Wrapping Up Lose Ends - 5 March Photos & March OLW Blog Hop Winner

On Friday, April 1st I hosted the 3rd monthly blog hop for the One Little Word class over at Big Picture Classes. As part of my March project, I wanted to take five photos that I love. Since I was unable to post those photos on Friday, I wanted to post them now.

In this photo, I use a technique that is way overused. Opening my aperture way up for the very small depth of field throwing the person holding the object way out of focus while the object stays tack sharp in the foreground (can't tell in this upload that the phone is actually tack sharp). But I couldn't resist for this moment. My husband was trying to show me photos from a marketing event his company just put on and I just thought this technique captured the moment perfectly. He had already shown me the pictures just a few minutes earlier. So for me, it wasn't the first time, that the phone with that image was thrust towards my face. (I mean this all in good humor, of course!)

 

This picture was about capturing the moment. I hope there is enough information in the photo to tell what is going on. The blue backdrop of a portrait and a light on a pole for professional portrait lighting. In this case, we were getting visa photos taken and this helper was aiding our youngest son in sitting properly to get the official photo correct. I love the attentiveness on our son's face that I caught.

 

Family Pancake breakfast day at our youngest's school this morning. One of the teachers went around with a tray and explained to the kids what ingredients pancakes were made from. He then demonstrated how sometimes pancakes can be tossed from a pan. He turned over the pan to some parents and some kids who wanted to give it a go. This is my husband having his turn.

I love that the pancake is in mid-air (I wish, though I didn't cut most of it off). I love the expression on my husband's face and that all faces are looking towards him and with great expressions on their faces. Even one or two faces looking in another direction really takes away from the focus of the photo. I also wish I was at a slightly lower angle and closer to the pancake so it would look larger and higher in the air. I also wish the pancake wasn't competing with the blue lantern hanging from the ceiling. These events are such a challenge to get in the right place at the right time without blocking other parents' shots or blocking their view and to get the shot before the moment is over, and the kids have moved on to other activities. One other thing I wish were different in theis photo - that my son was one of the bright smiling faces gazing up at the pancake!

I almost didn't include this photo. I like the angle of this one. I like the moment I captured (the handing off of the yummy waffle). I like that my son is looking longingly at the delicious waffle anticipating is deliciousness, I just wish more in this photo was in focus. The light on the woman's face is even perfect. I also wish the separation between my son's head and the man's head in the background was a bit more.

In this one, I like the pretty light on my son's face. I like the story that it tells. He's in his PJs with his bike helmet on, his school bag in the basket ready to go. I also like the silhouette of Dad in the background. The repetition of the helmets and bikes. The contrast between Dad, who is big, and son, who is small, as well as Dad, in work clothes and son, in PJs. I also like the look on my son's face. It is not forced. Of course a natural smile would have been nice, but I rarely ask my kids to smile any more for the camera. I now much prefer a natural expression to a forced one of happiness. It gives me an honest glimpse of who they are.

MARCH OLW BLOG HOP WINNER

It took me more than a month to select a winner from the March 1 Blog Hop. To refresh your memory I was giving away a mini kit of American Crafts Valentine scrapbook goodies. My winner was comment #13 (counting from time comments were posted), Jen at http://www.by-jen.blogspot.com/

Comments

[Karen DiPasquale]

Just wanted to thank you again for organizing the OLW Blog Hop Margie. It adds another dimension to our OLW project, which I especially enjoy as I was never able to purchase the scrapbook pages . I've had to find other ways to participate :)

I like the photos you posted above. Love photos that tell a story (if you couldn't tell from my blog) and BPC gallery. I had to laugh at the photo of your husband and his camera. Its perfect - how often do we really 'tune completely in' to what our spouses have to say? Ha, ha.

[Scrappnbee]

Thanks for the bonus photos, and thanks for hosing the bloghops! Wish I could actually flip a pancake! LOL!

[Nihao, Cupcake! by Margie]

Hi Karen,
Im so glad you are finding the blog hops worthwhile. It does the same for me (I cant get the supplies here) and if it werent for people like you all willing to play along, I know Id lose my momentum with the class. I really enjoy your photos, but I think I told you that already. : )