you think?

Sometimes Ephraim's name is the elephant in the room. When we're out and about people will inevitably ask what his name is and after I tell them there's a typically a confused silence. And a look that says, "you named him WHAT?" Followed by a myriad of responses including:

Is that a family name? (the most common response)

Where'd you get that name?

Ephraim? Ooooh. How nice...what are you gonna call him? (a kind older lady at our church)

AFRAN?! With a name like that they gon' think he's black! (from a surprised black gentleman at the hair place)

But today at Home Depot I heard what could possibly be my favorite response so far:

"Ohhhhh...Ephraim...he looks like an Ephraim." =)

Love that. Apparently, my friends, this is what an Ephraim looks like.



We just pray he'll grow into his name. And that he won't hate us too badly if he doesn't. =)

gifted.

From the time we were knee high my sister has been an amazing artist. I would beg her to give me "drawing lessons" and she would occasionally oblige. They would inevitably end with me in tears over not being able to make things look as beautiful as she could. My people looked disproportioned and "drawn" while hers looked, well, real. She just has an eye and an art and I didn't realize that it couldn't be taught. I wanted an art, a talent, so badly and I struggled for years wondering what in the world made me special. What was my thing? We all get one, right? What was mine?

By the way, I could go on and on about all of the things I dramatically obsessed about as a child but I'll spare you for now. My family is now doing a collective eye-roll, an emphatic nod, and a sigh of relief. =)

When the holidays rolled around I always wondered why Meghan didn't just draw everyone something, stick it in a frame and call it a day. She could get off so easy! Sometimes she would do it but usually only if we specifically asked. One of my most prized possessions is a sketch of Sarah that she did for that Pi'bears first birthday. It's her to a T. My sister is seriously gifted.

But yesterday I finally realized, so am I.

I think gifted has traditionally been understood as a talent given to you. But then yesterday I came to understand that true giftedness is a talent you give to others. To truly have a gift means you have a thing, your thing, to share.

And ladies and gentleman I've finally found my thing. Something to delight the people I love. Something I can share and spread and freely give. And for me it's all captured in this...



A portrait of my Granny and her three children. My gift.

of note.

Three fun things to share with you guys today. (none of which are pics, sorry!)

1. I was driving down the road yesterday and saw a billboard for BuyLocalAlabama.org. Wow. It's AWESOME! Tons of great info about U-picks, and farmers markets and local farms. I'm super excited to explore some of the local places. If you're in the state you should check it out too! Everything is listed by county so it's super easy to navigate.

2. Has anyone noticed that I added a search feature to the blog last week? It's pretty indescript and not super powerful but it'll get the job done if you're looking for something! I gave it a whirl by searching "grama" and took a little walk down memory lane reading posts about my mama.

3. My dear friend Liz and family tree artist extraordinaire has her Etsy shop up and running. It looks FAB. Go check it out if you're in the market for a custom gift or piece for your own home. You can refresh your memory with Ephraim's tree in this post.

class clown.

Apparently we have a funny guy on our hands.

Ephraim's highchair has become a mini-stage where he performs for a captive audience of one everyday around noon. Sarah is endlessly entertained by his antics which apparently only fuels his creative fire. His typical routine includes a variety of chair humor. Trying to launch himself sideways into Pi'bears lap and rocking back and forth until he's got a nice beat going are crowd favorites.

Today he added raspberries to his repertoire. (make that applesauce raspberries.)



And judging by the giggling, choking, and snorting response from his biggest fan I have a feeling we'll be seeing that again.

Oh joy.

ten on tuesday: half and half edition

Half pictures-half random stuff. Here we go.

1. If you don't already follow Life in Motion you should. She's another fun, friendly, fabulous photographer mom with young'uns. And she likes to share. (and who doesn't love a girl who likes to share?!) Just the other day she shared a neat action for creating rounded corners on your photos. Check it out here. Thanks Lyndsay!

2. ahhhh...my baby love...



3. A super-kind and concerned reader brought to my attention that Sarah's bike helmet is improperly fitted in this post. I guess I knew it was a tad too big but didn't realize just how badly it fit her. She linked me up with an awesome site that helps you determine how to properly fit your child's (and your own) helmet. Check it out here. Thank you Sharon!

