Tammy Lynn Photography

Mother's Day sweeties

2010-05-13T21:29:00.002-05:00

They have grown so much this past year. These were just quick snaps before we left for town. It was overcast and started raining just after I took the pics.

A Tasty Rainbow

2010-03-20T18:17:00.005-05:00

My girl turned 4 back in February but we finally had time to have her birthday party today. She did have a mini one a few weeks ago but not with friends.

I took 2 regular french vanilla cake mixes and mixed them according to directions. We then divided the mixture into 6 bowls and mixed colors to build a rainbow.

Here we used a pyrex casserole dish to make the top part of the hat. We started with the red at the bottom.

We layered the rectangular pan like a rainbow would look.

The rectangular cake out of the oven and ready for carving. Now I know why I usually don't cheat and use a box cake. They may taste good but are soooooo crumbly and don't stay held together when you try to cut them into a shape.
An attempt at making Strawberry Shortcake's hat. My girl loved it and that is what counts.
Destruction of a rainbow.

A close up or two

2010-01-23T18:31:00.002-06:00

Just a way to pass the dreary and stormy day we are having. These were just taken in the living room chair in front a big window.

Christmas a bit early

2009-11-21T18:31:00.003-06:00

I know I know it is a bit early but the kids were super excited this year to start our decorating. I only have a few more weekends with them before Christmas so why not.

Taking advantage of the unusual weather

2009-11-12T18:56:00.004-06:00

Since we are not bundled up in snowsuits and boots yet I took my girl out last weekend for a mini shoot, with two outfits. She so does not like having her picture taken right now.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

2009-10-12T19:16:00.002-05:00

but sadly it is only the middle of October. This is just a quick snap I took off my back step while making supper.

The beauty of fall

2009-09-20T18:48:00.003-05:00

I was bored last night so I grabbed my camera (50 mm lens) and went for a walk. I am just loving this weather and am blessed with beautiful scenery all around me. Now if we could just get rid of the mosquitos all would be good.

This is the field adjoining my yard.

Our leaves are not totally red and yellow yet. I played with the saturation and colors in the picture to make them pop more.

Kids, dogs, tutus oh what fun!!!!

2009-09-20T18:35:00.003-05:00

My friend came out for September long weekend. She brought her dogs (Ally and Zinnie) with her. We had a lot of fun, celebrated my birthday and took tons of pictures.

Gone for too long

2009-09-20T18:23:00.003-05:00

Sorry that I haven't updated my blog latley. Life took over for a bit but now I am back. So here are a few pics from my summer.

I was able to go to Greece for 5 weeks.

Why do the boys always get blessed with long lashes....

2009-05-18T18:44:00.003-05:00

I finally got my 35mm 1.8 and did a few test shots yesterday. I also took pics of Isaac in his uniform so I could make a collage to put up on the wall with Savannah's that was done in Feb.

I must say it is a nice, sharp lens.

Here is the collage

Mother's Day and something new

2009-05-11T21:56:00.004-05:00

We finally had some nice weather yesterday, beats the snow we had Thursday and Friday. What a mess that made.

It was so nice to get outside to take some pictures. I went out with my kiddos just after 1 so we were shooting in full sun unless it peeked behind a cloud or we moved to the shade of a tree or building in the yard.

I am also trying out a new watermark.

A new hobby......

2009-05-02T20:55:00.003-05:00

This one is not mine. My son started taekwondo a few weeks ago and we travelled to another town for a lesson today. He was also able to get his uniform.

I ran into a few challenges while taking photos today. The main one is the foam floor alternates green and red so I had major color casts coming from the floor, mainly the red. The windows, I loved the windows since I was able to shoot with just natural light but everything was backlit so I had the background blown in a lot of the photos. My lens was my next challenge, I just have my 5omm and when they were at the far end of the studio it was not long enough. I really want the 85mm 1.8.

Color or black and white?

2009-04-25T21:36:00.001-05:00

Sometimes it is such a hard choice.

Removing imperfections

2009-04-21T21:43:00.003-05:00

OK so I use photoshop to edit my pictures and I am still learning the best way to do this. Now of course photoshop can do many many things and there is always talk about what is too much, of course who wouldn't love to lose that double chin and 10lbs LOL.

