Nihao, Cupcake!

May Blog Hop x 2: {FAMILY x 12} + {Project Life}

We interupt this blog post for the following special message...

HAPPY iSCRAPBOOK DAY!!

There are a ton of deals out there as well as so many fun challenges. Plenty of blogs are listing links to all the fun and there is even more information via Twitter. There will not be enough time in the day to do it all. So, if you are reading this, I THANK YOU for stopping by this blog, when there are so many others calling for your attention. Without further ado, on with our normally scheduled blog post:

It's the 5th of the month so that means TWO Blog Hops in ONE post...

First off is the FAMILY x 12 Blog Hop: A small group of us support each other each month in getting a family photo. If we don't make a point of doing it every month, then too many days, weeks, years pass and we forget to take photos of our families all together. How many photos have you taken this year of your family?

Since we didn't remember to have anyone take our photo early in the month when we were doing something fun, we did this at the last possible moment. It was two hours before my husband had to leave for the airport. You may be able to tell that it was after the sun went down so we didn't have much light to work with.

And if you have been visiting often for these FAMILY x 12 Blog Hops, you know that we have more than one photo of our family on that distinctive red sofa. So, to add a little spice this time around, we decided to take a photo of ALL TEN of our family members.

You may remember this photo above. I used the exact same technique. To read about HOW I did it, go to this post, Top Ten Self-Timer Madness Photos.

Don't forget to continue on to all the other participants for more family photo inspiration! If you are interested in committing to one family photo a month, send me an email (link on sidebar) and join us next month on the 5th. It's fun and you'll have some great photos of your whole family.

If you want to check out the PROJECT LIFE Blog Hop, keep on scrolling down through this post, and then don't forget to head over to JO's blog to see her lovely family photo for the month.

Here are all the May 5 FAMILY x 12 blog hop participants in case you should get lost along the way, come back here and find your way:

May 5 FAMILY x 12 Blog Hop Participant List

Margie  <--- You are HERE.

Jo http://www.mrsbeee.blogspot.com   <--- Go here NEXT.

Ruth http://www.chattycraftyartypig.blogspot.com

Jill http://jillconyers.com

Moncia http://questtoperfectimperfection.blogspot.com  

Patricia http://patoliveira.wordpress.com/

 

PROJECT LIFE BLOG HOP

First of all, THANKS to Jill for hosting the montly Project Life blog hop even though she was too crazed this month to participate. So nice of her not to cancel.

Unfortunately, I, too, am not ready yet! I am furiously working on my Project Life post, but I will not have it ready on time. I have to run out and then I'll be back to publish. Please check back in a few hours.

EDITED: It took me two days to get my pages finished, photographed, published (our internet has been slow as molasses here in China lately) and posted, so I created a totally new post, HERE. Sorry for the delay!

But in the meantime, you can check out all of my other PROJECT LIFE posts here or please don't let me stop you from checking out the rest of the amazing Project Life inspiration on our hop. Next on the list is DEVON.

Margie You are HERE.

Devon http://www.youhadmeatneurotic.com <--- Go here NEXT.   Nikki www.inkyart.com.au

Laew www.crafty-creativity.blogspot.com

Lois http://loishouston.typepad.com/thoughts-along-lifes-highway/

Helen www.helen-mills.blogspot.com

Jennifer http://vogtstories.blogspot.com

Brighton www.dearbrighton.wordpress.com

 

Getting Ready for 2012 :: Photo A Day Projects from Photojojo

via content.photojojo.com

Photojojo had a great article today on some great ideas for photo a day projects to get you started in 2012. Check it out: Photojojo's List of Cool Photo A Day Projects for 2012

Top Ten Self-Timer Madness Photos {10 on the TENTH}

Today is Thursday, so whenever I can, I link up at Anderson Family Crew blog for Embrace the Camera. It is also the 10th of the month and that means I link up at Shimelle's blog for 10 on the TENTH. This made my TEN list easy to figure out:

My Top Ten Self-Timer Photos (several already seen here on past Embrace the Camera posts)

PHOTO 1: I just posted this last week for the FAMILY x 12 Blog Hop (email me if you are interested in joining us on the 5th of every month) and I'm posting it again today because I promised to explain how I did it.

