At least I tried (Easter 2013)

Here are some shots from Easter 2013. Some candids, some portraits, all taken with my new camera and my first attempt at shooting on full manual mode.

Our Easter weekend started off with an egg hunt with our Sunday School class. It was McClain's first REAL hunt, and I think he really enjoyed it.

But once he figured out that there was candy inside each egg, he had a hard time focusing on the hunt. Instead he wanted to unwrap each candy as he picked it up. 

 This one flitted all over the place, as she usually does. 

 And I was lucky to get a shot of this one. She was fast. And all over the place. Although I love this shot, I hate that the basket handle is in her face. :( 

 He ended up just sitting and eating his candy. Typical.

After the egg hunt, we headed to the ballfields where Caroline and I played our first game. She was 2 for 3 with a homerun and a single. She did well in the field too, tagging a player out while she was playing short stop.  But since I'm coaching her team, I may not get a single picture of her playing this year. The league is coach pitch, and I'm also the pitcher. MAYBE I'll get some of her playing in the field.

Sunday morning the kids woke up to find their baskets filled with goodies. Art supplies for the girls with some Silly Puddy and Slinkies for added giggles. Playdoh and a Playdoh truck for McClain (plus a coloring book) and everyone got lots of candies.
 

 

After church we went to the lake to spend the day with family. I TRIED to get a good shot of the kids in their Easter attire. Wasn't happening. The one of us is okay though.

And then while we watched the Duke basketball game, I tried to take some of the lessons I learned from this week's photography lesson. (I'm taking Karen Russell's  Snapshots of a Good Life class). This week focused all on taking emotion-provoking images, ones that have meaning and tell a story. Here are the two that I were my favorites, the boys watching the game and Grandmother crocheting (or is that knitting?):

Lessons learned: #1 My ISO was too high, there's a little too much noise. #2 I love that I changed my viewpoint and got different angles, creating more meaning in the shots. #3 I really like that I caught them "in the act" of everyday life. That's a goal of mine in taking this class--getting better at taking quality pictures that capture the everyday us.

There. That's it.  My first attempt at full-on manual mode. And surprisingly it wasn't quite as difficult as I feared. Perfect? Far from it. Fun? absolutely. Memories captured? Yep. And I'm happy with that.

Hope you had a happy Easter too!