Everything is better in Raw, format that is!

So this time I purposely engaged RAW as my option of image to shoot in and what a difference!  When I cropped the photos, the photos seemed so clear and other than the cropping tool I hardly edited them.  Actually I am trying to use the philosophy of Bryan Peterson who says, "...if you take a good photo than you don't need to photoshop it".  I like his approach, mostly because I still can't figure out photoshop and I'm so frustrated with that program, I'd like to never use it if I can help it.  

I LOVE THIS PHOTO, EVERY DETAIL OF IT.  HER HANDS WERE MOVING SO THERE'S A BIT OF BLURRING.  CLICK ON IT TO ENLARGE AND YOU CAN SEE EVERY FINE DETAIL DOWN TO HER TINY EYELASHES.  

MAA (AS I AM AFFECTIONATELY KNOWN BY) CAN I HAVE PEARL EARRINGS TOO?

TOO CUTE MY DARLING BABY!

SHE WAS TRYING TO HIDE FROM ME AS I CHASED HER AROUND THE HOUSE WITH MY CAMERA!  THOUGHT THIS ONE CAME OUT PRETTY GOOD TOO.

Well, I am pleased with my new camera and have slowly realized that I must be patient with learning all the menus and such.  But for now, I have reached a milestone in my photo capabilites by just using manual modes and RAW.  I would recommend for those of you who also love photos and have this setting in your camera to use it.  Though it requires a lot of memory on your card and hard drive, it's worth it.  I plan on getting a separate hard drive for the computer anyway.  As for the memory cards, well you can always delete the photos and keep shooting.

Woof Woof

DON'T YA FEEL LIKE DOING THIS TO SOMEONE EVERY NOW AND THEN!

PRETTY WEEDS

SHE RUNS, HE FOLLOWS!
WOOF WOOF, LOOK WHAT I HAVE FOR YOU (NOW I DIDN'T KNOW IF SHE WAS GOING TO THROW IT OR KNOCK HIM ON THE HEAD WITH THIS), SHE THREW IT!

I AM SO ENJOYING KIRA'S NEW FOUND ABILITY TO SPEAK TODDLERESQUE STYLE! THIS WEEK SHE SEEMS TO HAVE TAKEN OFF IN HER WORD ACQUISITION. I AM AMAZED AND THRILLED, SINCE NEXT MONTH WE HAVE ANOTHER SPEECH EVALUATION AND I AM HOPING THEY TELL ME SHE DOESN'T NEED IT.

THE SPEECH ISSUE HAS BEEN A GREAT SOURCE OF FRUSTRATION FOR KIRA AND SINCE SHE STARTED COMMUNICATING WITH BASIC SIGN LANGUAGE AND GESTURES, PULLING HER HAIR AND MINE HAS STOPPED AS WELL AS THE THE H. LECTOR BEHAVIOR:))

SINCE SHE CAN'T PRONOUNCE HER DOG'S NAME (RECCHI) SHE BARKS, WOOF WOOF, IT'S SO FUNNY TO HEAR. WHEN WE TURN INTO THE DEVELOPMENT, I HEAR WOOF WOOF AS THIS IS HER WAY OF TELLING ME "WE'RE HOME". WOOF WOOF IS HER BEST FRIEND THESE DAYS TOO, ALTHOUGH SOMETIMES I WONDER, WHEN I SEE HER SMACKING HIM.

EVERYDAY THIS CHILD AMUSES ME WITH HER ADVENTURES! IT'S SUCH A GIFT TO BE HER MOMMA!

I LOVE YOU SO MUCH, SWEET KIRA!

Day at the Aquarium

What a fun time we all had. Last week we met up with Jennifer and her darling sweeties, Jade and Hayley for a visit to the Aquarium. It is always a good time watching Kira run around and play with her friends!










SINCE I AM A CONFESSED BLOG SLACKER, I AM JUST CATCHING UP ON SOME POSTS AND OTHERS I'VE BEEN WANTING TO VISIT.

