Fall Back into Color (Multi)

For the final installment of my F.B.I.C. series, I present to you....
the multi-colored photos!

For this post, I encourage you to sit back, relax, and just take it all in.....kind of like what I was doing when I took the photos...except, you'll be in a much more comfortable position, and probably won't get a stiff neck.

Although the next photo is in a softer focus, I love the way it works with the pastel colors in the background. Sometimes, the "oopsie" photos become some of my favorites.

And here are a few photos with the red and green combination...just incase you're the type of person who likes to get in the Christmas spirit before Thanksgiving comes. Personally, I am not that type of person (no offense to you if you are that type of person)---
but the color combo still caught my eye.

Well, there it is....my first series. What do you all think of it?

I'm leaving tomorrow for a long weekend in "Sin City." I'm hoping that I can get some great photos while I'm there, and if all goes well, I should be coming home with enough money to go buy some more gear, and hopefully have some left over to put into savings. One thing is for sure though...I'm going to make sure my sister has an awesome 30th birthday!

Special Announcement!

I interrupt the previously scheduled series finale post to bring you a special announcement! I baked. Yup, that's right, I baked...cupcakes. Hmmm, what's the special occasion you ask? Well it's my dear friend Erin's birthday! Oh, did I mention she is having a birthday giveaway for YOU on her blog? There, I just did---so make sure you go
check it out AFTER you're done reading my post. ;)

For those of you who know me well, you know that when I think of a kitchen, I don't think of it as a place where food is prepared, but more of a place where food is stored and eaten. I'm certainly not as good at preparing delicious meals as the birthday girl is, but every once in a while I get the itch to really make good use of my kitchen. I really do love my small kitchen (I think the granite counter tops really make me feel like a gourmet chef or something crazy like that) and I believe my culinary skills have greatly improved over the past year.
These cupcakes certainly prove that theory.

Although these cupcakes weren't made from scratch they could have easily been passed off as if they were. What can I say, I'm a huge fan of convenience...just ask my George Foreman grill. The birthday girl is a huge fan of pumpkin (who isn't?!?), and I knew that she would love these Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese cupcakes
(thanks Jamie for recommending that I make this recipe!)

I tried to revise the recipe to my preferences, because I'm still trying to be good about the "bad" food I eat. Therefore, I made some substitutions of ingredients. For example, I used applesauce instead of vegetable oil for the cake mix, I used low-fat cream cheese instead of the full-monte kind of cream cheese, I also cut the sugar in half (trust me, it's plenty sweet enough!), and I went real light with the frosting (thanks Betty Crocker Whipped Cream Cheese frosting from a can). And yes, I am the guilty party who took a couple of bites out of this sweet treat before I had breakfast! Yikes, don't tell my mom!

So, cheers to you Erin! I hope you enjoy being 26 as much as I have so far.

Up next, the series finale of Fall Back into Color....for real this time.

Fall Back into Color (Purple)

This is the post that almost didn't happen, and I'll tell you why.

I had already taken the shots I wanted of the some of the other fall colors (i.e. brown/yellow, orange and red), and I was on the hunt for a dark purple tree to give me a good balance of bright colors and dark colors. I knew there was a purple tree near in the complex, but as I was walking around and saw it from a distance, it was totally in the shade and I was all bummed out because I thought it wouldn't make for very good lighting. Then, I snapped back into the creative side of my brain, and told myself that I needed to get closer because things always look different from a different perspective right?

Upon further investigation, I found that although most of the tree was in fact in the shade, there was a streaming beam of sunlight that was poking through the upper canopy of the tree, and creating a magnificent back-light, and therefore making these leaves absolutely glow! I was so excited, I felt like I had just won money (which is in no way what I have on my brain right now as I think about my upcoming trip to Vegas....yes, I know I have high expectations!)

I admit, I did a teeny-tiny bit of tweeking in Photoshop for the next two photos.
They were a little bit on the dark side, which I still really liked,
but just the slightest adjustment made a big difference.

If anyone knows what kind of tree this is, please let me know. I absolutely love the heart shaped leaves on it--especially with the red and purple coloring. I could totally see myself owning a tree like this someday......someday.......when I become a homeowner.

So there it is ladies and gentlemen...the second to last post in F.B.I.C. series.
Coming up....the series finale!! Oh the anticipation!!

Fall Back into Color (Red)

And now, ladies and gentlemen, for my next trick---uh, I mean, for my third featured color of the Fall Back into Color series--- and by popular demand....is RED!

Red is one of my absolute favorite colors! You can say, I pretty much *heart* red.

And now, a moment for me to tell you a sad, but true (and yet amusing) story...
For a short time in my life, I didn't wear any red clothing due to a traumatic experience in elementary school, involving a boy that I really liked, and my favorite red sweatshirt. Needless to say, he apparently didn't like me back very much, and when he yelled out "Hey Kool-aid" (in reference to the Kool-aid man)...I was humiliated! I never wore that sweatshirt to school again. After that day, grey and navy blue became my favorite colors to wear to school. Well...those days are long gone, and not only is red one of my most worn colors, but I now wear it with pride. And no, I don't answer to the name of "Kool-aid."

