Football Week #2

(This is my second post of the day, so don’t forget to scroll down)

Brian was a little bit frustrated with this week because he didn’t score a touchdown.  He did catch a ball for an extra point though.  His pass defense was awesome and he did a great job chasing down runners and getting their flags when needed.  He has more speed than I expected when he needs it.  I was a little worried about the pictures this week.  I have been really sick and was not as motivated on the shots since I was focusing more on my nose not running and not coughing. 

(Below: Good pass defense, with his size I am sure the quarterback has no target, and he is watching for a runner so he can disengage if needed.  Good job buddy)

(Below: I am just really happy with this picture)

 

(Below: This is Brian’s extra point score.  I had the perfect angle for this picture)

(Below: Camera flaw.  My camera was not fast enough to catch the ball in the air, or the catch, this is the next photo, Brian just caught the ball for the extra point)

(Below:  Here is Brian on a run play, My favorite picture of the day.)

With all my research on sports photography, I have seen a lot of neat things done with sports photography, so I decided to try out my beginner Photoshop skills.  Here are the end results. 

I hope you enjoyed!  More soccer games tonight!

Last Week’s Soccer

I delayed this post because my photography posts were brewing in my mind, but I decided I better get to it, with more games coming.  These pictures are from the kid’s September 22nd games.  I hope everyone enjoys. 

(Below: Kallie is taking her turn as Goalie. She takes this job very seriously)

(Below: I liked this action shot of Kallie throwing the ball.  I don’t understand why they don’t just let them drop kick it, but this is how they do it)

(Below: As if she doesn’t think she is a Princess already.  Now everyone bows down to her whenever she is close)

 

(Below: I think this kid just thought playing possum was the best way to go.  She is one fierce woman)

 

(Below: Here is my girl in action.  Now if only I could get my hands on a decent camera to stop the action a bit better.)

Ok and now on too Brian.  This kid is a soccer animal.  I think this game he scored 3 goals.  I didn’t take pictures on Saturday because I was sleeping due to work, but he scored another 2 goals that day as well.  I really like how Brian’s pictures turned out.

(Below: I love that he can take on numerous players at a time with confidence!)

(Below:  Goal #1)

(Below: I like how this one turned out)

(Below: It’s blurry, but it’s also Goal #2!!)

   (Below: And this is Brian just enjoying the game)

I hope you enjoyed!

Some say knowledge is power, for me, knowledge means it is gonna cost more money.

Well I have some nasty cold today that has really put me down for the count.  My next plan for my blog was another soccer post because I have pictures ready to go.  But I have been holding off because I have really wanted feedback on my ideas.  So thanks too you guys that responded!  We went to Logan on Thursday as a family.  We haven’t really been out in a long time, so it was a really nice trip.  We went because Natalie wanted to check out how much it was going to cost to tile the kitchen, dining room, and entry way.  Our linoleum has started peeling up of the ground.  I super glued it back down, but who knows how long that will last.  I wanted to go to Logan so that I could go check out my camera.  All the posts I have been reading have said that before you buy you should go and handle the camera and see how you like it.

 

So for dinner we went to Texas Roadhouse.  Dinner was fantastic!!

After that we went to the Mall because Natalie wanted to check out dresses for Kallie to see if there were any summer dresses that were on clearance. 

After that it was off to Lowes to check out tile.  We bought 4 samples for Natalie to lay out and decide what she wanted in the different light of our home.  When we got home that night she decided on one, but the next day it changed.  I think we have it narrowed down to 2.

After that it was off to Best Buy, the kids call it Buy More.  I don’t know if any of you have watched Chuck.  But they said it so much, even I was calling it Buy More before the end of the night.

OR

  

So the moment of truth had arrived.  I found the DSLR Cameras, and picked up the one I was aiming to buy.  The Canon T2i.  Unfortunately the camera they had, did not have any power to it.  So I played with it as much as I could, without any power.  So I played with the Canon 40D, and the Canon T1i.  My dream camera’s older and younger brother respectively.  I figured then I could plan for something in the middle.  Sadly I was not impressed at all.  I tried the lower end Nikons and I still wasn’t impressed.  When I first started thinking of Photography, I planned on getting a Nikon D90.  But a buddy of mine recommended I check into the Canon line.  The Nikon D90 was the most expensive of all the cameras even living in my price range, and so after a month of research, I discounted the D90 because it was hanging out just over my price range.  And I am easily persuaded with my “you have to have it now” attitude.  The D90 did score higher than any of the Canon camera’s I was looking at, but the price made me cringe a little too much.  Now these camera’s aren't cheap,  and the difference in price is $150.00, so I didn’t want to save my money for that much longer. 