Check out this incredible donation for Starfish

Thank you Sunnie for sending me all these warm and cozy blankets for the Starfish home.  I am so excited that I contacted you!

To date my sweet cousin from NY made a substantial financial donation, my niece is working on a school fundraiser for Amanda, and I have a room full of needed items, including No No arm restraints for the surgery and post op and candy for Amanda!  How could I not send her something sweet!

A few more ladies are making some blankets too.  I can't wait to get everything so I can send them out.  If anyone still would like to donate items, email me and I'll give you the address.

Slow Learning Curve

Okay so I think I finally am on top of the Continental Divide here with my slow learning curve regarding the function settings on my new Nikon!  It's almost like I feel I just earned some degree in math or similar.   Thank goodness for these  books for "Dummies".  It took me step by step through each button, menu and anything else I needed to learn.  I'm very happy because now I can at least press buttons and know what I am doing, or not accidently press a button and not know how to return to regular shooting.

Yes it's still intimidating in some ways, there are 5 Menus and within those menus, 143 subfolders, and within those subfolders, hundreds of more settings!  Actually, what I did was skip to the back of the book, where all the nitty gritty stuff is located and wow, I was on a roll.  Even stayed up late to continue on reading.  It was like a novel I couldn't stop reading!  

So I now know how to set my ISO, metering modes, ISO, use exposure compensation, bracket not only the exposure, but flash and WB settings.  This camera is simply beautiful, and has amazing capabilities from the novice to expert photog.  I must admit that I've been shooting in manual for the most part, because that's what I only knew before and now that I found out about the internal bracket system, it will correct my errors!  Cool stuff!  

Now let's see what I can do with it!

AS FAR AS CREATIVITY GOES, NOW I NEED PHOTOSHOP ELEMENTS FOR DUMMIES!

I did it

THE RESULT OF MY FIRST PHOTOSHOP EXPERIENCE AND I DIDN'T GET IT RIGHT.  I NOW SEE THAT THE COLOR IN HER HAT IS MUCH BRIGHTER AND PINKER THAN THE ORIGINAL COLORS.  WELL THERE'S ALWAYS THAT PHOTOSHOP FOR DUMMIES BOOK!


I AM BESIDE MYSELF WITH EXCITEMENT HERE! I KNOW YOU ALL CAN FEEL IT TOO:)) BECAUSE I HAVE GOTTEN PAST THE FIRST CHAPTER OF D90 FOR DUMMIES! IN ADDITION, I LEARNED THIS EDIT TECHNIQUE TODAY IN PART TO MY GOOD FRIEND NATALIE WHO REFERRED ME TO AN ONLINE TUTORIAL. THANKS, I NO LONGER NEED THE IDIOT'S GUIDE TO PSE, JUST THE DUMMY GUIDE, I'M TREKKING ALONG HERE PRETTY GOOD.

OKAY, FIRST I HAVE TO SAY SO MUCH BLOGGING AND SO LITTLE TIME! I HAVE AWARDS TO GIVE OUT AND PEOPLE TO NOTIFY, YET BY THE END OF THE DAY, I'M JUST BEAT! THIS BABE DEMANDS MY ATTENTION EVERY MINUTE LATELY. I HAVE TO SAY I ACTUALLY LOVE IT BECAUSE I THINK ABOUT HOW I WOULD DAYDREAM ABOUT HEARING THE SOUNDS OF LITTLE FOOTSTEPS RUNNING AROUND THE FLOORS OR LITTLE ARMS TUGGING AT MY LEGS AND NOW, THOSE DAYS ARE A BEAUTIFUL REALITY!

I AM CONSUMED WITH LOVE FOR KIRA AND CAN'T HELP BUT ADMIT IT! WHILE SHE DOES THE FUNNIEST THINGS TO ENTERTAIN HERSELF AND ME, SHE'S STARTING TO ALSO TALK, WHICH IS A BIG MILESTONE FOR THIS CHILD. SHE CAN CLEARLY SAY NO, IN THE DAINTY VOICE OF HERS, AND HAS A VOCABULARY OF ABOUT 28 WORDS (VERY GOOD FROM 10 IN SEPTEMBER). SHE KNOWS HER COLORS, SHAPES AND CAN DO CALCULUS WITHOUT A CALCULATOR (JUST MAKING SURE THIS ISN'T A BORING POST LOL).  I AM A PROUD MOMMA, KNOWING THAT KIRA'S CLEFT PALATE ISN'T STANDING IN HER WAY OF VERBALLY MAKING HER POINT KNOWN.  

