The 4 Tutorials You Need to Master the Basics of Photography

Pinterest is jam packed with information for the budding photographer. Although its amazing to have all that information at your fingertips, it can be hard to figure out where to start! No fear though. I've combed through Pinterest and gathered all the information you'll need to get started. Follow these 4 simple tutorials and you'll be ready to take some awesome shots!

1. Mastering Manual Mode + Getting It Right in Camera
This is a webinar with notes also included. It was made with beginners and mind and will take you through the very basics. I love that this tutorial teaches about the exposure triangle and metering. Both VERY important skills for any photographer.

2. Manual Mode Workflow
When I was first starting out, I understood what ISO, Shutter Speed and Aperture were and how to control them, but I didn't understand how to work with them all together. This tutorial is SUPER helpful because it gives you a workflow. 

3. Understanding White Balance
A great tutorial that explains what white balance is and how to adjust it. Honestly, 99% of my images are shot on auto white balance. If it's a little off I'll adjust in post processing when I have time to get it just right. There can be slight advantages to using the Kelvin system but our moments often happen quickly and taking time to adjust white balance just seems impractical.  

4. JPEG vs. RAW
A visual guide (with explanations too) about the difference between JPEG and RAW files. Basically, you want to be shooting in RAW. 99% of the time.

Dreams of Hapiness

It's January 5th.

And I'm totally freaking out.
This is pretty typical for me.

November and December are spent looking at life through rose colored holiday glasses.
My life is perfect. My kids are beautiful. I am so blessed.
I love you November and December.

And then January comes. I've spent the last week of December contemplating my New Year's resolutions. Should I make New Year's resolutions this year? I have to make New Year's resolutions this year. It goes against everything I believe if I don't at least try to make myself better.

So I open the notepad app on my iPhone and I start making a list.

1. Make a quilt
I haven't made a quilt since I was 10. I've always wanted to make quilts for my girls. This is the year I'm actually going to do it. 

2. Build something
I think I could be really good with a saw. And since we now own one, why not try it out this year. 

3. Improve my Photography
I secretly hope to be a "real" photographer one day. But first, I want to practice more. I'll set up a 52 week photo project, get people involved (to give myself some accountability) and make it happen. I can do this one for sure. 

4. Read the Book of Mormon
5. Decorate my two blank walls
6. Spend a night without my kids
7. Paint our exterior doors
8. Spruce up our gazebo
9. Go camping
10. Visit Southern Utah
11. Host a party
12. Read a book
13. Mommy daughter dates
14. Put my kids in lessons of some sort
15. Redo my childhood dresser
16. Take a writing class
17. Sip lemonade in rocking chairs on the front porch (which also means buy the rocking chairs I've been wanting)

I made the list 5 days ago.
Honestly, its a much smaller list than I had hoped for.

Originally it was much longer. Much, much longer.

The reason I cut it short? My kids.

And no, its not delightful it is to put dreams on hold to wipes dirty bums and mediate fights. It's not always delightful. Sometimes it really sucks.

This week, the baby has cried every second he's been awake. Every second.
He has a bad case of the post-holiday crankies. He's also working on getting some pretty epic molars. He's been really fun this week.

The girls have been fighting over everything. They also have a bad case of the post-holiday crankies and are still adjusting to life outside of Grandma's house where they don't eat Lucky Charms for breakfast and get prizes for changing your bad attitude.

I've cleaned up throw up three times this week and I have a feeling I'll clean up more before the weekend comes.

It's at this very moment that I become bitter.
This motherhood gig is holding me back.
And I don't like to be held back. I don't like it at all.

After a good cry the thought comes to me. 
What are they holding me back from?

My dream of happiness has always been a simple summer night on the back porch. I'm cuddled up next to my husband while we watch the kids play in the backyard in the sunset.
We're happy. We're really truly happy.

We've lived a few of my "dream of happiness" nights before.
I've cuddled on the back porch with my husband. After 7 years of marriage and 3 kids, I love him more than the day we were married. A lot more. I keep waiting for it to peak but it just doesn't. I honestly love him more and more as life passes us by.
We've watched our kids play in our backyard as the sun sets. It is pure joy watching those little kiddos experience the happiness you know they deserve. There's nothing like it. Nothing.

And that's it. Done. There's my New Year's resolution.

Live more happily. Enjoy this sweet life of ours more and more each day.
I'll try to tackle my list but my focus will be living this beautiful life I've been given.

Because these little kiddos might be nightmares this week but they are also the very source of my happiness. They aren't holding me back. They're making my dreams come true.

The Past Year

I wrote this and never posted it. oops. 
He's now 13 months but whatever. 

My baby boy turned one on Saturday.

See. . .

Here's a little story for you. About the journey of the past year.

Looking back, I really don't know how I was so naive.

