Playing With My New Lens
Oooh, boy - it’s been a while since I’ve posted.
I had some family portraits to edit (I know Shawn won’t mind):
Then a sick toddler. Then Thanksgiving. Somewhere in there, I got a new lens! 
I’ve been playing around with it and having lots of fun, too. I’ve still got lots to learn about it, especially as all my playing has been inside because of the extreme cold… I can’t wait to get outside and play with it!!!
Here you can see the results of some of my playing:
My daughter at her vanity, pretending to put on make-up (she’s holding up a picture bookmark as her mirror).
I took the kids to the play place in the mall and got this one of my daughter:
I love her look, but don’t like the light. Blue light coming in from the window that was right there and yellow light above her head made for a strange lighting situation. 
Editing to add: my friend Shawn, whose family you see above, is competent with Photoshop and told me how to fix it, so now the light is a lot more even and a lot more warm. Thanks, Shawn!
I got my oldest to sit down for a second - only a second, even though he doesn’t like the changes they’ve made at the play place. He likes the first picture better because he looks happier; I have a hard time choosing between it and the second one.
My youngest was the hardest to capture; he just wouldn’t stand still!
But he was more cooperative at home:
And one last one, as my daughter came in after playing outside for about 2 seconds; she was “making smoke” with her breath, but I didn’t catch it in the photo:
I still have some photos to edit from a previous session, and will share some here when I finally get those done some time this week.
Next week I’m having my first Portrait Party! If it’s a success (and I imagine it will be), I’ll post details here so that you can host your own!
Also, be sure to subscribe to the site (top right hand corner) because I’m going to be looking for kids to take pictures of, to build my portfolio, and you’ll get some free photos out of it! Tell your friends to subscribe, too! 
Use the form on the contact page to schedule your session or to get more information.
I absolutely LOVE your work! Please let me know what it would cost, how much time, what we need to do, wear, etc., etc., in order to set up a photo shoot with you. Our Haitian kids have been home with us almost two years now…February 23, 2006, to be exact! We don’t have any group family pictures and we need to do this. Do you have any payment plans? I don’t mean to sound cheap or rude, but honestly, we’re BROKE! I just want to find a way to get this done as a yearly family ‘Valentine’ tradition.
Oh yeah, and I still need to talk to you about jewelry/soap/I’m sure something else! =)
Love the pictures!! Especially the one of S. and S. looking so excited together and the one where you got A. to sit still. It’s a perfect shot.
You’re doing such great work!
Dana.
Dawn, I would LOVE to take pictures of your beautiful family! I’ll send you a personal email so that we can set things up.
Dana, I love that one of Shawn’s girls, too! There’s another where they’re looking at the camera that’s just adorable, but of the two this is my favorite. I also really love the one of A.; he was such a patient model and so sweet then, knowing I wanted to practice with my new lens.
What great pictures, Barb! I just love them.
Thanks, Gail! I hope you’ve signed up for alerts ‘cuz I’d love to get shots of your three.