Photo Shoot #2

So, OK, I had my second photo shoot, still feels weird saying that, ever! And I have to say that it didn't turn out too bad. They were such a fun family and there really wasn't that much confusion.  They worked good together as a family and were really understanding with me.

Here's the whole gang, count them, Mom, Dad, Daughter, Son, two horses, and four English Bulldogs.  We had a few other challenges during our time together, including me being so new to this and still learning.  Add to that the wind and we were shooting the photo's a little bit earlier than I would have liked, just because I hadn't figured out the time change yet and I didn't want to run out of light.  Also, I think I need to learn to be a bit more assertive in placing people and telling them where to stand, how close, and please smile.  You know, all that stuff that photographers, not me yet, tell you to do.

Is this young man not the cutest kid you have ever seen?  And isn't that the 'Let's see what kind of fun/trouble I can find to get into' look?

 

Sweet sister was all about the horses.  She actually got the brown one, he was a wild mustang, when he was 5 months old and has trained him to accept a rider.  What love and talent she has.  Oh, and tailEnd thought she was really cute, too bad he was too shy to introduce himself.

 

I think this one is my favorite, yup, one of the dogs slipped in.  It all just worked out really good.  I know the lighting could be better along with people placement and getting them all to stand closer, but overall I think they turned out OK.  I am going to work on the editing, too. 

Wow, so much to learn and figure out.  Wish me luck.

Love to All,

midRae

The Smith Family

I would like to introduce The Smith Family.

Baby Smith has the biggest eyes,

and you can get completely lost in them.

She is also such a sweetheart.

She likes to scream, too.

Just for fun.

I would like to thank the Smith family for their patience,

and their belief in my abilities.

Love to All,

midRae

1st Photo Shoot

So here they are. A few examples from my first time ever doing real photography. I know that they could use a lot of work, but I think that will come in time. Amanda & Johnny are such a cute couple and they have the most adorable little girl.

In my earlier post I said that my son got me Lighthouse, he actually got me Photoshop Lightroom 2. So much cooler that a Lighthouse, trust me on this one.

I would love everyone to comment and give me their opinions. My only request is to critique me with nice words but please make them honest so that I can learn and improve. I will have more pictures to post of this cute little family in the near future.

Love to All,

midRae

Upstaged Part 2

I just wanted to share proof that I was definitely upstaged this past weekend taking photos. These are the best that I got, and yes they have been edited, and you can count on the fact that tailEnd will no longer be sitting by the door, it's the middle of the truck for him from now on. Even if he does need to be popped out with a crowbar.

I wish I was holding my midMan's hand,

just strolling down this lane,

taking it all in.

And I do have to say, this one is for sure a favorite.

I love the fall bokeh.

And yes, I promise to share my camera with tailEnd and his brothers. All three have shown an amazing amount of talent for taking photos and I need to play nice and share my toys.

Even when I do get UPSTAGED.

Sometimes it may be under protest but I promise, with all of my heart and all of my motherly instinct, to share.

Love to All,

midRae

Upstaged!

Yes, I said upstaged, upstaged by a 14 year old.

tailEnds contribution to the photography world.

No editing, straight out of the camera.

I refuse to sit in the middle of the truck any more.

I want the window so that I can get the great shots.

He's stealing my thunder.

But man, am I proud of him!

Love to All,

midRae

Back To Reality!!!!

I have spent the last two days trying to catch up on life after being gone, with no computer and no Internet, for 8 days. Life went on without me and it really takes a lot to catch up. I learned that Walter Cronkite had died, and I learned that I really do enter a lot of numbers into the computer at work. I learned that this little boy needs our prayers and thoughts. And I learned that I can go 8 days without a shower but must most definitely wash my hair at least every other day. I also learned that my family is so wonderful and I am so blessed to have them all in my life.

I learned that I am definitely a news junkie and a blogger junkie. I missed you all and it is going to take me weeks to catch up on everyone. I learned that it is time for me to get back on the diet and exercise wagon, after jumping off two weeks ago, if I want to fit into any of my cloths. Camping is really awful for diets!! I learned that squatting to take pictures is very very bad for my knee, hopefully the swelling will go down so I can work out tomorrow. No luck tonight, I spent the evening with a bag of frozen strawberries on my knee, it's twice the size of my other one.

I learned that I can catch fish (picture to follow later in the week), and I can also clean the fish. It was a big one, just come back and see. I learned that I really love to go camping and to just get away from the craziness of life, even if I do miss the news and the blogs. I learned that Kathy likes to play with her family and I learned that Brittany loves to go swimming with her daughter. I also learned that Rae is such an amazing woman, she's training for a marathon and I wish I could train with her.

But most of all I learned that I am so very thankful for all that God has chosen to bless me with.

Love to All,

midRae

A Study In Frustration.