I blame the jump from 1 kid to 2, mostly.
All I heard during my second pregnancy was how hard life was going to be after the baby came.
How difficult two children were. How I would never have time to myself again.
How emotionally exhausting having two kids was.

And then the baby came. And I must admit. Life was a dream.
I loved having two kids.
The dynamic of our family was so much more lively with two.
The girls played well together and they entertained each other well. I felt much less emotionally exhausted with two kids than I did with one.
I loved every second of it.

And since everyone warned about how difficult two kids would be, I figured the warnings about three kids didn't apply to me either. I was just a different kind of mom. You know, the ones that can have a billion kids and love every second of it. 

So, when my second was just 15 months, I had my IUD pulled and got pregnant right away.
Yes, they are one day shy of being exactly two years apart.

And let me tell you. What they warn about three kids, its all right on!

Three kids rocked my world. And I did not expect that at all. 

I've felt frustration and annoyance and depression and depletion. 

I've never felt those things. 

But slowly, through lots and lots of humble prayers, we've made it through this year. 

...and do I dare say "thriving" as a family of five? 

Happy One Year little guy. We love you more than you will ever know...and now we're coming to kiss those cheeks! 

HOW I GOT THE SHOT: Low Key Lighting

After a month jam packed with adventures and an incredibly humbling week, these last few days at home feel heaven sent. I can't do structure and schedules. Its not a strength of mine. Some days we pack 3 adventures into one day...and sometimes we stay home and spend two hours picking which page to color (today). And I think both are good. I mean, it's childhood right? It's suppose to be enjoyed. If a day at home is going to be better for our souls than adventuring, then you better bet we're going to stay home.

HOW I GOT THE SHOT:

First of all, turn off all the lights in your house. No matter what kind of photo you're going for, always turn your lights off. Use the natural light from your windows instead. Always. 

Second, place your cute little one next to a window (in this shot she's a little below the window). Have them slightly face the light. Now pick up your camera! Turn your camera to manual mode. Set it to spot focus and put the focus point on a part of your little one's face that is lit. Now its just a matter of setting your settings. Your aiming to have your settings properly expose the lit portion of their face. Just aim for this one goal and the shadows will fall into place. As always, I start with the aperture I want (I usually shoot at a 1.8), I then move to an appropriate shutter speed (shutter speeds are given in 1/(some number). The bottom number should always be at least twice your lens's focal length.). I then move to ISO if I need more or less light. 

This one was pretty much nailed in camera. But don't worry if you don't get it perfectly dark, Lightroom can make up the difference. Edit your picture as you normally would making the lighted portion of the picture look how you want it to. If your background is still not dark enough, try messing with the contrast slider first. Then move to the shadows or blacks sliders if you need more drama without the contrast.

Van + Binky Monkey

 

Baby Boy. Your little monkey has been with from the beginning. I knew you loved him but I didn't realize you needed him...until we lost him and you didn't sleep well. at all. 

When we found him, you immediately put his face up to yours. You smiled and slept. perfectly.

I have a feeling you'll be connected for a while. And I am completely ok with that.

Addie

Addie asked me if she could trade babysitting for a some photos. Addie is our regular babysitter and my kids are in love with her, so naturally I took her up on it!

Addie was over at my house the other day. We were chatting about life and friends. Embarrassing stories and what it's like to have your whole life turned upside down.

Man alive being a teen is HARD. I'm convinced there isn't any other time of life quite like it.
Figuring out who you are, what you stand for, and what makes you happy is no small task.

But girl, you're rocking it. You're a great person and an awesome friend.

You've got this.

and p.s. "Happy Girls are the Prettiest Girls" -Audrey Hepburn

 

Raising Myself

I wasn't the easiest kid to raise. I know this. I've always known this.

I came into this world with a little more "spice" than most. (a term used to describe me by my Grandpa, a man who has understood me from day one)

They always said, "You're going to get a girl just like you someday".

And look, here she is. 

She looks like me. She acts like me. She thinks like me.

She's the closest thing to me without actually being me.

She's my mini me.

And I love her something fierce. 

And, you know what, I admire her too.

This girl.

She came into this world with a little more "spice" than most.
I love to tell the story of when the NICU nurse gave her a bath for the very first time.
"No offense, but you've got a spitfire on your hands," the nurse said as she chuckled.

She's spent a few more hours in time out than her other siblings and we've had some power struggles too, but man, this girl is strong.

She's never once doubted who she is.

She's never once doubted the power of her Heavenly Father.

She's never once doubted her ability to do good.

Things don't phase her. They don't embarrass her.

Fear doesn't stop her.

I always thought raising myself would be a burden. A little dose of dreadful Karma.
But these days, it's a lesson in self love.

It's learning that every single person has both strengths and weaknesses.
What you may see as weaknesses, might just be your biggest strengths.

Be who you are. Love yourself.

Because if you saw yourself through the loving eyes of a mother, you'd see a person worth admiring.