I wanted to share another photo from last Sunday (Fall Picture Day 2014).  We had such a blast in the woods, me with my camera, the kids with sticks & leaves & one lone lizard.  It really was a very good, awesome day.

One of the best parts was all the different backgrounds & stylistic opportunities the woods offered. On our way in Q (my friends daughter), found a little “nook” that gave me some lush, green, fantastic light that worked beautifully with her eyes.  Some of my favorite shots are of the boys (Cole & Taylor) sitting on a pile of logs, playing their guitars.  I also loved the farmers path through the woods & got a completely different look depending on which direction I faced.

Shooting into the sun I got these more washed out, 1970’s looking shots that work beautifully with Tess’ outfit, boots & long straight hair. Facing the other way, I had bright, golden light that played beautifully on Cole with his guitar.  About the only shots that didn’t work are the ones taken just to left of Tess (below), smackdab in the Black Forest.

Because.  It was black.  And scary.  The leaves you see here are just for show, right behind the leaves are tree trunks, and piles of dark mysterious branches, and moss, and spiders, and it is just eerie.  With the canopy blocking out the light, I have to crank up  my ISO and have the kids stand still to get a true, Black Forest-y, dramatic shot.  I was pretty excited to get a Black-Forest-y dramatic shot.

The kids could not stand still.  Cole went in first (mind you, I mean about 8 feet in, with the rest standing right there), stood still for maybe half a second & came hopping out (think scared bunny rabbit hopping).  It is that scary 8 feet into the black forest.  Taylor laughed, and was sure he could do it. I explained again about the standing still because of the low light.

“NO problem Mrs. Westberry”.

Taylor didn’t even make it 8 feet in.  The girls wouldn’t even try.  My goal now is to get a non-scaredy kiddo from somewhere & get that dark, dramatic Black-Forest-y shot.

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