Getting flashed!

No, no. Not THAT kind of flashing. I'm talking off-camera flash. Much more family friendly ;) I have wanted to play around with off-camera flash for quite awhile now but I had a few problems. Before this year, I didn't have a decent flash. Then, at Christmas, I got a pretty great new flash love my parents. So, I started reading Strobist. Need to learn about lighting? Take some time to read& really understand this site. Makes everything make sense! I played around with my flash a bit but I was limited. I didn't have a modifier ..so I was pretty much stuck with my flash& gels. I will admit, working with straight flash as a slave on manual took a full afternoon to grasp. Now that I firmly understand that? Time to move on.

Bring on my birthday yesterday (best. day. ever.) to move along in this story. My wonderful boyfriend purchased me a shot-through umbrella. So, when we got back from my delicious birthday supper last night I did the only logical thing I could think of. I turned our apartment into a mini-studio! I set everything up and then grabbed Penny. This was great for two reason:
1. Beautiful model
2. Practice for Penn's sit-stay! She nailed it.

So, I got the umbrella hooked up to the stand& I stuck my camera on the tripod. Then, with my new 40mm f/2.8, I set off seeing what kind of magic I could make happen with my new equipment. Did I nail it? I'm not sure ..it looks really good to me but I'm kind of biased to my puppy.

Then, I figured it was time to be in some photos with Miss Penn since I have none of us together since she was 3 months old ..she's 6 months old now. I'm a terrible momma! So, I got the focus ready. I tried to get Penn to chill out even though I was with her& I tried to make the two of us look good& in love. I pinky promise that we really are in love ..it was the making it appear that way while not looking like crazed lunatics.

See Penn's ear flip? Rocking. It. See my crazy eyes? Less rocking it ..I didn't really 100% succeed. Considering it was a one person studio photo session though, I think I did decently. I did a lot of work to get this shot ..including take some hilarious oops photos. For instance, Penny almost looks calm in this photo (if you look really closely, you can see the crazy bubbling just below the surface..). You know what the mini-shoot was really like?

Yes. That's right. I got so much V love that I couldn't even stay in the frame. My crazy beast dog actually does love me that much. She is convinced that when we are apart for even 5 seconds, it feels like 5 years& must result in the most insane hello you can even imagine. If I am peeing, she's at the door whining. I think she thinks the toilet might scoop me up& she'll never see me again. Poor, poor Penny.

So, is anyone else out there attempting to learn a new camera skill this new year? Even better, is anyone else trying to master off-camera flash this year? If yes, leave me a comment letting me know& link to your blog so we can track each others' progress :D

Happy Saturday, love my crazy Vizsla& myself!

Friday the 13th

Happy spooky Friday, everyone! I spent the day dressed in a skirt& tank top while building a snowman outside& then taking a self-portrait with him. Week 2 of a photo of me a week for an entire year is accomplished :D I braved the chilly weather& got a really fun self-portrait. Want to see it? Just click here! This evening I have grand plans of enjoying a few vodka-pineapples& baking with some girlfriends. My camera is coming along with me so I should have some pretty fun photos for the next post. Any photo that occurs after 12AM may also end up being my photo of the day ..so just a heads up for you ladies! Tomorrow, after a fun evening of drinks, I have to be at the pool for 9AM for a full day course. I can only imagine how fabulous that is going to be. I'll also have my camera with me for that. I probably won't take any photos though because I'll be too busy pretending to learn ;) Then I have a belated birthday supper with family tomorrow evening ..where there will be more photos taken. Jeeze ..maybe I should pack my extra battery!

This guy will be there. He never turns down a good meal ..then again, neither do I so I guess we're pretty evenly matched there. I am excited because we're going to a little place that has my favorite dessert in the entire world- crème brûlée! Yum. This is only place on our island that I have found that makes it. I'm sort of hoping every single person at dinner orders it for dessert then gives them alllll to me.

In fact, if it wasn't for that guy up there in the photo, I never would have tried crème brûlée. It was his brother, David, who made it for me for the first time. I sort of wish David would move back here& then become my personal dessert maker because I love fancy desserts but have no idea how to make them. Okay, enough daydreaming about my post-supper snack tomorrow. I have things to do ..like pack up my vodka& pineapple for this evening! Enjoy your weekend, folks. I hope it is completely fabulous!

Post-birthday

My boyfriend got me a dog bed for my birthday. I know you're currently asking yourself why in the world he did that, aren't you? Well. I asked for it. It is a tiny little dog bed. Squirt hates it already. It is SUCH a perfect prop for small animals. Small children, too ..although I don't have any of those hanging around my house so you're going to have to settle for animals at the moment. Well, animal. Squirt.

Linking with This or That&
You Capture& Fabulous Friday!

What do you think? Most perfect birthday present ever? Sure is! The dog& I will both get to enjoy it. He'll sleep on it (assuming he learns to love it)& I'll get to steal it from him from time to time to photograph little animals/ people on it! I am completely loving this so far. I am going to try my best not to flood you guys with photos of my dog on his bed ..but I can't promise I won't flood you guys with other animals on it.. variety is the spice of life!

Plus, how lucky is the dog to wake up every morning in the lap of luxury? When you consider how spoiled my dog is.. well, he's very lucky! Plus, I think it makes up for his awful vet experience the other day. My poor pup ..I think he's mostly forgotten about it by now though. The only thing left for him to forget? His hatred of his new bed ;)

A special day

Today is my birthday. My most favorite day of the entire year! Happy January 11th to everyone ..especially those who were also born today! I have to work in the AM but after that I am free, free, free to spend my birthday however I please :)

Just a little photo of me& my favorite pony ever. Why? Perhaps because it's my birthday& I can do what I want ;) Okay, I'm not that bratty but I have to admit that I am super excited! 25. Doesn't feel as old as I thought it would when I was 10!