Mamas with Cameras 365 Project: Week 3

Another week of 2016 has zoomed past and is officially in the history books. It has been a wet, wet, wet week here in Seattle, so plenty of opportunities for weather-related photos. I've actually had to challenge myself NOT to do too many weather photos because drops and splashes are so easy to come by right now.

Conor looking at baby photos while snuggling with my childhood Snoopy doll

Rainbow over Seattle

Proof that the boy sleeps, even though he says, "Sleeping is boring, so I don't do it."

Mission Impossible Yarn Maze

Annika peering through Mama's new photography toy

Waiting room hug-turned-wrestling-match

Our neighbor's house reflected in a raindrop

Mamas with Cameras 365 Photo Challenge: Week 2

Well, another week of my Mamas with Cameras 2016 photo challenge is complete and I'm really excited about some of my shots! It has been another fun week behind the lens, but also somewhat challenging week due to the vast amount of darkness we seem to have this time of year. Fortunately, we had some breaks in the weather, which gave me a few opportunities to shoot outside without fearing that the camera will get drenched.

In order to keep the kids from getting burned out on being photographed, I am continually looking for new subjects and ways to challenge myself. They're still my favorites to shoot, but I try to limit how much I shoot them to make sure I'm remembering to interact with them and not just capture what they're doing. Oh, that double-edged sword of being a mama with a camera!

Without further ado... week 2's photo gallery:

8/365: Blue Friday Cutie Pies

9/365: Sunrise through the fog

10/365: Annika practicing her whip kick 

11/365: Serene lighting for dinner

12/365: Apple wood pizza oven at Serious Pie

13/365: Trees reflected in a puddle

14/365: Macro water drop suspended from a pine needle

Discovery Park Photos

Last night, the Mamas with Cameras group had an on-location photo shoot at Discovery Park. I really enjoy these outings for a number of reasons... the woman are great fun to be with, I always learn how to improve my photography, and I often get to visit new places.

We couldn't have been luckier in terms of weather last night. The sun was out, but the clouds kept us from having to deal with harsh light. The clouds in relation to the sun actually gave us amazingly beautiful sun rays to take in.

As we approached the beach, we saw a man playing with his two dogs. One was a short-legged mutt and the other was a very eager-to-please golden retriever who LOVED to fetch driftwood logs out of the Sound. What absolutely floored me was the fact he'd trained his dogs to drink out of a water fountain! Impressive way to avoid having to carry a dog bowl around.

Most people who know me know that I'm a sucker for lighthouses. The are a marvelous nod to days gone by and to life on the water (my dream). I often imagine myself sitting at the top of a lighthouse looking out over the water and simply taking in the view (assuming it isn't foggy, of course!). The lighthouse at Discovery Park didn't disappoint; it has charm and character... not to mention a great view!

The driftwood, the lighthouse, the sailboats near Shilshole, the dogs, and the sun/clouds all proved to be amazing photography subjects for our group. Beyond the sheer satisfaction of being in such a stunning place, I was also grateful to have learned how to better capture the sun rays as they filter through the clouds (change aperture to 20 or 22!). I was also granted plenty of opportunities to play with including layers (for example, logs + beach + water + bluff) in my photos.

Once we decided it was time to call it a night, we began to wander back to the parking lot and were treated to a view of Mt. Rainier, which had been hiding behind clouds earlier in the evening. Can't beat that!!