Oh happy day!! I bought my first piece of "glass"!

OK if you could see me I'm doing a happy dance right here in my seat with a manic smile on my face! Really I don't think you could smack the smile off with a shovel... want to try?! I officially have a new addiction and it's one that the Big J isn't going to like because it's the worst kind, the expensive kind!

I bought my first piece of glass today (or for you non-photog people a new lens). It's actually not an expensive piece but I'm thinking it's the gateway for lenses! My newest baby is an EF 50mm 1.8f. It is great for portraits, which you know I love taking of the kids. The great thing about this lens is that it has very shallow depth of field which allows me to focus on facial details like the eyes or nose and "blur" out the rest of the face. It creates a very soft and creamy effect on portraits. Who doesn't like soft and creamy? It really reminds me of mounds of whipped frosting on cupcakes, yummy! If we could relate a lens to dessert then this is definitely a cupcake of a lens!

Of course this simile is perfect because some of the first shots I captured were of the kids eating nothing else but CUPCAKES! After we shot inside for a while Big J (I like referring to him as that) and I took the monkeys to the park to run off that sugar high. We had fun enjoying the last of the summer day. I'm also trying out a new method of shooting - "shooting to the right".
It's all about trying to shoot your exposure a little brighter than usual. It allows the faces to be brighter and actually captures more of the highlights. The main objects while shooting to the right is to use your histogram and have it appear as close to the right side with out blowing out the highlights. It's definitely something I need to work on!! I must say I like the outcome. Hope you enjoy!

Just so you understand why I have so many of BJ and only a couple of BC... well she doesn't like her picture taken anymore. Can you believe that?! She has some aversion to the camera at the moment and it's making practicing very hard because Bryan doesn't sit still!

Hang on to your shoes BC!!

No, we did not get a dog, he just happened to be hanging with his family at the park too and came by to visit. And hey, Dogs are people too, right?