Step 1) I set up my tripod and had everyone get in their places. We took about ten shots in the FIRST POSE. Then we DID NOT TOUCH the camera. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT! We moved positions, taking care that nobody was in the same spot as someone else was in the first photo. This is also a crucial detail. I set the self timer again to take ten consecutive photos in the SECOND POSE, again being very careful not to move the camera. I touched it as little as possible when I set the next round of photos. (I just had to press the shutter button and then run as fast as I could into position.)

Step 2) I selected the best photo from the first ten photos of POSE ONE, and the best photo from the second ten photos of POSE TWO.

Step 3) I opened both of these photos into Photoshop (this would also work in Photoshop Elements or any photo editing software with layers).

Step 4) I opened a NEW project and grabbed each photo (POSE ONE & POSE TWO) and dragged and dropped them into my new project. I made sure the photos were lined up exactly so that when I erased parts of the top layer away, every thing in the photo would be a seamless transition.

Step 5) I used the eraser tool to erase any part of the image that was blocking a person in the photo on the bottom layer. On parts that are tough to erase due to people being in close proximity to each other, I magnified my image so I could see more detail and have more control over what I was erasing.

ALTERNATIVE way to make the same picture WITHOUT photo editing software: If your camera has a Multiple Exposure feature (my film SLR had this option but my current DSLR does not; all higher end DSLRs will have this feature and many higher end point and shoots should have the feature as well - check your camera's manual).

Step 1) You would set up your camera on a tripod the same way as in step 1 above. Again, you would set your camera to take a self-timer photo, but this time you only want your camera to take ONE photo. This is crucial.

Step 2) After that first photo is taken, have everyone in the photo, go to their second position using the same precautions as I mentioned in step 2 above. TOUCH THE CAMERA IS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE and as GENTLY AS POSSIBLE. Take the second photo. Since you are using the MULTIPLE EXPOSURE function, the second photo will be taken right on top of the first photo and your photo will already be merged. No need for post processing (excpet perhaps to refine your image as you would normally do).

With the second method you may want to take four or five multiple exposures by repeating steps 1 & 2 four or five times (or more) to be sure you get a good final image. Step 1, then step 2, then repeat. Good luck! And let me know if you try it.

#2 Self-timer photo: this was taken right after Paul was released from the hosptial after his harrowing ordeal this summer.

 

#3 Self-timer photo: I took Braden to the pool this afternoon for a mommy-Braden swim. Just for fun! If it weren't for Embrace the Camera, I would never think to lug my camera with me downstairs to the pool, but I am so glad I did. This pool has been a big part of our lives here in Beijing.

 

#4 Self-timer photo: Ok, so this is not exactly a self-timer photo but it is self-taken. I just like it. It was taken in the reflection of a mirrored building we used to walk past on the way to my youngest son's school last year.

 

#5 Self-timer photo: I posted this one just a couple of weeks ago. My son was helping me make waffles and he wanted me to have a taste.

 

#6 Self-timer photo: another one that I took myself. This is us in the back of a pedi-rickshaw. We took this on Friday night. We were going out to dinner for my son's (on the right side of the photo) eleventh birthday. I hate the way I look in this photo but I had to include it because of what my youngest son did. After taking the photos I would look at them and complain about how horrible and ugly I looked. I also said that I looked like a boy. I had just gotten my haircut the day before and didn't like it at all. Anyway, my youngest had a piece of paper and a pen with him. He was writing with the wind blowing in his face, paper on his knee. He showed me the paper a little while later. It said, "You are not ugly." and "You are not a boy." So sweet!

