Photoshop User TV on "Real TV"

I'm a big fan of Scott Kelby. I have read several of his books, gone to his workshops, and a few years ago signed up for kelbytraining.com. At that time, I was just learning to use Photoshop and so I bought a monthly membership to watch videos on all kinds of Photoshop tutorials.

Now, Kelby Training has added loads more high-quality short videos on a wider range of topics, including photography. I just started another month of watching videos and I've picked up some great tips. I highly recommend it.

Also, I see on my Google page today that Photoshop User TV is going to have a few time slots on Fox TV. Central time is scheduled for Wednesday at 12:30 am so, I'll be setting my DVR to record it. Kelby is super entertaining along with informative. Check it out!

Another benefit related to Scott Kelby is the National Association of Photoshop Professionals (NAPP). He is the president of this organization and membership buys you some valuable benefits. For intstance, I buy most of my photography equipment from BH Photo Video and NAPP members receive free shipping. That pays for the membership price right there. Photoshop User magazine, another benefit of NAPP membership, comes eight times a year and I read it cover-to-cover for all the great tutorials.

Kelby's Room - again

Kelby's Room - again
Originally uploaded by NmB Photography

More photos from last year - this time from way last July but I thought I had lost them and was SO relieved that they were still on my backup hard drive. Praise the Lord. It makes me feel so uncomfortable and uneasy when I think I have lost photos. I always back up to DVD as well as this new 500g external hard drive, but one time, just one time, I permanently deleted photos that weren't backed up. Horrors!!!

Yes, it takes that much room to backup my photos. Using a 12mp camera and shooting in raw creates some montrous files which I am loathe to ever delete.

the Rucky goes to School

the Rucky goes to School
Originally uploaded by NmB Photography

This is my daughter on her way to teach at the U of I law school last September. She looked so overloaded with this bags that she would certainly tip over. She gets a much better parking space (and conserves gas) by driving the smalles motorcycle that Honda makes.

Sophie and her Brand New Family from Iowa

I was touched to meet Kerri and Eric's new daughter, Sophie, last October. The couple are long-time friends of my daugher, Dawn, and they all live in Iowa City now. The met while getting their undergrad degrees at Luther (all but Dawn) and then got their advanced degrees at the U of I. Anyway, after a long and arduous process they are blessed by this sweet little addition to their family.

The photo session actually occurred on Oct 28 (my birthday) and that is when we were celebrating Kelby's 6th birthday. It makes me miss the green and yellow glorious colors of summer and fall SO much. Especially since we have received about another seven inches of snow this week in NW Illinois.

Sophie is nine months old in these photos and it was just fascinating to hear about their experiences in China and about how Sophie started her life there. She just seemed so comfortable and relaxed to me - different than I expected. It seemed like she had been a part of their family since birth!

Brand New Pettiskirt

Morgan, from my session on Saturday morning, wasn't nearly as thrilled with my new pettiskirt as I was. We had already taken lots of family photos and things were starting to go a little down-hill with this beautiful two-year-old. We did manage to get a few, though. She has such amazing, blue eyes and lashes. The sucker worked as a bribe for only a limited period of time!

Sweetest Six-Month Old

Emmory's Mom purchased the "Cuter Every Day" package so I get to see her grow and change during her first year. How cool is that? I love, love, love being around babies and young moms. Six months couldn't be a better age, could it? The kiddos are so smiley and happy to stay where you put them (pretty much anyway).

Emmory looks like she might be a gymnast when she grows up!

New Year's Resolutions 2008

Do you make, and KEEP, New Year's Resolutions? Since all the family is gone now(boo-hoo) and it's time to de-clutter the house of Christmas crap (sorry)I always think about making great plans to clean the closets, shelves, drawers, drapes, etc. I bought a new organizer from Levenger "planning" to be able to track all my photography projects better. There are SO many details that accompany each project.

Our family had a great Christmas together. We were so blessed to have Molly in relatively good health and she seems so much more relaxed (understandably). There were 13 of in the house for about 48 hours and we did great getting along and helping each other. We even got a family photo session accomplished which isn't that easy - definitely not something that will occur every year. Especially since I don't have a backdrop wide enough for thirteen people. I was all set to do another sucker photo of the five grandkids and completely forgot about it. Dawn got my business bookkeeping pretty caught up in QuickBooks so, that was awesome, too!

We played SO many new and old games: Qwerkle, Family Feud, Battleship, Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader, Wii Guitar Hero, and, of course, Euchre

Here are a couple of the photos that I love because my little girls are having SO much fun with Aunt Molly -

Before the Crash

Before the Crash
Originally uploaded by NmB Photography

This was the shot I got just before i realized my son-in-law was jumping OVER my grandson rather than stopping him. Seconds later my camera was in the snow and I was cut off at the shins. Therefore, I fell directly onto my chest, bruising my ribs. Wow - I was shocked. But, I got this shot of Lars about to be airborne over Kelby at Krape Park. This is some extreme sledding. I understand our ER has seen MANY people since the sledding here was was fast and furious.