Proud Mother Moments: D.J.

Last night was our Cub Scout troops’ Blue & Gold Banquet where

D.J. was awarded his Wolf, one gold arrow and four silvers.

He also received several segments for Basketball, Flag, Cooking and the Pinewood Derby.

Great Job, D.J., we’re so proud!

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On another ‘proud mother moment’.

Parent-Teacher conferences were this week and I was scheduled to meet with Miss Is’ and D.J’s teachers back to back around 5:30 in the evening. Earlier that day, just afterschool, D.J. was adamant about taking dinner to his teacher.

“She has to be there until 8:00 tonight, Mom.”

“I’m sure she has something-“ To put it another way, I was 'busy’.

“She needs something to eat, she can’t leave the school.” He was very serious, very concerned and I knew he wouldn’t be easily placated.

“Okay, I’ll see what I can find in a bit.” I hadn’t even thought about what I was going to fix and was hoping a run to Sonic or McD’s would do.

“And some cookies too. She likes chocolate.” Not added as an afterthought – a requirement. “Mrs. M needs cookies too.” (His first grade teacher.)

“In that case, you make some cookies.” He would have to take responsibility for his demands.

With very little help, D.J. made chocolate no-bake cookies while I rounded up last night’s Happy Chicken leftovers and before the cookies were completely cool, I was off. Maddy’s conference didn’t happen, the parents ahead of me took their 20mns. and mine. D.J.’s was good and his teacher was astonished and touched by the gesture, even though there were sub sandwiches and chips in the teachers lounge. Mrs. M was grateful for the extra sugar, especially if D.J.’s hand was involved.

Fast-forward to yesterday. I received a call from Ms. S (his current teacher) who asked if she could come by in the afternoon which of course was fine. Three-fifteen, the door bell rings and there was Ms. S with our plate filled with fresh-baked, raspberry muffins. She handed them to a very bashful D.J. and thanked him profusely for having such compassion on his teacher. She went on to explain that no one, in her twenty-four years of teaching, has ever thought of her welfare as much as D.J. did. “You’re a credit to your parents, D.J. and I love how special you are.”

My bottle rocket started tearing up a bit and merely nodded in reply. She kissed the top of his head, thanked me for raising such a wonderful boy and returned back to school.

Oh, maybe we’re doing something right. Maybe I should remember that the next time I want to wring his little neck. Now that I think about it, I should have those muffins bronzed.

Lesson in What Not to Do: The Umbra-Penumbra Conundrum

 

 

I learned so much today; the light, the dark and that grey space in between.  No, I’m not talking about what’s left of my noodle, though it feels extra-squishy after cramming all that info in.

 

Examples of Umbra and Penumbra:

 

 

This is Syd from a previous Lessons in What Not to Do.  It looks okay, but now that I know a little more of what I’m looking at, not so much anymore.  Talk about raining on my feeble, one clown parade, but with the exception that this was not shot in a studio, I’ll cut myself some slack, albeit just a little.   

 

Take a look at the dark side, where her hair disappears into the black abyss.  There is no definition between the two; umbra.  Not a good thing unless you’re going for some dramatic/theatric effect.  Penumbra.  Do you see it?  It’s that grey area between where the light hits and the umbra.  Good penumbra, as I understand it, should still shows texture and balance bridging  the light and dark in a nice little gradient.  The light in this case is a tad blown-out adding to the penumbra/umbra woes.

 

Let’s look at color:

 

 

Umbra – Penumbra?  Presto – Change-o?  Abracadabra - Bananarama?  Nothing seems to work.  Besides other issues going on in this photo, do you see the grain in the penumbra?  Not a good thing, but at least I know what is causing that particular headache.  JPEG-F. 

 

Important lesson learned; Never, NevER, NEVER, Ever EVER use JPEG no matter what ‘quality’ it is.  Work in RAW to work less later.  I knew that going in and had shot in RAW when I first got my camera, the problem was I could not make my computer/PS3 to read it without wringing it out to a JPEG or buying Nikons tres-spendy reading/converting software so I went exclusively to JPEG-F.   (I would like to take this opportunity to apologize to all those I shot in this format.  My bad.)   Turns out, a few clicks here and there and NEF magically converts to RAW.  This is one of those Homer “Doh" moments; relish in my stupidity, relish.  To be fair, Nikon does a good job of pulling the wool over your eyes to spend those Ben Franklins.

 

As if that wasn’t enough to bake my noodle, lesson number three:  The Retouching Three Amigos.  Levels, Hues/Sats, and Color Balance before you touch anything else.  It’ll save numerous steps once you start fiddling with the ‘artistic’ value of the photo when you work off of a nice, clean base.  It puts the Zam in ShaZam!

 

I was lost on a Mac.  Completely lost.  It was like that fateful raft ride into the Land of the Lost and those white monsters were my Sleezaks, funky mice and all.  None of my hot keys worked, of course.  The dash to close a window didn’t work.  (Use the colored buttons, Stace.)  I had the kids help me and they were more than happy to show off their stuff.  Then I took a spin on the tablet.  Another moment in frustration, but I could get used to it.  I really could get used to it.

 

My assignment?  Reshoot Syd.  All of Syd.  Somehow I’ve got to be fun, give the appearance of confidence, complete math problems on the fly, look at the light, do more math, make her feel at ease while I’m snapping away, look for things out of place, yet more math – I hate math in my head – fix what needs to be tweaked (i.e. crumpled dress, spearmint gum stuck to the bottom of her shoe) and pay close attention to my 3’s and DOF .  Oh, what have I gotten myself into?  I’ll never look at a photograph and think  “piece of cake” ever again. 

 

Wish me luck or send a whole lot of chocolate – I just might need it.  Are you ready Smekskdlajg?

 

~Stacey