flash vs. no flash. it's no question.

great tips on some photography questions I get a LOT. 

what can I do to get better pictures. I found someone who agrees with me & here you go...

http://www.centsationalgirl.com/2010/12/snap-even-more-photography-tips/

just found it today from one of my favorites...The Lettered Cottage. 

even though I don't claim to know much, this really is helpful for anyone because most snappers (snappin cameras) just turn on the camera & take what they get. sometimes, its just about capturing that moment. all good! really.

BUT if your trying to get something you see, you NEEEEED to turn off that flash. None of us look better under flash. Truly, and if you notice in low light situations it just makes the person or thing in front look whited out, an everything behind it dark. No good. 

and then

there's the problem of keeping up with the flash. As in, your trying to get that birthday candle blowing out an its all happening so fast and the flash won't keep up so you have bright white-out, followed by dark dark white out again. No good. 

Turn off your flash, steady yourself and snap. No need to worry about it blasting the person out or camera not keeping up. 

The other plus is, it looks a whole lot more like what your actually looking at!

here's a quick (as in I just looked thru my photo library & grabbed these)

of the difference

 fine. BUT not what I was really looking at, or very birthday wishes time.

that's better, the candles have life, she is not blasted white out & when she moved in to blow, she also came more in focus. 

No flash. 

Amen.

get crafty; Heart Clip Valentines

no. It's still December. promise

We were talking the other day about how to quickly fulfill all the gifts for the season without breaking the bank. 

And this came up. 

BUT 

it is a valentine idea. 

so, no I'm not getting ahead of myself, promise.

I just posted because someone wanted the 411 to alter to make gifts for Christmas for their girl scout troop. 

This is a step by step for Heart Clips I made this last Feb for my daughter's class. 

SO simple to make

& 

quite cute I think....

 I did not use the temple for the hearts, I free handed by cutting red felt into small squares, folding in half & then cutting a heart like I did in elementary school

 ...allllll day lllllong......

 used the scraps or strips to cut small squares

put the squares inside the clips 

{bought those at a beauty supply store 100 clips for about 8 bucks!}

 used fabric tac glue

added the heart to the top, so the clip is in between 

the drying 2 pieces of felt

 turned them upside down to dry...so glue wouldn't leak on to my table ;)

sweet as pie. 

displayed here on two cutie girls....

a while back. {not related to Christmas}

we went to the Monterey Bay Aquarium

and even though we've been there so many times {like 100+}

for some reason this trip, it all was mesmerizing for the kids. 

I love that. 

AND

the usual stuck in a corner to only see a curled up ball-o-octopus

was in a new mood. 

She decided to be entertaining!

AND 

because you can't use flash and it is small quarters with lots of peeps (with cell phone cameras, I mean honestly, surely not one of theirs they were pushing on me for turned out)

ew....that sounded 'tog snobby, sorry.

anyway

she was fabulous! 

And the pictures show the crazy neat-O creation she is

(yes, I know it was a she because they told us)

 so cool huh? She was moving along the glass....

 who gets to see this? crazy stuff. mesmerized kids. huge crowd. I love my camera.

 the eye of the beast. 

 Then she just dashed across the "scene", like she flew but obviously in water.

 AH mazing. Wild. Fantastic.

 Here they gave her a ball with food stuffed down a small hole in the ball. It is a challenge that evidentially they do to stimulate the creatures. She leaped up to grab it, then here she is "working" the ball (can't see it) 

guess the "working" out got to her... made her turn white spotted. 

Truly a fantastic & amazing 10 minutes of watching an octopus in a whole new light

(but without lights or flash)

splendid show!

here is a peek at what I've been up do.

more to come!