On the 8th week.....

....here is what I have learned about myself on this photography journey.

1. I am not very interested in landscape photography. I will not go out of my way to get that amazing landscape shot...it just isn't my thing. Now, I am glad I have a basic knowledge of how to meter properly and expose for landscapes, because if I just happen to be in a situation where there is a beautiful landscape...then I am going to shoot it. But I am definitely not going to be seeking them out.

2. I have affirmed over and over again that I do want to photograph weddings. But I want to photograph them in a photojournalist style. Way less posing, more real and candid. Obviously you are going to get the posed shots...but I want to show the magic that is a wedding, and you just can't do that by posing everything.

3. I have also affirmed that I want to shoot lifestyle portraits of people. I don't want to be Sears, or Olan Mills, or any of those types of portrait studios. They aren't bad...just not the style I want to take on. I guess I kind-of want to have a photojournalist take on shooting portraits as well. I want candid and posed, in places that mean something to my subjects.

4. I think I am really going to love macro photography. I say "think", because I don't have a macro lens yet. But, after seeing tons of macro shots, and having a 4 hour lecture on macro photography this week....I just have a gut feeling it will be my personal photography love. Sure, it might be utilized a little bit in weddings and portraiture...but I see it more as something I do just for myself.

5. Many of you know that I love to shoot sports...football is my favorite, of course. But I found out something this summer that I didn't know about myself. I REALLY enjoy shooting rodeo. And to be honest....I feel like I am pretty good at it. (And will only get better as I continue doing it!) So, it would be fun to find a way to work rodeos into my workflow.

6. Studio lighting is hard, but I am enjoying the learning process. I haven't gotten it perfectly correct even once yet....but I am trying hard! Even though I will not have a studio in the near future...I want to make sure I know what to do with strobes, backdrops, etc. And I really can't wait to be more comfortable with my external flash for my camera...I think that will make life even better for the type of portraiture I want to do!

7. I don't like shooting product. I find it boring, and uninspiring. We'll just leave it at that. :)

So, that is what I have found out about myself so far. I am sure there will a lot more once I finish with advanced intensive. I can't believe that there are only 4 weeks left in summer intensive...time has just flown by!

Well, I am doing a photo a day post on my Facebook account. If would love for you to check them out if you like! Here is a link: Photo A Day album

Here is my first photo in the album from yesterday...funny. It is a landscape! Tee hee! :)
I am not going to post all of the photos on my blog, so be sure to check on my facebook page if you want to see them! I am going to be keeping this blog primarily crafts.

Well, I better get going! I have stuff to get done on my morning off before school starts! Have a great day!

Until later,
~Lea

CPS 124- Berry Goodness!!

Happy Thursday everyone! This week has just flown by it seems!! We had our slideshow critique on Monday. I feel like it went pretty well. I was told that I take very powerful photos, and that with some fine tuning and a few added photos...the series could be publishable. I am not exactly sure what that means, and I have no idea where it could actually be published...but I'll take it as a compliment! :) I really want to share the full experience with my blog readers...so if you know what program I need to be able to make a slideshow of photos to music that I can post here...please let me know in the comments. We won't be learning multimedia stuff until Advanced Intensive (summer intensive is all about learning your camera, advanced exposure, and editing)...so it is something I don't know how to do yet. I would really appreciate any help or tips!!

I have one little card to share with you this evening. This is my card for this week's sketch at the CPS blog. This was a sponsor-free week....so I took it upon myself to use some more of that fabulous new Doodlebug product! So loving it!!

"Just For You" Card

Supplies:
Cardstock: Bazzill Basics
Paper/Paper Frill/Stickers/Jewel: Doodlebug Designs
Brads: Doodlebug Designs & KI Memories
Rubons: K & Company
Ribbon: Bo Bunny
Twine: Darice Inc.
Ink: Clearsnap
Corner Rounder: EK Success

Well, I have class at 7pm and need to eat some dinner. So, I better get going for now. Please let me know if there is a way I can post a slideshow to my blog...I would love to show you the photos!

Until later,
~Lea

Sunday Sweetness!!

