Christmas time in Elizabeth

We were so proud that we were able to sleep in until 6:15 on Christmas day! WooHoo!! Yea! Ok, so before that were footsteps of two little girls at 5am (after going to bed at 11pm) saying they saw Santa and his sleigh!! Best thing that was said was from my youngest "Did you have your camera?" So proud. So when we finally got up and got our first cup of a large mug of coffee, the unwrapping begins. I have been taking pictures of our Christmas celebration since hubby and I were first together and living in sin. More of remembrance than to show what the girls received. Looking back through the years, watching them grow from tiny little things to these amazing kids is so much fun. This year I was able to get some additional shots with the Nikon. I bought a Digital Field Guide book for my camera and gathered some ideas of taking different types of shots. Using the aperture setting and changing the speed of the flash to minimize the shadows in the background. There was a suggested shot for the holidays and said to use Christmas tree lights. So, with my trusty dog Colonel, I wrapped him up in lights and started taking some shots. And I have to say, not bad for an amateur. Ok, not the best in the world, but I liked them. Colonel was not happy with lights wrapped around him, so I used one of the girls to pose with him. Then got the old dog, Lani, to pose with lights. Figured since she was blind and deaf, it was a shot. Turned out pretty nice too. Then wrapped the girls in lights and finished the night off. Of course the next day were tons of pictures of what they got, but my finger was in the way for some shots so there are shadows. Ah well, it was a fun time.

Family Shots! WHA???

I love taking pictures and got my start with my first camera when I was about 10 years old. As the years have gone on, and boy have they gone on and on and on, I have loved taking pictures for any reason. Taking pictures of friends, neighbors, rodeo royalty competitions, etc. are easy. Taking pictures of family, not easy. Everyone has an opinion on what they want, where to stand, what is needed in the shot, etc. I do enjoy taking pictures of my family though. My girls are so used to me having a camera that they have their "smiles" ready just in case. Hubby just poses because he knows its what I want. With my folks though, that is a different story. My mom got me into taking pictures when I was a kid and showed me how to take a good shot. She would give me advice on the pictures I took as well. She loves taking pictures too and loves buying cameras. Hence, the fabulous Nikon I am "borrowing" for a long time. At Thanksgiving, I was told to bring my camera because they needed their Christmas card done. Usually they use a picture from one of the travels, but this year since they stayed home I was the chosen one to take the official shot. Now, understand I had to take the family pictures of my husband's family this past summer. Five generations all under one roof for two days. I was told that it was going to be done outside and had to be fast because it was hot. EASY shoot!!! I just kept clicking and got some amazing pictures. This one is different. My mom is VERY picky on how she looks and what she needs to wear. My dad just wants to make sure his hair is perfect. Then they have to pose with the dogs too. Very important to have the dogs in the shot. I don't mind taking pictures of dogs, mature or older dogs. Ones that are not hyper and will sit. My folks have a nine month old puppy. Sitting and staying are not in his vocabulary yet. One day, we hope. So taking these pictures were more of a challenge. Lighting needed to be right, poses needed to be correct, and dogs needed to stop wiggling. Well, to get this shot I used my girls to stop the wiggly puppy and it worked. The girls stood there for a few seconds and then quietly moved away. The dogs stopped wiggling and I got some real cool shots. Then it was our turn. My mom grabbed the camera and she took a few shots. She kept moving the camera back and forth while taking pictures. She kept saying that she was trying to get the best shot. Not sure what she was doing, but it was easy to edit to get the shot more centered. Being the photographer that I am trying to be, I had her do a few until I found ones I liked. By this time, it was getting cold and hubby was getting cranky. Which is why I like working alone. Did get some great shots!

Family shots with neighbors

When we first moved to our house, we met the family across the pasture. Not across the street, across the pasture. Living in the middle of a ranching community we don't really have true neighborhoods. The family across the way have two children that we are able to watch change and grow. Their daughter Jessie just got married a little over a year ago and they have a little boy who is adorable. The best part of this photo shoot was at the neighbor's house with these fabulous old buildings, wagons, and other great features. Wyatt was the star of the show and in charge. The girls came along again with this one too and it worked out pretty well. We biked over to the neighbor's house and they kept biking around. With their distractions to Wyatt, we were able to get some amazing shots. Jessie and her husband Garrett are so cute and so perfect. They are in-tuned with each other that their pictures with just the two of them came out real nice. Again being a small child, Wyatt let us know when he was done. With the fact that it was later in the day and getting colder with the sun going down, so the shoot again was short. It was worth it though.