My DD was blessed with dark circles and bags under her eyes. You usually don't notice them but at times and esp in pictures they show up more than I would like. So I asked for help on one of my photography boards and had numerous volunteers give me a few ways to diminish these circles under her eyes.

After a few plays this is what I came up with. I am pleased with the result. The original picture is in the previous post.

Since we missed Easter pics here are a few springish ones

2009-04-19T18:14:00.005-05:00

Tried to get some spring pictures today but my little miss had other ideas. Of course in most pictures when one is looking the other is making a silly face. No bribes worked for smiles today.

I did use my new backdrop, it is a king size velux blanket that I nailed to the wall. It was overcast so the reflector didn't work well and I had to pull out my sb600. I am still getting used to using a flash and not just natural light. I cannot wait until it stops snowing and we can do pictures outside again.

I was going through them again and missed this one the first go around. I actually captured a true smile.

She wanted to change her outfit but still would not smile. Isaac snuck in for this one but I didn't notice his choice of footwear until it was too late.

Unexpected visitors

2009-04-12T21:29:00.009-05:00

My brother and his girlfriend made an unexpected trip up to my area this weekend so they came to visit me for the first time area. We braved the soggy and wet conditions of my yard to do a totally impromtu photo experience. I even had my brother snap a few shots of me. I am so excited that the weather is warming up and we can be outside to take pics once again. These are all in my yard.

The couple:

Some individual pictures:

I guess I will post a few of myself.

A month gone by......

2009-03-30T22:36:00.002-05:00

I haven't been around, the weather has sucked and I have lacked inspiration to take pictures. I am hoping once our mounds of snow disappear I will be able to get outside and try a load of new things. I am really interested in adding a reflector to my outdoor pictures this year.

Other than some hockey pics I took for a friend my camera was off in the corner all month. Sad, I know. I did see my niece this month and had my point and shoot with me. I captured this picture as we were leaving the hotel.

The importance of snapshots

2009-02-28T20:17:00.008-06:00

I admit, now that I am "into" photography I forget to pull out my camera and just capture the life and moments around me. There are weeks that my camera sits in its bag in the corner. This is not great at all. I am going to make it a goal to take it out a few times a week and just takes snaps, not every picture needs to be portrait quality.

Isaac and Savannah were snuggling on the couch this afternoon and I quickly grabbed the camera. I tend to get yellowish pictures in my living room so I did turn them into black and whites.

We had a very important event this week. My princess turned 3 and we celebrated her birthday today.

Her purple ballet slipper cake that she requested.

Enjoying the outdoors

2009-02-15T22:30:00.004-06:00

We finally had a nice weekend where no one was sick that the kids could go play in the snow.

Something is missing

2009-02-15T20:20:00.005-06:00

Finally got around to taking a picture of Isaac's missing tooth.

Getting ready for a birthday

2009-02-15T19:26:00.009-06:00

Sorry I haven't been around, it has been so busy I haven't had my camera out since my last post.

Savannah will be turning 3 in a few weeks so I set the living room up and made her into a dancing princess which she loved.

I did these in my living room beside the window and used a reflector. I need to buy an actual reflector and not use the one for the van window.

I will be adding more as I work on them.

Here is a storyboard. I wish both of her legs were showing but this was the picture that worked out the best with the shoes on.

One of my favorite actions

2009-01-12T20:42:00.007-06:00

I know I posted the first pic last night but I realized I wanted to print it big and had cropped it to 4x6 so I had to rework it tonight. I hope it prints well.

I got this action from the photography board that I visit, I love it and use it when needed. Since I had such strong color casts in my shoot yesterday I played around with some of the pictures that I really liked.

Just adding in one that has the same action but used on Isaac's picture.

A little bit of fun

2009-01-11T19:28:00.007-06:00

Trying to get an almost 3 yr old to stop twirling for a pic is almost impossible.

My sick man even got in the mood today to pose for a few pics. He likes to act all cool now and then but... This is what I get most of when the camera comes out.

