Focus for the New Year

Friday, December 31, 2010

2011 is just a few hours away now.

Are you a resolution maker?  I am to some degree. The other day I prayed for a word.  One word that will be my focus for the new year. A word to represent my goals and plans.  A word that I can come back to when I feel overwhelmed, when the daily routine becomes mundane, or when I lose sight of my calling.

You see, sometimes I forget that I'm going to live forever.  And when my gaze shifts from the cross and from the One I was made to live for I quickly stumble.

This day, this coming year, this entire life of mine... they're all just tiny blips on the expansive line of eternity.  But I've been placed here for such a time as this and I want to use my time well. \I long to be a good and faithful servant of the few things I've been entrusted with.

My word for 2011 is: Mission.

~ As a stay at home Mom with no boss to report to, it can be easy to let time slip away.  I want to live for an audience of One.
~ I'm naturally quiet and shy, and it's easy to use that as an excuse to not reach out to people.  We are only enabled to love others out of the overflow of our love for God.
~ Life can be demanding as a homeschooling Mom with 3 little ones!  I want to run this race with perseverance.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1-2)

I just ordered a Lightscoop!

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Have you heard of it?  Or ever used one?  I've been intrigued by it for a while, but because I paralyze myself with indecision and weighing all of my options, it took me a really long time to purchase it.  I never use my ugly pop up flash, but I've been feeling limited by natural light during these dreary winter months.  I can't wait to give it a try and post my results!

This is the description from the website:
Lightscoop® is a smart low-tech device that creates soft, flattering light by redirecting your camera’s pop-up flash to a ceiling or wall.  Don’t let your convenient little pop-up flash ruin your photos with evil red eye, ugly shadows, hot spots, bleached out faces, underexposed colors, and blurry movement that exist only in your photographs, not in the real world.  Slip a Lightscoop® on your camera and never miss out on another fabulous picture! Lightscoop creates soft, natural light and lets you capture the scene the way you see it.


Here's the website.
And here's the Flickr group.  A lot of the pictures there look really good!

Loving homeschooling... Not loving my laundry piles!

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

 

Ok, Homeschooling Mommies...

How do you keep your house clean?  Seriously! :)

We officially began Kindergarten on Monday.  I know I said that I was going to start in January, but the thought of surviving another unstructured week with the girls fighting over Christmas toys was making me crazy.  It's a weird time to start our year, right?  I guess you can do that when you homeschool! 

We are absolutely LOVING Little Hearts for His Glory!  That's saying a lot because I'm really picky about curriculum, and I used to teach Kindergarten in a public school, so that kind of makes me an expert on all things Kindergarten (just kidding).  Actually, the longer I'm involved with something, the more I discover how much I don't know about it (like parenting, photography, and homeschooling for example!).

But honestly, if you've never heard of Heart of Dakota, you must visit their site.  The programs are Christ centered, the academics are perfect (not too light and not too challenging), and it's so much fun!  I love that I get to spend my day talking to my children about God and watching their little hearts get so excited about Him!

Now I just need to figure out how to get the laundry done!! :)

Here are just a few sweet moments from the past couple of days. (After uploading them I realized that only 2 of them are of Rachel's kindergarten work.  Three are of Abby's special time and 1 is of my Little Man.)

Before we start Rachel's school time, we all do a special activity with Abby and shower her with attention.  (The theory here is that maaaybe she'll be slightly independent for a bit while I work with Rachel.  It works...sometimes.)

 

A picture of Rachel.  Well, her arm anyway.  Finally!

Rachel's collage symbolizing that Jesus is the center of all history...

 

Last but not least, I couldn't resist throwing in a picture of my little man who has me completely wrapped around his little finger.  Look at those cheeks!  I just want to squeeze him. :)  I took this shot right before we fed him rice cereal for the first time tonight.  He seems to be saying, "I'm really not sure about this Mom!"  And he wasn't.  He spit it all out and started crying.  :)

My switch from Canon to Nikon...

Sunday, December 26, 2010

 

I recently received a question from Jenn, and I thought I would answer it here.  She asked:

"Hi, I see you switched from Canon to Nikon....I am curious as to why?  It seems like people are die hards for either one or the other...  Could you explain your thought process? And was the switch hard to make?"