Well I picked up the fabled Nikon D90, and this is what I found…  I am in love!!  Imagine the scene in Harry Potter buys his wand from Ollivander’s.  It was a lot like that.  The camera fit my hand perfect, the Canons were too small.  The Nikon felt solid and sturdy, and the Canon’s were plastic and light.  It might be the wrong way of thinking, but if I am going to spend this much money on a camera, it better feel like my monies worth.  So I started to check out the camera further.  It comes with twice the lens that the Canon’s come with.  I was amazed at how good the camera was able to auto focus inside the store.  I found some life size cardboard cutouts from the Prince of Persia movie that just came out, and started taking pictures.  I was amazed at how good the pictures were turning out.  So I turned the flash off on the camera and felt like it was taking even better pictures.  So I chose my next target, a HDTV with a football game on.  I snapped a few pictures and looked at the results.  I was amazed that despite not even being able to tell who was playing, that the detail in the picture was good enough that I could not only check the score, but I could read the number on the jersey’s that fans in the spectators were wearing.  I was convinced!  This was the camera!  Here it is…..  The Nikon D90!!

So, I was excited.  I had my camera picked.  After going hands on with the camera, the $150.00 price difference didn’t seem so extreme considering how much more lens I was getting, and how impressed I was with the performance of the camera inside an electronics store.  And then Natalie showed up.  She looked at the price tag on the camera and looked like she was going to pass out.  From where I started a month ago, I was looking at double the price.  She seemed very concerned and it took so quick assurances from me to make things ok.  Natalie knows about my, “you have to have this right now” condition.  I assured her that I was not expecting the camera today or tomorrow and that all the price tag meant was that I was going to have to save for longer.  I tried to show her why I picked that camera over the others, but I think she was still seeing dollar signs.  I just feel good to know that I have made my decision and know where to aim my desires.

 

Like most trips to Logan, it ended with a stop at our favorite ice cream parlor, Cold Stone Creamery. 

Hopefully Natalie’s ice cream took the edge off.  She has been really good to listen to me go on and on……… and on, about photography.  Now to buckle down.  If the dream can last as long as it is going to take me to save for this camera, then I am set!

I Have A Dream

Within the last month, I have had a very strong desire to get back into photography.  Of course I am referring to way back when, when I took photography in high school.  It has become an obsession the more that I look into it, and study the art.  The major factor that got me into it was watching the blog of my old Bishop.  He is a fantastic photographer (never been to school for photography, everything is self taught).  I was jealous of the wonderful images that he had of his children, and spouse.  Here is his blog that got me started, he hasn’t updated it in 9 months because he started a new one.  Everyone on the main page is a member of his family; http://mickelsonfamilyorg.blogspot.com/.  His new blog is, http://brianmickelson.wordpress.com/.  Check them out if you have time.  They inspire me.  In following his blogs, and talking to him, I found other places on the internet where I became with more acquainted with other photographers.

As the days have gone by, my desire to pursue my dream have become even stronger.  And I find myself drawn to the art from two directions, the first being taking the photo’s and the joy of being at an event and capturing special moments.  The second is the digital darkroom process.  My love of computers pulls me to this side, and I have been experimenting with free programs, and I can feel the artist inside me come alive.  I have always avoided art, with my color blindness, and I am a perfectionist.  I know I see colors differently than most people, and when I try to draw something, I get frustrated if it doesn’t look just as I see it in my head.  I don’t feel this with photography, and I find that my imagination soars when I look at what I have taken with a sub-par camera, and what I can turn it into with the digital darkroom process.

I want to be able to preserve memories of my family and events around me that make it look like our family has a professional photographer on staff to follow us around and document our lives.  Of course as I build confidence, I would like to take pictures for other people.  I don’t want their pictures to look like their neighbor who owns a fancy camera took them.  I want it too look like a professional took their pictures.  I will start with family, move to friends, and sports teams.  I know the editor of the local paper pretty well and think I could talk him into a press pass for sideline photography at High School Ball Games.  I might even get some pictures in the paper.  If I can get to that point, then I will keep on going.

