random shots

It is quite cumbersome to carry around a dslr camera on a normal day to day and sometimes even when I do have it with me, by the time I take it out of the bag and load it.... I've most often missed the "moment".  Here is collection of random shots when I was ready.  

   

They got tangled up with each other... Megan chocking Charlee's neck and Charlee chocking Megan's knee.

Megan is quite the artist.  This is one of her latest work on her ipad on Paper.

One of my personal goal for this year - wear these shoes more often.

beach shoot

I just love photos taken at the beach whether it's at serene quite winter beach or toasty warm summer afternoon.  The color of the ocean and the sand....you just can't go wrong.  I mean it's 70 degrees in January.  Tide is low.  There's no wind.  If you haven't already, you really must plan to go to the beach for a photo shoot.  This one is my favorite (and also the the closest) to go.

I wish we got there little sooner....little more light.  I wish I had a tripod.

I guess we just have to go again.

These were taken without flash at ISO 1600, f/1.8, 1/8000 sec.

{our homework}

This is how Megan feels about homework - kind of bored and uninterested.  I sat her down at the dinning table to do homework today just before it got really dark.  It's been overcasted and dark most of the day and the light that was coming from outside was especially low today.  I wanted to practice on my low-light, no-flash photography skills, so I sat her down facing the large patio glass door on the north side.  Megan does her math homework while I do mine (taking pictures of her in manual mode).  

f 1.8 / 1/60 / ISO 1000

My second graders is now learning fractions (as in shutter speed).

Megan was relatively still so I was able to shoot at f 1.8 which allowed more light and gave great depth of field.  I started out at ISO 800 but still needed more light which then worked my way upto ISO 1000.  It did make the image more grainier.  At the end, I still had to adjust the exposure increased slightly by +0.65 and minor adjustments.  Well, that was my homework for today.  Practice, practice, and more practice!!!

{winter solace}

We forget that every day ends with a beautiful sunset in which brings the night.    Then when I wake up tomorrow, I will start again.  Undoubtably moments of solace brings us the strength to endure and reminds us of greater power that keeps us alive.  I will keep on hoping.... I will keep on living.... I will keep on praying.

Megan and I enjoyed the cool sand between our toes and watch the sun go down as we shared another moment in each others lives.  She is the best company one can ask for.  I am so blessed to have such beautiful two daughters of mine.  

When the sun was at the horizon, the sky lit up so brightly from the sunlight reflecting off the water into the low clouds above and just illuminated the whole beach before it finally went down.  It was just simply breathtaking.  Megan and I were both glad we skipped Tae Kwon-do to watch the sunset today.  

{project valentine}

These are just perfect to print and send to families and friends for Valentine's Day.  I like simplicity and I think simpleness keeps the pictures simply say "I love you!".  

{butterfly and sunshine}

"Just living is not enough," said the butterfly, "one must have sunshine, freedom and a little flower."  ~Hans Christian Andersen

{he's a heartbreaker}

Wow!  I can't believe this guy is 4 already.  I've known him since he was barely 2 and still in pull-ups.  How time flies....  

He is just so cute, but little challenging to catch on AND off the camara.  LOL~

{miss E}

I have known Miss E since she was in kindergarten.  She is the sweetest girl.  She has fair skin and ruby red lips and smile that just melts your heart.  We have been waiting for the weather to be back to the normal southern california temperature, and today was the day.  I had so much fun dressing her up in a delicate lace drop waist dress in peach and added some pearls and feathers to play up her signature short bob hair-do.  She looks absolutely gorgeous and beautiful!  Just picture perfect~

I can't make up my mind which style I like more....  I am in love with all of it.  

{blowing bubbles}

butterfly

May the wings of the butterfly kiss the sun

And find your shoulder to light on,

To bring you luck, happiness and riches

Today, tomorrow and beyond.  

- Irish Blessing

megan's wish

I wonder what her wishes are....  It used to be something that was quite tangible.  It wasn't world peace or even a million dollars but, it was something like, a toy she wanted but I denied it...or going to Disneyland...things of that nature.

Of course one can never tell their wish or it won't come true and Megan never tells what she wishes for.  But, now at age 7 and a half, I have a mother's hunch and feeling it's little more serious.  She still makes her wishes whenever she comes near a fountain or a "wishing flower".   I wish I could grant all of her wishes...  I wish.

P.S.  On the next day, Megan told me that she needs another "wishing flower" to make a wish for...snow.  LOL~  I knew it!  It is more serious!   
When we got out of the house this morning the temperature read 37 degrees and certainly felt like it could even possibly snow here in southern California.  I was right about feeling unusually cold this winter.  I heard it on the news last night that we have record breaking low temperatures in 20 years.  Burrrr~

whole new world - Before & After

I have opened up a whole new world - Before & After.  

Wow, what possibilities!  What fun!  

I have done photo shop work to my photos in the past, but that was already long ago and it's come a long way since.

I have yet not discovered the LightRoom only because my Mac is an old version and was not able to support the software.  I've seen beautiful photography on Pintrest and works of so many talented and creative photographers out there, and I wished I had the the tool.  Well, it turned out that it wasn't very difficult (or very expensive) to upgrade my Mac.  I had the Mountain Lion (ver. 10.5.8) which I purchased in 2007.  First, that needed to be upgraded to the Snow Leopard (ver. 10.6.8).  That was done with a software disc purchased with a phone call and for $19.99.  Very simple.  Next, my old Mac had just 1GB of memory (RAM, they called it).  I needed to upgrade to 4GB which would allow more memory space for all of the pictures I am about to process and store.  Two 2GB of RAM chips were purchased for $100 and arrived by FedEx in just couple of days.  I was little intimidated with the instruction on installing the chips at first, but eventually found my way to googling "how to install RAM on mac" and there it was.  On YouTube, a guy's voice on a video and showing exactly how he is installing it.  I just had to follow it.  Wow, what a wonderful world we live in.  I am googling how to self install computer chips, how to fix a garbage disposal, and I confess, I have even googled second grader's homework.   

So here it is.  I played in the LightRoom this afternoon. 

getting ready for spring

I can't believe we are already half way into January.  What seemed like a warm December has turned into very cold and wet winter this month.  I am not sure if it is true but nonetheless it feels unusually colder this winter.  And while we can't wait for spring to arrive, I am preparing and planning.   I am pruning my trees, designing a garden to grow....  I am hopeful and spring looks promising.  I can't wait for colors, the light, the warmth...   Uh oh~ that will bring the joy of allergy season as well and the misery of sneezing and runny nose.  LOL ~  Life just isn't picture perfect.

We took a short walk to the park in the neighborhood.  We met these cute little kiddos playing there.  Aren't they just too cute?

This last picture makes me chuckle....Megan pulling Charlee all the way home.  

getting ready for spring