How does my "Kool-aid" story relate to my F.B.I.C. photos you ask? It really doesn't, but I guess I thought of it because of fall being the start of a new school year, and when I thought of school and the color of red, I thought of that instance. Although I really should have told you about how my college colors were red and black (Go Mansfield University!) and how it made for one good looking cheerleading uniform (well, minus the pleated skirt).

Anyway, when I see the color red now, three words that come to my mind are: love, passion, and life. These are definitely words that describe me and my photography. I love to be able to capture moments that go by so quickly in a split second, and hold on to those memories forever...in fact, I'm very passionate about trying to catch every moment...no matter how big or small, serious or silly it may be---they are all, in some shape or form, important moments in life.

If you'd like to see part 1 of this series, please go here.
Then, go here to see part two.
This post was part three (just incase you're keeping track).
Stay tuned for part four!

Fall Back into Color (Orange)

Leaves are autumn's version of snowflakes---they both fall, and there are no two that are exactly the same.

The veins of the leaves remind me of a fingerprint. As I sit here in the dark, with nothing but the light from my laptop shining on my hands, I admit that my hands have a really odd resemblance to the photo below with all of the little lines on my knuckles and on my palms. Then I remind myself that yes, winter really is right around the corner, and that I really should put some more lotion on to help keep my skin looking baby soft---something that I have a hard time keeping up with every single winter.

Ok, enough talk about winter already....I'm here to celebrate fall! Who's with me?! To help take the cool chill out of the air, let me help warm you up by presenting my fire-orange leaves in this second part of my series. So congrats to you if you predicted that the second featured color of the series is orange! If you missed the first part of the series, check it out here.

I absolutely LOVE the way the golden color of these leaves pop against the blue sky.

Please note that none of the photos from the Fall Back into Color series have been retouched in any way. I try to stay true to my blog title, and show you what really I see, "through Kristen's viewfinder."

The next photo reminds me of a large wave--I'm thinking Hawaii style of waves. Ahhh yes, the warm water splashing on a sun-soaked beach---that thought alone helps to make me feel all warm and cozy. I'm pretty sure waves rank right up there with the fingerprints, the snowflakes, and the leaves when it comes to each one having it's own identity. It doesn't matter how different they all are from one another, they still have one thing in common...

they're all beautiful small pieces of nature.

I'm sure we've all been guilty of being in too much of a rush in our everyday lives to stop and enjoy the simple changes that go on around us. So the next time you smell the aroma of wet leaves, or hear the crunching of leaves under your feet when you walk...look up or look down, and just take a minute or two to enjoy the beauty of fall, because winter is peering around the corner, just waiting to make an entrance.

Be sure to check back soon to see what part 3 of the series will include. Any thoughts about what the next featured color will be? Brown has already been done, and now you know it won't be orange.

Fall Back into Color (Brown)

After having such a busy few months, I was finally able to find some time this past weekend (an extra hour to be exact, thanks to the end of Daylight Saving Time) and I was inspired by all of the beautiful fall colors around Nashville to catch up on some much needed shooting.

So, without further ado, here's part one of my first series posting....featuring the colors of yellow and brown--perfect for autumn don't you think?
Thankfully, I didn't have to go far to find these beauties--they're literally in my backyard (technically, around the parking lot of my apartment complex, but whatever, you get the point).


I probably should have taken them a few weeks ago seeing as how most of the trees are no longer dressed in their colorful wardrobes. All things considered, I felt like I had found some real gems once the photoshoot was done. I'm going to consider these photos more in the citrine family, which just so happens to be the November birthstone of one of my favorite people in the whole wide world---Miss Susan who will soon be celebrating a very special birthday (and yes, you can fully expect photos of that very special occassion after it happens).


Can you guess what color will be featured in part 2 of the Fall Back into Color series? Stay tuned to find out if you are correct!

A Winning Photo!

I'm finally back! I know it's been almost two long months now since my last post...shame on me. But geesh, what a busy few months it's been! First, I was sick most of September (no, not with the H1N1 virus, but instead a nasty kidney infection). Then suddenly, it was October, which I'm pretty sure ranks as one of the busiest months for me so far this year.

I entered my first (but certainly not my last) photography contest at one of the local Oktoberfest celebrations, and WON 3rd place in the Sports & Action category! The winning photo is one of my very first photos taken with my Rebel almost a year ago. Personally, it's one of my favorite photos....and not just because my cute boyfriend is the model.

As you can tell from the photo, I'm very proud of my accomplishment.

In addition to the following photo, I also entered photos from the Code Blue post, Ulrika, My Love post, Sisterly Love in Beantown (the photoshopped portrait), and My First Post, into other various categories at the festival.

Stay tuned because I have lots of great photos coming this week---and it's my very first series posting! I'm so excited and I just can't hide it!