When I first purchased my Canon Rebel XSI, I knew nothing about photography.  I wasn't even sure if it would be something I liked, so my decision at the time was based mostly on my budget.  The two cameras I was comparing were the XSI and the Nikon D90.  Since the XSI was a couple hundred dollars cheaper, that's what I went with.

At first, I was amazed by the XSI.  I was sold the moment I took my first photo with a blurry background!  I really began to enjoy photography and I wanted to learn as much as I could.  After reading Understand Exposure, my camera manual from cover to cover (twice!), and photography forums like I Love Photography and I Heart Faces, I began to understand more about my camera and its limitations.

ISO Ability
The biggest frustration with my XSI was its poor low light ability.  Any photo over ISO 400 was too grainy for my taste and unusable.  I don't like the look of pop up flash and I didn't have a Speedlight, so I was very limited when photographing indoors.  I usually shoot with an aperture of between 1.8 and 2.8, but since I couldn't raise my ISO very high, my shutter speeds were often too slow for my fast moving children and I ended up with a lot of pictures with unwanted motion blur.  Frustrating!

Auto Focus
I missed focus pretty often and ended up with soft pictures.  I realized that it could've been user error, but after a year with my camera and understanding exposure well, I started to suspect that it might be my equipment.

Dynamic Range (the luminance range that the camera can capture)

I used to get lots and lots of blown highlights.

White Balance
My XSI shot very cool on AWB and my photos required a lot of warming up in post processing.

Because of those four main reasons, I knew that I wanted to upgrade.  I did a lot of research on Canon and Nikon DSLRs before deciding to make the switch.

I initially had my eye on the Nikon D700.  It had everything that I was looking for in a camera body, and if I were doing this professionally, the D700 is definitely the camera I would get.  However, since I'm not a pro, I was a little concerned about carrying around a camera body that is over $2,000!  I also didn't want a heavy or bulky camera and the D700 is much heavier and bulkier than the XSI.  It's also a full frame camera which means that many of the lenses compatible with it are more expensive than the lenses made for cropped sensor cameras.

I wasn't that excited about getting another Canon because I kept reading over and over again about people being unhappy with Canon's auto focus system even in their top cameras.  I did not hear those complaints from Nikon owners, so that was another plus on the Nikon side.  I also read frequently that Nikons are more intuitive and that important features aren't buried in hard to access menus.

When the D7000 was announced, Nikon's new cropped sensor camera, I knew that it would be the perfect camera for me.  It has amazingly low grain at ridiculously high ISOs (check out this snapshot of my son at ISO 25,600!!!), it has Nikon's accurate auto focusing system, the dynamic range is much better than on my XSI, and the auto white balance setting is much truer to life.  It's also a lot smaller and lighter than the D700 and it's half the price.  The D700 is still the better camera by far, but for my purposes, the D7000 is perfect for me.  I was able to put some of the money I saved toward an extra lens.  If I ever decide to go pro (which is very unlikely right now!), the D7000 would make an excellent backup to the D700 or its future replacement.

So I hope that answered your question about my thought process and why I made the switch.  I've been extremely happy with the D7000 and I am no longer frustrated by ISO ability, missed focus, blown highlights, or bluish people.  The switch wasn't as difficult as I thought to make.  It took a little time to get used to the placement of the new buttons and the more extensive menu system, but it was totally worth it!

Would I have enjoyed the same benefits from the Canon 60D (the D7000 competitor)?  It's possible!  Since I've never shot with one I can only speak about my experience with the XSI and D7000.  There are certainly many people taking gorgeous photos with their Canons too!  I think if you have a semi-pro or pro camera body from either of these companies, you'll do very well.

Christmas Randomness

Saturday, December 25, 2010

 

35mm, 1/60, f/1.8, ISO 1600

Do you like my new Christmas slippers?  They're squishy, soft, warm, and everything slippers should be.  The handsome gift giver said they received the best reviews out of all the other slippers.  Isn't it cute that my husband reads slipper reviews for me?  That just makes me love him! :)


Tonight I slip my feet in and I'm ready to rest.  This week has been so very busy, and my usual level of energy just hasn't been there - sapped by a virus.  I'm so thankful for a very capable, loving husband who stepped right in and took care of everything while I got some much needed rest whenever I could.

