My Kids Are Winners August 31, 2010
I'd be willing to venture that most mothers who are sane and free of major defect believe their kids are amazingly wonderful and all they do. Yes, we do see the flaws, but tend to focus on how incredible these little people are. I am no different. When they bring me a new painting or project from class, I see a work of art. When they bring homework back graded, I see valedictorian material.
So imagine what it must be like teaching my kids the basics of photography. It is a great joy. I hope they keep up the interest. Chris liked it for about five minutes, and I think he just was using it to get away from his siblings and have mommy time (which can be done with other things that he enjoys more). Its Josh and Nataley fighing for camera time now. Yes, it makes me nervous handing my lively hood over and there are rules when shooting with my camera. I also bought a point and click, but the quality of course is a big difference. I like explaining things with the SLR, though f/stops and ISO and shutter speeds just aren't going to be discussed for quite a long time to come. They are, after all, 6 and 7 years old, and those are topics that make grown ups heads spin.
It starting months ago at the botanical conservatory when I was taking pics of butterflies. Nataley loves pretty things, and definately wanted her chance to shoot the butterflies too. The poor gal still had the settings on manual, so I think a good 100 pics were over/under exposed. Then there were about a dozen I couldn't believe how good they were. I showed Nataley my absolute favorite and suggested she enter it to the Bugs contest the local photo club was having.
I love so much about this photo. I love her perspective... it didn't occure to me to get down to 3 feet tall and see the butterflies from this angle. I love how the flower sweeps over the image and brings your eye down tot he butterfly. I love the colors behind. I love the clarity, which trust me, though I can take some darn good pics, is still hard to get for a tiny creature like this. But again... I'm mom. I'm biased.
Nataley ended up taking 2nd place for the bugs contest - $5. She was over the moon. It was also her 6th birthday. Her photo ended up being in the paper several times, and she was so proud. Can't stop there - I nearly forced her to enter her butterfly photo to the fair. It just seems too good.
Well to get to the point of the story/post, Nataley won 1st place under the category of - ''All Creatures Great & Small.'' A nice blue ribbon. Then after juniors judging was over, she was awarded the color divisions Best of Show award. Nataley was so excited when I got home and told her. Two ribbons, AND $15! She's much more excited about 1st place then Best of Show, because she just doesn't understand the significance yet - but when she sees the huge purple rosette Wednesday when the fair opens I think it'll start to make more sense to her how big of a deal it was.
And then there is Josh. He's in it to get rich quick - Joshua wants the money! I know the fellow photographers who read this will laugh at the idea of photography ever being a way to get rich... especially quick. If you can make a living, you're very fortunate. But Josh had his plans and has been clicking away with his ideas of what to enter for the fair.
It's no secret of our shaved ice addition here at the Hattery home, so this entry was an obvious choice. Elisha at CJs helped us pick flavors that would be most colorful, and Josh took pics from several perspectives, asking me to hold him for this photo. He took 1st place for Van Wert County Fair color category. Yeah Josh!
In the Sky's The Limit b/w category Josh won 2nd or 3rd. I know he ended up with two 2nds and one 3rd... I just don't remember which won which, except for his first place win. Sorry. Not much help. I do know he's super excited over the four ribbons, and can't wait to collect his cash.
For Sky's the Limit color category Joshua's moon (with two planets, not sure what they were). Again, a 2nd or 3rd... not sure which.
And finally, Joshua's lion from the zoo took 2nd or 3rd. He is entering this to the Wassenberg show, which of course is quite cut throat and hard to get into. Good luck Josh!!! I'll be holding my breath that day, and you can imagine once again posting my abundant jubilance if they make it in!
Sisters August 28, 2010
Two sweet sisters came back to visit me last night. They were some lovely butterflies this spring, and last night we got some studio pics before heading out for silhouettes.
This Years Entries August 27, 2010
***UPDATE***
So I completely changed my mind! After posting this I ended up ordering three more photos with flaws fixed, lol.
Well I have officially decided upon this years 9 entries to the Wassenberg Photography Exhibit. It is a jurried exhibit, so it doesn't mean they'll make it in. Honestly if I had a few more weeks I'd still tweak them more, but we're going on vacation, and entries are due the day we get home.
So here are my entries, along with category, and my little critique. I'm putting this in writing to see how close to what the judges say my critiques are.
Portrait category - The flowers closest to me, between the tutu and myself, are blown out. Woops! I also think the flowers on the same plane, but taller, then her, seemed to be a bit more of the focus than her face, which of course shouldn't be the case. If I had the time and money, this 16x20 would have the tall flowers softened and blown flowers removed.
