snow!

snow branch, a photo by YF [ yffoto ] on Flickr.

It was so great to wake up Christmas morning to snow. Is it silly that I still get a little excited when that happens? It was just a dusting, but in the last couple of days we've gotten a few more inches - that really wet variety that sticks to trees and bushes and that looks super pretty. { love }

50mm 1.4 dream

look away, a photo by YF [ yffoto ] on Flickr.

Testing my new lens today after work and I am really loving it. I was never a fan of the 'nifty fifty' but the 1.4 is so fast and just soaks in light ... it's dreamy!

Sloan and YaYa

Two of my favorites from yesterday's Sloane shoot! She is so funny - very cooperative with a camera in her face.  But now she's really going for it, grabbing for the strap or the lens.  And when I took my iPhone out she went crazy grabbing for it.  I had to capture that - too funny!  Oh and I did the whole shoot with my 40mm pancake lens - LOVE!!!!!  It's kind of nice to not have to zoom!  :)

And you know I had to grab a selfie!  She loves her YaYa! 

Sloane 9 months

Oh that little Sloane is gonna be a heartbreaker!  Those blue eyes and she's got eyelashes for days!!  In keeping with the OZ spirit, Holly found one of Bella's old dresses that looks a little Dorothy-esque!  Plus, her daddy likes her in a blue dress.  

I'm sad that I missed last month, but luckily she hasn't changed all that much, physically.  She does seem longer and is getting more hair and is making a whole lot of noise!   So here is beautiful little girl at 9 months old! 

Iceland on the Behance Network

via behance.net

Amazing photographs of Iceland.  Click on the link to see the whole gallery.  You will be glad you did!!

126 instacanvas

Got my first instacanvas order - two of my flint hills photos. I have to say they are not bad for an iPhone photo, processed thru the vsco cam app and then blown up. My one gripe is the sides. I wish they would give the option of wrapping the image rather than black or white. I understand why they do this, but they need to wrap a little bit better to be sure the image is square.

... via iPhone ...

150 Soldier Field

So after my KUAA event Teri, Nikki and Will invited me to join them for the rest of their day's adventures ... so glad they did and cannot thank them enough for such a fabulous day!!  We had the opportunity to meet the general manager of Soldier Field and have him give us a personal tour of the stadium!  He was so nice and full of great stories - it was a true pleasure and an experience I won't soon forget.  Now maybe I need to actually go to a Bears game huh...

We got to go ON the field, pose with the 1985 Super Bowl ring, go in the locker room, give a press conference (ha!) take in the view from the skyboxes, and so much more!  All this while a wicked storm rolled through the city - see the last photo and the goal post... eek! 

162 pancake 40

So after rethinking the Olympus PEN, I decided to embrace the 5D and get the 40 mm pancake lens and take it for a test drive. I cannot believe how lightweight my camera is with this tiny little lens attached. I like the range very much, probably more than my 50 mm. Time for me to start shooting with primes! This one's a keeper!!

... via iPhone ...

174 PEN E-P2

I have been thinking about photography a lot lately.  I recently read a post about the constant search for the newest gear - and quite frankly it is impossible to keep up with the pace with which they release new products.  I barely get my feet wet with my current camera and then boom - the next big thing.  Not to mention the money!  

Bottom line for me is that I need something portable.  I need a camera that can travel with me.  I need a camera that is lighter weight.   I used to think I needed the full frame to get the best shot - and don't get me wrong, I love my 5DMII, but when you pop on the 24-70L it's a TANK!   By the time you put this baby in your carry-on with laptop and etc. it's a back breaker!   

Then there's the Leica D-Lux 5 - it's a great point-n-shoot, but I really do miss interchangeable lens options and the control of a DSLR.  It could be operator error on my part, but it just doesn't feel right for travel shooting.  So, I decided to see if I'd like the mirror-less technology.  I mean ... isn't photography more about capturing the moment, having the "eye" and less about the equipment?  

I decided to test drive the Olympus PEN E-P2. It's affordable and from what I've read it's not as fussy as the more sought after Fuji X100.  Having just busted it out of the box - I can't say much.  But within minutes of testing it does feel comfortable.  I like the size.  I like the weight.  Image quality seems good on the few test shots I've taken.  I do find the lens focusing a little noisy and slow.  And the screen is strangely noisy.  This could be a moot point if I stick with this and get the viewfinder mount.  The photo below on the left is SOOC - on the right processed via VSCO iPad/iPhone app.  Not bad ehh?

sloane 6 mos

Soooo late editing photos from Sloanes 6 month shoot.  Only a few good ones, but we sure had fun!  *Note to self:  only shoot on white background that is paper - sheets suck as a backdrop.  Much happier with brown fuzzy blanket - even though Sloane kept eating it.*  This kid always has a smile on her face ... I mean how could not love capturing that?  It is so hard to think that she's 6 months already! 

she loved it when I brushed my hair over her face - just made her giggle and giggle