tweeny-bopper

so happy that at least Jacqueline will humour me and let me take pics of her as I fine-tune my studio 'knowledge' :)  She is 10 - but sometimes she seems so much older.....and she is such a good kid!


and for fun I gave one an textured overlay on the background :)

a few of my first tries in my 'studio' :)























had to include this shot of Milo we got...he is our surviving guinea pig - his cagemate died a few weeks ago while we were on holidays :(

some great stuff in the shop today

at DESIGN HOUSE DIGITAL - check it out!!  New releases are 30% off too, but only on release day.

my seamless paper arrived!

these colours make me so happy! (the orange and tangelo are very similar - not sure why I ordered both?)


hmmm....my post divider pic

that was being linked from flickr disappeared....I am going to have re-upload and put it back into the html here...but not tonight - ugh. [FIXED]

first flash shots!

My cyber cyncs came today so I was finally able to fire my strobe!!  After we got back J's swimming (and she ate) I plopped her in front to test them out....I just guessed on my settings tonight as I have not yet figured out my light meter (mostly how to fire the strobe and get a reading at the same time?)...but I am really pleased so far.

I didn't spend anytime really worrying about posing - I was more concerned with testing the light....and I did not edit these (only resized)....can't wait to get me meter figured out, and my reflector and seamless to arrive (I think Wednesday)....










































easy come, easy (easier) go

My plan was to use the money I got from selling my neglected camera bags towards some simple studio light equipment (I had wanted to for a very long time but just never could let myself do it).  It was fortuitous (?) that someone on ILP posted an alien bee strobe and giant softbox in great condition for sale (and within Canada even) - I jumped on it....and that's where the idea of 'experimenting with studio lights ' has been a slippery slope quickly draining my bank account ...I quicky discovered I needed (and wanted) some other equipment to 'do it right, and do it easier)...resulting in me spending far more than I got from the sale of my bags - I don't even want to do the math - yikes!)

I have received (or will be receiving very shortly):

1 Alien Bee 400 Strobe, 1 Alien Bee giant foldable softbox (received)
1 heavy duty light stand with castors (received)
1 set of Alien Bee Cyber Cyncs wireless strobe transmitter/receivers (missed their delivery on Friday :(  )
1 L-358 sekonic light meter (bought locally off of craigslist)
10 (yes ten!) rolls of seamless background paper
1 lastolite reflector and stand

I am going to Home Depot probably Tuesday (I have to stay home for the re-delivery of my cyber cyncs tomorrow) to get some sort of fake wood floor, and a strip of baseboard....

then I am going start the process of learning simple studio lighting (which may involve some bribery to get my kids to cooperate)...I cannot wait for my new neice/nephew to be born in the summer :) - someone to really practice on!

lots of people have asked me

if those are the bags that I am NOT keeping, which bags ARE you keeping?  So here they are:

first is the olive jotote that I bought at the same time as the scarlett, I found no need to use the scarlett since I like the olive so much.






























I also recently bought the grey Kelly Moore bag.  Well, actually I preordered it as soon as I saw it, I just got it about a month or so ago though.  It is the bag that I am using 'right now' as my everyday bag/purse with my camera (d700 and 24-70 attached) to have on hand.




























I also just received (also preordered it a few months ago) the Ginger epiphanie bag.  I have not used it yet as it just came the other day...but it clearly is a great bag.  I would have gotten it sooner, but it was due to be shipped right before we left on holidays so I asked them wait to after we got back to ship it.



















(and here the compulsive shopper in me shows itself again).  One of the buyers of my old bags asked me how the canvas emeras I was selling compared to the quilted one...(I wasn't aware there WAS a quilted emera so I had to check it out...and fell in love with that bag too - and ordered it - even as I was selling all these other bags - 2 of which were emeras).  So I now have this bag on it's way to me too!





















I also have and am keeping a boring Lowepro Orion trekker back pack that is not glamorous, but sometimes given the circumstances and environment is more practical than any of the above.

So there you have it, my new camera bag collection as it stands - at least until something new catches my eye!

perhaps this is why Andrew is upset with my camera bag fetish?

finally got around to taking pics of my camera bags that I am going to let go!  (I have 7 of them to sell!).  I am going to only post them here for about a week so if you want any let me know because I am going to post them at ILP, craigslist, and 2peas most likely after that.  Prices are still being determined (I will update this post once I figure out what these are going for).  Updated with prices - includes shipping and paypal fees.  Most of the bags are in new or near new condition.

1.  crumpler 7mdh (near new - small stain in circle on top of bag) sold





























2. medium black jill-e (near new - hardly used) sold





























3. grey emera (near new - hardly used) sold





























4. circles emera (brand new - never used) sold





























5. scarlet jotote (brand new - never used) sold





























6. small custom wicked stitch (etsy) messenger (used once) sold



7. large wicked stitch (etsy) messenger (moderate use) - small (nickle sized) white mark on end of bag - will probably come of with damp cloth but have not tried. sold pending payment

a tiny bieber fan

my 10 year old showed me this today - so cute!

so behind!


sorry guys - haven't posted anything new here for a bit!  Lots of excuses that I won't bore you with....but while I try to get back into the habit of more regular updates....here are 2 storyboards I made with some picsfrom our recent trip to Akumal Mexico. 

I processed these first pics a little 'vintagey'....