I ♥ Faces - Best Face Photo from May

This has to be one of my favourite pictures this month, although it was very hard to choose..!
In the end this is cute AND funny ~ what's to not like ;-)

Communal Global ~ "Around the World"

My boy had a birthday at the end of last week ~ 4 years flies by!

His three requests were chocolate, chocolate cake and a torch!!

He got a haircut! 

~ and the torch & the chocolate cake :-)

He also got to go bowling...

He LOVES bowling...

Given the choice of ANYTHING...

This is WAY up there...

He actually won the first game, against ...

Little Miss Atitoood!

~~~

And just for the fun ~ here's a shot of all 10 of us (if you count me taking the picture as being there!) ~ can you find us all?

Join in with Communal Global today and show us your little corner of the world :-)

Another Baby Shoot

It's been a while since I took photos of a baby other than my own, but some friends of mine had their baby (L) 9 weeks ago. I've been promising her some pictures, but for one reason and another, namely our busy lives, it hasn't happened until this week. I'm really pleased with what I got, taken that they live in a small flat and the light was OK but not amazing. If the weather were a little warmer right now I'd have probably headed outside, but it just wasn't warm enough. So I made do and improvised :-) I opened all her lounge blinds right to the top (although the hedge was not far from them outside, so still limited light) and re-arranged the room  to make the most of it. I used a big 'throw' slung over some chairs and the table as a clean backdrop and got down low! 


The next hurdle was little L, who had for whatever reason not had his morning nap and was a little on the tired side. Thankfully he is not a grizzly child and is easily entertained. He lasted about 40 minutes before he began to loose the plot, but played nicely all that time, he just looked a little droopy in one or two shots! :-)


Sadly Dad was out at work, but here's a little peek at what I took...

My Favourites...

and possibly the funniest..!

All you super-brilliant photographer friends of mine out there ~ what do you think? 

Can I do this? Constructive Criticism welcome :-) 

I was shooting with my 18-55mm Nikon kit lens (mainly because the room was so small) and trying to keep it around the 50mm mark, apart from the 'birds eye' shots I took. ISO 640 for the light and f/5.6 ish because it doesn't really go much lower when zoomed in this much. Speed was around 1/50 when facing, although at a few angles I was able to make it faster. I am thankful for good VR on the D5000! 

Would you shoot differently ~ what would you change? Can you see anything I've missed in the PP editing? Would you be pleased if this was a set done for you? 

My friends have seen the full set of pictures and they are thrilled ~ which is great, but it's good to know what a more critical eye can see!

You Capture - Pretty

I haven't done a 'You Capture' in months, but I feel like joining in today :-)

These are the PRETTY peonies just beginning to bloom in my garden ~ the prettiest ones are not out yet.

A PRETTY robin's egg the children found ~ Robin's eggs must be the smallest, prettiest eggs there are I think...

PRETTY colours of the rainbow...

And my son's VERY PRETTY girlfriend 

(don't they make a PRETTY gorgeous couple..?!)

For more prettiness head on over to Beth's and join in :-)

Black & White Wednesday ~ Party Time!

My Teenager had his belated party this week.

It was a BBQ, but the weather was less than the best, so 

for the first time, thought most certainly not the last...

 my house has been crammed with teenagers ~ wall to wall!

I loved it ~ it was great fun!!

His beautiful girlfriend was there ~ he has impeccable taste!

...

I guess it won't be too long before these four are big enough for teenage parties too ~ scary thought!

To see lots of other  lovely BW pictures this week, head on over to Lisa's ...

Black & White Wednesday ~ My Growing Hatchling

It doesn't feel like yesterday I hatched my little egg...

but 21 weeks (that's 5 months) have flown by...

and now he's sleeping in a big-boy cot in his younger brothers' room.

He grabs everything and enjoys playing under his gym (so long as he has company)!

and his big personality is really beginning to shine!

He looks the perfect angel when he sleeps, but it never lasts for long!

I know that pretty soon my little hatchling...

will be a teenager taller than me!

Meanwhile...

I am soaking in every moment of my life, just the way it is RIGHT NOW!

Happy BW Wednesday :-)

To join in head on over to Lisa's ~ her little girlies have new hair-do's and they are VERY cute :-)

Communal Global ~ "Around the World"

One wet, spring afternoon,

 just after the rains,

when the grass in the Hampton's garden was long, luscious and full of weeds ~ still awaiting the first cut of spring,

 a little Bullfinch paid a them visit.

He first tucked into the clover flowers ~ so sweet and nutritious,  

and then the dandelion seeds.

A few of the stalks were a little too tall for him, so he jumped

and fluttered,

and climbed on them!

A veritable feast was had that day :-)

All of these were shot through my kitchen window.

A male Bullfinch's colour is so vibrant at this time of spring ~ isn't he stunning!

Join in today with Communal Global and show us your little corner of the world :-)