life these days

I know it's been awhile, and although I swear I've put more miles on my car in the past month than I have in the past year, there's not much to tell, (and even less time to do it, since I spend about an average of an EXTRA two hours in my car a day.)

What am I talking about?

Les Miserables.

It's pretty much consumed my past three weeks.  (and Nick's too for sure.- The only time I've even seen that kid was in the car)- I guess that's the silver lining to him not driving yet.  If he drove, I wouldn't see him AT ALL.

Four more days...Four more days....Four more days...

He loves some of it, and hates some of it.  There are people he will miss, and people that if he never sees again he will be just fine with.

(For the record, while there were plenty of awesome things about this experience, we probably won't ever work with this particular production company again, and would have a really hard time recommending it to anyone else, and that's all I'm going to say on that topic.  If you can't say anything nice...)

To be fair though, they did let me come and take some pictures during a dress rehearsal.  Apparently words like "I'm a photography student, and I was telling my teacher how my kid is in this show, and she suggested that I should ask if I could come one night and take some pictures"  are magic words.   I had to agree to no flash (that's fine) and to not post anything on the internet :(. 

I didn't sign anything, but I can't promise a picture or two won't slip through the cracks and land on my blog at some point.  The lady I promised isn't exactly the nicest person, so I wouldn't feel too bad about it.  Besides she specifically said "facebook", but didn't mention anything about blogs. Besides I only have 6 followers so it's not like there's a lot of danger in her finding out. And then there's the fact that  Nick says he hasn't been treated this badly since his elementary school ALP teacher, aka Professor Umbridge.   Oops.  I was really trying not say anything "not nice".

Opening night was last night.  And it went about as well as opening nights go, or so I'm told.  My friend Brenda and her daughters have performed in several plays over the years, and she always tells people never to come to opening night.   However, Nick's creepy bad guy was pretty good.  I'd slap him too.  And he died a good death, but he did accidentally wear his glasses on stage for a scene, but I just thought that was funny.

And for the record, I asked him last night after his first performance, if he had to do it all over again, and take the good with the bad, would he?  He had to pause and think for a second, but he said he would.  The good he is getting out of it (the experiences, the friendships) definitely out weighs the bad.

Other than that?  John's still traveling as much as ever. The other kids are still alive, and while my house isn't the cleanest these days, they are fending for themselves pretty well.

Christopher liked Spring Break so much (we really didn't do anything as Nick had Les Mis and Maddie was sick with croup) that he decided he needed two Spring Breaks.  He was really annoyed that even though he wrote it on the calendar for this week, I still made him go to school.

School is going well, but this current project is bothersome.  We're still on part one of it, and I need six "monochromatic pictures" and six pictures with "complimentary colors" using the light or additive color wheel. (apparently there are three color wheels that I am now aware of) The monochromatic part is hard because I look around and all I see is brown or green.  Boring. Here's my picture of a lizard. 

See what I mean about boring?  And complimentary?  six really?  and only two can be "still life"  meaning I need to find examples where colors like red and teal dominate the scene naturally.  Or somewhat naturally.  The only idea I have now is that my friend has a teal bench in her entryway she said I could use, and then dress one of my kids up in red, and have them pose for me.  I'm not a fan of taking "posed" pictures though.  It's definitely up there on my list of photography weaknesses.  Case in point- "Smile naturally!"

"I am! This is my real smile."

"No it's not. Just stop smiling ok. Just, I don't know. Talk to me or something."

(Odds are these pictures might not make the cut. (there's like 20 more)  Due to issues like the fact the lighting was bad, the poofy thing looks awkward, her hair needs to be combed, I can't get excited about any of Maddie's expressions, the pictures are crooked and the scene just overall looks weird.- In my defense, it was a spur of the moment thing- hey, you match your room!  Stand here while I get my camera!"

So that's pretty much life in the Berrett household right now.

probably another cliche

Okay folks, I normally don't beg for comments, but I'd like some input as to which picture to pick for my project.

