New Camera

When I bought my first SLR camera I always figured it would last me for years. I even told the guy I am not a professional and don't need all that other stuff. I just want good pictures of my son because he is fast. At the time Eli was barely a year old sitting in the stroller with me at Best Buy. My biggest decision then was Nikon or Canon. I laugh now because for about 6 months I was content with just shooting in Auto. Then I realized this is not enough I want to learn more. Lilliana's newborn photos were a disaster and in all honesty it is what spurred me to learn more. I took a photo class and was hooked.


Needless to say the instructor told us learning to shoot in manual was unnecessary. To this day I disagree so after the class it was my goal to shoot manual. When I began shooting manual I realized hmmmm this camera is great, but I really do wish I had those extra buttons and features. So for almost two years now I have known I wanted to upgrade. I knew when I did it was upgrading to a full frame. 

It has been a long two years. First, I had to prove to Anthony it was worth it. I think he realized after last fall's sessions when I would sit at the computer and cry that I missed so many shots because I refused to sacrifice noise for a faster shutter speed. Then before 2013 was even here I had 13 sessions booked. We have exceeded that at this point. Anthony realized it was a business investment. I learned a lot though with that little camera. It has so much sentimental meaning and truly it did make me a better photographer, but today changed everything!!

Hello Nikon D600 and 85 MM lens! It is dream combination that is all I can say. Here is a comparison. Granted the 35 mm lens on my old camera is pretty small it still shows a big difference. I am in love. It is like a new baby......

 

Today was also a big day for Ari. We met with the urologist again and he will be having surgery. We won't know when until they call to schedule. I am very nervous about it as surgery is surgery but it is necessary and will be better to do when he is young. 

 After his appointment we went to get my camera and then came home where I patiently waited for the battery to charge. Lilliana is sick. Ari is too and Eli has said he does not feel well. Needless to say Lilliana was mess after nap. Of course it happened right as I got my battery charged. So pretty much all week I have give them my time etc and then today they are beyond needy when all I want to do is get settings right etc. Thank goodness Anthony was home. Here is the array of photos from the day beginning with the first picture I took and one of my favorites of the day.....Lilliana's poor eyes are watering from a fever (she and Ari are going to the Dr. tomorrow for ear infections.) 

 

All of these photos are pretty much unedited. I did change the white balance on the ones from this evening but other than that Straight out of the Camera! It feels wonderful! 

 

 

I could edit all of these and I am sure I will as time goes on but right now I am enjoying the fact that my images look amazing and are so sharp SOOC! The best part is the last pictures shot this evening are at an ISO of 4000 with no noise. Let me give you a comparison......with my old camera we didn't make it over 600 with some serious "noise" grain or whatever you want to call it. 

Enough about my camera and excitement! I am headed to bed as I have work and a session tomorrow! Have a wonderful weekend! 

Ari is 7 months

 It has been a bit since I have done an official Embrace The Camera post even though I have been making sure to take pictures with the kids. So this post is my official one for the week, although Anthony is the lucky parent this week that is embracing the camera....I love you honey!:)

Ari turned 7 months on January 30th. He has not felt very well though so I did not take his monthly photos until today. When he does not feel well he is just a crabby little boy! Needless to say it is now a workout and required the help of his older brother. He is on the move and nothing stops him so to get his usual comparison pictures for each month I literally had to put him on his stomach have Eli hold his arms for a second while I got ready and said Eli let go! Then I got what I could. He is halfway across the bed before I could even get a nice sharp focused image.  These would be the results..........

 


His top two teeth have popped through in the past couple of days. He also is trying to stand on everything. He is fast as can be and very vocal. He also decided to sit up fully on his own. He could sit up if I put him down. On his own he would always prop himself up with one arm until yesterday where out of the blue he started just sitting up. He loves his brother and sister and they love him. I can't believe he is 7 months already! I have yet to do his official "6 month photos." There is a reason for that and I hope to have them done this weekend:) I am waiting until I get my new camera to do all the kids photos as I need to be able to practice and get use to it. Soo the goal is to get it on Friday hopefully I am able to. Ari also has another appointment with the urologist on friday. I can't believe it has been 6 months since we saw them last!! When I scheduled it I thought it was so far away! Sadly, it has flown by. We will know more after that appointment.