So the savings plan has started.  All my birthday money is tucked away safely, as well as a small crumb from every paycheck.  Eventually I will have the camera I want, and following my dreams.  After a month and a half of shopping, this is what I have decided on, this could change on any given day if a new camera is released and prices drop on some others.  So, currently I want to buy a Canon T2i.

Here are a few examples of the kind of pictures I would like to take.

 

 

 

From what I have read, practice makes perfect and this applies to photography.  I believe it after today.  They say when you first start you take 100 pictures, have 10 good images and 1 awesome image.  As you keep going, you take less pictures, have more good and awesome images.  Today, I photographed Brian and Kallie’s soccer games.  That is incoming in another post.  But I was very happy with the images I got this time.  And I know that if I keep going, I will only get better.  I would be interested to know if anyone that reads this blog, has noticed a change in my images.  Is my work paying off.  Scroll back to the start of this blog, and then move forward, and let me know if you see a change in the quality of images that are going up.

Ok I thought I would give an example of my digital darkroom efforts.  I don’t have the software I want, so I am using a wannabe version that does maybe 1/4 of the things the full software does.  My camera is zoomed in all the way to catch this image of Brian.  (thats why it is grainy)

This picture will also be posted in my next blog, but I was amazed at the effects I was able to apply to this picture.  When I took it, I was facing the sun going down, so most of my light is washed out towards me.  The glare on the lens of the camera is causing a lot of noise in the picture that just makes it look washed out.

Ok here is the same photo after I did some work on it.  I love doing this to photo’s! But, it simply shows the limitations of my camera.  My current lens is not able to take in the light that it needs to take a faster photo.  This causes noise and blur on the details.  Also my shutter speed was only half of what it needs to be to get crisp players and details.  Despite seeing the limitations, I was impressed at how well I was able to eliminate the glare.   This enabled me to bring out the true color of the grass, and have the colors of the uniforms “pop” just a little bit better.

So there you have it, a novice’s work in digital darkroom. 

I would really love to hear your feedback on what you think.  Any advise is welcome.  Like for instance if you think I am on drugs, and that there is no sign of improvement, let me know before I drop a heavy chunk of change on a camera. 

As always, I love you all.  I will be posting some of my favorite pictures from Brian and Kallie’s soccer games last night.  This post has been in my head for about a week and a half now, so I finally decided to get it out and share.  Hope you enjoyed!!

Are you ready for some FOOTBALL !!!

I told myself when I became a dad that I would let my kid’s choose what they wanted to do.  I wasn’t going to pick their hobbies or likes and dislikes.  I decided that if they wanted to be involved in something non-athletic that would be ok too.  Natalie and I have tried to give both kids the opportunity to try all the sports and then if they want to keep playing they can.  We have tried baseball and soccer so far.  This year, Tremonton started their flag football lead.  Brian has been asking to play football for about a year now, so I decided it was finally time to give him a chance.  I wanted him to start playing flag football instead of full-contact so that he could learn the rules and how the game was played first.  I was really worried that football wouldn’t be for Brian, but after he came home from practice, I wasn’t worried any more.  He was pumped up, and told me that football was his favorite game to play.  The next few days he spent his time after school in the front yard tossing the ball around and catching it. 

Monday came and it was game day.  I always worry about Brian because of his size.  I never know if he is going to feel like he is at a disadvantage speed or agility wise.  But just like soccer, I was totally surprised.  I am so proud of my boy, he played AWESOME!!

His total stats for the game that I kept track of was one interception and three touchdowns.  It was so much fun to watch him play.  I had a blast just watching him learn.  When he caught his interception he just stood there, because he didn’t know what to do.  Everyone yelled, “Run Brian”, and he took off, he dodge everyone going for his flags and ran the ball in for a touchdown.   Boy was I one proud dad.

I had so much fun watching the rest of the game.  Aunt Angela, Uncle Dan, and Grandpa and Grandma Fuhriman showed up to watch as well.  It was just a great time.  My camera ran out of batteries at half-time, but here are some of the shots I got.

 

(Below: Here is our little man in action.  So much fun!)

(Below:  Here is Brian playing center.  His coaches actually did a good job with Brian, they would fill up the right side of the field so the defense would stack there.  This caused the safety to cheat that direction a little bit, this left Brian open all day long when he ran routes to the left, for some easy yards!)

(Below: Kallie isn’t very in to watching her brother play sports.  This was one of the few moments that she was still enough for the camera to catch her.)