 

#7 Self-Timer Photo: I've also posted this one before. My son had a day off school while his brothers didn't so we played a game of Lego Harry Potter. I like the angle of this one and that we are in the middle of a game.

 

#8 Self-Timer Photo: Lunch at my son's school last year. Pretty fancy, no? With linen table cloths and napkin holders. The kids set it all themselvs as well as clean up, including folding the table cloths! Pretty impressive!

 

#9 Self-Timer Photo: Just a fun and romantic photo of us cooking dinner together. We were making lasagne.

 

#10 Self-TImer Photo: Last but not least, my oldest son and I playing Scrabble. A rare occasion because I usually don't like to play. But I love to play all board games with my children.

Thanks for stopping by. For more ten on ten lists, go to Shimelle.com and for more lovely Embrace the Camera photos, go to Anderson Family Crew blog.

 

      

Oh, I almost forgot! My good friend, Ella (a Kiwi), who I met here in Beijing, just started her own blog with her sister, Talia. Ella still lives here in Beijing and her sister lives in Australia. They are off to a good start, head on over to In My Cabinet and check it out. Leave them some words of encouragement if you have a moment.

 

31 DAYS of INSPIRATION: Day 24 {Can You Cultivate An Eye for Photography?}

This is the 24th post in a 31 Day series: Creative Inspiration. Check out all the posts here. 

I think there is a huge misconception out there that some people just have an "eye for photography." Just like the notion that some people are "creative," implying that others are not.

What typically is not acknowledged, however, is that this eye for photography has hours, if not weeks and years of effort and practice behind it.

I've been told on occasion that I have an eye for photography. But the truth is, I have worked very hard for that eye. With hard work, study, practice and actively seeking honest feedback, I have watched myself improve over the years. And the better I get, the harder it is to make leaps in my improvements. This can get discouraging but I inch along in fits and starts anyway.

I have had some wonderful teachers, taking a class at my local community collge in California as well as spending weekends with professional photojournalists in intensive workshops. I've gotten some pretty brutal feedback. But you know what? I LOVE IT! I won't lie and tell you that it has never brought tears to my eyes, but once I pull myself together, I have the opportunity to go out and improve again. Without it my photographs stagnate.

What's my point? Cultivate your eye for photography. If you love it and want to take better photos? Study the masters. Read books on photography, take a course at your local community college. Learn the classic rules of composition - they won't steer you wrong. 

I see so many classic mistakes that could be easily corrected or improved with paying attention to some very simple rules.

I say that without meaning to downplay how NOT easy following those rules are. A photograph is a moment frozen in time. It happens in a split second. You are capturing something that is not in your control. How many times have we frozen the wrong moment and it looks ugly, unbalanced and confusing? Most of the time, right? That is why we practice and take ten photos to hopefully get one decent one. The one where we capture a clear tender (or funny or emotional) moment in an aesthetically pleasing image. It is hard work. It is luck. It is serendipity. No?

For this last week of my 31 Days of Creative Inspiration, I plan to highlight some of those simple rules of good photographic composition that are often over looked or broken. I can always use a good review. 

Today I thought I would talk about LEADING LINES.

All strong lines in a photo are actually LEADING LINES. The question is, where exactly are they leading you to? Not all LEADING LINES are good. Some lead you right out of the photo!

You don't want that.

Other strong LEADING LINES lead you right to NOTHING or

to nothing interesting

or to something distracting.

You don't want any of that!

You want leading lines to lead you in to the photo and keep you there. 

You also want those LEADING LINES to lead you to the main subject of your photo. The place where you are led should be interesting, intriguing even, and should make you want to 'stay in the photo and look around.' 

This photo of the judges tent at the 2011 LA Harbor Dragon Boat races is an example of a photo with very strong LEADING LINES. Do you see the curb starting from the bottom right of the photo, leading your eye right into the background? Then from the left side of the photo you see the line of the sand where it meets the ocean? It also leads your eye straight to the back of the photo. These are awesome LEADING LINES. They take you right into the photo. The horizon line from the left of the photo even leads you right to that same point.

