Sun Down in the OBX

Just a quick picture to break up my usual routine. :)

Shooting for Me

There is one downside to photographing people and events more often...I find myself being less apt to take my camera out to just capture life.  I used to always go out and take pictures of sunsets, flowers, and siblings.  But now, I see a gorgeous sunset and then think "Oh, that would be a great picture" but then I get too lazy to go grab my camera, adjust the settings, and take the time to capture the display of the night.  All I can think is that it will be another picture to upload, another picture to edit, another picture to post, another few minutes spent on the computer.  I've been so blessed with many more frequent photography sessions but the routine of uploading, editing, uploading, and burning has become rather dull.  So much so that I don't want to take pictures of some things anymore because I know the minutes (hours?) of work that will have to follow.  And I just want to enjoy the moment.  I don't always want to have to do it through my lens...I just want to sit back, relax, and not worry about if the picture is too bright or dark, if the white balance is correct, and so forth. 

I'm telling you all this because I realized the other day that I needed to go out and take pictures.  I was letting my creativity and love for the beautiful things outdoors stagnate because I was tired of the routine. 

So, I pulled out my camera and went outside to capture the beauty I have missed so often.  No one asked me to take the pictures, no one expected me to take the pictures...I went out to photograph just because I wanted to.  There was so much beauty I was missing, simply because I didn't want to do all the work.

After photographing everything from my brother to some pretty weeds, I felt so much better and happier!  I was shooting because I loved it...I could let my creativity flow and try shooting on "M" (I've always used "A") or try different angles because if it didn't come out right...who cares?  No one was expecting the pictures to come out great.

Below are some of the pictures I captured from that day.  I walked on the brave side and shot in Manual mode for all these photos.  I've read so many photographers talk about it, but never had the courage to try until that day.  I had so many blown out and DARK pictures as a result but I also figured out a little more of the way ISO, shutter, and aperture work together.  Overall, I'm definitely not ready to shot in Manual for a photography session but I might start trying to work for it!

Enjoy!

I was "watching" my little brother and he made for a great subject sometimes!

 

 LOVE my roses!!

 Probably my favorite photo from the whole day! :)

Take a minute today and smell the roses!!

Kimber :)

The Jackson Family 2012

Where do I start with the Jackson family?!!   You've already met their littlest one, Boaz, because I've had the privilege of taking his 3-month, 6-month, and 9-month pictures.  Today you will get to see him again..and get to meet the rest of his beautiful family!  I've talked a little bit about the Jacksons, here, so I don't feel like I need to go into too much detail.   Let's just say that the Jackson family is one of the best families...ever...and that they are some of my family's closest friends.  Mr. Jackson is hilarious, so he gets along well with Daddy.  Mrs. Kendra is into lots of exercise and making sure her family is fed healthy food, which is right up Mama's alley.  All 11 Jackson kids are full of fun and energy.  Whenever we get together I have at least 2 people talking to me at the same time. :)  I love getting together with them!!  They have kids from 17 years to 1 so everyone in our family has someone to play/talk to.    Some of my favorite memories with the Jacksons are going to have P.E. days at a park nearby.  

 

But, that's enough of that.  Just know that they're a great family and you'd be immensely blessed if you could meet them one day. :)

 

This past Saturday I got to take their family pictures!  I was excited because anything you do with the Jacksons is fun...but also nervous because I've never really had to deal with this big of a group.  Thankfully, the Jacksons made my job super easy (of course!) and I had a great time roaming a gorgeous location in Lancaster, VA as I took their photos.

I'll start off with the patriarch and matriarch of the family:

 Aren't they cute?!!

Now that you've met the wonderful couple that is Mr. and Mrs. Jackson, here are the kids (posted in age order):

Levi

Jude

 Kyra

 Ciara

 Gabrielle

 Isaiah

Elijah

Zane

 Asher...the master of many faces. :)

 Tobias

 Last but not least, Boaz!  I have lots of pictures of him because we combined his 1 year old session with the family session.

 Boaz likes to crawl a lot better than standing up! :)

 The location of these pictures had an old barn, stocks, a whipping post, old clerk's office, and jail from the old days.   In these pictures, Boaz was put in a cell window.  :)

This picture was Elijah's idea. ;)

 Daddy with all his boys.

 

 Mrs. Jackson with her girls. :)

The girls and their "buddies". :)

Boaz in the stocks. :)

 Just the girls...

All the men! :)

 

 

 Favorite!!

The end!

Kimber :)