(Below: Here is another action shot of Brian on the Move)

Below: Here is Brian playing some defense.  The kid in the red (that is actually doing something) was the best player on their team.  Brian did a good job of focusing on him, and causing problems for him.  It took Brian a few minutes to get used to the flag idea.  During the first quarter, this kid went up for a pass.  Rather than grabbing the flag, Brian grabbed him around the waist with both arms and took him to the ground.  He got a pass interference penalty, and his coach had to explain the no tackling thing, but I loved every minute of it.  Brian on the other hand was a bit bothered about the penalty, so this week we will work on playing pass defense so he feels more comfortable)

(Below: And last but not least, here is the score at the half.  The end score was 50-something to 14.  I can’t remember how many Brian’s team had because they cleared the scoreboard so fast.  His team clobbered the other team.  Now, I just need to remember with my new found love of photography, I will need to make sure my batteries are charged more often.)

And that was my Monday.  More soccer on Wednesday, so I am sure I will be blogging again soon. 

 

Heather, I will get you pictures of that costume soon.

Soccer: Week 2

First of all I want to thank Charisse, Kory and Buster for taking time out of their schedule to come show the kids that they loved them and watch a little bit of soccer. It was great to have them here, we love hanging out with them. The only bad part was when they had to leave. It was a fun day to watch soccer. Princess Kallie was a little bit more timid than she was last week. She didn't have the aggression like her previous game, and so her team got walked all over. One of the things the kindergarten teams learn is positioning. This soccer is different because the coach is on the field with the team. That's ok until you try and take pictures and have a coach in them.

(Below: Here is Kallie's coach pointing out where to stand if you are a middle forward.)


(Below: Here is Kallie taking a break, there are usually enough players on the team that there are plenty of breaks to be had if you need one.)

(Below: This is my very favorite picture. Unfortunately it shows the weakness of my camera. Lately I have had a strong desire to get into photography. Soooo, the savings plan has begun to buy a turbo camera. I love sports photography)

(Below: I love Kallie's hair in this one, it just shows that she is out there moving)

(Below: This one just shows me that she is catching on. I like how she is focused, and there is no sign of her being intimidated by the defender.

(Below: Here is the walk back after scoring their only goal of the game. They sure do walk like they think they are hot stuff)

Right after Kallie's soccer game we had to head to another park to watch Brian play. Charisse and Kory had to leave half way thru. Kory was an awesome fa, and was yelling so that everyone in the park could hear him. Unfortunately they missed the best part. Brian scored two goals this game. One was a massive kick from about 35 yards away. I don't even think the opposing goalie was expecting it. Here are some pictures of Brian.

(Below: Here is a picture of Brian watching the action while playing defense.)

(Below: He still stands head, shoulders, plus a little bit more, taller than everyone else.)

(Below: I will throw three action shots of Brian in here. He may not look like he is going fast since he moves like a tank, but as you can see from the defenders, its still fast enough to cause problems)

I have to substitute coach this coming Wednesday, so probably no picture taking for me.

A goal a peice is a great way to start the season!

The weather has cooled and finally it is getting cool outside. Football season is about to start. One of the things that means is that the kids get back into sports. I have really enjoyed watching Brian grow into soccer. So I was very excited about this year to start. The difference this year was that it was Kallie's first year to play. Brian played first. This year they merged the 2nd grade and 3rd grade into the same league. That makes Brian look even more huge out on the field. He experience really showed this first game. He attacked it with all he had. Unfortunately lugging around that big body of his took a toll. He was pretty out of breath. But before he ran out of gas, he was able to score a goal for the team. It looks like he will be the star of this team. It will be fun to watch him.

(Below: Here Brian is enjoying a moment standing still. I am sure as the season goes on his stamina will increase a bit =D )

After Brian's game we ran to another park for Kallie's first game. We were a little concerned with her playing this year. We didn't know if she was going to be afraid of the ball, afraid of the physical contact, or just be lazy and want to sit and pick grass.

Natalie and I were both surprised when she attacked it with Gusto! Apparently watching her brother for a few years taught her how to be aggressive. Because she went right at it. Kindergarten is mostly a mob surrounding the ball. Kallie did pretty good at kicking the ball out of the mob. The we were super excited when she got a good kick in on the ball and scored her only teams goal. Kallie had a great time. In fact every day since her game she has asked when her next soccer game is.

(Below: Sometimes it is easy to forget how tall Kallie is compared to her age group since she has a giant for a brother. But it's painfully obvious in this picture that she is gonna be tall like her brother. )

I love soccer season. Next games are Wednesday!