Well, after the random success I had with the direct flash when the kids were playing with smoke balls, I decided to try to recreate that today. Josh was working on cleaning out the garage, and so I figured we should all be outside with him anyway. He ended up putting me to work, so my picture time was cut short. Oh well. I think the sun was a little too high anyway.

This was the only really good one that I kept in color.  I don't know.  I'm slightly annoyed by the shadows from her fingers on her neck.  But other than that, if I'd tried this without flash I'd of needed to move to the other side of… — This was the only really good one that I kept in color. I don't know. I'm slightly annoyed by the shadows from her fingers on her neck. But other than that, if I'd tried this without flash I'd of needed to move to the other side of her to get a picture.

You might be wondering why she has a pen in her mouth. Well, Anna's an interesting bird. For no reason whatsoever, she decided to bring a pen and paper, and of all things, a hamper to write on. She proceeded to ask me what all of my favorite things were one subject at a time and wrote them down. But I had to spell them out for her. "What's your favorite animal?" "What's your favorite thing to do?" "What's your favorite flower?"

Until I took my little 4-week photography class a couple of years ago, I didn't realize that the shutter speed on the camera maxes out at 1/250 when you have your flash on.  I don't really understand this.  It creates issues when you're tr… — Until I took my little 4-week photography class a couple of years ago, I didn't realize that the shutter speed on the camera maxes out at 1/250 when you have your flash on. I don't really understand this. It creates issues when you're trying to use it as fill flash on a bright day because you can't get much of a bokeh. I've noticed I have my aperture way up around f/9 when I'm using it outside. I'm sort of a f/1.8 kind of girl. I love a blurry background and foreground. So, I decided to see what happens if I put it on f/1.8 and 1/250. As expected, it was all blown out. So, I calmed it down in Lightroom and converted it to B&W. I guess maybe I need a filter. I have been anti-filter so far. I don't really know why though.

I ended up converting nearly all of my keepers to black and white this time. I think the flash looks kind of interesting in B&W.

Ha!  I know this isn't the most flattering pic of Anna, but it cracked me up.  She looks so grungy and tough.  And she was posing for me.  She makes funny faces and does stuff like this now a days for the camera. — Ha! I know this isn't the most flattering pic of Anna, but it cracked me up. She looks so grungy and tough. And she was posing for me. She makes funny faces and does stuff like this now a days for the camera.

Shadows...blah.  Maybe I should just stay farther away. — Shadows...blah. Maybe I should just stay farther away.

He was farther away here...can't really see any shadows!  Wallace likes to give me a lot of this side lately. — He was farther away here...can't really see any shadows! Wallace likes to give me a lot of this side lately.