 

The kids played Candyland with Anthony tonight before bed. I worked on bouncing my flash and am pretty impressed with how well it turned out. I should have worked on that a year ago. I love natural light but at night I need my flash inside and always avoided it until now. 

 

Take time to Embrace the camera with your kids!

What doesn't kill you, will make you stronger........

This post was meant to be written Thursday. I really truly was organized and on top of photos and ready to go but as with everything that happened this week it was not meant to be. 

Spurred by my husband this year we have purposed to be more positive. I honestly have not always been the most positive person I will admit it. I do struggle with it. Well thanks to his encouragement and help we are working on this together.

God really wanted to test me in that area this week. Anthony had another week out of town which does add some stress to the week as it is just me. I could list all the negative things that did happen this week because believe me there was a laundry list....just ask my dear friend who got a text probably twice a day. By the time Wednesday rolled around I could just laugh. Thursday I was a mess again also to find out Anthony was not coming home early. I will paint a few pictures and you might understand..........

First Ari was sick. My poor little guy woke up congested and with a cough. I figured it was teeth but it was a rough couple of nights will little sleep for me or him. 

 

Then I walk into the bathroom at one point to find two wonderful children put their hands behind there backs only to see hair all over the ground. When I turn Lilliana around she has scissors in her ponytail. You can guess what happened. 

 

This may not seem like a big deal but honestly I was devastated. I also cringe because I have always wondered how that happens. Well now I know. So, maybe I was truly embarrassed and take back anything I ever said or thought about other children cutting their own hair because I am now GUILTY as charged.

Thank goodness Lilliana has beautiful curls because it covers a multitude of  spots but her one side is much thinner. Obviously she does not care.

 

I could mention many other things that happened because there were many. I will say this if you want everybody or should I say all children and animals to pee or throw up all over your house because everybody just LOVES that.....Right. Anyways, just clean your carpets because it is inevitable that for the week after that happens everybody or thing will pee, throw up and possibly even poop. Granted, I believe Jack has a UTI and is going to the vet on Monday so I can't really fault the poor dog because truly he is very good about going outside. Regardless it has happened so I get to clean them again. I have been spot cleaning, and the carpet cleaner has been given a temporary home in our bathroom so I could pull it out on demand. 

Regardless of all the awful things, it really has made me stronger and some how I have become more efficient this week. I also have just had to trust God that he knows what he was doing and many times He did. Mixed in with all the bad things that have made me really want to tear my hair out there have been sweet moments like the ones where I watch my boys wrestle. It feels amazing to say that. Ari is getting big enough he loves to play with Eli. 

 

There are the sweet moments with my sweet girl even if her brother photobombs. She loves to sit with me lately and she just loves helping me. I LOVE that I have a little girl to do girl things with. 

 

 

Probably my favorite photo of the week is this............

 

 

This is my heart! The older two were taking a bath as you can see and Ari wants to be with them when he can. I was getting pajamas together and walked by to see him in there playing and talking to them. It melted my heart. We are blessed that they all get along and love each other. I truly thank Eli for that. He has never once been mean or awful to new siblings. If Eli could have more siblings he would. He thinks he needs another sister. That is his little heart and for that I am grateful!

Other positive things is some of the chore burden on me is beginning to go away as my two little helpers are learning so well how to set the table and empty the dishwasher. I love that they love to help and are very good at it. 

 

 

Probably the best thing about this week is Anthony is home and when he is home I can enjoy more fun things with the kids as I have extra help and things go much quicker. Tonight we enjoyed an impromptu trip outside to play in the snow. It was very quick as it was freezing but I pulled them around and they ran and played for a few minutes. 

 

We ended the evening enjoying hot cocoa. With Lilliana licking it with her fingers. Eli blowing bubbles because that is a straw is good for and finally completing the night with Lilliana breaking her blueberry muffin in her cup. Silly Silly kids. 

 

Cocoa was followed by bedtime stories. 

The week may have been bad but it ended well. I am getting very busy with my business again. It is also official as I finally got my paper work for an LLC. So now I am Alexis Reuther Photography LLC. I can't decide if this is good or bad. It is good that I am registered but bad in the fact that his means the government has more reason to keep an eye on me. Either way it feels good to have all that taken care of. I also get to snuggle a newborn this week for photos. Not much else tops my favorite things to do than photographing newborns. Even with all the bad life is GOOD. I can't complain and when it gets bad at this point I am learning to laugh.