2013 Favs (Couldn't get it to Top 10)

I've had a blast working on my shooting this year, with a ton of help from my trusty assistants/models Jason and Lily. Right now I'm working on going through and choosing highlights from each month to compile into a photobook, and as I'm going through I'm realize how much better my pictures are now than at the beginning of the year. This year I read several books, but I think my favorite was Mamarazzi. From there I started shooting in full manual. Dad bought me a prime lens (50mm 1.8 fixed) and I haven't taken it off my camera since! I joined ClickinMoms and took my first CMU online course - The Best Darn Beginner Course and a fun breakout, "Bring Your Fun." I've stayed in touch with some of the girls from the class and have been shooting weekly for a Project 52 with themed weekly challenges. I've met up with local ClickinMoms members, and went on a photo outing to a strawberry patch. I braved the rain and wind to go to the 2013 Seattle ClickinWalk and met some great ladies! I've read zillions of CM forum posts, photography pins on Pinterest, and numerous tutorials on Click It Up A Notch. I'm still posting and trying to stay active in the Mom and Pop Lab, and organized one photo crew outing for my crew. Whew, that's a lot of stuff! I still have a long way to go, but looking back over the year I'm excited to see how much growth there is in my pictures!

I quickly zipped through the highlights of each month and picked out some favs. I chose these for the photography aspect (they are not necessarily our top highlight events from 2013, just the pics I can't stop thinking about!).

February @ Bothell Landing Park. We met up with another Mom and Pop friend for a "photo crew outing."

February - a walk with Kristina at the Arboretum

May @ The Roozengaard Display Garden- Trip #2 to the Tulip Festival. We zipped up there after work and arrived after sunset, but still with plenty of gorgeous evening light. Side note: This was one of our last special outings with Mom (carting along her oxygen tank just out of the hospital), and she also picked out this shirt. I'm hoping it will fit again in 2014!

May - Playing with my brand new prime lens!

May @La Conner Thousand Trails - Kenley's first camping trip

July - Lily's 1st popsicle!

July - Lily and Jason helping me to practice stopping motion with shutter speed for my 101 class. :)

July at Josie's Movie Premier party - How could this not make my fav list?!?

July @ Tumble Creek, just after I finished my 101 class.

July @ Tumble Creek

September - Shooting with albums in mind after Jo Clark's Bring Your Fun Breakout!

September - One of my Project 52 weekly photos

October in Snohomish

October - Lily as Lilly for Halloween!

December @ Libby and Alex's new house. I love this natural smile - Jack is excited about his new scooter. I'm excited about one of my first edits in my new Lightroom photo editing software!

Goals for 2014:

- Learn about this post-processing business. Learn Lightroom (I'm signed up for my second CMU workshop "Lightroom Fundamentals" at the end of January!). Maybe start shooting in RAW?

- Improve my shots "SOOC" (Straight-out-of-camera). I'm hoping to take "Introduction to Natural Light," maybe in the summer (these workshops are pretty intense and require daily shooting...does not mix well with full time work!).

- Document life with Lily - try "a day in the life" series and more "Bring Your Fun!" fun! Maybe try some styled shoots.

- Plan or attend more photo crew outings with my Mom and Pop photo group, Seattle ClickinMoms, and maybe PEPS group? Set specific goals for each outing. Go to ClickinWalk 2014!

- PRINT: Finish my 2013 photo book, begin a 2014 photo book before Dec 29th (oops), order prints, put up prints in our house, figure out a Blurb blog book to print my blog

That sounds like enough! Happy 2014 everyone!