 35mm, 1/160, f/2.2, ISO 1600

(Rachel's on the bottom row, 2nd in from the right)

Christmas was warm and wonderful and we were surrounded by loving family, but I'm a little glad it's over.  Although we've made efforts to scale back the materialism, the busyness has worn me down a bit.  It takes massive effort and upheaval to get a 4 year old, 2 year old, and newborn ready to go anywhere.  Nurse the baby, change 2 dirty diapers, send 1 to the potty, clothe the children, do their hair, put on coats, gloves, hats, and shoes (times 5 if you count us), restock the diaper bag, get the Christmas gifts, load the tossed salad, get 3 pairs of jammies, buckle 3 kids into their car seats, run back into the house for forgotten items.  I'm usually tired before we even arrive!

So then we get to Omi's (that's German for Grandma) house and I learn something about Grandma language.  When a Grandma tells you that she only bought 3 gifts for each child, that's really Grandma-speak for 3 very large overflowing bags full of gifts.  As much as I'm thankful for the outpouring of love, my 1,000 square foot no-room-for-anything-else home didn't look particularly thrilled.

Our dog Charlie, of course, did look thrilled to see us until the van door opened and he heard the shrieking screams of two girls who were overtired, oversugared, and overloaded with greed from the above mentioned gifts.  I wonder what those high pitched screams sound like through dog ears.

Well, we have one more round of massive effort and upheaval in order to get to church by 8:45am tomorrow.  After that, I'm going to slip my feet into these slippers once again and welcome the blanketing quiet of 8-12 inches of snow that may fall tomorrow.  I'm going to open the Word to Luke 2 and soak in the beauty of a story that began one silent night in a stable long ago when the Word became flesh.  I will nourish my soul, rest, and find peace in Him.  It may be a day late, but I have a feeling my true Christmas celebration will begin with the soft turning of my Bible's pages tomorrow.

How was your Christmas?

Alphabet Cards for LHTH

Thursday, December 23, 2010

I'm gearing up to begin homeschooling kindergarten and preschool with my two girls in January!  Even though I've been doing preschool-y things with them for years, I feel a little (ok, a lot) apprehensive about starting "officially" now with kindergarten.  Did anyone else have these jitters too?

Last night, I was trying to work on a master schedule for how our day will flow, and I just kept staring blankly at my empty spreadsheet.  I need to relax, enjoy, let go.  It's going to be fine.  It's just kindergarten, right!? 

I was planning to start Little Hands to Heaven with Abby in January, but after looking at it again, I think it would be best to start in September when she's 3.  I think she'll get much more out of this sweet program with a little more maturity and a (hopefully) longer attention span by then.  For now, I'll probably do some of the activities from Hubbard's Cupboard's 2's curriculum.

If you're using Little Hands to Heaven now, please feel free to download and print these colorful alphabet cards that I designed to go along with it.  There are alphabet cards in the back of LHTH, but I really wanted to include a graphic to help her remember each letter and sound.  These are best printed in color and laminated for durability.  I plan to hang these on our learning board!

LHTH Alphabet Cards

Almost done...

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

...but not quite.  If I'm honest, I have to confess that I still have some lingering Christmas cards waiting to be mailed and a few stocking stuffers left to buy.  Yikes!  I'm not really sure how everything snuck up on me this year!  Someone please tell me that you're not completely done either. :)

5 Little Elves

Monday, December 20, 2010

As I was making this video, I was thinking that I can't believe we have 5 people in our family now!  Our family has grown so quickly with 3 kids in 4 years that sometimes it still takes me by surprise. :)

Fix It Friday!

Friday, December 17, 2010

I really had fun editing this picture from I Heart Faces this week.  I normally include the steps I took to edit the photo, but:
1. I'm typing with my left hand while nursing.
2. I don't remember what I did anyway (except for the radial blur and blue gradient map parts).
3. I should probably be doing something more productive like laundry.
4. I feel guilty spending time on this post while my husband is inhaling toxic fumes while unclogging the shower drain because of my hair.

Original:

My edit:

Traditions on Christmas morning and how we give gifts...

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

 50mm, 1/100, f/1.8, ISO 1600

A week ago, I wrote a post about how we can be more intentional about celebrating Christ as we approach Christmas.  We've also thought about what to do on Christmas morning to make it all about Jesus.