Happy Sunday to you!! Did you have a great weekend? Well, Josh and I hiked the "M" on Saturday morning to get the last photo I needed for my slideshow. At one point, I was pretty sure I was going to die of exhaustion...but I made it. :) Let's just say...I am out of shape. And I forgot how LONG that hike up the mountain really is. But, we have decided that we are going to keep on doing it. (I think I have a death wish or something.) We also went to see the latest Transformers movie yesterday. Is it the most thought provoking or deep movie...heck no! But, who said every movie you watch has to be that?! It was fun, full of action...and I have a soft spot for the autobots, it seems. Especially Bumble Bee...the animation they gave him makes me smile.

I sat down today and made some cards just for fun. I recently got some of the new Doodlebug product in a goodie box, and I ADORE it. Super adorable...full of glitter...the cutest stickers in the world...what more could you ask for? Tee hee! Here is what I got done:

"Sweet As Candy" Card
Supplies:
Cardstock: Bazzill Basics
Stickers: Doodlebug Designs & Making Memories
Jewels: Doodlebug Designs
Corner Rounder: EK Success
Embossing Machine: Cuttlebug by Provo Craft (w/ Swiss Dots folder)

I also got some card challenges done as well!! This card is based off sketch #23 at CardPatterns. Very cute sketch to work with!

"You Brighten My Day" Card
Supplies:
Cardstock: Bazzill Basics
Paper/Stickers: Doodlebug Designs
Jewels: Zva Creative
Ink: Clearsnap
Border Punch: Martha Stewart Crafts

This card was done for the current Shortcuts sketch challenge at Caardvarks. Be sure to check the sketch out...it is really fun!! Lots of great examples too!

"Indulge" Card
Supplies:
Cardstock: Pizzazzil
Paper/Stickers/Rubons/Jewels/Button: Doodlebug Designs
Ribbon: Renaissance By Design
Twine: Darice Inc.
Ink: Clearsnap
Corner Rounder: EK Success
Border Punch: Martha Stewart Crafts

And this one is based on today's sketch at 365 Cards blog. Sorry for the glare, but I wanted to be sure and show that it is a transparent card base. The second image is what it looks like on the inside.

"You Are My Cherry..." Card
Supplies:
Cardstock: Bazzill Basics
Transparent Card: Shortcuts
Paper/Jewels: Doodlebug Designs
Stickers: Doodlebug Designs, Making Memories, Creative Imaginations
Ribbon: Bo Bunny
Corner Rounder: EK Success
Border Punch: Stampin Up

Well, I better get going for now. I have a review session to go to, and I need to get out the door! Hope you have a wonderful rest of your weekend, and a fabulous Monday!

Until later,
~Lea

It's a "Sweet 'n Sassy" Friday!

Happy Friday friends! I am sitting in lab right now, done with my assignment and sick of looking over my slideshow. It is time to put it away for now, and look at it later with fresh eyes! So, I thought I would take my little moment of down time to get a post done.

I have my card for CPS sketch 123 to share with you today. We were sponsored by Sweet 'n Sassy stamps this week. We love SNS...they sponsor us quite a bit and we get to feature their new releases often! I chose this June release set called "Beautiful Borders", designed by the lovely Tami Mayberry...owner and sketch designer of the CPS blog! Isn't she just full of talent!!

"We Don't Stop Playing..." Card

Supplies:
Cardstock: Wausau
Paper/Rubons/Journal Spot: My Mind's Eye (Laundry Line collection- Flirty)
Paper Frill: Doodlebug Designs
Pearls: Kaiser Craft
Ink: StazOn (Cherry Pink) & Clearsnap Chalk Ink (Maroon)
Corner Rounder EK Success

Be sure to go and check out what the other CPS gals have come up with this week...lots of gorgeous cards (as always)! I hope that you all have a wonderful weekend. I have one last shot to take for my slideshow, and it requires a bit of a hike up the side of the mountain. Josh and I are doing that on Saturday...so wish us luck. I am not much of a hiking type...but its got to get done! :) We are going to go see the new Transformers movie this weekend as well...we waited for a bit so that the theatre wouldn't be as crowded (hopefully anways!).

Until later,
~Lea

Publication Stuff!!

Can you all believe it...another post so soon?! Tee hee! I am way past due on reposting my projects that were published in both April and May issues...so here we go!

