2009 March Mummies

[jojo1974]

hi ladies hope everyone is well ?
well done on your weight loss dani
ive not done to bad myself i finally reached my 2 stone target
the weather is pants today and the puppy not go out in the wet lol stupid dog '
jacobs been doing great going to toilet think we getting there slowly
happy 3 rd tri cath weres the time gone
sorry to any one i missed

 

[KatienSam]

Where is Lucy?!

Everything going ok here, but run down but settling into a nice routine at night (slowly) and morning is going ok - the rest of the day we're still lol

Ella had two accidents today (one was daddy's fault for not weeing Ella after her nap) so really pleased with her progress on the potty!

Having vegetarian 5 days (except for seafood) I'm soooo needing a burger

After typing that the night time routine was coming along... Faith won't be put down again she been very mardy today!

Hope everyone is well! Well done dani on zumba-ing that weight off and well done cath and deb on baby growing the weight on!

X

 

[jms895]

Evening!

 

[KatienSam]

Cath your new pics of human family are STUNNING what lens do you use for the portraits? Specifically the one of the little girl? Also what software do you use for editing? The pic of the girl in black and White with single flower in fuscia pink is gorgeous too!! Love them!!! X

 

[MummyCat]

Thank you sweetie pie!!!

Most of these shots were taken with my new lens Canon 50mm f1.8! it's a fixed lens, so takes some getting used to when you're used to zooming in and out to compose the shot. but it has a very high aperture! f1.8 - that allows you to get a small amount in focus and the rest blurred.



Though I think the shot of Alexa with the hair clip in colour was taken with my kit lens 18-55mm.

I use Adobe Lightroom mostly. I used to use Photoshop CS4 but my word is that a huge program to get your head around. Lightroom is generally easy to use and designed for photographers to play with all the lighting etc!

Please would you ladies share the page? (you can click on the link 'share' on the photography page down the left hand side) it would help increase the followers and i would very much appreciate it!

Also happy to do favours for advertising! These include but are not limited to baby sitting mardy babies!

 

[KatienSam]

They are beautiful photos you are very talented! I keep uming and ahing about sending £500 on a camera but those pics made me want it even more!

It's a hd video camera too so that will save that expense as hubby wanted a hd camera!

I've been reading mags and downloaded apps to learn basics so as soon as I have the money I think I will buy the 550D

X

 

[MummyCat]

Thank you! You wont regret buying it... they last a lifetime! well they can do if you're not fussed about getting the latest model each time it's out!

The difference in quality from a digi to an DSLR is emmense. So even if you don't know how to use all it's functions, you'll still be taking fab shots! But once you learn a few tips and tricks and have a play with some editing software you'll be super pleased you bought it!

I'm glad you like my shots! It makes me feel good about myself!

 

[Gwizz]

I agree - great camera (we have 500D and the G9)

Just seen ur fb status katie - well done ella!

great weightloss dani!!!!!!!

hugs to everyone

hope caine is ok jade

xxxx

 

[tiggertea]

Most of these shots were taken with my new lens Canon 50mm f1.8! it's a fixed lens, so takes some getting used to when you're used to zooming in and out to compose the shot. but it has a very high aperture! f1.8 - that allows you to get a small amount in focus and the rest blurred.

Cheapest lens on the market but best piece of kit EVER.

 

[jms895]

I agree cath those pics are brilliant!! I want some!!

What a lovely day! Been on a lobg walk and playing on the garden. Both kids having a late power nap little stinkers!

 

[KatienSam]

I will be purchasing one of those lenses in a month or so when I have had a play about with the standard lens that comes with! 550D should be here tomorrow!! Hubby gave me £350 towards it plus I got staff discount from John Lewis from sam's mum. Can't wait! Hope I get some lovely pics/HD video x

 

[MummyCat]

Most of these shots were taken with my new lens Canon 50mm f1.8! it's a fixed lens, so takes some getting used to when you're used to zooming in and out to compose the shot. but it has a very high aperture! f1.8 - that allows you to get a small amount in focus and the rest blurred.

Cheapest lens on the market but best piece of kit EVER.

The nifty fifty as they call it! I'm so in love with it!

I agree cath those pics are brilliant!! I want some!!

What a lovely day! Been on a lobg walk and playing on the garden. Both kids having a late power nap little stinkers!

Thanks Jade... I'll just have to come up and visit you some time!