One thing my husband and I decided a few years ago is that we will always be home on Christmas morning with just our family.  When we're traveling, or spending time with other family members who may or may not be believers, it becomes very difficult to celebrate Jesus.  Other things tug at the hearts of my children (presents!), and food becomes the center of the celebration with my extremely Italian family.  So for starters, we stay home.

There is a wonderful book called Room for a Little One: A Christmas Tale that we've enjoyed year after year that our children love.  It's about the birth of Jesus and the illustrations are simply gorgeous.  We'll also sing some Christmas carols and have a time of prayer and thankfulness to God.  Matt will read from Luke 2 and we'll have a time to open presents with the children.  We don't buy them a lot of presents, but just a few special things that we know they'll love.

Matt and I exchange 3 gifts.  Have you ever heard of the 3 Wise Men gift exchange?  The wise men brought Jesus 3 gifts - gold, frankincense, and mrryh.  We use the significance of each gift as a theme for the 3 gifts we buy each other.

The Gold Gift - Gold is precious and full of worth.  It symbolizes Christ as King!  We buy one gift for each other that is particularly special or meaningful (it doesn't have to be expensive).

The Frankincense Gift - Frankincense is a resin that was used for medicinal and soothing purposes.  Ancient people used to also burn it as incense, believing that their prayers would be carried to heaven.  Its use as incense illustrates His role as Priest. We buy one gift for each other that will encourage spiritual development (a Christian book, CD, or DVD, a Bible, etc).

The Myrrh Gift - Myrrh is a resin that was used as a wound healer to treat bruises, bleeding, and painful swelling.  It was also used in perfumes, holy ointments, and as an embalming ointment for the dead.  It signifies that Christ was born to die for the world and was one of the burial spices used on Jesus (John 19:39).  Because myrrh was used to adorn, we buy one gift that can be worn (clothing, jewelry, etc).

There is more information here about the significance of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  I found it rather fascinating!  Throughout the entire Bible there is a common thread, even in the tiniest of details, that constantly points to the gospel.  All of history whispers His name.

Click on the graphic below to read more posts on the Practice of Christmas.

Learning Together

Learning about photography is like a journey.  We all have to begin somewhere!  I am by no means an expert, but I'd love to share what I've learned with you.  There is so much that I still need to learn that I don't think I'll ever reach the end of this journey.  However, the process is so exciting and fun and it's wonderful to look back and see progress.  I hope you find these posts helpful and I look forward to learning and growing with you together!

The Basics:
Exposure
Aperture
Shutter Speed
ISO
Focal Lengths Compared: 35mm, 50mm, 85mm

Nikon D7000:
Questions answered about the Nikon D7000


Camera Settings:
Picture Controls
Back Button Focus
Focus Priority vs. Release Priority - NEW!
Custom White Balance - NEW! 

Macro:
Kenko Extension Tubes

Tips:
Food Photography
Making Your Photos Look Better On Facebook 

Post Processing:
Sharpening for Web

Sometimes we just need to put the camera down...

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

 50mm, 1/250, 1.8, ISO 800

If you're passionate about photography, it's natural to want to capture every fleeting moment.  But sometimes being behind the camera becomes intrusive to the people around you.  There's a fine line between capturing memories that you're a part of and capturing memories that you're merely an (annoying) observer of behind the lens.

This was the scene last night...

It was our Life Group's (bible study/care group) Christmas party.  It was also the last night that we'd be meeting together as a group... forever.  Our group has grown too large so we're splitting into two groups in January.  Everyone was dressed up and the kids were performing Christmas carols on the piano and violin.  This was a major photo op!

I oh-so-patiently waited until after dinner and dessert (people generally don't like pictures of themselves with their mouths full) and finally took out the camera during the kids' performances.  I was happily snapping away.  As each child went up to perform... snap, snap, snap.  At the funny faces the toddlers were making as they watched... snap, snap, snap.  At the entire group... snap, snap, snap.  At my 4 year old daughter holding hands with my 3 month old son... snap, snap, snap.

After a while of this, I looked over at my husband who began gesturing at me.  He took his pointer finger and moved it quickly in front of his neck in a horizontal direction.  Then I saw him silently mouth the words, "Put it down."

Sweetly and naively I whispered, "Oh I'm sorry honey!  Is it too loud?  I can put it in Quiet Mode!"  He gave me a blank stare.  "Oh ok.  I'll put it away then."

