My New Camera...... and my best model

To afford it, I've been selling off everything that isn't nailed down, including two lenses and my old camera, but I finally did it: I made the leap to a full frame sensor camera! The Nikon D700, and it's awesome!

My previous camera was a great camera and I'm very happy with so many of the images I've gotten with it over the last year and a half, but I really felt like I was ready to move on.

My friend, Molly, has let me "foster" her nice 80-200mm lens for the last while, but on my old cropped sensor camera body, it just wasn't very usable for me. But with this new camera, the lens is different, closer to the subject - a lot easier to use and the perfect focal length for portraits. Yay, since this is the nicest lens I have.

So I got the new camera on Wed. and played with it yesterday and today, and oh so conveniently, I have the perfect little model living in my house. I always say we're a match made in heaven: I love to take pictures, and she loves to have her picture taken.


I bought this pink hat this spring on a winter clearance sale and I haven't used it yet. Glad I remembered it today - cuuuute!

Taking a rest with some Russian Sage - I love that stuff and it's blooming right now.


One of the things I'm noticing already about the new camera, is that I'm not going to have to edit my photos nearly as much. And that's a HUGE reason to

CEL-E-BRATE!

Maybe I can get some of my life back that normally I spend editing.

Outtake alert!


I got a kick out of that one and wanted to include it.

This girl's so tan, she looks like she lives at the pool! Oh wait, she actually does live at the pool. Or on her horse or on the trampoline.

I think this one's my favorite:


Her hair is several shades lighter than it was 2 months ago. I've been calling her "blondie" lately.


Yep, she's my best model: willing, beautiful and confident in front of the camera.

And here's my second best model:


The last two nights while I've been playing in the yard with the new camera, Fred has climbed up on the kids' play house and watched intently while we shoot. From the exact same spot. I think he thinks he's a panther in a tree.... Good ol' Fred.

Well, good shooting times ahead. I'm looking forward to new adventures with my new partner in crime. Maybe I should give it a name, we're going to be very close from here on out.

Catchlights, babeeee!

I was taking pictures at our town's 4th of July celebration today (we shut the whole place down on and go to church on Sundays) and couldn't resist taking photos of some of the cute little kiddos who crossed my path. As I was looking through the photos tonight, I realized that my favorite shots don't have anything to do with whether or not the subject is smiling, but how good the catchlights in their eyes are. It's all about the catchlights for me.

So here are a few of my favorite catchlight captures of the day:

My friend Rachel's scrumptious little guy, his eyes absolutely have FIREWORKS in them!

(you can see by his spoon that he was helping to judge our soup contest.)

My wonderful and amazing friend Deanna - also judging soup - with her beautiful baby blues.


It's a well known fact in photography that brown eyes are harder to capture catchlights in, but I beg to differ.

(my daughter - right - and one of her BFFs,Tyana.)

Seven year old bathing beauty, Page, sporting catchlights in her cool shades.


And finally, Miss Eva Diva, the darling oldest daughter of my friend, Autumn, with her gorgeous blue eyes:

(I didn't get her eyes as sharp, but I loved this shot so much, I wanted to include it anyway.)

And the title? "Stickem' up!"

I told her, "You can shoot me, but please don't get my camera!"

And may I also say, ISN'T THAT THE CUTEST SWIM SUIT YOU'VE EVER SEEN?!!!