4. More of my sweet baby love...



5. While we're on the subject of safety and such let's hit another topic. Fire safety. Remember sweet Jeanelle who hosts the actions for us? Her home caught on fire several months ago. You can read about it here. Thankfully her daughter was not in the house but she and her husband were asleep when it happened. I promised here a while ago that I would post a reminder for all of you and it totally slipped my mind until just now. Check your house and make sure you have a smoke detector in every room. It's not enough to have one in the hallway. EVERY.ROOM. As soon as I read her story we rushed out and purchased three new ones so that all of our rooms are now covered.

6. And here he is again...oh how I love that soft baby skin!



7. I want to paint my living room yellow. Reading this will be the first time Brent hears that idea. Hey babe, I want to paint the living room yellow. =) When you start communicating with your spouse via blog I think it may be time to revisit yesterday's mama monday!

8. Oh my...the toes, the toes!



9. Sarah will be leaving on Saturday to spend an unprecedented FIVE NIGHTS away from home. I'm sort of freaking out. Okay, I'm majorly freaking out. She's heading to her Nana and Grandaddy's house and I know she'll have a ball but, FIVE NIGHTS(?!), what was I thinking?

10. I couldn't decide between b/w or color...so I guess this is technically 10 1/2 on Tuesday.

Have a great week friends!

Mama Monday XI: taking care of "us"

Mama Monday Disclaimer: I am nowhere near an expert mom. I am on a mama journey just like all of you are. However, I'm more than willing to share my experience with you guys. If today's topic is something that you have an experience with then I hope you'll share too...either on your own blog (be sure to leave us a link) or in the comments section.

Okay, I'm hoping we can have some good discussion/idea sharing today about ways to maintain your couple-hood while raising little (or big!) kiddos. Afterall, this is the person I'm stuck with long after these little munchkins are off on their own, right? Better make sure it's good. =)

1. Truthfully with our business getting off the ground Brent and I don't see each other a ton during the evenings. I'm usually at a shoot or pecking away at this computer while Brent is on the couch working on the financial side of this venture. The cool thing about that though is that this is something we're working on together. It's definitely "our business" rather than "my business" .

2. We pretty much make sure to head to bed at the same time. It used to be 10ish but it's getting closer to 11ish these days. And even on the latest of nights we still manage to find a few minutes to talk as we fall asleep. After we race each other to check on the kiddos, of course.

3. Date night. This is something that we fall into and out of but we always come back to it. For us getting a babysitter once a week or so just isn't in the budget. Even once a month is kind of pushing it. Instead we'll give the kiddos dinner at our regular time (5:30ish) and then give them baths and put them to bed (7ish). Then we head to the kitchen and make ourselves something super spectacular usually complete with appetizers, drinks and dessert. It's so fun to do the cooking together, to try something new and adventerous, and to...EAT...in PEACE and QUIET! We'll usually turn on some music and, get this, TALK! WHOA! =)

4. I think we both try to be really respectful of each other's need for alone time and personal activities/friendships but by and large we spend most of our free time together. On the weekends Brent will occasionally go mountain biking with buddies or I'll do a little shopping but more often than not we're doing family stuff. In all honesty he's the one I want to spend time with the most. And the more I spend time with him the more that's true.

5. Couple friends. This is a hard one I think because it can be really hit or miss when looking for other couples to hang out with that you both enjoy. But it's been huge for us in our marriage. Shortly after we were married we found Steve and Samantha who were SO similar to us in their thoughts, ideals, and feelings about life and couplehood. Not surprisingly our lives have mirrored one another's almost identically from the time of our first assignment to Dayton, then Colorado Springs, and both of our (girl-boy) children. Having them in our lives as an example of another strong, young marriage has been so good for us. The same is true for our relationship with Rich and Amy. And Mandy and Christian. And Christi and Joel. And Ron and J.J. And Amy and Steven. And the list goes on and on. Watching and learning from these other couples has been a very good thing.

Okay, I could go on (and maybe I'll come back and add) but I'm off to tend to kidlets. I really, really hope you guys will chime in and share/buddy post on this one. I'd love to hear and learn from you!

Buddy Posters...

Megan (our sweet babysitter...who we wish we could afford more often!)
Marilee at Mishpacha (aka, Erin Cobb Photography VIPs =)
Heather at The SarahBear

questions that bred, answered (finally!)