So as tempting as it is to want to record every memory, sometimes it's time to put the camera down, be fully present, and enjoy your friends and family without the barrier of a lens.  My husband gets tired of me spot metering off of his cheek every time the light changes.  My 4 year old doesn't always want to pose and give me a cheesy grin.  My 2 year old definitely does not want to take her finger out of her nose "for just a second".  Not even for gummy worms.  And my 3 month old little man throws his arms out in a startle reflex every time I push the shutter button too close to him. *sigh*

This was a good reminder for me as Christmas is approaching and there are so many fun events to bring my camera to.  Maybe... just maybe... I might even leave it home for a few.  {gasp!}

What do you do to strike a balance between photographing memories and being fully present?

A GREAT deal on the laminator I love!

Monday, December 13, 2010

I just had to tell you about this super deal. I've had the Scotch Thermal Laminator for about 6 months and I love it!  It's on sale at Amazon for a great price!  The list price is $80.49, but it's on sale for only $16.99!!!  That's an amazing deal!  I'm not sure how long it will last.

I personally think that everyone should own a laminator... especially teachers and homeschoolers.  It's kind of addicting making all your papers shiny, don't you think?  I use mine to laminate the number cards for our calendar, the Bible verse posters for our learning board, flash cards, etc.  There are so many possibilities! These are the laminating pouches I use.  They're available in different sizes too.

I Heart Faces - Pet Faces Photo Challenge

50mm, 1/60, f/1.8, ISO 800 {handheld while laying on my belly}

This is our boy Charlie.  He comes bounding toward the door to greet us with love and every ounce of tail-wagging energy he can muster.  His patience with our girls is unending - even when they ride him like a pony.  But don't let that sweet face deceive you.  He is full of mischief too!  He gets out of the house and makes my husband chase him around the neighborhood.  If there's a mud puddle outside, he goes straight for it.  Ahh, Charlie.  Even though I threaten to send you to the pound, I don't think I ever could.  I do love you, Puppy. :)

This photo is my entry for the Pet Faces Photo Challenge at I Heart Faces!  

Click on the graphic below to see more creative entries!

Sermon Notes - In Him Was Life

Sunday, December 12, 2010

When we're young, we can't wait to grow up and be independent.
When we've grown up, we wish we were young and carefree again.
When we're in college, we look forward to starting a career.
When we have a career, we wonder why we thought our college days were so hard.
When we're single, we want to be married.
When *some* people are married, they miss the freedom of their single years (don't worry hunny, I love being married!)
When we don't have children, we can't wait to rock our own sweet baby in our arms.
When we're changing diapers and wiping snotty noses 24/7, we long for alone time.
When the children are little, we can't wait for them to get older and more independent.
When they're older and more independent, we wish they were little again!

And so it goes...
But why?
Why is contentment so difficult to grasp?  We wait for the next thing and the next stage to bring us joy, but when it arrives we discover that it still doesn't satisfy.

I have everything I could possibly need or want.  I wouldn't change a thing about my life and yet I have to "put on" joy each day as if it were a garment.  I have to fight for it, pray for it, choose it.  Why?

I journaled thoughts like these on Saturday night, and I was blessed this Sunday morning with a timely sermon.  A sermon written for me, and for you.  A sermon that we can all identify with.  Since I could never do it justice, you can listen to it here.  After you've clicked on the link, look for the following:

• In Him Was Life
  Series:
  Speaker: Jason Tyrell
  Sermon Date: 12/12/2010
  Passage: John 1:4-5

Be encouraged friends!  There's a reason why we can't be satisfied this side of heaven.  We were made to be fulfilled by only one thing... one Person... and that is Christ.

Bible Verse Posters for LHFHG

Saturday, December 11, 2010

In anticipation of beginning Little Hearts for His Glory in January (so excited!), I made Bible verse posters to go along with each weekly unit.  Each verse fits on an 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper and I recommend printing them in color although that's not necessary.  Each page includes a graphic and large, simple text that is perfect for beginning readers.  We plan to hang each verse on our learning board each week and practice saying the verse before each meal to help them sink into these little minds and hearts!  Enjoy!
LHFHG Memory Verses

Fix It Friday!