I will be purchasing one of those lenses in a month or so when I have had a play about with the standard lens that comes with! 550D should be here tomorrow!! Hubby gave me £350 towards it plus I got staff discount from John Lewis from sam's mum. Can't wait! Hope I get some lovely pics/HD video x

YEY... seen your FB status! Love the fact that there are so many of us with trusty Canon's now! I spent a year with my kit lens Katie and got some fab shots with it. Mike bought me a zoom lens for my birthday and about a month ago I got the 50mm fixed lens. So learning with the kit lens is perfect!

Best tip for shooting kids.... focus point should be their eyes (or between them on the bridge of their nose) it's the most important thing with children!

 

[KatienSam]

Thanks think I read that in my book or on my app about childrens eyes, does the autofocus take you to their nose? Going to get my books in bed with me tonight and get more clued up ready for tomorrow night. Have been using manual function on my digi to try get used to the aperture, shutterspeed and ISO plus playing with White balance etc. Took a nice picture of woody from toy story

 

[MummyCat]

Basically... the Canon you've bought will be like mine and have a nine point option for focal point

https://www.steves-digicams.com/2006_reviews/rebelxti/xti_viewfinder.gif

Basically when you half depress the button to take the pic, one of those little spots will light up red, depedning on where you set it. You can change it very easily to move the focus point around and one option is to have all of them lit up so that it will get lots in focus.

For this picture for example....

Jamie

I've used the bottom point located roughly between 7-8 on an clock face. So that bit is in focus and the rest is not! Makes sense?

The more you read the more you'll learn and you already seem to have a good idea about the terminology!

 

[KatienSam]

Yes makes sense! Was that pic with your nifty fifty? Would that would be a high aperture of f1.8? Because it's only focused on that tiny bit in front and the rest blurs?

The thing I get stuck with is ISO and shutterspeed, I Sort of understand it but spend ages fiddling around trying to find the best one for the situation! Still got lots to learn but once I've got the camera I can practise with the book and app (may make more sense when I can do the things they say to try!)

I sooo want to get a tripod and get some slow shutterspeed shots of the ocean over rocks/steps or a waterfall when they look all flowing and smooth!

X

 

[MummyCat]

YEP! You are very clued up! You'll find that with the kit lens you can get a similar effect when on f3.5/4.0 so long as your subject is a reasonable distance from the background.

ISO effects the grain in the picture. Ideally you need to shoot with a lot of light allowing your ISo to be 100/200. TRY and avoid going over 800 ISO... though I find our lounge is so dark I can only get NON blurry pics of Lottie with my kit lens at 1600 ISO. When I swap to the nifty fifty, I can keep the ISO lower because the higher aperture (1.8, 2.4 etc) allows more light in and so Lottie isn't blurred and pic isn't grainy! Hope that makes sense! There are some great photography books about... make a trip into WH Smith/Waterstones and have a browse!

It wont take you long to get your head around it! You're doing fabulously and don't even have your camera yet!

I have a subscription to a photography mag too.. and that's useful! xx

 

[tiggertea]

I'm going to add: Canon *insert model here* for Dummies.
Great reference points in plain English.

All this photo chat has made me want to get off my bum and take some again... thanks ladies! (I got about 2 months into project 365 and gave up. I'm fickle and easily distracted... )

 

[KatienSam]

I've got a digital SLR for dummies app at the moment which has a settings finder (you put in what your shooting and light conditions and it gives the best settings for the conditions!) so once camera has arrived will try out a few. I purchased a magbook called getting started in digital slr photography too and that is a good easy read and quite inspiring with the pictures and examples! £7.99 bargain!

Will get a new private album on Facebook for you ladies so you can review what I'm doing and give me tips on what to change! Do you shoot in raw mode? Sooo much to take on board lol!!!

Xx

 

[MummyCat]

Debz, I don't post on blip anymore, I found it too stressful as I kept wanting to take fabulous shots and finding that inspiration daily was hard and made me feel bad about my photography!

Katie I'm not shooting in raw yet! I need to do two things first, get more memory cards and clear space on my hard drive! it's my next step on my photography journey though xx

Crap night sleep, heartburn so bad that had gaviscon four times in the night - up at four for a wee, the 4:30 lottie had a nightmare about spiders! Eventually got to sleep about 5am, hubby let me lie in

 

[KatienSam]

Aww cath your bump baby and lottie are really preparing you for sleepless nights already!!

Happy 28 weeks!!

X