Hummingbirds: 1; Me: 0.5

Fast as lightning, jittery as a caffeine addict and as hard to capture as the dreams you have in the middle of the night. For my first real attempt, it wasn't really so bad. I think I needed to use a different setting but it also wasn't the worst I've ever done. I shall attempt again, maybe with some better results. We'll see. So, for now, the little buggers are winning.

Nick

Sometimes, a single question leads you into something that is as complex as it is simplicity. I asked a friend if I could take some pictures of his adorable son. I didn't know what I was getting into! Nick is as quick as a hummingbird in his motions and his expressions are as hard to catch with a camera as holding quicksilver in your hands. I could have taken pictures of him for hours and not caught all the emotions and fun that are intrinsic to what makes up Nick. He is insatiably curious and opens every cabinet he sees. He talks about everything and anything, barely pausing to wait for your answer. He is constantly in motion and perpetually adorable. Those few moments served my Foto Fix for my first day of vacation and I can only hope I'll have another opportunity this week to try to capture the essence of Nick in Fotos.

Drat the Hummingbirds!

I had a wonderful Father's Day...way cool fun was had by all and the hummingbirds put on quite the show for Dad's Day! Too bad the little buggers zip around so fast, I still have not succeeded in a half-way decent capturing in my lens. Someday I shall prevail...
However, I did get to take some (what I hope will be) good shots of family & friends. They are still on the camera due to the fact that by the time all the friends & family left at 9:00pm, I was ready to prop my feet up, snuggle with my doggeys and ignore that massive pile of dishes in and next to the sink. Needless to say, the dishes got done before bed but my precious Fotos are still languishing on my memory card, crying for me to return home from work today to rescue them...can't you hear their sobs?!? I can...

Post note: the pictures from Father's Day did not turn out like I expected but I did take a couple decent pictures. The picture above is the only shot of a hummingbird I was able to capture. I'll keep trying.

Building my portfolio...

So, I was all nervous about taking those pictures last evening...they turned out better than I anticipated! And sometimes you get those serendipitous moments that just turn out wonderful. Grandma was sitting on the couch holding the adorable little boy and singing to him...he was transfixed. I grabbed my camera and started shooting. Quite a few of those shots are some of my favorites from the whole session. From a crying, "you just woke me from my nap!" baby to a "thanks for my dinner" baby...we caught some amazing and beautiful pictures of a really great family. That home is so filled with love that you can't help but to feel it yourself. They made me feel so welcomed and appreciated. For my first attempt at semi-formal family pictures, they turned out quite well.

I have gotten my Foto fix for this week and I just cannot wait to take vacation in 2 weeks. Who knows what will come out of that whole 10 days!!

Babies & Opportunity

I cannot wait for 5:00pm to get here today. After work, I am going to a couples' house who have a new baby. They have graciously agreed to let me take pictures for them and to include her mother who is soon returning to another country. The thought that I will be taking pictures that are hallmarking a moment in time for this family that will never happen the same way ever again is a heady feeling. I want these to turn out as beautifully as what I am seeing that I want to shoot in my mind. So, you can see why I'm so excited! I will certainly announce when the Fotos can be viewed. Cross your toes for me!

She's Country!

I guess someone felt that it would be a good idea to send me to Virginia for 2 weeks in May. Not for a vacation...for work. Needless to say, once I returned, I needed a Foto Fix. So, on the way to my loving parents' home last weekend, I kept asking my great man to "stop here, please", "slow down a minute", and he did everything I asked...with a sideways look at me that said "Hunny, are you okay?" By the return trip, he was telling me, "you're missing another set of hay bales!" just in time for me to snap off a shot or two. Now, ladies, THAT is a wonderful man. There's just something about abandoned houses on the rural roads of North Carolina that make my hands stretch for a camera and make me beg my man to pull off the side of the road. (Not for THAT, you dirty mind! Although, that wouldn't have been a bad idea either...) Anyways, you can see my foray into having a Japanese beetle crawl up inside my pants leg because I got out of the F150 into tall grass to Foto a house I've been dying to have in my camera. These Fotos are in Rural North Carolina at Fyrefly Foto. I hope you enjoy them!