Friday, December 10, 2010

Hi Everyone,

It's Fix It Friday again!  I moved away from my usual editing style for this picture.  I usually like a clean edit, but this one just seemed to call for a more vintage-y, 70's-ish, sunflare-y, washed out kind of look.

The Original:

 My Edit:

Here's what I did!
- Levels Adjustment
- Ran PW's 70's Action and lowered the opacity to taste
- Ran Rita's Sun Kissed Action and tweaked the layers to taste
- Sharpened for web

Click below to see some more great edits.  (And by the way, the edit on the IHF homepage is gorgeous!  I'm a newbie with textures, otherwise I would have experimented with that.  Not to mention the fact that my 2 year old just smeared banana all over my couch and it's really time for me to be going now.)  :)

How can we honor Christ as we prepare for Christmas?

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

50mm, 1/60, f/1.8, ISO 1600

This morning I told Rachel a story about a little girl and her birthday party.  There were beautiful decorations, the very best food was prepared, everyone was dressed up, and there were presents everywhere!  Rachel's eyes lit up as she imagined the scene.

But I told her that something very sad happened next.  Even though it was the little girl's birthday, no one paid any attention to her.  No one spoke to her or seemed to care that she was even there.  The grown ups excitedly chattered about how great the party was and they complimented themselves for the delicious food and all of their efforts.  When it was time to open presents, she sadly discovered that not a single one was for her. 

Rachel's eyes widened with the injustice of it all.  She couldn't imagine that anyone would treat this poor birthday girl so cruelly.  And while I had her full attention, I explained that that's what happens to Jesus so often on Christmas Day.  Even though Christmas is supposed to be a celebration of Jesus' birthday, he is often sadly forgotten.  I told her that if we're not intentional, it could happen in our home too.

It saddens me that even though I love Jesus, it is so easy for me to get swept away in the preparation, the buying, the wrapping, the baking...

So as Matt and I begin to form traditions with our young family, we are asking hard questions about the way we celebrate and why.  How can we honor God and make Christmas about the One who it is truly about?

Like we so often do when considering something, we took out pen and paper and made a list of ideas.  I humbly share these ideas with you not because we have it all together, but because I am so burdened by what Christmas has become, and I am so alarmed by how I can almost robotically fall into it year after year.

How can we be intentional about honoring Christ this Christmas through meaningful traditions that involve the children?
1. Celebrate Advent with a Jesse tree each day of December!  The children really look forward to this nightly tradition.  It's short and sweet and perfect for little attention spans.
2. Focus more on giving rather than receiving and let the children help!  This year we baked for a bake sale whose proceeds will help build a school for our missionaries in India.  Baking with a 4 year old and 2 year old is definitely a lot more messy, but they had a blast and it gave me an opportunity to talk to them about children in need.
3. Prepare a Voice of the Martyrs Action Pack!  Choose a country (Iraq, Pakistan, or Sudan) and receive a vacuum bag from VOM and a list of suggested items to fill it with - blankets, clothes, sheets, etc.  After you mail your action pack back to VOM, it will be sent to a person in that country who has far less than we could ever imagine.  This is our gift to my in-laws.  It's not a gift for them, but they are so blessed to know that someone in great need will receive blankets, clothes, a Gospel storybook, and other necessary items.
4. Send an extra Christmas gift and letter to the missionaries or Compassion child you support.
5. Shop with your children for Toys for Tots or participate in a Giving Tree at your local church.  Our Giving Tree supports local families in need.  It's always fun to shop for children the same age as my children.  They get really excited about the gifts we pick out and the amount of compassion a small child can display is humbling and inspiring!
6. Reach out.  Every year we bake cookies with another family and give them to our neighbors as we Christmas carol!  (And no, we don't sing well, but we do it anyway - haha!)

We're still working out ideas for what we can do on Christmas Day, so that post is coming soon.  What do you do in preparation or on the day of Christmas to make Jesus first?  We need ideas!

I Heart Faces - Self Portrait Photo Challenge

Monday, December 6, 2010

 

50mm, 1/160, f/2.8, ISO 100

There's a self portrait photo challenge at I Heart Faces this week!  As I was brainstorming how I would take my own picture, I had a bit of domestic inspiration as I was unloading the dishwasher.   Ok, I gave you a clue!  Any guesses about what that is?  I'm calling it my new poor man's fish eye lens. :)