SO PLEASE COMMENT ON HOW I CAN IMPROVE MY PHOTOSHOP TECHNIQUES!

A day in the park

Maa, look what I can do when you're on the computer!

MAA, I'M GOING TO PRESS THIS HERE BIG RED BUTTON THAT SAYS DON'T PRESS! YEP THE LITTLE BABE DID JUST THAT, SHE FIGURED OUT HOW TO SET OFF AN ALARM THAT WASN'T EVEN ARMED!  THE ALARM COMPANY SAID SHE PUNCHED IN THE CORRECT SET OF SEQUENCED NUMBERS TO DO THAT.  I TOLD HIM SHE'S ONLY 2, HE SAID WELL THAT'S THE ONLY WAY SHE COULD HAVE SET IT OFF, I TOLD HIM, HE NUTS!  SHE'S ONLY 2 AS IN TWO YEARS OLD!  BUT NOW IT WAS MY PROBLEM NOT HIS TO DEAL WITH.

NEXT THING I KNOW SIRENS WERE BLASTING, EAR PIERCING SOUNDS WERE COMING FROM PLASTIC THINGIES IN THE CEILING AND THE DOGS HOWLING, THE CATS ON THE CEILING AND I'M HEADING TO THE NUT HOUSE!  HOW WAS I GOING TO EXPLAIN ALL THIS TO THE POLICE (I WAS THINKING THEY WERE ABOUT TO SHOW UP ANY MINUTE) THEN I SUDDENLY REMEMBERED, I DON'T HAVE AN ALARM, SO WHAT'S ALL THIS NOISE ABOUT!  UGH, THE NOISE WAS DEAFENING AND I COULDN'T THINK OF WHAT TO DO OR WHOM TO CALL.  SO I WALKED DOWN INTO THE BASEMENT AND STARTED PULLING BREAKERS, OFF ON/OFF ON, NOTHING!  THEN PULLED OUT SOME PLUGS, NOTHING!  THEN REALIZED I WAS GOING TO HAVE TO LEAVE THE HOUSE BECAUSE I COULDN'T STAND THE NOISE, WHEN SUDDENLY I REALIZED, HEY I'M A NURSE, I'VE HAD SOME EXPERIENCE IN ELECTRICITY, SO LET ME PUT MY THINKING CAP ON.

OKAY DOES ANYONE RECOGNIZE ANYTHING FAMILIAR IN THE FOLLOWING PHOTOS?

WELL GOOD, NEITHER DID I, BUT I HAD TO DO SOMETHING!

SO I WENT TO THE BASEMENT AND FOUND THIS CIRCUIT BOARD!  AH WHATS A FEW CHIPS HERE AND THERE AND SOME WIRES TO A GAL, RIGHT?
SAME POWER CIRCUIT BOARD NOW RESET AND ARMED (OOOH SOUNDS DANGEROUS)
THIS WAS BEFORE RESET AND I JUST PULLED AT THE WIRES.  I THOUGHT ONE OF THEM HAS TO SHUT THE THING UP! I DON'T THINK ANY BOMB SQUADES WOULD HIRE ME AFTER THIS MESS:))
I FOUND A BATTERY, THAT DIDN'T LOOK LIKE ANY BATTERY I WAS USED TO SEEING AND PULLED THE ELECTRODES.  ACTUALLY I TUGGED AND RIPPED THEM OFF,  AND THE NOISE STOPPED.  AWH PEACE AND QUIET!  FINALLY, BUT THEN MY EARS STARTED TO RING, HONESTLY I WAS LOOSING IT, KIND OF LIKE BEING RIGHT UP TO A HUGE METAL ROCK BAND WITH YOUR EAR PLASTERED TO THE SPEAKER.  THEN YOU WALK OUT AND CAN'T HEAR A THING, THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED

TO ME...SO MORAL OF THE STORY, WHEN BABY WANTS TO PLAY WITH YOU, PLAY!

