Think Outside your Camera!

No matter what kind of camera you have, get to know it better. Take it on a photography date! Sometimes it's as easy as pulling out the owner’s manual to find out what button does what. If you want more information, you can check out the local library or book store for reading on photography basics. In fact, there are even books out there written for your specific camera model! If you need more, try a local class. Knowing what your camera can do changes everything!

Think about your composition!
Generally we want to get a picture of something great like our kids on vacation, a sweet baby, a beautiful flower, or a gorgeous sunset. So, we take out our camera, focus on our subject, and click we got the shot. Well that was easy! Later on we find the problem when we go back to see our picture. YIKES, we forgot to take the ketchup bottle off the table which is now appearing in that great shot of your baby, or we didn't see the road sign coming out of Uncle Bill's head during that great sunset. Oops! I've done this many a time, but no worries, there are wonderful editing programs that can fix these issues. However, wouldn't it be great if we were thinking of the big picture while focusing on the little picture? Make sense? There is a reason why we love those beach vacation shots, and that's because the background is key! For example, in the following picture of one of my favorite and most beautiful families, I love the fun feel that the graffiti gives to the overall moment we captured.

Experimenting is key….try something new. We were driving around the city one weekend and I spied my little boy hanging out the window with the biggest smile on his face (and yes…he did have a seat belt on!) Anyway, I loved his carefree expression and decided to see if I could catch it in the mirror. Thank goodness I had my camera...I love it!

As always…have fun!

Had to include this picture of our Gina. She's the only other girl in our family so she has to be tough, hence the skull and crossbones dog tag (http://www.wagsofbaxter.com/). She's a runner, a sleeper, and loves her boys!

Birthday Parties 101!

Want to have a fabulous birthday party? Here are some key things to do....

1. Invite your greatest friends! (Obviously)

2. Have some festive decorations! Grab some balloons and streamers, make a sign, and set the mood for FUN! My kids are always so excited about the “decorations,” it’s the first thing they look for on their birthday. I love the above Happy Birthday banner by Lucy and Michael, www.lucyandmichael.com.

3. Have a fabulous cake! Everyone looks forward to the cake, so go ahead and go over the top. Why not? Whether you make it yourself or purchase from a local bakery, pick something that goes with your theme and don’t forget the candles! If you are making your cake from a mix (like I usually do,) try adding some extras like instant pudding, eggs and sour cream. For specifics, go to www.cakemixdoctor.com.

4. Finally, TAKE PICTURES so you can remember the event! Have your camera battery charged and ready to go! Make sure someone is snapping shots of the event. So many times we get caught up in the festivities that we forget to capture the "great moments.” Even better, let FRESH take the pictures for you. I’ll come to your event, photograph your party, and give you all the images on a high resolution CD along with a collage ready for printing.

I had the pleasure of photo journaling this fun little 6 year old party over the weekend! It was an ARMY themed event, and what a great time they all had!

Make some memories!

Stay warm when it's cold outside by rounding up the kids and making a batch of fresh cookies! Make it an event....dress them up in some fun aprons like the ones pictured above from Lucy and Michael (www.lucyandmichael.com), give everyone a mixing bowl and see what happens! A sure bet is this Snickerdoodle recipe that I found from a Gooseberry Patch, Kids in the Kitchen Cookbook! Trust me....this is a good one! I've passed it along several times and wanted to share with you.

Snickerdoodle Cookies:

1 cup butter, 1.5 cups sugar, 2 eggs (beaten), 1 tsp vanilla, 2.75 cups flour, 2 tsp cream of tartar, 1 tsp baking soda, 2 TBS sugar and 2 tsp cinnamon.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix butter and 1.5 cups of sugar together in a large mixing bowl. Add beaten eggs and vanilla. Combine flour, cream of tartar and baking soda in another mixing bowl. Add flour mixture to the butter mixture a little at a time until the dough is blended and no flour is left in the bottom of the bowl. Combine remaining sugar and cinnamon with a fork in cereal bowl. Roll dough into balls and toss in cinnamon-sugar. Place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until they're puffy and edges are golden. Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Enjoy! These cookies will disappear quickly!

Finally, please don't forget to take some pictures of the event. You'll be surprised at how many great candid shots you can get when everyone is having fun!