1. Have another question for you...what are some of your tricks for keeping toddlers happy and cooperative AND natural for photo shoots? (and i am talking not your own, but clients)

This may sound cheesy and canned but kids are just my thing. I have a degree in early childhood ed. and I taught kindergarten for four years so I "get" them and hanging out with them just comes naturally to me. I always start the session by talking to the kids first and I never start shooting until I'm sure they're comfortable with me and like me. I have to make sure I win them over first. I'll usually show them how my camera works and then tell them that I brought something for them and then show whatever prop or treat I brought. I always carry marshmallows which are a hit with most toddlers and have the added bonus of not showing up in pictures and not having a colorful messy residue.

2. I was also wondering if you shoot raw or not?

I only shoot in RAW about 1-2% of the time. If I'm at a location with a really fast toddler and the light is constantly changing then I might shoot in RAW just to make sure I have more wiggle room after the fact. I find that it adds tons of noise in post processing though and I just don't like that. I'd much rather shoot in JPEG and nail the exposure. I know tons and tons and tons of pros shoot in RAW and love it. I'm just not one of them.

3. I was just wondering where you got your huge b&w collage canvas printed and how you made the collage. Did you do it in PS? Use some sort of program? It is so gorgeous and I would love to make one!

I ordered the canvas from a pro canvas vendor...if you're a pro and you're interested, email me and I'll fill you in. I think there's a company called Canvas On Demand(.com) that will print for anyone but I'm not sure about what sizes they offer. I created the collage in PS. I created a 9 in x 9 in new document at 3oo dpi and then cropped the individual images to 3x3 at 300 dpi and dragged them into place. Then I ordered it as a 36 inch square and my lab upsized it for me.

4. You're the best! Can you share more about the "divine appointments" lesson your pastor covered? I'd love to know what verses were referenced in that sermon.

Our pastor is spending the year preaching out of the book of Acts and I am so into it. I'm usually not one for series but I really, really like how he's making us think critically about what it means to "be" the church. The particular passage he was preaching on that day was Acts 8:26-40. It's the story of Philip coming upon an Ethiopian eunuch as he (the Ethipoian) was reading a passage from Isaiah that he didn't understand. It was a prophesy about Jesus and Philip was given the opportunity to share the gospel with the man who then "went on his way rejoicing". The sermon centered around the idea that God sets up divine appointments for us such as this one. They're all around us, everyday, these calls to discipleship.

5. I have an idea for a future post :-) A photo tour of Erin's house! I LOVE what you've shown so far, but I just want more :-) Oh my house has a looooong way to go. Everytime I walk in someone else's home I have this sudden urge to redo my own. I'll share more of it one day, promise. ;)

6. What aperture are you shooting at to achieve the whole face tack sharp and background blurry. With 85/1.8 at 1.8 and 2.0 I get sharp eyes, but the chin is already soft. If I go higher, my SS is too slow (I live in often gloomy Oregon), urggggh! What AP are you shooting at for more than one subject?

I tend to stay around 2.8 and wider for single subjects. When I take snapshots around my house I'm often around 1.8 just because I'm not quite as worried about tack-sharp focus for enlargements (I mean, really, am I ever going to print a 20x30 of Sarah eating her snack? Probably not.) You're right though that if you're doing a headshot at 1.8 you're only going to get an eye or two in focus...definitely not the whole face. Some people really dig that look...some people don't. Also, keep in mind that there's a relationship between your distance to the subject and your depth of field. Your dof at 1.8 is going to vary depending on how close you are to the subject. There's a great tutorial on that subject here.

7. how do you avoid shadows of yourself or simply blocking the nice light? it always seems that when i find great light (with Avery in front of a window), to get the picture, I have to get in between her and the window, and then i cast a nasty shadow!

This can be tricky, especially if you're shooting using east-facing and west-facing windows. North and south light is always best because it's never direct. Your best bet is to try a different window, open a door and use that instead, or just move around a bit to get her from a different angle.

8. you mention photography classes like wendy's. i'd LOVE to take one like this. any tips on finding one in milwaukee?? i tried Google...didn't find much. Thanks!

Good news for you...Wendy's class is ONLINE! You don't have to be local to take it. Check her out here. I should clarify that I've never taken Wendy's actual class. She was my mentor a few years back before she started her workshops. I have heard nothing but RAVE reviews though from the people who have been through her process. And the change in their work has been dramatic. I've never taken any local classes so I can't help you there. Sorry. :(

9. I've been thinking about your mama monday sleep post - I have two littles about the same ages as you. How did you get them to take naps at the same time? The oldest is no problem, it's getting the 4 month old on a schedule that I'm having a hard time with.