OR ALARMS WILL START BUZZING AND SQUEALING AND YOU'D WISH YOU WOULD HAVE JUST PUT IN THAT DVD ELMO TAPE FOR THE 100TH TIME!

OH SO GLAD MY BROTHER IS AN ELECTRICIAN, HE KNEW WHAT TO DO AND PUT ALL THOSE WIRES BACK IN PLACE!  THANK YOU SO MUCH BABY BROTHER, YOU'RE THE BEST!  

The way I see it

I just had to have a Starbucks! My one vice is coffee and soy lattes a must. I was so addicted to them on a daily basis when I worked, one would think it was a food group I created, because I skipped lunch to walk across the street and get my venti sugar free vanilla soy latte. I can proudly admit to now being an ex=latteholic who can now enjoy this drink once a month or two. Yep, there's no Starbucks near my home and since I will also confess to being a coffee snob, well, I'll just make my own!

Anyway, while daydreaming in the car, I looked at the side of the cup and this is what it said:

There is a subtle difference between a mission and a promise.

A mission is something you strive to accomplish

A promise is something you are compelled to keep.

One is individual, the other is shared.  When a mission and a promise are one and the same, that's when mountains are moved and races won".

~Hala Moddelmog

President and Ceo

Susan G. Komen for the Cure

How beautiful and fitting I thought.  Sometimes when you want to do something you feel as if your a small fish in this big sea.  I guess reading this over and over I realized, hey I can help the babies at Starfish, I can help Amanda and I will help Jailynn.  The auction for Jailynn has been going very well and the second round is about to start this week.  Many amazing people have donated their time and talents to providing me with the most adorable clothes.  Some are also making blankets for the Starfish Home.  I sent out about 30 emails or more and only really expected a small return, yet instead got a dozen or so interested sellers from etsy.com that were more than happy to participate.  I am so grateful to them all, so talented and giving.

So please check out Jailynn's Prayer and see for yourself!  Even if you leave a comment of inspiration, it will be something that Melanie (Mommy to Jailynn) can read.  As a follow up the Kerr Family has received their TA, but are still struggling to get the monies needed.  We'll do what we can and I know that little girl will be home before she knows it.

Thanks everyone!  Enjoy the new designer items on the blog.

Shutterbug

I decided it was time to have another blog. Click here to see it. Keep in mind it's a work in progress, sort of like me:))

Comments, suggestions, critiques needed.

Ivy

Photo Preparedness and everything else I happened upon

OH MY GOODNESS!  ACTUALLY, THAT'S NOT EVEN CLOSE TO THE EXPLICATIVE I WOULD USE TO DESCRIBE THE PHOTOS OF Deb and Lisa!  While they are two naturally, gifted photographers, Lisa recently took the photo course that Jen, Kate and I are going to attend at the end of April.   We are all so excited and can't wait.

In the meantime, in order to prepare for this course, I am trying to learn as much about this habit of mine as possible.  So yes, there is a book called the Nikon D90 for Dummies and Yes I ordered it!  While the title may sound cute, don't let it fool you, because the inside is like reading an encyclopedia in pig Latin.  I just want to get to know my camera a bit better.  It's very technical with a slow learning curve (at least for me).  But hey yesterday I was SHOOTING IN RAW AND DIDN'T EVEN KNOW IT, that is until I looked at the huge files it created:))

Now,  I say to myself, what button did I accidentally push to get RAW.  It's not like there is this huge RED BUTTON THAT STICKS OUT AND SAYS "HEY PUSH THIS FOR RAW FORMAT". No, it's just not that easy to "accidentally" get into this format because to get back to jpeg normal format, you press at least one button, scroll down into the menu, then over to your selection, and then press OK.  I couldn't have done that by accident (which my husband insists I did).   It must have defaulted or something!  Ha, that's funny, I'm blaming the camera!

