red lilies

Belle

Puppy portrait 

play ball

kitty portraits

upgrade

Upgraded my camera lens from the 55-200 kit lens to the 70-200 vr.  Some comparison shots with both lenses. 

As a friend said it's like putting on your glasses. 

55-200mm kit lens

70-200mm VR lens

 55-200mm Kit lens 

70-200mm VR lens

Baseball

 
This summer, my younger son played baseball in a league for the first time. It was a learning experience. And he wants to play again next year, so I would say it was a good year and a good experience despite the team only winning two games this season. 

As with everything else a new activity for a child is a new photography challenge for me. I spent much of my time on the ground right at the fence during games, so I could shoot through the chain link. I did take plenty of photos with the fence in them, I like the effect it has for some photos, just not all of them.

 Jamie learned to steal bases. That might be his favorite, and he can be quick about it. It's hard to cheer and shot at the same time; but it could just be that when  my big mouth is moving I can't keep the camera still!

Leading off third and heading home!

Getting advice from coach before batting.

High five at First!!

 We learned to keep our hands away from our head and let our helmet do its job! The finger got pinched but not busted.

This made Jamie a little gun shy in the box; but it's all part of learning.

Every run counted this year, we had several games lost by only one or two runs.

Mid season we bought Jamie a new helmet, he was quite proud of his shiny red helmet.

We faced opponents who go to our school, and it was nice to shoot the whole picture when we knew our pitcher.

We played under the lights, it was not always cool feeling by then but it was cool looking.

Another slide into home. I have a bad habit focusing on the runner and cutting off the heads of the fielders at home. Plus I want the boys to slide every time, it makes more exciting photos!

It was an enjoyable year, and I loved shooting the games. I'm looking forward to next year.

Alpacas

 We have a new (for us) herd of Alpacas. Four females, we bought the two males from the herd in November. We just got the females this month. This is Pearl, she has some food stuck in her teeth.

This is Dee. She is due to have a baby, soon.   

 Hubby and I think Spice looks like a
sheep dog from the WB cartoons. She
is due also at the end of the month,
like now.

This is Crescendo she is over due to have a baby. She was due in early May. We are waiting.

And not very patiently, I might add

 This is Pearl again looking all glamorous and white before she got food stuck in her teeth.

I decided to try this photo in black and white, I really like it this way, but...

 I love it warmed up.

Isn't Pearly-girl so cute?