I made John take me to a local carnival and I set my tripod up and took pictures of ferris wheels and the like and I'm having a hard time picking which one.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

Or there's some different rides and/or angles

8.

9.

10.

See my dilemma?  I don't think any one of them stands out as super fantastic, but as I paid $10 to get into the stupid carnival (actually for both John and I to get in it was $20, plus we paid $5 for a deep fried Snicker's bar which wasn't nearly as good as the one I had years and years ago at the State Fair. ) I want to use one of these pictures, plus I don't have any better ideas as to what kind of a picture actually improves with a little time lapse blurring. 

Help please? comments? Suggestions.

My first photography "gig"

Actual conversation I had about a week ago between my friend Linda and myself.  Linda is my good friend and her daughter was getting married that weekend.

Linda- "Hey I have a favor to ask of you.  Would you mind being the photographer at Caitlin's wedding reception?"

Me- "Uhhhhh..."

Linda- "We've hired a professional photographer for her bridal pictues and the pictures at the temple after the ceremony, but her hourly rate is pretty steep, and so we decided to not have her work at the reception, but as this is our youngest daughter and the last child to get married and we've never had any one take pictures at a reception before, I thought that I would just like something.  Well, except for Jenny, she had a professional at her reception in Utah."

Me- "Ummm, well,  uhhhh, You know I'm just learning right? I'm in like 'photography 101'."

Linda- "I really like all the pictures you've been posting on your blog lately, I think you've got a great eye, but all I'm really expecting is pretty much comparable to what I would shoot with my little point and shoot."

Me- "Well, if point and shoot is all you're expecting, I am sure I can do at least as good as that, but those pictures on my blog are carefully staged, and I wait for the right lighting, and we haven't covered "indoor/night time photography yet."

So, that's how I got my first "wedding reception gig."  He he.

People I know would say to me, "Wow! I didn't know you were a photographer!" 

At which point I would show them that the camera was on the 'auto' setting, and explain that I'm in school, and Linda and I were doing each other favors.  I was getting practice, and permission to use the photos any way I see fit- blog, etc Ü.

 My friend Emmalyn asked, "This isn't going to end up on facebook is it?" he, he. Ü

I do have to admit, it was pretty fun.

And as a recovering shy person, it's still hard for me to walk up to perfect strangers and say "Hi! Can I take your picture?"

My candid shots still leave a lot to be desired.  I think any place where people are doing a lot of eating is not an ideal place for candid photos.

Of course at this time I have no intention of pursuing an actual career as a photographer, but it was kinda fun to pretend for a minute and Linda said she loved the pictures, so I guess it's a win-win for everybody.

more pictures for school

We had to turn in a "Work in Progress" for our latest project this week.  I guess it's like a rough draft or something.

Anyway, I was able to take some pictures over the weekend that I thought were pretty great, so I was happy to turn them in.

Side note-  It's funny, but I look forward to going to school.  I'm enjoying it.  And yes, there's homework, and up until the morning of class on Monday, I still had no pictures for part of my project, so I wasn't so happy about that.  But for the most part, I'm like "Yay! It's Monday!  I get to go to school." I never thought I'd ever feel that way.  I might have enjoyed certain aspects of school, but weekends were still always preferred.

So, for starters, I went to Zach's soccer game to take pictures.  He was always on the opposite end of the field, so I didn't get any great shots of him,

But I was able to get some other good pictures of other kids.

And I've been promoted. 

I'm now the official unpaid team photographer. 

The coach wants to have a slide show at the end of the season, and wants to know if I can take pictures at all the rest of the games.

Hopefully I can get some good ones of all of the boys, so no one feels left out that they aren't in the slide show.  

But since I find it easiest to get good pictures of the kids who are playing nearest to me, I think I will ask the coach to cycle the boys through the positions that will be nearest me.

Cause that's what it's all about.  Me taking pictures.  Not strategy or winning or anything.

Next I bought glow sticks had had the kids play.

And I had better success with that twin photography. 

I may or may not have ordered a back drop off of Amazon. What?

