Finalists and The Winner is.....

And the Winner is>>>>>>>

Although each of the above images had a place in my heart it is this one that was nearly perfect in, exposure, color balance, composition, editing, and storytelling. Great job everyone and THANK YOU for taking this class it has been so much fun and I hope a learning experience for you all!!

Monica email me: aimee@ideaone.net to claim your prize CONGRATS!!

Best of Class weeks 2-4

Diffused lighting>>

Cloudy Sky>>>

Full Sun>>>

Using the Sky>>>

Misc Catagory>>>

Best Storyboard>>>

Finalist announced announced later today!!! What a great group of students this was, I hope to have a long time photog friendship with all of them!! You guys were so much fun!!

Photos of the WEEK>>>Week one of Online Lighting Class

Last weeks class covered three types of stable light, doorway light, deep shade, and tree shade light. I was so impressed with the work the ladies did in the class. Each new post was exciting and impressive. Here are the honorable mentions for the week>>>

Love this little guys expression and pose, and I love that Laura looked for the light she wanted.

I love the how the dramatic lighting adds to the mood of the elegant ballerina, and how the floor supports the composition.

Oh goodness this little boy is so cute and the pose and composition are GRRREAT. I love the bright even light Jessica found in this location.

The way the light works to accentuate the textures in this image is just lovely. Her pose and toes bring it all together.

AND THIS WEEKS WINNER IS>>>>>

The light and clarity of this image make it a winner! Then add to it that soft expression and that bend created by his arm and I am just taken!!! Congrats Betsey and all the featured photos of the week. These photos will go into the final contest at the end of the class!! You guys are AWESOME keep up the good work!!!
Sweetness and Light,
Aimee

UPDATE on workshops NOW ONLINE!!!!

In order to get the most out of this class you should have a basic understanding of how to shoot in manual mode, even if you don't do it ALLLL the time. If you have taken my 101 class you will be good to go. those of you who have taken the 201 this is natural progression for you to take.

 Things you will need for this online class>>>>

1. Access to Facebook
2. Your DSLR camera :)
3. A fix apature lens, like a 35mm, 50mm, 60mm, or 85mm and a zoomy kind of lens, I will be using a 50mm lens 1.4 and a 18-200mm lens.
4. A refector of some kind....these can be as cheap as $35 at your local photo store. I have one with a stand that has a white, black, gold, and silver reflector surface. I paid $100 for it. OR if you just cant afford to purchase one you can use a white poster board...yeppers for like $1 it will totally work!!

This is going to be great time of learning from me and each other!!! I am sure this class will fill quickly!! so sign up today and learn to capture the sweetness and LIGHT of your blessed life!!!

Aimee

What a Weekend!!

Saturday was the kinda of spring day that, in the darkness of February, you think will never come!! The weather was perfect. We spend our time soaking in the vitamin D and getting sunburns. I was so thankful. Even before the weekend started there were so much visual {and otherwise} goodness to absorb. Thursday night we has the most vibrant rainbow arc over the blessed life ranch, the sky was violet, air was golden.

Friday started with a frenzy of activity to get ready for my evening class. By mid-day the vet was here to give the horse their yearly shots, and overall check, and our gelding had to have a "personal" cleaning, and he had to be sadated for that...he was very pathetic for about 3 hours. His head hanging low and legs splayed out to keep his balance. But now they are all ready for the summer of busy riding ahead!! I had a wonderful group of ladies come out for a photog class. It was a lovely time and we all took a crack at creating an image of this pretty green mum.

Saturday started with kite flying. The girls were so excited to see their kites fly high high in the sky....there is something magically about it.

These guys were hanging around the ranch until about 12:30, since when did prom activites start at 1PM? Well I guess if your going to get all dressed up it might as well be for the whole day.

We rode our horses for awhile after lunch. I have no pics of that because I was helping adjust sirrups and and riding. It was so much fun and Fiona was a very good girl!! Ray said he thinks we will keep her. Then off to Home Depot because when we came in to wash our hands...NO hot water, our water heater died.

Then we caught up with the boys to get a few clicks with their very pretty prom dates!!!

Our time in town was topped off with a trip to Cold Stone...mmmmm good!! Then home to put in the new water heater. Yeah, I didn't really help with that, but I do help use up the hot water :)

Mother's Day included steaks on the grill and an ice cream cake, sweet cards and time with all of us together before Charlie had to head back to Bismarck.

Her children rise up and bless her

This was a weekend that made my heart well up with thankfulness and joy for the family God has lovingly given me. Sweetness and Light that is my blessed life!!!

{and for you photog peeps this last picture has some issues :) yes?? my Fstop was too low so I didn't get eveyone in focus but I had to keep this one, sometimes the moment is more important than technical perfection}

Weekend CHALLENGE>>>> FEET!!!

FEET FEET how many feet we meet!!!
just feet no rules!! have fun with this one!!!

Weekly Challenge ~ SUNSET ~ or Pensive

Oh Goodness that abstract challenge was fun. We will do another this summer when we can really be outside!! To honor our change to daylight savings time, this weeks challenge is >>>>>

Sunset

OR

Pensive  Literally, thoughtful; employed in serious study or reflection; but it often implies some degree of sorrow, anxiety, depression or gloom of mind; thoughtful and sad, or sorrowful.

Rules: you can submit one using sunset or pensive, you can submit one image that uses both words for inspiration in the same image, or ONE for each word equally two images :P blah that was a little confusing.

Sunset in FULL COLOR only

And use all your editing skills on this one :) lots of contrast and lots of saturated color, textures if you know how!! All the photos above were of the same sunset. Here are few tips for sunset>>>> your horizon line should never be down the center of the picture, review the rule of thirds, but don't feel that they have to run exactly at those third lines just not CENTER. Set your ISO, then your Fstop anywhere from f3-f10 or greater, then play with your shutter speeds, to get a silhouette look like the last image I used a faster shutter speed to let in less light. And have fun in the fresh air!!!

Pensive in Black and white only!!! and must include a living thing, human or animal.