New lens fun

I recently decided to sell two of my lenses so that I could get a much better lens. I found a great deal on an L-series lens (which I’d previously only dreamt of, never imagining I would ever have my own) and pulled the trigger.

Canon 24-105mm f4 — Look at that gorgeous red band.

It’s a Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 L, and it’s exquisite. Yes, it doesn’t open quite as much as my beloved 85mm f1.8 that I traded in, but the photos are so crisp, I have absolutely no regrets. And now I have a much wider range of focal lengths than I had before.

One of the reasons I wanted to get this lens was so I wouldn’t have to lug around several lenses when we go to England this summer. I’m determined to only bring one carry on roller bag, so these are the tough decisions I have to make. Heh.

Here are a few very random shots I’ve taken with this lens. The weather’s been icky so I haven’t been able to play with it as much as I’d like, but in conjunction with my recent body upgrade (that’s camera body) I’m pretty smitten with photography again.

(You can click to view at full size to see how freaking clear they are!)

85 months

This morning, the boys and I were sitting on the sofa, and somehow we got on the subject of why I started taking monthly pictures of them, and after looking through all 84 of the previous photos, I think they finally started to get it a little bit. It was pretty sweet, actually.

It may have made them a tiny bit more cooperative for this month’s pic, especially after I explained how difficult the younger years were. They may have felt a smidgen of remorse. Or something.

Monthly photos from 2014

Because, well, I’m me, I’ll be posting a lot of year-end recap posts. It’s just the way I am, man.

First up, the monthly picture recap!

It’s weird, I feel like they don’t look any older from the first picture to the last. Maybe a bit taller, but otherwise not very different. And so it goes as kids get older…

Christmas card fail

I totally under-ordered. In lieu of ordering more cards (they’d have to be crappy ones to get them in time) I’ll post some more photos from the session we did with Christina Childress last month. (Dallas people, get her to photograph your family! You will not regret it!)

Well, there’s the one in my blog header. There are a few in a “series” that I absolutely adore. Giggling, happy boys. Natural smiles. Love!

And here are a couple more…

And here’s my new over-the-fireplace display, with a couple of the aforementioned pics of the boys. The canvases were from Groupon, so the color isn’t as gorgeous as they should be. Those will be replaced with better quality prints soon enough.

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(oh, and Happy Birthday Grandee!)

Froggy

Whenever it’s foggy outside, I feel the need to take pictures of the dew drop spangled spiderwebs on the fence. It’s a compulsion.

A view down our street that desperately needs to be repaved.

Fall color

Enjoy it, because it’s all we’re gonna get down here.

Inside the Monthly Photos

So I just posted the boys’ 83rd monthly picture, and I thought I’d share some insights into the process.

First, I ask the boys if they know what day it is. They look at the calendar, notice it’s the fourth, and then groan. “ANOTHER PICTURE?”

Usually, I take them outside, in front of the side of the house. Makes for nice comparisons over time. Like this:

But sometimes I’ll take it somewhere else, just for fun. (And the sun beats down on that side of the house in the afternoon, so if I don’t take the picture in the morning or late afternoon, it has to be done somewhere else. Hence last month’s porch photo.)

This time, the boys were off because of Election Day and George took off to hang out with them while I worked, so we took a walk to the pub in the afternoon and I thought that’d be a nice time to get their picture.

We stopped at the library. Nah.

Then we stopped on the sidewalk. Nah.

Another sidewalk. Cute, so at least I know I have something to use.

Goofing around.

Then we get to the pub, and I know George will want me to take it in front of the TARDIS, which is also the entrance. So I do.

Once I feel confident I have a decent photo, I let them have Tootsie Rolls (I know they will dribble chocolate down their fronts, disgusting beasts) and take random photos of them.

83 down, who knows how many more to go?

Oliver

I am going to post the monthly pic soon, but before I do, I had to share this one of Oliver.

Kinda reminds me of this one.

{from here}

It’s like being in a postcard

Was taking family pictures (for someone else) this weekend in the French Quarter, and couldn’t resist taking this postcard-perfect shot of St. Louis Cathedral and Jackson Square and the line of horse-drawn carriages out front. Cliched, sure, but for a reason.

Brothers!

The boys were talking about how they wanted to take a picture like their class pictures. One row standing on a bench, one row standing on the floor, and one row sitting in chairs. So, we did.