I'm kind of a bad mom when it comes to this. I'm not above manipulating their schedules to fit my need for a break. When Ephraim was still taking three naps he would be ready for a nap around 11 and I would just make that Sarah's naptime too (earlier than she would prefer...but she still slept). Now that he's only taking two naps it actually works out beautifully because he's usually ready around 1 which is when I put her down. I found that it works best to work around the younger child's schedule because they're not quite as flexible and then let the older child adjust. Hope that works for you. Having at least *some* time to myself everyday is key for me.

10. I have the same 50mm 1.4 lens as you - and I'm not loving it at all right now. Any sharpness tips related to this lens? For example, what distance are you from your little cutie pie Ephraim when you take the head shots of him?

First tip - don't shoot at 1.4. Not sure if you're doing that or not but it's H.A.R.D. and will definitely be softer at that ap. All lenses have a "sweet spot" and I think that for the 1.4 it's right around 2.2 - 2.8. Keep it there and you'll get much sharper shots.

11. Just one more...do you use studio lighting? If you do what do you use, how many, etc? Thanks so much!

Nope. I don't own any, have never used it, and wouldn't know what to do if I had to. I do have an external flash (on semi-permanent loan from my generous Aunt Lu) and I'll use that if I ever need a boost with light. The dog shot in this post was the first time I ever used it on a client shoot and I was thrilled with the result so I may be breaking that bad boy out more often.

12. can i add a question? how exactly do you proof with your clients? are your proofs on your website? do they order from there or from you? you mentioned a while back about taking your laptop with you? how do you do it? make them give you their order then?

I proof in person with my clients. They come to my home after my chilluns are in bed and view their images first in a music slideshow on my laptop and then in a proof book. I think it's really important for them to see what the actual prints will look like because the color on my laptop just isn't right. I offer an incentive for ordering that night and then they can choose to pay for an online gallery or receive it complimentary for two weeks with a certain total order that night.

13. How many keepers do you get out of all the pictures you take? It seems like I have to take hundreds to get a few good ones of my wriggly worms. So, just curious, how many times you need to fire to get, let's say 20 keepers? I hope at least 21... Sigh

When I'm taking snapshots of my kiddos I've really slimmed down how many I take. I usually take 5-10 of a particular setting...just enough to tell the story. My computer is getting seriously full! For clients I'm bit more shutter happy. I probably shoot around 200-300 and proof 20-30. So I'm only keeping about 10%.

Okay, I think that covers it!

"that was fun!"

We all said it at least three times on the drive back from our biking trip this morning. I would call it a "bike ride" but Pi'bears kept insisting that we were on a "t-w-iiiip" so trip it is. (I think riding in Daddy's truck = trip).

Brent loaded up the bikes, the trailer, and the new kangaroo bike seat and we headed off to one of Huntsville's greenways for a ride. It was awesome. We haven't done anything like that since before I was pregnant. We were a little hesitant about Ephraim because we weren't sure how he would do in the trailer. Relatively recent history has taught us that 7 month olds aren't always happy creatures in such contraptions (Amy: remember this?). Turns out Ephraim is just as chill as we suspected though and he thought nothing of it. He even fell asleep for the last 10 minutes of the ride. I mean, twip.

Check out Pi'bears, all suited up. I love how she looks like a little bubblehead with her helmet on.



Sarah road with me in her kangaroo seat and Ephraim was pulled by Daddy. After the girls beat the boys handily in a little racing action we stopped for some snacks, water, and exploring.



The bike trailer is a surprisingly steady perch for the 5d...



That's some hat B-ro's sporting, huh?



You guys know how much I love to put babies on roads...



Crazy hat and bubblehead...gotta love 'em!

okay, I'm procrastinating just a tad...I'll get to the questions that bred tomorrow! =)

not that anybody reads this thing a Friday but...

I thought I'd share a few pics anyway. (I'm friendly with my sitemeter...I know what's up)

My boy hanging out in his room...

while big sister flits in and out mindlessly...

Keep one eye on that door, B-Ro. You never know when she'll be back. Or who she'll be running over.



And just to prove how little you love me on Fridays...





Well, okay, you love me even less on Saturdays and Sundays. But, WHOA NELLY, do you love me on Mondays and Thursdays. Those must be some seriously boring work days. ;)

For you faithful Saturday blog lovers I'll finally be getting around to the questions that bred tomorrow.