Okay, so I now anxiously await my new reading material, which by the way doesn't include Photoshop for Dummies.  I need the Idiot's guide on PSE and I know it's around somewhere!

Leave a comment if you know where I can buy it!

This was about as close as I could come to the Idiot's guide to Photoshop Essentials.  I mean I need something quick and easy here.  Nothing too detailed (even if the program is).  
Then I found this book.  Yes I am onto something now.  We will use this program a lot from what I hear.

And there is a PSE 6 for Dummies...go figure!  I just learned how to master Mac and iPhoto.   

Then I found this and thought, where was this book when I needed it!

Then I stumbled upon these...non-fiction or fiction?

OH MY?  YOU DRILL WHERE?  

Virtually a book for every field, complaint, political agenda, current affairs, history, and so on.

While I found the necessary reading material, I am hoping that in the next few weeks I can actually learn a thing or two on my own.  I intend to sneak over to Borders for coffee and an armful of books to bury my head in as well.   Yes I am determined to learn what I can and make the most out of this amazing technical device that with the click of a button will preserve a priceless moment in time!

DIM SUM ANYONE? photos finally

Yesterday we met up with friends from the Bucks County FCC group!  We went to the Imperial Inn for Dim Sum in Phila.  The food was great, as usual.  It's been so long since I had really, really good Chinese food and this was perfect!  

It was wonderful to see all the girls dressed up in their traditional Chinese outfits.  They were soooooooooo adorable and I could tell they were having fun with sweet sounds of laughter and chatting!  I am surprised we didn't get thrown out of there since the tiny Hunan princess ran around to each table and then around the entire restaurant till she was almost in the kitchen.  It was beautiful outside with the temperature in the 50's here.  

Afterwards, we decided to not stay for the parade due to the loud firecrackers they set off.  Kira was already freaked by Sponge Bob the night before, so I thought it best to wait till she's older to understand about the meaning of the Dragon Parade.  

I made sure I got my "red envelopes" with the Year of the Ox on them and a then a sheet of the Lunar New Year postage stamps 2009 as little momentos for Kira's scrapbook.   I have been saving the stamps during the wait for our referral and it's become a little tradition of mine since.  

Then we were off to my brothers' house so I could help my niece study for her nursing exams. Poor thing, she was yawning the entire time:)), maybe it was my big mouth again, or she was just plain tired.  Anyway, I do hope she remembers some of the stuff.  There's just so much to learn, I wonder how I did it back then.  Then again, I remember...there was someone who helped me when I needed it.  How strange that this time of year I get nostalgic for the past.  I don't know why, but it happens.  Fortunately they are very good memories that I'll hold dear to me.  I think a lot has to do with the fact that my brother lives where we all grew up as young children.  So I drive past my old house, high school, roads and byways I used to walk, places I used to play and homes of friends I adored.  Guess this should be a separate post, but hey this is my blog, I can write what I want!  Plus I have a few minutes to myself for a change!  

Anyway, Dim Sum was great, meeting my new friends always makes me smile and happy and, yes, taking a walk down memory lane, 20 plus something years of it, also warms my heart, in a big way!  

I'LL HAVE ONE OF EVERYTHING PLEASE!
OH THIS IS SUCH A GREAT PHOTO!
KIRA MAKING MIA LAUGH!

I JUST LOVE THE FACES OF THESE LITTLE GIRLS, SO LOVED AND SO BEAUTIFUL. WHAT I ENJOY IS WATCHING THE INTERACTION OF THE GIRLS WITH THEIR PARENTS.  THE AFTERNOON SHOULD HAVE BEEN "GIRL FUN" VERSUS DIM SUM...HERE ARE SOME SWEETIES THAT DIDN'T MIND HAVING A PIC TAKEN, JUST LOOK AT THE SMILES!  

