A New Year a New Challenge - Close Up Portraits

2013 is the year that I push myself out of my comfort zone and figure out who I am as a photographer, who I am as a person and just making lots of changes in my life.  Most of them will be internal and you won't be able to see them on the outside unless you spend lots of time with me. Last year I thought I would be able to handle having a new baby and try to take a 12 month challenge in photography.  I think I made it to March before I had to quit because I just had to much going on.  I am going to try again and I have a lovely group of ladies who will help me be accountable to this goal.   We have all sorts of themes for each month and if you would like to join along please feel free to look on the Photography Projects tab on my blog and it will give you some idea of what to try to do each month or week.

I belong to a wonderful forum called Clickin Moms, it has helped me these past years to dig in deeper and figure out my camera.  I went from not really understand manual to primarily shooting in manual and trying to push myself with my pictures.  Most of my pictures are snapshots because I want to make sure that I capture my kids in the various stages that they are in, so these themes will help me to grow as a photographer. 

This month's theme was Close up Portraits.  I like to take portraits of my kids for their first year of life and I like to take the quirky pictures of just their faces but close up portrait is so much more than that.  I keep staring at my husband's eyelashes and then my kids eyelashes.  My kids eyelashes are SO long, it is very ridiculous and I am jealous and so happy that my kids inherited their dad's eyelashes.  So I decided to take pictures of the eyelashes and then some other close up portraits.
Look at my husbands long eyelashes!!
Little N is my goofy kid. He isn't letting me take pictures as often as I would like to but he is my little goof ball.  He likes making silly face and his eyelashes are SO long.  I love Little N's blue eyes and hope that they stay blue and don't turn colors.  He has inherited his grandpa Olson's eye color. 
 Little M is always willing to smile and pose for my camera.  His brown eyes just sparkle with delight and light. He also is basically his daddy's little clone.  My mother in law usually tells me that Little M looks just like John when he was that age. His brown eye color just takes the light and makes the light sparkle. 
 Oh my baby!  I just want to remember her little finger, her sweet little lips and her sweet little lashes.  She doesn't have quite as long of lashes as her brothers (what is that about -- the boys it seems always get the really long lashes which is what the girls want) but they are still pretty long. She is just my sweetheart.  I adore her beautiful blue eyes.  I hope that she keeps those beautiful blue eyes. 

Please continue through this blog circle to see how others have looked at close up portraits from some of the most amazing women, I am excited to get to know on this year journey.  Starting with, Angela, I know that you will enjoy her post.

Comments

  1. These are great images. I really love the bottom ones of your baby, so sweet. I have a hard time with close ups on people, I can never seem to get sharp focus, I'll take any tips you are willing to share!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks so much! :-) Close ups are hard. Lots of light, a steady hand, lots of practice and a fast shutter speed.

      Delete
    2. Great start to the new year! I can't wait to see more of your work!

      Delete
  2. Looking forward to continuing on this blog circle journey with you this year! I can relate to having lots of snapshots, as I too have little ones and want to remember every little detail, my camera helps me do that too.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Those little details are things I want to get. Thank you! :-)

      Delete
  3. My husband has ultra long lashes, too, and I was so happy my girls inherited them. Mine are pretty punny. He thinks they are annoying because they hit his eyeglasses. :) Beautiful photos. I'm looking forward to getting to know you better in our blog circle.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have decent size eyelashes and if I put mascara on and wear my glasses they hit my eyeglasses but I'm thankful for the eyelash curler. My daughter has decent size lashes but I think she has my size lashes.

      Delete
  4. Such precious photos! Your boys have some super long lashes. Great job capturing them.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I can just feel (and appreciate) how you want to preserve those tiny details! It looks like you have a beautiful family, and I look forward to seeing more this year!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I did not get blessed with long eyelashes, or curly hair, both things all the boys get and the girls wish they had, except the ones that do have curly hair don't like it!
    Great pics, what setting did you use?

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular Posts