Birth Blessings Photography | Big Changes {San Diego Birth & Portrait Photographer}

I had really good intentions. I did. I even spent a lot of money...enough to buy a new lens for my camera. What did I spend it on you are wondering? A new website and a new blog. Yup, that is the cost of business. Being legit isn't always easy or fun...taxes anyone?! Soooo, as you've noticed, it's the same old website/blog even though I made the purchase back in DECEMBER. My life is crazy hectic and I have way too many jobs and not enough time to get all that I would love to do done. Like the half marathon. There just isn't enough time in the day. So I prioritize my time with the task most pressing at the time and unfortunately other tasks take the back burner. Since the new year my Bradley® certification and preparation for weekly classes has taken up the majority of my "free time"...that is after taking care of my 3 kids and husband, working at the dental office, caring for my doula clients, and still accepting a few photo sessions here and there. So I have spent way too many sleepless nights and days away from my kids working. And frankly, I'm tired of it.

I'm tired and I miss my kids.... but I am pressing on. I am trying to get more sleep and spend more time at home with my boys. My first series of classes is half way done and so will the 10 hours a week of prep work it takes for each class. That work will not have to be repeated again, yahoo! Also, we have made the financial decision to send our son to public school (gasp!) and cut my days at the dental office to only Saturday. How will that benefit? We won't need to spend a mortgage payment's worth of money monthly on childcare. Wow, that's huge! And not really what this post was about...Ok, I'm off on a tangent.

The point of this post is that my new photography website and blog will be up and running soon - I'm gonna say completely finished in June! It is down temporarily as I figure out the kinks with my web Registrar (which just transfered companies), Host company (Blu), and new Blog company (ProPhoto/NetRivet)....phew, who knew it was so complicated? Not me or I wouldn't have purchased it at such a busy time. Oh well! The old blog/website is temporarily up on blogger now and can be viewed HERE.

Patience. I am trying.

Mamafest May 20th, 2011 {San Diego Doula, Birth Photographer, & Bradley Method® Instructor}

Friday, May 20, 2011 6:30 -- 9:30 p.m. La Jolla Country Club Presented by Stroller Strides with Pregnancy Awareness Month to benefit The Postpartum Health Alliance CLICK HERE TO BUY YOUR TICKETTODAY! $15 ADVANCE. cash bar | silent auction | giveaways | goodie bags | speaker panel | vendor marketplace | food | | swag bags | valet parking | everything mom could want for a night out! This is an upscale event, please do not wear jeans, denim, or casual wear.   «Contact» Corina DuBois corina@celebratemama.com 1.877.626.2552 toll free & fax I will be at the San Diego Birth Network booth from 8-9:30pm at the Mamafest and would love to see you there! I am donating photography services to our auction basket. A small token of my appreciation for the wonderful San Diego community, and to raise awareness for natural birth.

OH MY ETSY

Today I received the most precious cargo in the mail. This pink hat w/removable flower and chocolate diaper cover. Seriously?! I need to learn to crochet! ETSY seriously rules. 
These other lovely items are also on their way! 
Baby, baby, quick, get me a baby!!!!

Tutorial: Blog Button with Scroll Box

This is the best and easiest tutorial I've found to make a scroll box under your blog button. Check it out at A Heart For Home.

Here is my finished product:

<center><a href="http://birthblessingsphotography.com/"><img border="0" src="http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm218/robingreenebaker/Birth%20Blessings%20Photography/BBButtonFramedSMALL.png" /></a></center>Are you wondering how I made the button? Mmmmm K. My husband said, "it took you THAT LONG just to make THAT?!" He he he he he. He has no clue. I say, "ok, you do it!" He shrugs and says, "tomorrow." We both laugh.

1. Circle Text Path has to be made in Photoshop CS (not Elements) - follow this tutorial on YouTube. Love YouTube. Love this man's voice.

2. In Elements 7

• create a circle, put my photo on it, Ctrl G (group to previous layer), saved as png file
• open a new file with transparent background
• make a circle frame with shape tool, black
• make a regular circle with shape tool, white and place on top of black frame
• add circle photo
• add text path

Sit back and LOVE LAYERS. Seriously. How did anyone Photoshop w/out layers?!

Sage

A little sneak peek into my first session with the new camera. I’m so busy I still haven’t got the photo website ready… so this is for you ladies who are waiting patiently to see ;)   

It’s a winner!

I entered this photo (taken with my new Canon 7D) into a blog contest…and WON! Woo Hoo! In case you didn’t know. I love BOKEH and NATURE. So combining the two just makes me melt. The bokeh in this photo is all from dew drops. I went out for a few minutes in the morning and found some great sunrise shining through the dew drops. Viola. Dew Bokeh. And as you can tell, I’m a sucker for very very very shallow DOF. Yes, I know Mother. You like it wide. We are different ;) I love that only ONE drop is in perfect focus. The contest was for an abstract garden picture and the others she posted are great! Go check them out HERE.