HERE IS THE POSTAGE STAMP FOR THE LUNAR NEW YEAR 2009 PRETTY STAMP

FOR THE CHILDREN at STARFISH

My dear friend Daleea is doing what she does best, selflessly helping others!  She emailed me to advice me of the second annual fundraiser for the Starfish Home in China, inquiring if I could pass on information regarding important needs.

If you click on the the Starfish blog you'll see why I couldn't pass up this opportunity to help. There are so many beautiful babies waiting to have surgeries, that's the problem, they are waiting!   Waiting for sponsors and money to have the necessary surgeries that will probably save their lives.  

Amanda de Lange, is a teacher from South Africa who somehow found it in her way to Asia to work with children.  She is working with provincial orphanage officials, taking in babies that are in the most desparate need of medical attention.  There they are placed on a strict nutritional program to prepare them for upcoming surgery.  Amanda does the scheduling for surgery and also pays for it.  Even more astonishing is that she accompanies each baby to the provincial hospital, often staying by his/her side till recovered and able to travel back to Xi'an. 

 

Currently she has 30 children of which there are nine babies from 10 days old to 11 months who are in her direct care in Xi'an, China.  This is a list of items that has been requested:

Vicks 5
Tylenol 10
Motrin 17
Sunscreen 2
Oatmeal 20
Craisins 12
Teething Tablets 4
Onesies 21 (there are more than this because I counted packages as one)
Shoes 35
Boots 3
Pants 3
Coats 17
Shorts 18
Sleepers 106
Girls Outfits 88
Sheet 1
Bottles 6
Boys Outfits 48
Sweaters 15
Gloves 3
Booties 6
Socks 35 (there are more because I counted packages as one)
Sun Hats 9
Bibs 17 (there are more because I counted packages as one)
Baby Hats 19
Hats 3
Shirts 58
T-Shirts 22
Sweats 16
She does need: infant liquid vitamins and teething tablets, along with the infant tylenol and motrin

If you want to send any of the above items, please email me and I'll give you the address.

HERE'S AN EXCERPT FROM AMANDA'S BLOG

"with 30 little mouths to feed.Starfish Foster HomeXian ChinaAt Starfish, we have taken care of 67children to date, arranged almost 50 surgeries and had a whopping 18 international adoptions, so our little alumni live all over the globe: the US (latest adoptions to Kentucky and New Jersey), Netherlands, Norway and Spain. Two children are matched at the moment waiting for their families. We currently have 30 babies under the age of 3 1/2 at the foster home".

So let's all pass the word  around and try to get these babies their surgeries!

Thank you all for taking the time to read this and reaching out to help. 

Old and New

I added these photos after I was playing around with the saturation and sharpness.  I loved this photo but there is some blurring.  

Just posted this photo because I love the expression on Kira's face and it somehow captures her oh so pretty eyes.  

While I am not a member of my favorite photography blog "We Picture This", I follow it closely because I now personally know some of these talented Mamarazzis.  It is a great way to learn this wonderful hobby I have always loved, especially after I moved to Colorado. 

It was there that I realized I could see beauty through the eye of a camera.  Though I never considered myself artistic, there was never a photo I didn't like creating when shooting the Rocky Mountains or the tiny plants that grew at the base of the timberline.  What a beautiful state and yes I do miss living there!  However, there's always a photo op if you keep your eyes open. 

So here's my interpretation of this month's theme "Old and New".

I so love to watch Kira and how she interacts with new things around her.  She seemed to know that this bracelet was delicate and touches it with such gentleness.

There is so much sentiment that goes into this photo. This charm bracelet was a gift from my parents to me while we waited for Kiras' referral. I called my blog then "Waiting for our Ladybug" and as you can see, Kira too, has a love for ladybugs. However, there are two other important charms on this bracelet, one a charm that was on my Grandmother's bracelet that represented her love for baking, and the other, a heart shaped charm that has my name and birth date on it, given to my mother by my father. Three generations of love on this beautiful bracelet.


Nikon D90
Mode: Auto
Lens: Nikkor 18-105mm f 3.5-5.6
ISO: 400
Aperature: f 5.6
Shutter: 1/100s
Focal length: 105mm

No flash