Portrait category - The weed/brown thing at the bottom of the photo should have been cloned out. A local lab does a pretty good job with coloring for me, so I may still change this out Monday. It's just an 11x14 so it's not like I'd be spending and arm and a leg to get it reprinted.
Misc - I have no idea what the judges will say on this, but the kids are in agreement that it had to be submitted.
Misc - not sure if it doesn't fit the Misc category. But is it any more a portrait than animal than landscape? Exactly, so misc. it is, but the judges could easily kick it out.
Plants - This is printed as a 16x20 and has incredible crispness... but then the bottom petal has a blown highlight. I'd reorder from a lab in MN, and it just won't happen before we leave, so it's not gonna get reordered, lol.
Landscape - Well I like it. But it sure isn't the 'wow' factor of the other landscapes that will be entered. It may look faked, but the rainbows were real. I should be rich from finding four pots of gold, huh?
Special Effects - there isn't so much of a clarity around the skater as I had wanted. There appears to be grain, but it's just the milky way.
Portrait - Thought it looks like it on my laptop, it printed lovely with nothing blown. Perhaps a bit too much of a traditional portrait though.
Misc - Again no idea what they'll say about this one, except that maybe it should be in the animal category.
So overall, there's nothing that stands out to me this year as a big winner. I like all of them for one reason or another, but I also know the competition is intense. I'll update Sept. 19th with what happened! Joshua and Nataley are also entered photos (and to the fair this weekend too!), so I'm crossing their fingers they make it in. If they do, come feel free to buy a cheap print. Josh wanted to sell his for $3 each, but since the prints and framing are more than that, I increased the price for him.
BTS August 25, 2010
Well I went through days of saddness of the end of summer. It's been wonderful spending so much time with the kids with no homework, not having to be anywhere at 8am, and lots of fun. There was the morning monopoly game with Joshua, tons of long, thoughtful talks with Christopher, and tea parties outside on blankets with Nataley. There were days we'd wake up early to the sound of rain and need to go jump in puddles, and nights we stayed up til morning to watch meteors. Is there any wonder I didn't want summer to end?
And then I walked the kids to school and something odd happened. The tears and hesitation gave way to cheers and jubilation. I'm going to get soooooo much done! Yes, I'll admit I will miss them. But there's a garden to clean up, summer toys to get away, photos to upload, galleries that should have expired, and weddings to prepare for. Woo hooo! Let the productivity begin!Yet I can't help but wondering if I'm just fooling myself. The West Wing reruns thismorning have me in tears. surely I couldn't be so happy that Santos got the nomination!? Perhaps there's more emotion in me this AM than I realized.
Yes, one hour later and I find myself with thoughts drifting to the kids. I wonder which desk Christopher decided on (he got to choose this year). I am curious if Joshua is finding any favorite kids in his class? And how does he like his teacher? I hope Nataley isn't being too silly and is able to not talk, at least part of the day.
I hope they're having fun, and enjoying their day. I hope they aren't nervous anymore. I hope they know they can always ask to potty if they need to. I hope they like their lunch.
*sigh*
I think I miss my kids.
Engagement Pics August 24, 2010
Ashley, Ben, and William (Ashley's son) too, came for photos last night. It was so touching to see how Ben and William enteracted with so much love and care. What a wonderful family they're going to make!
Of course, there was wayyyy too much of that kissy kissy stuff for Will's taste!
More Assorted Weekend Pics August 23, 2010
Here are a few more shots from the weekend at PIB. The first, some frequent PIB vistors may realize, has been altered a tad. I think you'll agree my version of grafiti wall saying Love is much nicer :)
Aww well, this isn't a weekend shot. A butterfly I thought had died in our pool, but after daddy got it out hours later we discovered it was still alive (Barely). It's currently being nursed back to health with lots of rest and flowers by Nataley.
Katy - Ottawa Class of 2011 August 22, 2010
Katy was so fun and made my morning photographing her so easy. A natural beauty, she certainly knows how to enhance it all with her future as a cosmotologist. As normal I ended up with way too many great photos. You'd think 30 would be more than enough for any teen girl, but I tend to end up with twice that. oops! Only makes deciding which you love that much harder. Sorry!!! But before you see them all Katy, here's a few peeks until the rest are ready :)
I'm Jodi, a military wife,
mom to three, and an
award winning photographer
Jodi Hattery Photography
SPECIALS!!!
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