So what is the problem? 

There is nothing interesting at the intersection of those three very strong LEADING LINES! You get to the end and you are disappointed, bored even! Your eyes and brain just can't be bothered, so they quickly move on.

 

Can you see the LEADING LINES in this photo? They aren't as strong as the LEADING LINES in the photo of the judges' tent, but they are effective, nonetheless.

Starting from the right, the boy's arms almost connect and lead you right to the center of the photo. Starting from the left, the other boy's arm does the same thing - leading you right to the center of the action. From the top right, the door moulding leads you in to the photo and then we make a sharp turn down and follow that line also to the center of the photo. And finally, just left of center also on the top of the photo, the eve of the roof, leads us to the head of the boy in the middle and then the direction of his eyes take over and we are again led right to the center of the action.

The action, of course, is a play in the game. We see the boy's hand just about to place his piece in the classic game of Mastermind.

Isn't the destination of these LEADING LINES far more interesting and intriguing than the lines in the first photo? 

By comparing these two photos, we see that not all LEADING LINES are created equal and it is not all about LEADING LINES, but rather what is at the end of those lines!

In an upcoming post, I will discuss what about this last photo distracts the viewer from the main subject, possible solutions and if it is a deal breaker for this photo. What do you think is the distracting element?

31 DAYS of INSPIRATION: Day 21 {Why You Don't Need a DSLR}

Powershot SX10IS

This is the 21st post in a 31 Day series: Creative Inspiration. Check out all the posts here.

 

DSLR vs P&S

"I need a DSLR!" I hear that statement all the time! When people are frustrated with their point & shoot camera, they typically think a DSLR will solve all of their problems. They see photos taken with DSLRs and they immediately notice the difference. Yes, it is true, there will be a slight initial improvement in your photos due to the lens quality and the superior metering in a DSLR, but basically if you don't know how to use your point & shoot, you are not going to know how to use your DSLR. Likely, a DSLR will confuse you more as using it out of auto mode is more challenging than any point & shoot (P&S). And a DSLR is a lot more expensive than even the most expensive P&S.

I propose you either upgrade your point & shoot or spend a little time learning enough about your current point & shoot to improve your photos.

[DSLR stands for Digital Single Lens Reflex. Basically it refers to any camera in which you can change the lens. If you can't change its lens, then it is a Point & Shoot.]

If you are frustrated with your current camera, you may feel like you would like to move on to a DSLR.

But before you do that, I would encourage you to figure out why you are frustrated with it and decide if you need to spend the money needed for a DSLR to solve those problems or if your problems can be solved by purchasing a higher end, though relatively inexpensive, Point & Shoot (P&S) or learning more about your current camera (the user's manual is really your friend).

With all of the amazing high end P&Ss out on the market now, you can find a lot of camera for a much lower price point than a DSLR (with or without kit) and don’t forget to figure in the cost of those additional lenses!

DSLR: Rebel XSi (450)

There are plenty of high quality P&S on the market that are perfect training cameras. They allow you to learn about shutter speed, f stop (aperture), ISO, flash, metering, depth of field, etc, etc and still produce fantastic high quality photos. Many now allow you to have full manual control over the camera. They include manual mode, aperture priority (where you control the aperture, the camera chooses the shutter speed), shutter priority (you choose shutter speed, camera chooses aperture), flash control including choosing 1^st or 2^nd shutter.

Of course, there is significantly more potential with a DSLR but:

*the learning curve is higher,

*the weight is heavier and

*the cost is significantly more.

DSLR: Rebel XSi (450)

If you do not know how to use shutter speed and aperture priority, if you don’t know how to adjust your current camera so it performs better in low light, and if you don’t know how to override it’s automatic settings, I would suggest upgrading to a higher end P&S. It will allow you the maximum amount of control so that you can learn all about those things and when you outgrow that camera and you’re ready to upgrade to a DSLR you will really understand what you need and what you are looking for in a camera.

