Photog Friday- Slow Down And Get Another Viewpoint! (Part II)

Welcome back to Photog Friday. Last week, I started a topic on composition. If you missed it, check it out here.

I gave myself an assignment to take a pic of the same subject from ten different viewpoints to be able to capture a better piece of the story and here are my results.


1.) From the front of the model

2. From the side of the model

3. From the side and lower than eye level of subject

4. Wide angle from the front lower than eye level

5. Wide angle from the front higher than eye level

6. Wide Angel from front at eye level

7. At a 45 degree angle from subject

8. From the side with model turned to front

9. Close up of model in the front

10. From above the model close up

The point to this exercise for me was to show that another viewpoint can produce more creative pictures and to look outside the box. I think that through doing an exercise like this you can get an awesome picture that you would have missed otherwise. I love the results of picture 5 and picture 10.

Tune in next Friday for Photog Friday and until then get out there with your cameras and practice!

ParTaaay!

Anyone who knows me knows that I don’t frequently have guests at my house for entertainment. Don’t get me wrong. I love being entertained. Throw a good football party with some yummy appetizers, I’m there. Need some dinner guests that enjoy great conversation? I’m your girl. Want to come over for some good p.j. wearing, girly movie watching, and junk food eating time together? Yes please. BUT and a big BUT, when it comes to organizing, planning, preparing, and then executing a party to be held at my house I normally run for the hills.

Enter this little girl....




And my non party planning days are over with.


Though I dreaded the preparation that is necessary to throw a party, I must confess that party planning for my little girl has inspired me in all sorts of creative ways. More than that, I am already thinking of next year’s theme. Yep, I’m hooked. Party planning had me at streamers, tissue paper flowers, and all the LOVE that I get to put into this. Oh my… I do believe I might very much enjoy this.




















Looking forward to the party,



Stacy

Photog Friday - Slow down and get another viewpoint!

Yay! I am super STOKED with a capital S-T-OKED to be starting “Photog Friday”. I am thoroughly enjoying my life in the “mommy” blogging world and I want to discover more about the craziness and wonderfulness that is blogging. I need MORE! And I think using “Photog Fridays” as a platform to bond with other photographers or photography enthusiasts is exactly what is missing. In short, let’s get to know each other! I am promising I won’t be giving expert technical advice, but

The following are some reasons why you might want to check out this blog post every Friday…



-If you love photography and want to learn more…like me.

-If you want to practice photography, but do not have any guidelines or assignments.

-If you are bored at work, ready for the weekend, and need something to read

-If you want to chat about life, love, and photography

-If you want to get to know me more (because I want to get to know you more)

-If you are starting your own business and want to relate to someone, this girl is for you.

or

-If you have a weird addiction to reading mommy and photography blogs much like I do.



So let’s get started…



Composition is something that I used to struggle with often. I would approach each subject from the front and then begin snapping away and all I would end up with was a full 16GB compact flash card and only about five pictures, worthy of telling the story. One of the first lessons I learned is that if I approach from the front all the time, I could miss the opportunity to tell the story. So I am giving myself an assignment this week and I would love for you to join. I am going to find a subject to photograph and then I am going to stop, take a breath, slow down and take a picture of the subject in the same place, but from ten different viewpoints. If you feel like your pictures are coming out flat, please join me in the fun. It is all about PRACTICE! Remember to take your time and to think through each shot. I will post my update (with pics) to this post next Friday, but in the future I will have the pictures ready for you. I was so excited about Photog Friday and I couldn’t put it off another week.



With Love,



Stacy Hart



P.S. It wouldn’t be a complete blog post without even one picture. Here is a pic that I took from the front, but isn’t it ever so cute?

Snow day please!

As far as I am concerned, winter is the season of guilt free laziness. Where unexpected snow days can cancel wonderful photo sessions, but still don’t disappoint. It just means long mornings sluggishly stretch into afternoons and then, without notice, the sun rolls up the pink and golden blanket as it retires for the day and casually waves to the moon to take over. There is something soul fulfilling about being “trapped” indoors and finding no shame walking past piles of clothes on the floor or canceling outdoor errands that would have inevitably left you begging for a fireplace and a hot cup of cocoa. Yep, rather than cleaning the dishes in the sink this past Saturday afternoon, I found my cozy spot in the corner of the room, nestled in a familiar armchair and accompanied myself with a blanket, slippers, glass of wine and a good book.

