house! (another post... ) B-man wasn't there... he was at baseball practice. But, later that night, after my run (=red face) and after his practice, I grabbed him.

Skarface jumped in and asked if he could take one since I was having a hard time getting a good one of me and B-man. Other than how old and tired I look... he took a good picture~! 

Of course, Double L wanted some more....

So, the second challenge is to go take pictures with YOU, the MOMMA, in them! Our kids deserve to see in pictures that we were there too.