Outer Banks Vacation Pictures: the iPhone version (and some reviews)

The entire week my "big" camera only made it out of the safety of our room a total of four times.  The humidity, the water, the sand, were everywhere and I chose to enjoy the R&R instead of worrying about the safety of my camera.

Unfortunately, for the sake of R&R my phone was often left behind as well.  I have plenty of pictures of the view from the car (lots of mountains = lots of pretty views).  It wasn't until day 6 that I remembered I had bought this waterproof phone pouch specifically for the trip:

Waterproof Case for Phones, Digital Camera, GPS & Other Small Devices - IPX8 Certified to 100 Feet


I had high hopes of getting underwater pictures of the kids in the pool now that they'll both put their faces underwater.  It didn't happen.  First, my husband did NOT want me taking the iPhone he just got me as a mother's day gift under water despite my pre-vacation testing of the waterproof case. Second, I didn't remember I had brought it until my sister decided to take her daughter para-sailing and wanted to get a pictures while up there (doh!). My sister also inadvertently tested the cases waterproof claims when they dunked them in the ocean at the end of the trip.  Its waterproof alright.

(photo credit: Amy Bischoff)

So it wasn't until or last evening that the iPhone came to the beach sealed in its waterproof case.  Thanks to that one evening I have a bunch of video clips and beach pictures.  I was impressed with how easy it was to operate the phone through the plastic and it didn't seem to take too much away from the quality of the pics.  Here's a small portion of our vacation captured by the iPhone (photos are unedited; I have no idea why some of the pics are so blue)

I was so happy with the pictures.  They look great on my phone! Upon arriving home there was a packet of pictures that had been delivered.  I had used an app called  postalpix.com to get the pictures on my phone printed prior to leaving.  They did a good job printing them but it is now obvious that cell phone pictures just aren't that great of quality when printed (though the ones where I had the camera resting on a flat surface to steady it were much better).

PostalPix has some great products though.  They do square prints (perfect for those instagram shots) and metal prints.  I had to order one of the square metal prints and love how it came out.  It felt really good to set those phone pictures free and get them printed; I would definitely use them again.  But seeing the prints was a good reminder that my phone is great for pictures but cannot replace my real cameras.

Disclaimer:  PostalPix is not paying or requesting me to do review their services.  In fact, they have no idea I exist.  Probably.

Let's go to the Beach | Outer Banks 2012 Vacation

The beach.... one of my favorite places.  I'm especially fond of this one in the Outer Banks since Phil proposed here and we came back the following year to get married on the same beach.  If you can mentally block out the very looong drive its the perfect vacation.  27 people in one house, one 9 bedroom house, private pool and hot tub, short walk to the beach and lots of family time.

This was just after arriving... notice Aiden's (on the right) happy jig.  Happy to be out of the car; happy to be seeing the ocean:

First taste of the salt water:

 Oh yeah, that's pure joy on his face:

 And that's the taste of saltwater on his face:

 Boogie boarding

Evenings on the beach were the best

Cousins who haven't seen each other in years:

Family beach shot (thanks Amy!)

Almost all of the grandkids with my mom (who made this trip possible, thank you mom!)

And my East Coast(ish) neices who I only get to see every few years

We already have so many special memories of our times spent in the Outer Banks and now we have even more.  I love my family :)

E

Outside the Box Workshop | St. Louis Photography Class

Summer is almost halfway through.  Lots of outdoor activities equals tricky sunlight.  Learn how to work that light to your advantage.  That Auto Mode on your camera may disappoint you in this type of lighting:

Due to a sudden increase in inquires we will be adding another workshop date for the 2012 summer in early August.  Please comment or email me at elizhall@gmail.com to be added to the email list to be notified of the date.

For more information about the workshop you can visit  http://outsidetheboxphotographyworkshop.blogspot.com/

the sweetest things | Bond Family Photo Session

As Audrey Hepburn once said "Happy girls are the prettiest."  And these two were happy... happy to lay on a blanket, happy to be silly, happy to come up with a few "creative" poses - some sweet ones too, and happy to [gasp!] look at the camera.  A small sample of what five minutes of goofing off equals with these two... happy; pretty; sweet.

And here the whole family.  Very dear, old friends (the friendship is old not the friends).  Our kids are about the age that we first started jumping the fence between our yards to play some thirty years ago.  If Audrey Hepburn was right I must have been looking rather pretty myself that morning; I sure was happy hanging out with good friends and sweet girls.

Thanks Jenny for being my friend all these years and thank you both for letting me capture your family!

~E

On a side note: I have no idea what is up with the low quality pics on the blog.  Blogger? Photoshop? User error?  Anyone else having this issue with blogger?  

All Boy {I Heart Faces June Challenge}

We are all about boys in this house!  The big challenge comes in capturing a photo that isn't all boy.  We got dirt and bugs, piles of legos, guns and swords, potty jokes and wrestling all up in this house.  I was going through my pictures to get printed and came across the below picture.

It might not scream all boy to some people but to me it does on many levels.  The boys are using the slip and slide to race sticks, the little one is using his finger as a gun, and seconds after this picture was taken they were all in a heap wrestling over who got primo "pool" spot.  That's 'all boy" to me :)

I'm adding this photo to the i heart faces All Boy photo challenge.  Click on the pic below to check out the other entries.

This photo was submitted to the I Heart Faces photo challenge – www.iheartfaces.com

Ashley & Rob Got Married {St. Louis Wedding Photography}

I  don't normally do weddings but on special request I had the pleasure of photographing Ashley and Rob's intimate wedding a few weeks ago.  They picked a beautiful place to get married just outside Hermann at Little Piney Lodge.  Surrounded by family and close friends, a beautiful day (the rain held off just long enough), and small personal touches throughout made for a gorgeous day.  Here is just a small glimpse into their big day.

Congratulations Ashley and Rob, thank you for having me there.  I wish you a very happy and love filled marriage!



This

This is just a [lens] test...

While testing my lens last week using the picture frames on the living room wall (the frames have a lot of detail on them so I use them to check for sharpness) this little guy, hanging out in the dining room, came into view...

I had to sneak in and take some more test shots...

Give this kid some scissors and paper and he will cut tiny pieces of confetti all day long...

Well, all day long if his mom doesn't come in and stand on the table to take his picture. (if my kids have ever been to your house and you find them standing on the table, furniture, window sills, then my apologies.  They get it from me.)

Game over.  He does not like the camera.  He tolerates it sometimes.  I'll take it though; he's much cuter than those picture frames