For three years our youngest, tailEnd, has played in his middle school band. We have watched him go from the Trumpet, to the Baritone, and finally to the Tuba. We have enjoyed watching him learn to play each instrument and to excel on them all. Through all of these changes we have managed to be to everyone of his band concerts. And have been so proud to call tailEnd our son.

Now you may be asking yourself, "What is so frustrating about that?". Well let me explain. Throughout the last three years we have never managed to take a camera with us. Either we had no camera, we just forgot the camera, or we figured out that our camera needed a lot of help, as in lets just bury it. We always thought, "Oh well, next time." After all this time I finally talked midMan into buying a new camera in January, a Nikon D60. I am still learning how to use it but I love that we have a great camera with so much potential. Now if only I would reach the same potential.

Now the really frustrating part. About two months ago we went to tailEnds last band concert. I forgot that I had a camera and left it at home. We were so sad at the thought that we would not get any pictures and didn't have enough time to run home and get the camera. You see, tailEnd has decided not to continue his career in band and wants to learn to play the guitar, and this, we thought, would be our last chance for pictures.

Then God smiled down on us and the band had one last concert a week before school let out. I was so excited. I was going to get some pictures of tailEnd playing the Tuba. And he has always been placed in the best position. As we would sit and face the band he has always been on our right side, on the last row, at the very end. Perfect picture position! Yeah!!!

Frustration has arisen. For this last concert the leaders decided to change things up and put the JV band on our right side and the Varsity band, which he is in, on our left. This placed tailEnd in the very back. As far from the camera as you could get. I wanted to scream. The one and only time I have a camera and they put him in the back. AAAHHHHHHH!!!

And then to top it all off, every time I would get him in my sights one of the kids in front of him would move in front of him, as you can see from the great blur in the middle of the picture above. I finally just had to give up. I think I ended up taking about thirty pictures and the ones your see are the best I could come up with.

Good thing he had that big curly head so that I could at least find him in the bunch.

Love Always,

midRae

Things To Remember.......................You all may not know this but back in my youth, 7th grade, I was given the opportunity to learn an instrument. I choose the flute and have loved the sound ever since. It's music just speaks to me and I love to sit and listen and to pick out the sound of the flute. It's music can be so sweet and sorrowful at the same time. It can make you see and feel joy and happiness and then just as easily make you see and feel the haunting sound of loneliness and sorrow. I was unable to continue playing the flute but I am so thankful that I did get the opportunity. I don't think I would have appreciated it's sound if I had never gotten the chance.

SPRING

I miss SPRING!!!

It snowed again last night AND I decided that I needed an image in my head that reminded me that SPRING is on it's way. I took this picture two weeks ago west of my house. My DTM, husband, and I were trying to sneek up on some deer, apparently we are not to good at that. Never saw the deer but I did get to see that SPRING is close at hand. We just need to hold on. Camping is closer than I thought. YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!

Love Ya!!!!

midRae

PS....Things to remember...............Camping has always been a great joy to our family. From the time we first married to this day we have always loved the peace and solitude of the mountains. We took all three of our boys camping before they were 6 months old. We love the time that we get to spend together and the many hikes were we find treasures. The last time we were all able to go we managed to call a herd of cows into our camp. Our little dog ZOE decided that she would chase them away. No such luck on her part, they took no notice of her. But was that a blast!!! Camping......as close to Heaven as we can get as a family on Earth.

Meet midRae

Here I am. Can you believe it. It's me, midRae.

My name is actually Rae Munk. I am a MIDdle child, I am in MID-life and I'm still looking for that third MID. If you all think of anything I would love to hear it.

I love to workout, read anything, cook, crochet, take photos, hiking, camping, riding 4-wheelers, spending time with my family, Survivor, and The Amazing Race.

I have the most wonderful HUSBAND in the world. He indulges me, sometimes. We have been married for 25 1/2 years and we are still very much in love. We have 3 wonderful boys, ages 24, 21, and 13. They are so awesome.

To me my life is not the most exciting, but I thought that this would be a wonderful way for my kids and my grandkids, someday, to see who I really am. So my idea is to let you all know what is happening now and to share something from my past. I hope you all enjoy.

Love always,

midRae

P.S. Something to remember.........My 50 year old mattress. It was my parents for ever and then it came to me. We used it for camping out under the stars in the mountains, in the dirt. I would never consider going camping without my old mattress. I made my husband pack it along on a few moves and that wonderful old mattress finally made it to my bed. Oh how I loved that mattress. I loved to snuggle right down into is old warm wornout stuffing. I tried not to look to closely at it's covering for it was so ragged and stained. I treasured all those wonderful nights slept on that old mattress but my poor husband was unable to agree with me. We finally got a new bedroom set about 2 years ago. Happy and sad am I. My then 11 year old son got the mattress. He loved it too, for about 1 month. Then he was begging for a better mattress and a better bed. I'll tell ya about the bed some other time. I was sad the day we finally took my old mattress to the trash, but i do have some great and wonderful memories that will always include my old mattress.