P&S: Powershot SX10IS 

One common word of advice I hear often that I whole-heartedly agree with, is do not upgrade your equipment until you outgrow your old piece of equipment and you know why and what you need next. Exhaust all the features (within reason) on your current camera before you move on to your next.

DSLR: Rebel XSi (450)

If your camera is not performing correctly, perhaps you are not using it correctly. Open your user's manual and make sure there isn’t something you can do to improve the situation. For example, on many P&S you can increase the shutter speed by switching to sports mode. This increases the ISO, turns off the automatic photo review (when you look at the photo on the screen right after you take it) and allows the camera to take continuous photos faster. Of course, many cameras also have a continuous shutter mode (usually indicated by a stack of rectangles), this mode will give you a similar effect to the sports mode.

P&S: Powershot SX10IS (taken by my ten year old son)

Common frustrations with camera:

1) You want less lag-time between photos.

You would need to find a camera with higher maximum frames per second (fps) than your current camera.

2) You want sharper photos.

There are a list of reason why images are not sharp enough. Some are related to the camera, some to the situation and some to the photographer.

From the camera end, you would want to look for faster automatic focus technology as well as better lens quality. You do not need manual focus to get sharper images. Higher ISO (more light sensitivity) and a larger maximum aperture (will let in more light faster) also is a big factor in getting sharper images.

The aperture is the number with the f/ in front of it. The lower the number the larger the maximum aperture (lens opening size) – the number is actually a fraction. Think of it like f1/2.8 or f1/15.

Unless you are confident a DSLR is the next camera for you, I think it is worthwhile to seriously consider a higher-end P&S before making your final decision.

I will do a quick analysis of the 2 Canon cameras I might consider for myself. And compare them to the entry level Canon DSLR. (I am choosing Canon because I am the most familiar with their DSLR and P&S lines.)

DSLR: Rebel XSi (450)

Before I begin, I wanted to mention that all of the higher-end Canon P&S’s can be operated in full manual mode. You have complete control of the shutter speed & aperture and can also opt for aperture priority or shutter priority (that’s where you choose one and the camera chooses the other to give you correct exposure).

Many professional photojournalists that I have talked to shoot in aperture priority mode most of the time. They are just skilled enough to know when to switch to manual. I should also mention that without the purchase of any additional lenses these P&S also:

*allow you to shoot in macro and

*can be mounted on a tripod.

P&S: Powershot SX10IS

The Canon G12 is arguably Canon’s best P&S camera. The MSRP is $499 USD. The zoom lens on this model has a film equivalent of 28mm to 140mm range – this gives you a wide angle all the way to a very decent zoom. The wide angle is wonderful for shots in tight locations and the zoom is great to get the bokeh everyone loves as well as great portraits. The lens is quite fast with the maximum aperture at the 24mm end at f/2.8. That is incredibly large for a P&S! My $1500USD pro level 16-24mm lens has the same maximum aperture! The 140mm end has a f/4.5 maximum aperture which is very good for a mid-range zoom. It’s not ideal for indoor photos without flash, but better than any kit lens I’ve seen or any non-pro zoom lenses I’ve seen.

Its maximum shutter speed is 1/4000 of a second. That is faster than any SLR or DSLR I have ever owned.

DSLR: Rebel XSi (450)

In the most optimum of situations it can take up to 4.2 frames per second. That is faster than any DSLR I have seen. Usually this is the big weakness of the P&S as it does not compare with most DSLRs in this area. But you have to be realistic about how fast is fast enough for what you are taking photos for. There are very rare occasions where you will need a faster rate of frames per second than this camera can give you.  

This camera weighs more than 12 oz due to the large zoom range.

