Mommy on the Phone

Tonight, about 30 minutes after Michael's bedtime, I hear the doorknob jiggle to the living room. This indicates that my Michael is looking for his parents.

So we get up...and go get him...My Michael who really never gets up in the night. We have this conversation:

Michael (holding about 4 stuffed animals): Michael want to sleep in Mommy's bed.
Mommy: No...you have to sleep in your big boy bed. Are you scared of something?
Michael: No. Mommy talking.
Mommy: Is Mommy talking too loud? Is it keeping you up?
Michael: Yes, I can't sleep. Please no more talking.

I think this means no more phone conversations with Kirsten after Michael goes to bed. Got it. My son, telling me I am too loud. Sadly, he is not the 1st person to complain of this, and he will not be the last either I suspect.

He regressed today. He peed in his pull up this morning and then peed in it again before dinner. SIGH. 15,000 steps forward, 2 steps back.

Also, I am deleting my post saying I am on a hiatus. I am obviously not on a hiatus. I am just being lazy about blogging our visit home in June, the trip to NOrmandy, and wandering around Paris with the parents. I have to pick out pictures and refer to notes.

Love,
P

Have to

I have to post this. I have to because I want to!

Now, if you don't care for photography at all, DO NOT READ THIS POST. If you do, continue.

I have some readers who, very much like me, are struggling to learn more about how to take good pictures. Who would have thought a little black handheld box would be so difficult? The longer I take pictures and the more I fiddle with settings, the more I realize how much I DO NOT KNOW.

Here's my newest realization:
DSLR - you cannot completely trust its metering. You can use it's meter as a guide, but in the end, it is YOU and your artistic eye that determines what exposure is best.

It's aggravating. So, here is an example:

In Aperture priority, I took this picture of Michael on Omaha Beach...the camera set it up to be "well exposed." Well, I disagree. This picture is too DARK:
Angrily, I threw it in manual, exposed it to be 2 bars too bright (over exposed) and I like the results much better. Maybe a little blown out in parts? But overall, a well lit image!

I prefer it much more to my previous "correct" one.

So for those who have a DSLR, I challenge all of us, to quit using Aperture priority or Auto and throw the dang thing in manual.

And then, do what all professional photographers do...doctor it in photoshop! Cheating, but this is what sells lately.

Ok, that's it. Discuss if you want. Disagree, don't disagree? Post results of your manual vs. camera determined exposed shots. Whatever. Just wondering who is willing to talk to me about this. That's it. I am thinking it's going to be 1 person. 2 Max.