Bright pink backdrop makes for really bad color casts. I still need to work on her hair to tone it down.

We have been sick all this week and I haven't picked up my camera since Christmas. So I took it out today and put up some makeshift backdrops. I really need to invest in actual backdrops and a wider lens. It is too tight in my living room to get body shots.

Adding in one more I just worked on. I used my sb600 for this shot. I am still getting used to an external flash but think we are going to become good friends.

Getting back into the swing of things

2009-01-05T20:08:00.001-06:00

I have been bad and haven't even pulled my camera out since last week. I wasn't feeling the best, still not and I was spending time with my kiddos. I have just lacked inspiration lately and am hoping to get some pics this week.

Hope you are have a great start to 2009.

Saying goodbye to 2008

2008-12-31T22:00:00.004-06:00

It has been an interesting year, besides the obvious, the kids getting older and such I took a big step with my photography. At the end of 2007 I bought my first dslr, just after the new year I put it on manual and haven't stopped learning since. I hope 2009 brings me and my family health and happiness. Wishing you all a Happy New Year.

These were taken Christmas morning right before the present diving started.

2008-12-31T20:44:00.004-06:00

I am back, hope you all had a nice Christmas. We went back home for a few days and I finally got to meet my new niece who is already 3 months old. Of course Auntie had to pull out the camera and torture her. LOL. I brought my Grandma's old bread bowl and we filled it with bubbles and put her in it. She slipped around so mommy had to hold her up which made it harder to get a wide pic. Our background was also moving since Isaac and Dakota were the poles and trying to watch the action. I should have pulled her farther out from the backdrop but we managed to get a few pics. I do need a tripod if I plan on trying to move around and make a baby smile or look at me.

Merry Christmas

2008-12-25T08:10:00.001-06:00

Wishing you all a safe, happy and healthy Christmas. May the New Year treat you well.

Where is the warm weather?

2008-12-23T19:21:00.007-06:00

Since I live out in the middle of nowhere there are always animals roaming around, they do not show themselves often but they do leave their marks behind.

Ok I have had enough of this frigid weather. I know, it is December and I live on the praries so I should expect it to be cold, BUT does it need to be -30 with windchills close to or below -40? I was crazy enough to go outside and snap a few pictures today to put up here. We have a fair amount of snow but I think it has been too cold to snow lately. Ok I am off to go thaw out my hands now.

Another look back...

2008-12-21T17:19:00.007-06:00

I was going through some of my pictures I took this summer when my Mom was down for a visit, I was gathering up some to print for a Christmas gift. I ran across some pictures that were taken in my Uncle's wheat field. I had gone just before the sunset to try to capture the right light. Well my two kids wanted nothing to do with the camera and we lost the light. I ended up just playing around and caught some sillouhettes that I had been wanting to capture for a long time.

On a side note, I really need to work on my watermark. My computer crashed a few months ago and I just got my new laptop this week. I lost all my brushes that I had in CS2 in the crash so that is my next goal. I am stumped though and have no inspiration at the moment.

Oh Christmas Tree...

2008-12-20T20:17:00.002-06:00

The kids are with their dad and I was bored tonight so I pulled out my camera. Since my two favorite subjects are absent I took a pic of my tree all lit up.

Looking back

2008-12-20T13:08:00.004-06:00

I am just testing out the blog and was looking back at a few favs that I took this fall. I love natural light photography.

The joy of the season

2008-12-20T12:20:00.006-06:00

My little girl is so into Christmas this year, her excitement is so catchy that it makes me smile. I tried to capture them in a different way this year for our card. I turned off all the lights, cranked the ISO on my camera (which the D50 does not like), and brought my shutter speed down low. Now to get two kids who run from the camera to co-operate. Here are the results. My next purchase will be a good tripod.

Please be patient with me while I figure out how this blogging thing works. I am having difficulties with the layout and picture sizing.

Joining the blogging world

2008-12-19T22:16:00.000-06:00

With the push of a few online friends I am joining the world of blogging. So I will blog about my life, but mainly about my dream of one day being a great photographer. Right now photography is a hobby that I love. So I am building my skills up as I continue being a single Mommy and teacher.