Turkey Burger and Flames

Here's my take on this week's "food" photo challenge. Have I mentioned how much I love, love, love my camera? I really do. Oh, and I love turkey burgers too! While Brett was grilling steaks for himself and the girls- and a turkey burger for me, I took these cool pics of my burger. I would like to take full credit for this idea, but I can't. Brett walked in on me today snapping pictures of my dead birthday cake (the girls attacked it!), and he asked me what the heck I was doing. I told him I was taking pictures for the challenge. He then he reminded me that he was grilling....hellllloooooo! Earth to Karin!!!! Leave it to Brett to finally take interest in anything I do, when I have to take pictures of FOOD!!!!! So off I went, to stick my head and camera in the BBQ. Oh, the things I will do for this challenge......

One More Reflection- I promise!!!

FYI: I have been known to break promises. Right, SR? LOL! Anyway, I am having way too much fun with this week's photo challenge, which is to photograph something to do, or with, a reflection. Reflections are now all I see, and I can't stop. I swear, I am surrounded. Here is a picture I caught while I was *attempting* to clean my car. I was doing a great job on the Jeep UNTIL I caught a glimpse of the girls walking down the street. Once again, I ran to grab my camera, went back outside, and made the girls walk down the street one more time. I wanted them to hold hands, but they opted for throwing their arms around each other. They really are that close. *Sigh* I just love that about them. I am going to have to do a scrap page on this one...I think? Hush, SR! Yes, more huevadas!!!!!

More Reflections, More Playing!

I couldn't have entered a photo challenge at a better time; this is doing wonders for learning my new camera. The girls and I woke up this morning at went to one of my very, very favorite parks. They were able to feed the ducks, geese, and squirrels while I played with the D80. The sun was torture, so I boosted the colors in the camera with the "vivid" and "more vivid" features, as not to wash out the pictures. I learned that this does the exact same thing that a polarizer does. Pretty cool. Not so cool for skin tones though. Oh well, I will get there...someday....when I get the D300!!!!! Oh yeah, and I WILL be buying a new lens; this 18-55 is just not making the cut!!!!! Remember, Wendy, what they don't know won't kill them!!! LOL!!!!!! Poor, poor husbands......

I Am Such A Flake!

Last night, I swore that I was going to keep the Canon. I love the thing- the clarity of each picture is unbeatable...without a doubt. BUT, Brett made me promise to spend one more day with the Nikon. Just one day? OK. No problem. I could just ship it back this afternoon, and be done with it. No problem? My butt! I fell in love with it. I was once again enamoured with Nikon's rich saturation!!! That is what I loved about my D40x, and I love it even more with the D80!!! The search is over (until I upgrade to the D300!)- I am keeping the Nikon. Anyway, here are a couple of UNALTERED pictures I snapped, once again in my mysterious fruit tree, out in the backyard. By the way, Wendy, it's not a plum tree. It's some kind of a crab apple like tree...but not a crab apple tree. Get it? Me either.

Reflection of Pregnancy

So, tonight while having dinner with my pregnant friend, Amanda, I caught a glimpse of her belly in her curio cabinet. She was throwing a movie on for our girls, and after catching this reflection, I ran (literally) home to grab my camera!!!! Seems that I am suddenly surrounded by REFLECTIONS, FEET, and FRAMES!!! Yikes!!!! I really love how this turned out, though, and all that was edited was a little cropping. I am finally getting the hang of this camera!! Which camera, Krissy? Well, that would be the........*drumroll*........REBEL! Brett is trying to make me keep the Nikon, but.......... What does HE know??? LOL!!!!! He's just afraid that I will upgrade again soon, and he doesn't want me to have a bunch of Canon lenses when I buy my D300. OK, he has a point, but...I'm not listening. I will sell them all, and be stuck with the D300 body. Stupid, YES! But, I am not going to make any sense of this....too boring, right now.

Old Reflections

Here are a few shots taken about a year ago. I do like these, and since they have a reflection in them, I thought I would add them. Gosh, I will even add old pictures....I would just hate to be late again.......better to add a ton, early, instead of posting LATE.......! Mwa!!!! Soooo, here are a couple of shots taken at the lake in New Mexico- just before our truck sank, and two precious ones of my dear, Mason, chatting with a new friend...in my TV.

Reflections part 1

As not to be tardy on the photo challenge, Helen!, I *quickly* snapped a few pics for the new challenge, which is about reflections. I didn't realize how many reflections there are in a day- I guess I have never paid attention. Now, there is NO way I can come close to creating shots like Wendy's, but I do like a couple that I took today!!! And, Wendy, thank you for giving me permission to play in PS!!! Pheew!!! I will add more reflection pictures as I take them- I just didn't want to be LATE again!!!!!!