Have a great weekend!

eldest muse turns the tables

As I mentioned yesterday the tides are turning in regards to that Pi'bears and her relationship with the camera. Hoping to capitalize on that a bit I swallowed my hesitation and handed over my first dslr love: the rebel. I hate to admit it but it was much like the first time she held Ephraim - make sure you're sitting; no, hold it (him) this way; put your hands right here; oh Lord, don't let her drop it (him)!

Hey, at least I'm honest.

It's been quite a while since I've posted a black and white series so here we go...



(for those of you non-photographer types...what she's doing in that last shot is referred to by photo nerds as "chimping". Basically it means looking to see if you got the shot, checking exposure, etc. There's your ultra-cool photo slang for the day. You can thank me later.)






(did you catch the closed eye in that last one? Nice.)



I think she may be onto something with this whole photography bit. Get that girl a logo and website because when you make your clients look this fab...



they're bound to tell their friends.

a new favorite.

It's not often that I get a *true* Pi'bear shot these days. Those of you who are picture-snapping mamas know what I'm talking about. The camera comes out and she either hides, runs, grumps up, or flashes a cheesy, scrunchy, eye-squinting "smile" before exclaiming "I WANNA SEE!"

But like I said yesterday, I can feel the wind a-changing. She's coming back around. I'm not sure if it's the jealousy factor from my camera constantly being on Ephraim (my most willing subject) or the fascination with seeing herself in the little black box or the fact that sometimes, just sometimes, I let her push the button and take her own pictures.

Whatever it is, I like it.

Yesterday I snapped a few (with her permission even!) and I absolutely adore this one. It's been a while since I got a shot that I felt was so her. Oh and this one is. The hands stuffed under the pillow. The body pressed against the bed ready to bury her head and "hide" any second. The toothy, signature Pi'bears giggle. I love it.





That's my girl.

ten on tuesday

1. Totally didn't even think about yesterday being Monday (mama monday) until I was making the bed this morning. We'll be back in action next week.

2. We had our second Music Together class this morning. We're doing a short six week class and I'm super-excited about it.

3. Caroline turned Sarah on to Super Why which I'm pretty sure is the coolest show out there for little ones. I mean who doesn't want The Power to READ?! It's much better than the Power of Grayskull if you ask me.

4. Every once in a while Sarah has been shouting out, "Ephraim is a big THUMB SUCK!" This has been going on for several weeks and I just haven't been able to wrap my brain around what she's talking about. And to be honest it's been a little disturbing. What is she really trying to say??? Today at lunch the mystery was solved when I asked her why she kept saying that and she replied with, "On Super Why Alphabet Pig says, 'Give yourself a BIG THUMB SUCK!'" She definitely did not believe me when I assured her that AP was saying "give yourself a big thumbs up." But at least my mind is now at ease. =)

5. I haven't forgotten about the questions that bred from weeks ago. I plan to get right on that this week.

6. When Amy was here and she was helping me make dinner (read: Amy was making dinner) she replaced one of my used-up spice jars with a fresh jar we'd just purchased. And then she asked, "do you save your lids?" I was totally confused. What would I need the lids for? Am I missing something very cool that everyone is doing with their old spice lids? She must have read the utter confusion on my face because she said, "Samantha just puts the old lids on the new spices so she doesn't have to relabel them." DUH!? Oh my goodness can I just tell you how many hours I've spent relabeling spice lids that I've tossed? Okay, maybe not hours...but definitely lots and lots of minutes. Minutes when I could have been cooking or eating or playing with kids or...blogging! My world will never be the same.

7. While at the commissary today I used another one of Amy's amazing streamlining techniques (the girl could write a book on being efficient, I tell ya). Instead of fumbling around to find/pull a new produce bag everytime she stops for another fresh item she just grabs 10 or 12 off the first roll she sees as she walks in the store. Um, yeah, why didn't I think of that?

8. I've got my eye on these though so maybe I won't be using #7 for that much longer. I'd like to find a less expensive option though because I'd need a lot of bags for the amount of produce we purchase.

9. If you're sitting down and feel you have adequately prepared yourself for a massive dose of baby Cobb cuteness then click here next.

10. I have an antique metal glider, table, and chair that I'm really pumped to do something with but it needs some help. It's just like this one minus the pretty paint job. Does anyone know how to do something like that?