DSLR: Rebel XSi (450)

Another P&S of note is the SX130 also part of the Canon Powershot range. This camera is only $229USD The zoom range on this camera is 28mm – 336mm which is phenomenal, however this makes me nervous. That camera will need one powerful motor making it heavy and also making it a much higher risk for breakage and motor burnout. I have also used a Canon Powershot with a strong zoom like this before and I’ve had an extremely hard time getting it to focus in low light situations much worse than my Powershot SX10IS which is a much older model (but with a less powerful zoom). So, I am skeptical of these cameras with such huge range of zooms. I would read all the reviews on this one and make sure you read reviews from people who have had the camera for at least a year to see if it lasts and to see if they have improved the focusing issues. They have an extensive series of P&S with even larger zoom ranges that look like they are worth considering. I would encourage you to pour over their comparison page at Canon.com and then read lots and lots of reviews to see how they perform.

http://www.usa.canon.com/cusa/consumer/products/cameras/digital_cameras?pageKeyCode=65&category=0901e0248006113a&compare=0901e024801f482b&compare=0901e024801cff65&compare=0901e024801f482c

DSLR: Rebel XSi (450)

The other thing you can do to see how a camera performs is to go to Flickr.com and search for the camera model you are interested in. You will be presented with pages and pages of sample images. This is a fantastic way to see the potential of your camera of interest.

Canon G12 - http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=Canon%20G12

Canon SX130 - http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=Canon%20G12

When searching to see photos taken by a DSLR be sure to search by lens including maximum aperture of the lens.

	Rebel EOS XSi DSLR	Powershot G12	Powershot SX30 IS
Cost	$649 USD with kit	$499 USD	$229USD
Max Shutter Spd	1/4000 second	1/4000 second	1/3200 second
Max shots/second	3.5 shots/sec	4.2 shots/sec	3.6 shots/sec
RAW option?	Yes	Yes	No
Max ISO	1600	3200	1600
Self-timer	10 & 2 sec delay + continuous	Up to 10 shots in a row	Up to 10 shots in a row

There are several more P&S in the Powershot line that I would recommend adding to the comparison. I was quite amazed at how these cameras have improved even in the past few years since I last purchased a camera in Spring 2009! I can’t believe how incredible these cameras are!

P&S: Powershot SX10IS

I have no specific recommendation for you since choosing a camera is a very personal decision. That being said, I do encourage you to keep your options open and seriously consider a high-end P&S before you spend your money on a DSLR unless you are certain you are ready.

If you’d like to see some of my photographs, you can see my Flickr photostream: http://www.flickr.com/photos/74155750@N00/

****NOTE: I would recommend buying a camera that is either a Nikon or a Canon. They are the top companies in the industry and spend the most money on research and development. Cameras by other manufacturers will not have the same caliber of technology available.

31 DAYS OF CREATIVE INSPIRATION: Day 10 {Drive-By Travel Photography} 10 on 10 @ Shimelle.com

This is the 9th post in a 31 Day series: Creative Inspiration. Check out all the posts here.

Today I hope to inspire you with 10 special travel photos on the 10th of the 10th month for Shimelle's 10 on 10 link party. Anyone can join - it's simple. Blog about any ten things of your own creation on the tenth of the month, go to Shimelle.com and link up.

My husband and I came to Beijing in 1997 right after we were married. We stayed for three days and did all of the typical tourist things. We took photos at all the expected places, Tian'anmen Square under Mao's portrait, The Forbidden City, The Temple of Heaven, etc.

What we forgot to take pictures of were the ordinary things - the crowded buses, the two line subway, the large boulevards dominated by bicycles, the blocks and blocks of old courtyard homes (hutongs), the street food, the people.

Now that it is 2011, Beijing is unrecognizable to me. It looks nothing like it did when I was here 15 years ago. I would love to look back at my Beijing holiday photos and remember how it was back then. To see how truly remarkable the change has been.

But I can't. I don't have any photos.