My Shadow at Sunset

Here's my little/big shadow. Diesel constantly follows me wherever I roam. While snapping pictures of five thing-a-ma-jigs growing in my mysterious fruit tree last night, my little/big man, waiting ever so patiently for me to get the heck out of the tree, was right at my feet. I just love the way the sun is gently kissing his coat. By the way, absolutely NO editing was used here- I LOVE THAT!!!!! So, with the help of Mother Nature, I was able to get this cute shot of him.

Five Things

Uh-Oh~ I think I am late? Here are a couple of shots I took for the "five things" challenge. Five things growing and five things dying. Thanks for looking!!!!!

Lexi's Buddy

Last weekend I took the girls to the Zoo for some "mommy" time. Just the three of us- which is rare, but so much fun. Of course, Lexi loved the monkeys- especially this little black guy. She watched him for the longest time, and then asked if she could have one. Some girls want ponies, and some would prefer a monkey. By the way, these pictures really make me miss my old 18-135 lens!!!! Gina, I hope you are enjoying it!!!!!!! Loser.

First Canon Pictures

Today, my new toy arrived. The brand spankin' new Canon Rebel XSi!!!! Yeah, that's great and all, but I am having a terrible time letting go of my Nikon. I truly love Nikon, but after a couple of months of research and hands-on playing, I decided to upgrade to the Rebel. It made more sense- financially. To upgrade with Nikon, it would have cost me LOTS more. With the Rebel, I was able to get some new features that my D40x didn't have. Someday, I will own the Nikon D300, but until then, and that may be never, this little gem will do.....I think! So far, I can say I prefer the saturation and color of the Nikon, but I like the clarity of the Canon. But, that may change-after I learn how to use this thing!!! Wendy and Krissy, I need help. Ohhh, and I LOOOVE the added extra focal points...as opposed to my three with the D40x. Now, THAT is FUN!!!! Ohhhhhhh, and I have to mention the independent buttons for the ISO and WB!!!! With my Nikon, I had to scroll through the menus to change those, and I change them a lot. And, the action shots will be better too; Nikon neglected to add an extra AF motor to the D40s...to save some $, I assume....and it has been really hard to get great action shots. Of course, I learned this way after I bought the camera!!! That was when I decided to upgrade. So, my firstborn is being sent to a new, loving home tomorrow morning. I will miss it dearly, but I am OK knowing that it will be used all over Europe this Summer. I hate my sister. Just kidding!!!! Kind of.

BTW, that picture of Jessica explains why we call her, "Messy Jessi".

Old "Framed" Pictures

Here are a couple of shots that look framed to me. I took these a few months ago for a dSLR class at Better Photo. The assignment was to shoot in low light. These are two of my favorite shots from that assignment- maybe because they are "framed"? Hmmmm........

Happy Birthday, Mason!!!!!!

Today is my adorable nephew's birthday!! Mason is 2 today- I can't even believe it!!! I took these pictures of him last Fall at the cemetery. Yes, at the cemetery...it really is beautiful, and my camera and I spend lots of time there. This was also my first experience using back-light in a photo....that would be the sunset. Since these pictures, it has become one of my favorite forms of photography-especially for portraits!!! So, anyway, happy birthday, little man, we love you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! See you next Saturday!!!!

Challenge #2 Frame Your Picture

The second challenge from Wendy and Helen is to frame our pictures. I have never done this before, well, not intentionally, so this was quite challenging for me. Guess that's why they call it a "challenge", eh? So, after a trip to the Zoo today, I was able to come up with a few shots. I also snapped one of myself in the mirror...an idea that came to me just as I was putting my precious (camera!) to sleep for the day. That's just about as far as this girl's imagination goes! Anyway, here are a couple of shots I took today. Not real impressed with most here- I think I need more practice. Or, maybe, that damn grasshopper shot of Wendy's has totally screwed me up on framing my pictures for LIFE?!?! I mean, who on Earth can come close to framing a shot like THAT?!!?!? Yeesh! And, sorry, Wendy for the doctoring in PS..I know you aren't real crazy about it, but I can't help it. The only picture I doctored was the one of me in my mirror. So, just for you, I have included the original too. You pick.

Not Feet, Just Lexi

OK, I do like this picture of Lexi, but I really just want to add something above the last post in hopes that FEET aren't the FIRST thing I see when I bring this blog up! Yes, Helen, I am whining!!!!