A lady and a horse

Laura and I met during a summer gymkhana series and we hit it off immediately. We found that we have so many things in common and believe in very similar areas of life. We both have very strong family bonds with our husbands and children. We both are outspoken and talk about everything. Laura is younger than me, but I have always felt like she was a long lost sister. She is also one of the few who love to look at the pictures I have taken and is very supportive. Granted, I am don't show off my abilities as a photographer, but have shown her what I can do and what I see. With that in mind, we made a date to do her pictures. Laura is starting a new direct sales business and wanted some shots for personal as well as business related, with a flair of western thrown in. After a trip of shopping and checking out a college she wants to attend, we set on taking pictures of her and her horse Bullseye. She is very self-conscious about how she looks, but I am able to take pictures that make her look beautiful.

Kid shoot, lots of patience

A friend from work is a single mom with a beautiful little boy. When Mamta started working at the office, she was married and planning on having children. A change in her lifestyle gave her one beautiful boy and no husband anymore. She is a changed woman and with the fact that is already so beautiful, she is more so now. Her son, Parth, is a doll! He is such a loving boy and fun to be around with. The girls and I loaded up the minivan with our bikes and headed out to a park where we were all meeting. I wasn't planning on taking the girls with me, but with Greg camping I had no choice. With Mamta's approval, they came along and actually helped out a ton. The girls and I went to the park early to bike around the park before meeting up with Mamta. This actually worked since Parth didn't want to take a nap and she needed time with him. Once they did finally show up, it was a fun time. While the girls kept riding around on their bikes, I was able to get Mamta to open up and relax with Parth. He loves his mom so much and it shows. In some cases I called the girls over to make funny faces to get some real cute smiles out of him. With little kids, you know when you are done. Parth was showing some signs of done and I think Mamta was too. In the end, I was able to get some real nice shots in a short amount of time.

Royalty Queen shots

Bailey is this beautiful, vibrant woman who has gone through so much in such a short period of time. At just 22 years old, she has won numerous rodeo royalties titles, beat cancer, and is probably one of the most independent and headstrong women I know. She won the 2014 Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo Queen title that was controversial and yet a great choice. She brings the royalty team to a new level of maturity and beauty. She knows how to act, what to do, and what to say. She takes almost everything in stride, but is still a woman with very deep felt feelings. She loves those around her deeply and supports them as well. When she asked me to take her official shots, I was honored and thrilled. Keeping with the outdoor theme and with horses, she suggested a friend's ranch. What a beautiful area with different types of settings. With her parents and (now ex) boyfriend looking on, the shoot was a little more crowded that I had the last time, but still fun. She was very focused on what she wanted and how she wanted it done. The end result was pretty good. I wasn't as impressed with most of the shots, but did like a few. Once she relaxed her body and got into the shoot, the last sets of pictures were just as beautiful if not more so than the beginning of the shoot.

Royalty shots

When thinking of rodeo royalty, I think of leather, gems, big hair, big hats, boots, and dust. Lots and lots of dust. I started volunteering for the Elizabeth Stampede six years ago and did not start to really take pictures for the royalty group until three years ago. I took the pictures for the royalty clinics and the competitions of the young hopefuls who want to be a queen or attendant for this rodeo. I learned to stay out of the way, to take quiet shots, and to get those special candid shots. These shots really did show who was there because they wanted to be and who was there because they were told to be. The ladies who competed for the titles were diverse in looks but similar in many other ways. All were expert riders, all knew their horses, all were poised. Some were mature, some immature. Some could handle a room full of people, some froze up. Some took direction seriously and some blew it off and did their own thing. You could tell which ones were going to win and go on to be wonderful representatives for the Stampede and those who wouldn't be if they won. I also am starting to learn if I do better with indoor shots or outdoor. I really like outdoor much better.