Win a Tamron Lens!

MCP is having a lens giveaway! Tamron 17-50mm f2.8. Hello! Go check it out.

Self Portrait: ‘Sassy Pants’ with a camera

Dramatic B&W

This week I heart Faces is having another photo challenge. The theme: Dramatic B&W. Here’s my entry "Family Kiss." New dad cuddling and protective. New mom loving and admiring. I find little else more dramatic than the first few weeks of parenthood. It's amazing.

Studio: big dreams

Wow, some day I'd love to have an entire house to call my "studio." Just like THIS ONE. Well, minus the snow because then I'd never get any work done - I'd be playing all day long. He he he. Just check out the prop room. Ahhhhh. I keep telling Mike that our current property can become my studio so he can move out and buy us a new house any time he wants ;) I mean, he’s always complaining about it…The huge windows give perfect natural light and the weeds are so lovely in spring! I’ll keep it, he can go. Deal. Hmmmm, big dreams.

Here’s a pull back from a recent newborn session… aren’t those picture windows wonderful?! This livingroom was built to be a photography studio – now if I can just kick out Mike and the kids….

New Blog Header for CDG

I made a new blog header for CDG (my work) today with pictures I’ve taken with the office Rebel and 100mm Macro. Isn’t spring beautiful?!! Now I need to update the posts, ha ha ha ha… not enough time in the day ;) I think the header will motivate me. Oh yes, and the fact that my time card will be minus 8 hours for calling in yesterday to take care of a feverish child. That’s a whole other post. Back to the beauty…isn’t it LOVELY?

In the mail

The Canon EOS 7D body

&

Tamron 28-75mm F/2.8 Zoom Wide Angle-Telephoto Lens

 

YIPEE! And the most rewarding part is that I don’t owe a thing. That’s right, I saved $1600 cash and found a great deal on CameraKings.com.

It’s enough to get started and have some fun! Special thanks to Katie for being patient and letting me borrow her Rebel and 50mm while I was saving =). I photographed 2 pregnant beauties and 4 newborns with her camera. I owe her big time! And another special thanks to my Dad for contributing to the fund during Christmas and my birthday. MUAH. XOXO

Wonderful Texture

These trees are all around my town. I LOVE THEM. The texture just gets me. Even on a wet, rainy, gloomy gray day. I have no idea what their name is or their place of origin. What I do know is that I am fascinated with them and their strange little prickly balls. Oh my, and look at the sweet bird perched at the top. How lovely.

Ok, so I had to google it. It’s called a Sweet Gum. And look what exquisite colors are to come! I can’t wait!

Beauty in a dental office?

It all started with the rain. Oh goodness, I love the rain. I pulled into the parking lot of CDG and saw raindrops on the trees. {Mental note: must get office camera with macro lens and snap photo – NOW. Hurry, before your patient gets here} And while I was out admiring the rain drops I found this wonderful texture. God sure knows how to wow me with his creations.

The beauty extended into the office…Emily’s 15 Carnation bouquet produced quite wonderful bokeh. And just for documentation purposes, I snapped some of my Orchid. A patient gave it to me because he cancelled his appointment at the last minute. Smart man.

These plants are hard to please. They are finicky with light and water. This one is thriving in my operatory - all it’s buds have blossomed! I only water it once a week and it sees no natural light. Silly plant. I promise I worked on teeth too…but they are not quite as gorgeous through a macro view =) Thank you Jesus for nature photography - it makes me shine inside.

What's in the box?

My new monitor calibrator... the Pantone Huey pro. So that the prints come out exactly how you see them on your monitor. Ever wonder, "what was that person thinking in their pp?" Well, they might be crazy or you might be un-calibrated! Read more about color management HERE.
And, yes, I'm slightly worried I'll have lots of RE-processing to do. He he he

Savvy Photographer Giveaway: Kelly Moore Camera bag!

Wouldn't I be the happiest girl on the block if I had this gorgeous camera bag to put my baby in?! I never win anything - I hope this time I do!!!!

check out the giveaway at The Savvy Photographer

WW: Morning Dew

If morning dew is this beautiful with a PNS, I’m not sure I can handle it when I get my baby! WOW. I’m obsessed with dew. It makes me happy. Especially with ice on it. Smile.

PS. It’s not so wordless wednesday! Go back and look at the first shot. The grass reflecting in the dew drop is inverted. LOVE IT

Maternal Lens Giveaway: Sassy Designs

Check out the giveaway on The Maternal Lens! It is the most gorgeous digital paper (by Sassy Designs) I've seen yet! Wow! Pick me pick me pick me =)