KodaSnap

Were You Missing Me?

you were, weren't you? You were just thinking to yourself, jeez, I wish Kristie would post some self-centered photos. Well never fear, I wouldn't want to let you down!

ok really? I really am not a fan of me. I don't like the way I look. I don't like my size. My smile. My nose. Would you like for me to go on? Because believe me, I can! one of the best things about photography for me has been the lessons it teaches me. I have learned the importance of documentation. As much as I HATE looking at images of myself, as much as I HATE being in front of the camera, even if it is only me taking those photos, I understand that if I do not document myself, a day will come when I will regret it. It makes me feel vain. silly. yup, self-centered. But I am forcing myself to do it. I made a promise to myself at the beginning of the year that every month I would take a self portrait. I have slacked on that promise. It is not as easy as you would think, to take your own photo! It gets tricky and frustrating, and half the time, I simply don't feel like making the effort.

This is me, now.

 

plaid is my favorite color. my life is currently complicated. smiles do not come easy.

 

 

I hate my smile. I am supposed to wear glasses...and rarely do. my cheekbones are making a grand re-entrance onto my face.

 

I have a difficult time keeping my emotions off of my face. I roll my eyes too often. I plague myself with what-if's.

 

I am trying to learn to love this body I am in.

 

I am confused and complicated and moody. This is me right now. There are days that I like me and days that I don't. I am trying to make the days that I do happen more often.

I Won Something!!!

Can I preface this by saying that I never win anything?! (well, until today that is!)

I enter various contests and never win. I may get an honorabe mention, but I am never the winner. Until today :D

I won! I won! I won!

It may not be exciting to anyone else that I am winning a custom bling collar, but I may pee my pants I am so excited. just sayin' 

I Slack, Therefore I Am

I am such a slacker when it comes to editing, and sharing, my personal photos. One day I will overcome this. if I ever get around to it.

I posted a couple of bee photos a while back, and just came across one more I wanted to share. I have been slacking in the sharing-of-"real"-photos department lately, so I figure a slacker photo is better than no photo at all :)

 

Inspiration Sneak-Attack

I am the first to admit that my level of dork is high. So I am not ashamed to say that I actually look forward to summers not because of the prospect of sand between my toes or ice cream cones or lazy days in the sun, but because my favorite tv show, So You Think You Can Dance, will be airing. I cannot get enough if this show. To watch people completely and totally wrapped up in their passions is exciting to me. It inspires me.

But it recently took it's level of inspiration to a whole new level for me. It gave me an inspiration sneak attack. One of the judges, Lil' C, was givng critique, and made the following statements:

"A lack of confidence is the heaviest anchor you can put on your creativity and your art."

Read that again.

Wow. My mojo actually came into form, stepped out of the televison, looked down at me lounging on the couch and flicked me on the forehead.

What big eyes you have!

I technically don't have anything witty to say. and no excitement to write about. such is life. But I do have these photos. They are nothing spectacular, but they are another great example of how to make the most out of your little point and shoot cameras.

This is one of our red eyed tree frogs. I was getting ready to go to bed when I saw this uy completely and totally posing, practically begging for me to get the camera. The photopgrapher's dillema; do I attempt to get the slr into this aquarium and shoot without being able to see what I am doing, and also risk losing the moment, or do I just say screw it, grab the p&s and finally find a benefit to those damn live view screens? yup, I said screw it. It was late, The angle would not have allowed me much room for my slr. I was tired. So these were taken with my little camera, set to macro, flash turned off. lazy photos that turned out pretty good!

 

 

Textured, for your pleasure.

I have spent the past two days at the beach. This is somewhat of a big deal for me. I will let you in on a little secret....I have lived in Florida for the past 12 years. I have never once gone to the beach alone. Ever. I am a scaredy cat, plain and simple. I am simply not a fan of doing things on my own. It is one of my biggest character faults. So I have decided this year is the year to address that issue. And so, I found myself at the beach, allllll alone. And an amazing thing happened....nothing happened! No one tried to steal me away. The world did not come crashing down on me. And to top it off...I didn't even get a sunburn! AND AND AND, the park ranger lady gave me HER parking place. Woot! How exciting to get to park in an "authorized vehices only" spot, KNOWING you are SO not getting a ticket (and knowing otherwise you may STILL be waiting for a place to park)!

