Pets are family too!

Our pets make for good subjects (when they behave, which is rarely!).

Meet the dogs (the cats will have to wait for their debut)! Hopefully as I work on my photography, the pets will make more appearances!

Meet the dane, Nanna. She's the sweetest pups and wants to cuddle all the time! She loves to cuddle with my son, but with her being so big I have to be careful she doesn't step on him. She is also very protective of me, which I like.

Meet the basset, Penny. She is r-o-t-t-e-n. She is a cuddler, but she also likes to wait until you're not looking to get into things. She is a happy pups who loves her humans, but don't leave her unattended or you'll have a mess to pick up!

Meet the beagle, Ira. This is my husband's dog. He is the most protective over HIS things. His things are his, and so are yours! He's a happy pups and still gets into a little bit of trouble here and there. He's a BARKER!

I must get some more pictures of the cats to post.

It's amazing to me how personalities in pets can differ so much. My goal in the future is to show our pets' personalities through photos.

The Happiness Family

Let me introduce my family. My husband (the big one) and my baby boy (the small one).

My husband is a full time student and a full time daddy. If it wasn't for him being so supportive of my interest in photography, I probably would have never started. Being that he bought me a DSLR as a birthday gift two years ago, he has been the one pushing me to get out there and take photos.

As an artist, my husband is able to encourage me in ways others can't. He knows how it feels to have a piece of work he's not proud of. He knows how it feels to leave your comfort zone to experiment. He knows how you can be your own worst enemy when it comes to critiquing work. He also knows how it feels to create a piece that only you think is great. He knows how it feels to fall in love with something you've made. He understands everything I'm going through as a new photographer.

In many ways, my husband is my hero. I also know in many ways, I am his.

Meet my baby boy.

Born November 16, 2010 at 9 lbs 10 oz, 20 inches long at 5:10pm. What a beautiful addition to our family. I expected to have a little monster on our hands, but he is one of the most even tempered babies you'll ever meet. As of now he is 4 and a half months and getting bigger and bigger every day! He is now getting so curious and excited and starting to look like his daddy more and more.

I've already experimented with protraiture with my baby and there will be many more portaits in the future. I have a great subject, even if he is a little wiggle-butt. He opens my world of photography up to a whole new different level. I foresee a wide variety of photographs with my little man: protraits, stories, action shots.

Family is important to me and I couldn't do what I do without them and their support. Of course, my family doesn't only consist of us three. I'm also talking about my brothers, my parents, my sisters-in-law. My grandparents and my aunts and uncles and my cousins.

Here's a little taste of how much fun I have with my family...

You're the greatest, family! I love all you guys!

And so it begins...

Let me introduce myself. I'm a brand new mother with a brand new beautiful baby boy. I couldn't ask for a better son and a more wonderful husband.

Maybe you're wondering where Gimpo came from? Well if you've known me for awhile then you'd know. However, for those of you who don't know, it's a nickname my dad called me when I was little so I've used it on more than one occasion for titles of projects (or license plates).

My obsession with photography as of late couldn't have come at a better time. I have a perfect subject, sure he wiggles a lot but you can't find anything or anyone cuter. I'm very much so an amateur photographer with aspirations to create photographs that if I were the one looking at it as a 3rd party it would give me chills.

As a beginner I'm using a Canon XSi. I have a choice of 3 different lenses: 18-55mm lens, the 50mm F1.8, and a 70-300mm. Along with these lenses that I own, I am currently borrowing the 18-250mm lens from a friend.

I've realized that I over edit at times and I under edit at others. To be quite honest, I don't know what makes those photographs that give me chills, but I strive to produce them. I strive to the best photographer I know how to be.

My main drawback? I can't focus (no pun intended) on any one type of photography i.e. protraiture, HDR, landscapes, etc. I want to do them all!!!! What's wrong with that you say? Well, where do I start? What type of pictures will teach me the most for the type of experience that I have? Who do I go to that knows about photography to get constructive criticism.

Well I hope that this blog acts as a story to show my improvement, if any. I hope to use it as a way to challenge myself. I would like to use it as a way to get feedback.

Here's to a new beginning, a new addition to the family and a new hobby. Join me on my journey.