With the way I take photos these days. So. much. of the everyday. It is hard for me to fathom how I took virtually no 'everyday' photos back then.

What was I thinking?

No foresight for what was to come. None! 

Our first camel sighting in Rajasthan.

I want to remember what is unique about the places I am fortunate enough to visit. The tourist attractions, I can buy a postcard if I have to. The everday sights, the back alleys, the back roads, the villages - it is up to me to get those on film.

Now when I travel, I cannot take enough photos. I thought I took a lot before. I refuse to admit how many photos I take in a day now. It's embarrasing.

But now I have gems like these.

 

Do you know what is unique about all ten of the photos in this post?

Each one was taken from inside a moving vehicle. 

Imagine if I didn't get these amazing sites captured on film? 

In fifteen years, this India, which is developing rapidly, will be unrecognizable. I want to remember these places how they were when I got to visit this past June.

The photo above and the one below were taken from inside a Toyota 4 Runner with the windows tightly rolled up and the A/C blasting - Rajasthan is SIZZLING HOT in June.

This photo was taken out of the back of a rickshaw. That's my husband on the back of the motorcycle with the son of the owner of our Haveli (centuries old home) where we were staying. He picked us up from the station and arranged for a motor rickshaw to take us there. Paul couldn't fit with all our luggage (5 daypacks). Later in our trip we would count 15 people in one motor rickshaw, so I'm not sure why we couldn't manage one more person in ours!

This photo was taken from the back of an open air gypsy (jeep type vehicle) returning home from our camel safari.

I'm linking up at Shimelle.com today for 10 on the 10th.

 

5 BONUS DRIVE-BY PHOTOS

I find this photo humorous for some reason. Do you think it's funny? If so why? I can't quite figure it out. Does it seem like a quirky ad for coconut shampoo?

I love the glimpses of the everyday in these photos.

Most of them are straight out of camera (SOOC). I think they will look even better if I spend a little time cropping some and brightening them up. I shoot in RAW, so as many of you know that typically means they are a bit drab until they get some loving care.

I'm dying to crop out that edge of the cart on the right of the photo below. That will make that picture so much cleaner.

You don't need a fancy camera to be a DRIVE-BY PHOTOGRAPHER. In fact, I know a few of these photos were taken with my Canon Point & Shoot on SPORTS MODE.

 

You can see the glare from the car window on this one. I'm in the 4 Runner again.

I had hardly a moment to frame these photos, so as you can imagine I had far more pictures worthy of deletion than saving.

But look how many are worth saving.

I took this one out the window of our train while it was leaving the station. Is it just me, or does it seem counterproductive to SWEEP off a train track.

 Tomorrow is Project Life Tuesday. Not only will I be posting my photos, but I'll give you a peek into my album.

 

 

31 Days of Creative INSPIRATION Series

Introduction

Day 1: Design Your Own Cupcake

Day 2: Storytelling Sunday

Day 3: Scrapbooking (Week in the Life Album)

Day 4: Everyday Photojournalism (Project 365/Project Life)

Day 5: Family Photo Fun - FAMILY x 12 BLOG HOP

Day 6: Links to Creatively Inspiring People (all writing a 31 Day series)

Day 7: Healthier (But Still Delicious) Cottage Pie

Day 8: Photo Walk

Day 9: Fun Photo Story

Day 10: Drive By Travel Photography

Other topics in the works for my 31 Days of Creative Inspiration Series: 

Photography - I answer the question, 'How do I know if I should buy a DSLR camera?', Family Photo Fun ideas from around the web.

Recipes - my husband's delicious salsa, HealthIER (Yet Still Delicious) Recipes

Scrapbooking - My favorite mini album, 30 minute scrapbook challenge

more Cupcake Ideas, craft ideas...

AND LOTS, LOTS MORE (I'm posting for 31 Days straight, remember?!)

And to find more than 700 other blogs participating in the 31 Days series, go here. There is a huge variety of topics to choose from.