And right now, I kinda like the sound of sports announcers in the background as I curl up under a blanket on the couch and pause in the middle of typing this blog post to watch Steve and Addisyn destroy Mega Block planes and call on me to join them for random dance party sessions and human sandwiches. It has been one of those weekends where comfort and coziness wins over productivity and I am actually okay with that. And although not a thing was checked off the “things to do” list, my motivational spirit was revived because of it. Yep, winter is my recovery season and I love me a good snow day because it gives me a reason to hibernate from my list without guilt.

At first this little girl loved to look out the window to watch as the snow softly covered the ground...

She was happy to see snow again and so we had big plans to fill up her belly, dress her in her new snow gear and get outside...

I can't resist taking pictures of those baby blues...

but each time we thought she was ready to go outside, we would look and see this...









and we knew we were all done for. Nap time was seconds away...and that is exactly what happened.




When everyone was awake again, it would be too late for the snow.

Our evenings were filled with "Where's Addisyn?... There she is!", dance parties, and running away from a horse that looked a lot like Steve.







We attempted the snow day the following day, but the snow was almost gone. Addisyn wasn't a big fan of standing on her own in the snow and I was perfectly fine opting for some indoor snuggling action.


Hoping for another snow day soon!
Stacy Hart

How Do I Love You?

How do I love you? Let me count the ways.

I love you as the sun loves the bright blue days.

I love you as the bee loves a fragrant flower.

I love you as the thirsty duck loves a sudden shower.

I love you as the bird loves a song to sing.

I love you as the waking bear loves the smell of spring.

I love you as the cat loves a sunny sill.

And as the dancing snowflakes love the winter's chill.

How do I love you? Let me tell you how.

I love you as the nest loves the strudy bough.

I love you as the sea loves the sandy shore.

And as the ancient world loved the dinosaur.

I love you as the wind loves its own sweet sound.

And as our friendly Earth loves to spin around.

I love you as the moon loves each shining star. 

I love all that you will be and everything you are.

-Marion Dane Bauer

Happy Birthday Addisyn!





























Hello my wonderful readers! Steve had to take this week off from writing about our love story. *SIGH* He will be back next Thursday. Don't fret, the story has a fabulous ending!

Blank Page

I have written the first sentence to this post about five times. I will get to the end and then backspace until I have a blank page again. I don’t quite know the best way to start my first post of the New Year. I feel as though it is the beginning of a new chapter and I want to start on the right foot. With 2010 in the history books and another full year upon me, there are so many things to look forward to. A new year means a blank sheet and it’s time to fill the page with challenges overcome, moments of celebration, times of reflection, lessons learned, waves of peace and a whole lotta love.


I am not a resolution maker, but I do believe in challenging myself to become a better person. On January 5th 2010 I learned two great lessons that I will take with me into each new year. At 18:16, Addisyn made her introduction into this world, and Steve and I cried tears of joy because we experienced a new love that was bigger than the two of us. It was heaven sent and made especially for the three of us and we should not waste it and ever withhold it from each other. With that love, came a gentle reminder that I am a strong woman. I am guided by faith and secured by love and I have purpose. Having learned these two great lessons, I go into a new chapter of my life wanting to experience and share more love. I don’t know how…yet…but I am hopeful that when I close the chapter to 2011, I will again have filled my blank page with tiny and big moments in my life. And, in-between the lines of how I conquered a mountain of challenges, and reflected on times of sadness, I will find a whole lotta love…and share it.



Wishing you the most memorable 2011,



Stacy Hart


Addisyn has learned so much this week. She now gives "High fives", she kisses, and I think she is the silliest little girl. She often dances and plays peek-a-boo with us too. She also knows that when we say "Yay!!!" to put her hands in the air. Here are some pics from the past few days. She is the best!









This is Addisyn after her morning nap. Wide eyed and smiley!


Peek-a-boo!