Have a great week!

the icing on the father's day cake

Well, for me at least.

Pictures of my three favorite peeps, hanging out and loving on each other.

I feel like Pi'bears has a little red riding hood thing going on in these shots. You think? Once she gets over her hatred of my camera (it's coming, I can feel it) we're definitely doing this whole outfit again. And maybe a sweater? Oh yeah, definitely a sweater. =) In the fall.

Yep, we were at a cemetery. I love it there.

Buddy Ro-boat (you didn't get the memo? it's one of his new nicknames...) loves it anywhere. He just loves life, that kid.

And I just love our life.

Father's Day Weekend

We couldn't wait to give Brent his Father's Day gifts because we knew he'd want to play with them all weekend. Well that and the fact that Pi'bears exclaimed, "I MADE YOU A SURPRISE!!!" as soon as he walked in the door. Secret-keeping isn't one of our stronger traits.

So we started by presenting him with this...



As you can see, Sarah really puts the "finger" in finger painting. There definitely wasn't any whole-hand action in this remarkable work of art. Fine by me. It made for a much easier clean up job!

Then we had two boxes for him. The first contained matching boy/girl bike helmets for the wee ones. The second box contained this. He loved it. And was totally surprised. Even though I all but promised to get it for him just one month ago. His short term memory really needs some work. Fine by me. It makes for a much easier present-giving job.

Brent and Ephraim spent the morning getting it all put together while Sarah and I wheeled around town searching for yard sales (she scored a pack n play for her baby, I scored...nothing). When we arrived home it was time for their first ride which Sarah was none too excited about. I bribed her with a few M and M's though and she hopped right on. Ten minutes later she was all smiles and squeals. No surprises there.

So that's how this...





turned into this...





And that's how we celebrated Father's Day...with Brent doing what he does best...being a daddy.

here's looking at you: Readers Who Rock

Smile and say "CHEESE"! Cause this post is about YOU!




If you missed the first RWR check it here.

So here you go. Here's who is on my mind today...

1. Jeanelle. Can you get any more awesome with hosting the actions and always being willing to help anyone else out who needs a little something? For real.

2. Angela at the Painted House. Her story is amazing. Her art is inspiring. And her heart is big. She has a fun contest going on right now that you should totally check out. Especially if you like a) being nice and b) being healthy. Which I know you do. Don't we all?

3. Jenn M. (why, oh why, can't I find a link to your blog...HELP!) Jenn is a reader who drove from Atlanta to hang out yesterday and, get this...bought my kids a POOL. And a sprinkler. And some sidewalk chalk, bubbles, paper, markers, and a toy cellphone. Whoa. The once deprived kiddos will soon be wreaking some serious water havoc on the backyard. Thanks girl.

4. Wendy at Chaotic Kiddos. So this is possibly the lastest, lamest thank you EVER but Wendy sent me a little happy months ago from my favorite store in Colorado Springs and I can't find her email addy! It's an awesome little picture hanging thingy that is just perfect for my ever rotating collection of favorite photos. THANK YOU!

So there you go. They rock. (adding a link to the sidebar for this, btw. And while you're over there check out all the other goodies, links, and info...I try to keep that bad boy hoppin')

(for those that may ask. Yes, that is a vintage Fisher Price plastic camera complete with flash cube. =) Yes, it was mine as a child. Yes, we still play with lots of my old toys. Yes, she wants to be me when she grows up and yes, she's reviewing her shot to make sure it's a good one. That child doesn't miss a beat, let me tell you.)

oh child.

You are a mess.



Leftover mango on your cheek. Drool down your chin. A little bloodshot thing goin' on. Greasy sunscreen in your hair.

Let me tell you - there's only a very small window of time when a person can make this look cute. And, little dude, you're pulling it off for sure.

would you like to macrosize that Pi'bears?

As I alluded to in this post I purchased a macro lens last week. Along with the hefty pricetag (by my cheap-o standards) it also came with a rather steep learning curve. I'm working on it though and I really, really like it's capabilities. My favorite thing so far is how versatile it is...of course it rocks the close-ups but it's also a pretty sweet portrait lens. For the record, I used it on all of these.

And these...











And after this "get-out-of-my-face-or-I'm-going-to-start-macro-sizing-my-screaming" look I promptly capped that baby and went on with my day. =)