Making the Best

This post is just to show some of you beginners like me that there is usually a way to turn a funky photo into a wonderful save. This is one of the many photos that I took of the 2012 Horse Expo, but because I was shooting outside and didn't have a lens cover there was a high risk of having a few lens flairs. It actually only happened to this photo, so I got lucky. It was such a great shot that I couldn't let a silly lens flair cause me to just throw it away. So I opened up my photo editing software and went to work. Normally with lens flairs you see a starbust of orange, orange/red, or yellow coloring taking up most of the photo. With this one I didn't have that happen, it just turned the whole shot yellow, so I played with the white balance and brightness and came up with this. I added a dark frame and it actually turned out perfect! It was a great save! So the next time you look at a photo that you just love but something is a little off about it, try playing with some of the settings in your editing software and you may end up with a winner like this. No photo is ever worthless, with each messed up, funky, or ruined shot you learn something new! Remember that Photography is all about technique!

Horse Expo 2012

These are all photos that I have taken from the 2012 Horse Expo at the South Jordan Equestrian Center. I was there as a guest for the Aces Wild, they contacted me and asked me to come up and take photos of them preforming. It was a great day, the team was very fun to be around and we shared a few laughs! I had a wonderful time and the photos that I took came out great! I took a total 115 shots and ended up with a total of 88 purrfect ones! These are my picks!!! If you'd like to see the full 88 stop by and visit the facebook page!
www.facebook.com/PawsitivelyPurrfectMemories

Christmas Time

These are too shots from a fun Christmas photo shoot of a fun and very happy family! You always hear in the photography community that the most important thing in a great photo is patience. This is very true, but this photo shoot took it to a whole new level. I was contacted about doing their Christmas photos but they wanted to wait until a good snow storm came along. If you live in Utah you know that last years snow storms were very small and most of the time melted off before the sun was even fully in the sky. So day after day, week after week, we waited and finally just in the nick of time there was a nice snow storm and we packed up and ran out to Murray Park to get these photos done! We were all out in the cold freezing and laughing. We got wet and muddy but these shots sure did turn out great! Like I said before, one of the things I need to work on is positioning and this was a great tester but I think it really turned out great! They were all very pleased!
As usual I used my Sony DSC-HX1 with all standard stock parts, no special lens or filter.

Western Woman

These are photos from a few different shoots. Living in Utah there are actually a ton of people that love and enjoy Horses. This wonderful woman has invited me back a few times to take fun photos of her and her beautiful Mustang H.R.H Sir Charles. (a.k.a. Charlie) The first photo is just her enjoying a beautiful day in her Show outfit. Charlie and his "Momma" are part of the wonderful group  Aces Wild, they are dedicated to showing the world that the term "Wild Horse" doesn't mean that these horses are trash or unwanted. The image they are painting for these beautiful creatures is strong, loving, beyond faithful, and all around amazing!
Please feel free to visit and donate to the BLM and Aces Wild team at these web addresses.
*Coming Soon

They do shows and even march in parades! I have been to many of their events and it really is a fun way to enjoy a spring and summer day! Besides, who doesn't love going to a parade!

The photos that fallow are of Charlie and his Momma for their Christmas Cards! To see how the cards turned out take a peek at Pawsitively Purrfect Memories craft blog!

Stopping to Smell the Flowers

Well, rather then smelling the flowers lets take photos of them! Some of my favorite photos are of these gifts from Mother Nature. One of my all time favorite spots to take these kind of photos is local Murray Park here in Utah. It is filled with vibrant flowers, growing and blossoming trees! It has everything to offer when it comes to nature photography. (Of course it doesn't really have everything to offer but it really does have a lot to offer! There is always something new to photograph there!) But, when I can't make it out to the Park I simply pack up my camera and just enjoy the beauty that surround me and my family. We live in an apartment and in doing so our grounds always have new flowers being put in to enjoy. Lets enjoy some of the best that Mother Nature has to offer shall we? As usual all of these photos have been taken with my faithful Sony DSC-HX1 with all of the standard stock parts.

A Photographers Moment

I don't know how many of you are actually photographers or just great people looking for cheap but amazing photography!
There is a moment that I had been told about several times when I first picked up my camera and started my journey. Everyone I talked to always referred to it as a "Photographers Moment." I never really believed that it would happen, it seemed like it was just a funny story to share among friends and fellow photographers. A "Photographers Moment" is when you are out doing a normal everyday errand and you come along a scene that hits you and just inspires you so much that you have to stop and take photos! Most of the time this involves people simply living their lives, but it is just so inspiring that you can't help but take a few snap shots.
The main problem with this is that you can't simply just sit and take photos of someone in the world today, bad things can happen very quickly if your subject isn't fully aware of what you are trying to do. So you have to walk up to the person(s) and try to explain to them the best way that you can that you just simply must take photos of them. Then you have to stand there while they look at you like you are completely insane. If you are lucky enough you get permission to do so you can get to work and enjoy the peaceful out come.
My story is much like this. I was coming home from buying some food for my furry babies and as I was pulling into my parking stall I noticed my neighbor sitting outside reading, she was just sitting there reading a good book enjoying a cold drink and the company of her cats. I asked her and she said yes. (Only after that awkward moment of being starred at like I was completely insane.) I was so excited that I couldn't wait! The lighting was perfect! The scene was very relaxing and warm. I knew I just had to have photos. After five short minutes I had what I was looking for, I thanked her and headed back home. These photos are my favorite from that day. Again, I used my Sony DSC-HX1 camera, with the standard stock lens.

Growing Family Photos

These are just a few of the photos that I took of a wonderful little couple that was expecting their third child. I love shooting out side, all the colors that nature has to offer is really breath taking. So when you take a beautiful and excited couple and add them to a beautiful nature setting it really just works out to be a perfect setting for amazing photos! Again, for these photos I used my very loved Sony DSE-HX1 super zoom - digital deluxe point and shoot camera. One of the things that I'm still struggling with is the positioning of subjects, especially humans and large families, but photography is one of those fields that there is always going to be something to learn.

Zoo & Aviary

I'm happy to share my favorite photos from my trips to Utah's Hogle Zoo and Utah's Tracy Aviary from 2011 for these photos I used my favorite camera which is a Sony DSC-HX1 with the standard stock lens. If you have ever had the chance to use a Sony DSC-HX1 you'll know that this cameras standard stock lens is unbelieveably surprising! (In out door settings.) The Sony DSC-HX1 is not a DSLR camera, it is actually a super zoom-digital deluxe point and shoot. I love this camera, the best part about this camera is that it has most of the same functions that a DSLR has to offer, not only can you run in all of the standard photo settings that come on most any digital camera, but you also get to run in fully Manual Mode where you get the chance to set any function you need or Shutter Priority Mode where the ISmart mode takes care of most settings except the ISO and Shutter Speed. It also has tons of accessories including many different types of lenses and flash add ons. (That is just part of the reason that its called a Delux Point and Shoot Camera.) Not only is this camera a step down from a DSLR but it also  is only half the cost! That for me was a big factor on if I got this camera or not. I am what most people call a Dollar Shop Gal, I never try to push my luck when it comes to money, I only spend what I know I can afford and for me there is never a reason or a situation that I need to spend 1,000+ on a camera when one that costs half the price will get the job done and get the job done right!
Well, anyway, lets stop talking about what the camera can do and just show you what it can do!