I am going all over the place here, and starting with the May issue of Cards Magazine first off. If you aren't a subscriber, or don't get a designer's copy...than you most likely aren't aware that I was the featured designer in the May issue! Very exciting! These are the three cards I did for the feature. These are the other cards that I had in the May issue. Lots of weddings, owls, woodland animals...hmmm.
Now moving on to the April issue of Cards Magazine. The cover was mine in April, and this was the card that was featured on it. I remember when they requested this card for the cover....they wanted me to take the bunny ears off!! I begged to keep them on, and offered up another suggestion to make the card work better...and they agreed! So happy that this was the case...the bunny ears are my favorite part of the entire card!!
And these are the other cards that I had in the sections of the April issue. This card was published in the Cards & Tags section of the May issue of Scrapbook Trends magazine.
And this was featured in the Scrapbook Trends Stamping Idea Book.
Well, that is everything I have to share with you for now. School is SO busy this week! We had class today from 9a-6p, and then studio from 7-10p. Studio was a lot of fun tonight...we worked in a small group and then a little larger group...lighting group shots together. Well, we have all gotten pretty close since we spend what feels like every waking moment together right now...so we had some major fun shooting as a group!

Tomorrow I have class again from 9a-6p, and then peer to peer critique from 7-930p. But, Thursday I get a little break...and only have class from 2-6pm. BUT...I will be spending most of my time working on my slideshow that is due Monday, and putting my lighting final together that is due on Friday. Craziness...but I am SO loving it.

Once again...thank you all for your supportive and encouraging comments. I read them all when I get a quiet moment, and they so make me smile. They remind me that even though I have had to take some pretty large steps back from one of my favorite things in the whole world (paper crafting)....I have a friend in you even if I don't have as much to share lately.

Until later,
~Lea

One month later....

One month later, I realize that I am the worst blogger in the world!! :) Photography school is my entire life right now...minus the occasional minutes I get to put towards my scrapbooking commitments. I will have photos to share with you soon...I just got finished shooting my midterm slide show and now have to edit and compose the actual slide show. But, here is how photography school has gone for me, and they basically told us up front that it would happen. I went into school being able to COMPOSE good shots in an auto mode (aperture priority, shutter priority...not full on auto). Got to school, and began learning how to master my camera in manual mode....but my composition went way down. Now that I am pretty confident in manual mode, my camera dials and exposure...my composition is coming back. I got some really great shots at a rodeo last weekend, and my slideshow shots are awesome...well, I think they are awesome anyways! I promise I will share them with you when I am done.

Now, I think I should probably share some projects with you!! I haven't updated in so long...so here we go. First up are some of my CPS cards. We'll start with the latest one and work backwards...this was for last week's sketch. We were sponsored by Rennaisance By Design...and you already know that I adore her product! Some of my fave stamps ever!
The week before that we were sponsored by My Sentiment Exactly. I honestly adore this stamp set that I got...isn't the tree just fabulous?!The week before that we were sponsored by 2 Red Bananas....isn't that little chick adorable?! Love how well it matched with these Cosmo papers!
And last, but not least, the last week I haven't shared with you...we were sponsored by Hanna Stamps. Isn't that little moose adorable? His name is Riley...and I think he is so darn cute!!
Next up are the past two Vintage Plum kits. First up are my projects for this month's kit called "Cherry Pie". LOTS of fabulous product in it...be sure to check it out!!




And since I haven't had a chance to share my projects from the June kit...here they are. While we were in Texas, we went to this little game farm that had recently aqcuired two fawns from a game warden that found them abandoned. This farm will be keeping them for the rest of their lives now, to use as an educational tool. Well, we were at the farm during the week day when no one else was there, and the owner allowed us some special interaction with the fawns. This is the baby girl fawn...I will be doing some layouts later about the baby boy fawn. He was a riot, and definitely not subdued like this little girl!



Well, that is all I have for now. I have some stuff I need to work on, so I better get going now. If you still check out my blog...thank you! I am going to try to be more faithful about posting again...but I hope you understand if it isn't as frequent as I once was.

Hope that all of my crafty friends are doing well...and I hope to get back into blog/sketch challenges again once school is over! HUGS to you all!

Until later,
~Lea