Photography Tips // How To Edit Portraits Like A Pro (Photoshop)

Something about kids makes me want to snap a million pics and share them with the world. Maybe its how fast they grow up or how freaking adorable they are. Either way, I can't put the camera down. And lots of camera time usually means lots of time behind the computer editing the images. So, I thought I'd share a few of my post-editing tips with you that help make the process quick and painless.

If you're lucky you'll have the perfect lighting conditions matched with the perfect settings on your camera to produce a professional-quality image where no editing is needed.  Other times a little post processing can help a not-so-great photo look a whole lot better.  I use Photoshop and by no means am I even close to being an expert but I do have a few tricks up my sleeve to make my photos look their best better (I'm still learning.)

Not too keen on forking over the big bucks for post-editing software?  Try these free photo editing programs.

Well, hello there...

Just wanted to drop in and share our news....our baby boy has arrived!  Callaghan Brent was born on October 25th and we are so excited!

Here's a little glimpse at our handsome little man.

As you can guess,  my two little men are going to be taking up a lot of my time and things are going to get a bit slower around here.  That's not to say I'll totally drop off the face of the blogosphere so stay tuned for more house projects and be sure to follow along at Apartment Therapy's Renovation Diary to watch our mudroom project unfold.

Nesting // DIY Maternity Photo Shoot + Tips

Well, ladies and gents...I'm officially full-term - 37 weeks and 3 days to be exact.  That means any day now we could become a family of four.  Yikes!  I know everything will be fine and we'll adjust, but the thought of it sends me straight into a Nick Miller freakout.  Before we're swimming in a sea of diapers and sleep is just a sweet, sweet memory, I wanted to capture this exciting and slightly scary moment in time.

I'm all for professional family photos but it's just not in the budget, so I broke out the camera and set up my own little photo shoot to capture my last (mark my words!) pregnancy.  I don't have any fancy photography equipment - just a regular ol' point and shoot camera, a small tripod and some good ol' natural light.
Our bedroom is one of the best places to catch some good filtered light which is what you want rather than direct light which casts unsightly shadows.  I started out the photo shoot in front of one of the windows which is draped in sheer, white curtains from Ikea and is the perfect backdrop to get that gorgeous soft backlit effect.  I also placed a small bench in front of the window so I would be elevated and would have a comfortable place to sit for these first few poses.

Traditions Worth Keeping: Family Yearbooks

For some reason I really like thinking of fun little traditions our family can take part in, (like Christmas in July!), but the executing of these said traditions is a whole 'nother story.  On Fridays I suggested we take part in Family Game Night - problem is...I kind of, sort of, don't really like playing games.  It's not the games, it's me.  I'm just so tired of winning - I'd rather cuddle up on the couch, scarf popcorn and watch movies.  The other two men in my family love games, so I'm sure a compromise is in order.  Then I created a date night jar and a bucket list, both of which have only been used once. While many traditions in this household have been abandoned along the way there's one tradition in our household that we've kept around.

I hinted at these yearbooks when I was organizing the tv cabinet.  Each year I make a Padgett Family Yearbook which highlights the past year's travel and activities in photos.  We have 8 books and counting (fingers crossed.)  The first one starts during our dating adventures, which began in 2005, then fast-forwards through 2006 because this girl went a little crazy and suffered from a bout of commitment-phobia.  But don't fret, things resumed in 2007 and have been going strong ever since with couple extra additions that have made their way into our stack - like our wedding album and one dedicated to our little man.

DIY: Family Photos

We just completed our family photo session and just in time for Christmas cards!  While in the past we've had our awesome and talented friend, Tina Patenio Photography, behind the lens,  this time we decided to try it out ourselves.

A few Christmases ago I got the hubs (or myself?) the GorillaPod by Joby.  I think we've used him once before.  Sadly, he's usually hiding in our junk drawer.  At the last minute before we left the house, I had the foresight to bring him along thinking he might just come in handy.  And boy, was I right!  This little gadget can attach to everything!  I'm so in love with him that he's gone from inanimate object to part of the family.

I don't know what we would have done without him.  Probably the ol' "extend the arm out as far as you can facebook profile pic" method.  Something like this...

But, because of our handy little GorrillaPod, we were able to get some great "professional-looking" shots all on our own.  Thanks, GorillaPod.  (Cue Thumbs-Up pose.  Cut.  Print.)