Hi, welcome to Gma’sPhoto! I am changing my One Sentence a Day to the month’s Highlights. October is probably my most favorite month of the year. I’m eager to share these moments with you!
Now that I have passed the general Commercial Drivers License (CDL) test and have my CDL permit, I actually get to drive the bus. Sitting in the driver’s seat!
Sharing same no school days with the grand girls. Many of our days off match up and I am so excited. October 17 and 18 were such days! We went to the zoo, picked up Brynlee’s eyeglasses and went rock hunting.
Hi, welcome to My Sunday Snapshot! I am finding more and more things to do now that I am semi retired. Going from 40 hour work week to 20 hours is giving me so much more time to do as I wish and not because I have to. After my morning bus route, I stopped into the public library to work on my site and seen this poster.
Heck, yes. I am so doing this. I chose to paint a rock. This rock!
The evening was an absolute blast. I met new friends. Laughed. Laughed a lot! And best of all, I have the rocks as keep sakes of a fabulous memory. What was even better, it was free!
Are you retired or at the semi stage, same as me? What are some of the things you enjoy the most with your added personal/home time?
Have a wonderful week!
Take Care. Best wishes, Debra
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Pictures can produce so many different emotions and feelings. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words! Share your fun and interesting image from the past week.
Hi, Welcome to Gma’sPhoto! All joking aside, family portraits are important. Autumn is just around the corner. One of the most desired season for family portraits. Then Thanksgiving and Christmas, both holidays the family gathers. What an opportunity for that family photo!
It is recommended while children are young, to have a family portrait taken at minimum, once a year. As children age, every other year. Once the children are adults, every five years. As a retired professional photographer, and as a senior aged grandma, I know how time does not stand still. Having these memories, priceless.
You may be thinking that professional portraits are expensive. Yes, it can be. However, this is not the only option you have. Other choices would include a friend taking the images. Setting up a tripod and using the camera timer. Even a selfie stick works! The important thing is, you have that family picture!
Let’s talk about the ‘professional’ portrait. What is a professional image anyway? They look nice. They can cost more money. The actual image quality is better. What if I can explain how you can achieve these qualities yourself? 🙂 One can create beautiful images on a budget or spend as much as you wish. Remember, it’s taking the shot that is important. I’ll be referencing past posts and images I have taken over the years as an example.
Kevin’s Siblings and Parents.
This image was taken because of the opportunity. Getting the shot was the goal. No planning. No clothing coordination. It was taken just this past Fourth of July. The family does not live close. Aging parents. Next year we may or may not be able to replicate this same shot. I took this photo with my iPhone. It was printed (at Walmart) and added to my family photo book.
Again, this image was taken for the opportunity. Kevin took the image as he is not one to like having his picture taken. It was with the iPhone. Printed at Walmart and put in frame bought at Walmart as well.
This next set of images, I had spent more time and money on the images and presentation.
Top image is of my grand daughter when she was five years old. Planning her clothing was not intentional. She wore her favorite color, purple. I did use my ‘professional’ camera. The image was printed thru Mpix.com. This is a pro-consumer photography lab. For the frame, I had Hobby Lobby make it using oak wood to match my dinning room furniture.
The bottom three images were taken at Kmart years ago. Again, the frame was from Hobby Lobby. Not custom, one already made and was bought at half price. Hobby Lobby has some of the best deals!
The next set of images were again taken with my ‘professional’ camera and lighting. It is the framing I would like to bring your attention to.
It was during Adam’s senior year of high school. The senior session time! His was taken on location. Erika’s image was while we were at my folks house and I was testing my new studio lights. It was taken during the time Erika attended college. Now the surprising fact regarding the frames. These were purchased from a thrift store. Yes, that is right! These were probably the least expensive frames I ever bought.
The next example is the one I did spend more time with planning. Planning the location, clothing, camera settings and time of day. The frame was planned as well. It was printed as a 30×36 wall print then custom framed by Hobby Lobby. The plans for the frame is reusing. Each new family portrait will replace the existing. So even though the frame was an expense, it will be used repeatedly.
It’s time for me to begin planning our next family portrait. It’s been five years since this one was taken!
Hopefully, with these examples, I have shown that no matter the equipment and price involved, nice images can be taken. What the images did not explain is how to plan for the clothing, what to wear. Check out the What to Wear series for inspiration for your next family photo!
Commercial Driver’s License | My Sunday Snapshot #25
Hi, welcome to My Sunday Snapshot 25!
This week my image is more about a change. This change was unexpected. Currently, I work 9 to 5:30 from home. This isn’t too bad one may say. For me, not the best. In no near future will I be able to work the open shift, 7 to 3:30. when I did have this shift, I was able to be in the pool by 4. Get an hour in the late afternoon sun. As it is now, the pool is mostly in the shade. I am 60, my kids are grown and I am only working for the health insurance. Otherwise I would be ‘retired’. Okay, rant over.
One of the local towns I drive thru to get to Lawrence is Tonganoxie. One day in July I had seen a huge sign that the school needs school bus drivers. Ding, ding 🙂 With an inquiring mind, I went to the USD website and looked up the description. Full time is 20 hours a week. One can select either the health insurance or vision/dental insurance premium to be covered 100%. It would be split shift, morning route and an after school route. but I would have 4 hours between the two shifts I can be floating in the water 🙂 There would also be the occasions for extra driving time with school activities. I completed the online application. So we will see. I’ll keep you posted.
One more little rant. After picking up the CDL manual and reading; there is a section on Road Rage. I found this interesting. Many times I wonder if other drivers (especially the ones out of driver’s ed) knows this. On highway’s with more than one lane traveling the same direction, the left lane is for passing, not to just drive in. Did you know this? Don’t drive slow in the left lane.
Hi, what I was looking forward to ended in being a total disenchantment. Saturday I was bored. After searching the internet for events in my area, I found this first annual pipes and drum fundraiser. I was stoked to hear me some bagpipes. I planned a late lunch date for myself. When I arrived at the fundraiser, I asked the waitress to seat me where I can hear the pipes. I elected to sit at the bar.
The event was scheduled 2 to 6pm. Naturally I thought I could arrive any time during the event and expect to hear the pipes and drum. Certainly- if no music, then some sort of program information about pipes and drum, right? Nothing. I arrived at 2:15 pm. The bartender handed me the menu, I ordered, ate and still no pipes. Eventually I paid and left. On my way out of the tavern, I seen a firefighter. It was then that I was able to tell him I was disappointed. Disenchantment really. Needless to say, they did not receive any funds from me.
Heck, after proof reading my post, I’m wondering why am I even writing about this letdown. Expectations. This is why. Hopefully when an event is planned and the event is publicly posted, the planners will learn from the experience I had.
Now, on the upside of this disenchantment, my meal was delicious!
Delicious Chicken Quesadilla
One of the workers noticed me taking this image inside Johnny’s Tavern. He explained this is the original brick wall of the original Johnny’s Tavern. The building is 134 years old. The brick was in outstanding condition. All that was needed was brushing, cleaning and a finish applied to the brick. Looks fabulous!
Hi, welcome to Gma’sPhoto! I was out cleaning the pool and this little frog was taking a swim. Each day I clean the skimmer and scoop out any leaves in the pool. Well, today I saw the leaves in the bottom. To my amazement, a frog was in the mix of leaves.
Look what I found in the swimming pool!
It’s always fun to see what little critters the pool attracts. So far I have not come across a snake!
Have a fun day.
