So...I know that there are maybe a couple or more moms here who have the Digital SLR camera's (here is what mine looks like, it's a Canon Rebel XTi www.dcresource.com/news/newsitem.php?id=...- except mine has a bigger lense...)

I have had it almost a year in November I think. I bought it from m cousin right before Al turned 1. Well, she also gave me a tutorial dvd photogearfinder.com/Canon-EOS-Digital-Re... it's specific for my camera, and I have JUST started to really watch it and figure some stuff out!! I have literally been keeping my camera on full auto mode this entire time!! =)

I was wondering if/how you guys have figured out to used the other controls, and how you're liking your camera's? I love mine, I just really wish I could take some classes to better understand my camera and learn to use it to it's fullest! I love to edit the pictures though, thats so fun. A little time consuming, but fun.

Ok... Well, for a good amount of time I was literally just using the auto. I've been trying to learn the letters, and I have them down, but when I'm taking picutres I get a little excited and forget what they mean, and then I end up not having the time to figure out what to do!!! They are a little more complicated, b/c you control certain aspects such as the shutter speed for example. A faster shutter speed gives you a good action shot.

SO- it's just much easier for me to use the portriat/sports/close up ones. Those are my favorite. The protrait setting is good for if you're going to have a family picture and everyone is sitting still. The sports one (my fave)  is great for capturing action shots of games or children running around. Obviously why it's my favortie. Close up is a nice setting also, but I've read you should be pretty close to your object and not zoom in this setting..... Thats beyond me.

I like to do fun stuff, b/c getting Al to just sit and smile is difficult. I took some family pictures for my cousin last weekend (they turned out SO adorable!!) and I had so much fun. I love being creative and making everyone happy in the end. Dad wasn't thrilled w/ the idea to start (what guy is??!) And big sis (7-8?) was not too in to it at first either. But once we moved around and did some different settings, then we started walking around the block and I just was taking pictures of them walking. They had fun and could just hold hands and be themselves.

I like pictures like this, personally, b/c I feel like (especially for children) it gives everyone a chance to be themselves and have fun, and thats what I like to see in my pictures!! A co-worker of mine LOVED the ones I did of Al (I emailed her a few of the ones from my cousin fam too) and she wants me to do something similar w/ her two kiddos and possibly hubby. They think her son, who is 2.5, might have some sort of autism like I don't even know what you'd call it. He is just a different boy, and she is a little nervous he won't cooperate. I'm pretty confident that I can get everyone (mom and dad included) running around and playing/ being themselves having fun. I have some ideas and I'm reallyy excited to start trying them out. I'm going to go buy a book I found that has pretty good reviews and see if I can't teach myself a little more. www.amazon.com/gp/product/0470110074/ref...

I love to photograph friends and families, especially children. I am really excited to be taking my camera knoweledge to the next level, and would love to make a profession out of it, but just not too confidant yet in myself to go that far with it. YET. =)

Here is one of my favorites. They were all happy after we walked around and they felt comfortable with me just snapping away! !=)

I just downloaded the shutterfly studio-but I really want to get some kind of photoshop software. I have no clue where to start with it.

Let me play around with it and I'll let you know how to get started with it. And honestly, I just go and push buttons and experiment with different settings to see what I like and don't like. You can always save it, or "restore to original" which I LOVE!!!