I am a Pisces through-and-through. And so the water has super powers over me. I pout if I am near water that I cannot actually go into. Stomp my feet pouting. I have been stressed for oooooooh, about a year now, so spending two days in the water was just what the doctor ordered.

Since my mojo has yet to arrive on my doorstep I voted against the idea of bringing my "real" camera and instead just grabbed the point and shoot. I have a fascination with all the textures the beach has to offer. Especially this particular beach, with all of its fallen trees.

 

You have to walk just over a mile to get to this spot, but let me tell you, it is worth every hot, tiring step (yes, that's right, I whine the whole way, what of it?). It feels as if you have entered a new world, that you have suddenly found yourself on a deserted island and at any moment Wilson will appear.

I have been ruminating over this post on Erin Vey's blog and decided to put my little Sony Cyber-shot (for the record, I SO did not pay that price! the camera is only a couple hundred bucks) to the test. I put it onto the macro mode, turned off the flash (always turn your flash off if lighting permits...you will notice a big difference in the way your shots look!) and snapped away at all those awesome textures that the beach had to offer.

These were all taken on auto mode, and edited as I normally edit in Photoshop. 

    

this next shot made me so happy to see such great depth of field from such a basic camera! 
 
 
 
 
 
what? you didn't know we have purple lizards in Florida?
 
 
 

that's right people, I have the poor man's ipod, and I love it for all it's itty bitty goodness!

 

So remember...it is not the fancy camera that takes fantastic photos. It is the person operating the camera that works the magic. Don't let yourself think that you cannot take great photos simply because you do not have the camera that all the pros use. Think creatively. Try changing your perspective. Look at things from different angles. Make whatever camera you have work for you.

The incredible level of my lameness. It's incredible. Really.

My lameness seeps out of every pore on my body. I am sure of it. I reek of lame. Really, I do.

Why?

a) the fact that I am even sharing this info clearly shows how my lameness interferes with the regularly scheduled programming of my life

b) just read on, you'll see.

I went to work in crotchless pants today. For real. Who goes to work without realizing a good four inches of ventilation has been installed into their pants? ME. That's who.

drowning in lameness. and not too proud to share it.

They say cleanliness is next to godliness.

Mojo, ninja-style

I was walking around in the backyard yesterday, coralling the puppers and stewing in a stinking funk of a mood when out of nowhere my mojo jumped out from behind a tree, karate chopped me in the back of the head, roundhouse kicked me Chuck Norris style, and then pointed me in the direction of a resting bee.

It was over before I knew what hit me. As fast as it attacked, my mojo disappeared. But I caught a glimpse of it. I *think* it may have been flipping me off, but I will forgive it that and just be thankful that I was graced with it's karate-chopping presence, even if it was for just a second.

 

and a new favorite...

Slacker. It's my middle name.

I have been a slacker. There is no denying it. I have been dealing with the on-going struggle of trying to locate where I last placed my passion for photography. I can't seem to remember where that spot is. I am considering posting a reward for anyone that can find it for me. I sort of miss it.

That leaves me with a blog that collects dust. And I am not a superstar when it comes to house cleaning. Just saying.

The most excitement I have had in the last month was being held hostage for two days in a New Hampshire airport by US Airways. I officially hate US Airways, in case you were wondering. It took me not one, not even two, but THREE tries to get home. Did I mention how I feel about US Airways? And as a bonus prize, for hanging out for two days in an airport I brought home with me an amazing cold! Woo! Why buy a Live Free Or Die sweatshirt when you can get your very own body full of germs?! That is my kind of souvenir. And that is it. Really. Fun times had by all, I know.

We are enjoying a very quiet Memorial Day. I like very quiet days. Koda decided that he needed a very quiet day too. I love when he gets his lazy on.