I might have Nick try it again with chairs, his second position is a little blurry.

Then the day that the Work in Progress was due I had an epiphany in the shower, (where I do my best thinking) and thought that the "blurred movement' might look pretty cool with billiard balls.

I was pretty proud of myself.

Until we were going over the pictures in class and she was like "Ah, yes, the old pool table". 

Apparently it's been done before.  Alot.  Like it's practically a cliche.

As far as the project goes it's still perfectly acceptable, I'm just not the creative genius I was when I walked into the classroom.

Story of my life.  I realize that I am funnier, smarter, and more creative in my own head than I am in other people's minds, but it's still a little ego deflating to hear it out loud.
 
I'll get over it.  I usually do.

Third time's the charm

Zach is in the fifth grade, so that means it was his turn to go to San Diego on an Oceanography field trip.  And that also means that I got to go with him.  I love that my kids are still at the age where they want me to go. 

And I have to say that this trip was hands down the best of all three.    I enjoyed the time spent with all three of my children equally, but this trip was better for different reasons.

First, the boat. 

There was the usual stuff. 

They dragged the ocean floor and brought up creatures for a little show and tell.

We saw sea lions and dolphins and the usual stuff.

But this time we saw a whale. 

A real life, honest to goodness whale. 

I think it was a humpback. (that was like three months ago, some of the details are fuzzy)

It came up to the surface three times.  (There's a name for that, I forgot it though)

And Oh how I wished I had taken my good camera. 

Apparently in all the years doing this particular outing, that was the best whale sighting ever.  I think they've been doing this for like 30 years or something.

Sea World was fun. 

Nothing too exciting. 

I had fun with Zach.

The boys I was in charge of were super well behaved. 

I mentioned something to the teacher that I always have good luck with the groups that I am chaperoning. 

She said it wasn't luck, it's because my kids pick good friends. (The kids pick the groups they want to be in.)

So that's, you know, totally awesome for a mother to hear.

But the second thing that made this trip the best, is that because the kids were all so well behaved (for the most part) the tour guide decided to take us to a beach to eat out breakfast.

But it wasn't just any beach, no sirree.

Apparently this is a beach shared by people and seals and it's where mommy seals go to give birth.  (We didn't see any of that going on, although I was a little disappointed in that.  It probably would be pretty gross, but oh so cool.)

The views were pretty amazing too, and I could have stayed there for hours.

And this was the second time in two days that I had wished that I hadn't decided that my big camera would be more of a hassle than it's worth.

Plus we stayed in San Diego the whole weekend instead of heading up to Los Angeles, and the aquarium in San Diego is better than the one we went to in L.A.

Oh! I have a funny little anecdote to share.  I guess it's probably more funny to me than the average person, but here goes.

Wait, before I begin, let me back up.  Okay, so you know how John is like a super-traveler, and is at the highest level of all the awards programs he belongs to? Anyways, whenever he checks into a Marriott, he usually jokes with the person at the desk and says the same thing every time, "So, you have my jacuzzi suite ready for me?"  Sometimes it works, and he gets upgraded to a jacuzzi suite.  Most of the time they say "I'm sorry, sir, we don't have any jacuzzi suites, we would however like to upgrade you to our Executive Suite..." (or something like that)

Anyway, on these school field trips I usually have to share a room with some other parent.  It's a little awkward at first, but other than that they are usually really nice, and I don't mind it so much. So anyways, on this field trip, we stepped into our room, only moments after meeting for the very first time, and what do you know?  We'd been upgraded to a jacuzzi suite!  Only problem is, it only had one bed.  Which was a little awkward, so I ended up calling the guy in charge, and asking to exchange my upgrade to a regular old room.  With two beds.

Okay, so maybe it wasn't that funny, but I thought John would appreciate the irony.

But anyways, even if I didn't get to see whales, or get up super close to seals, and even if I had to deal with obnoxious kids, I still would have gotten to spend quality time with this kid,

and that is what makes trips like this priceless.