My Texas Family

[Old Timer]

As most of you know I spent the last week in Texas getting to know my new grandson Joshua. He is now three weeks old and growing like a weed. Had a great time with my son Sam and his wife Kate while in West Texas, the weather was great and food was terrific. Here are a few images of Josh and the family from our trip. Oh yes before you ask grandma Joy has decided that she will just spend her time commuting between Texas and Tennessee and the two grandsons. In November we will add a third grandchild in Ohio, so watch out if you are on the roads anywhere in between we will be keeping them hot.

[dana m.]

Great looking family Old guy (btw...i see you are younger then I am, and I am not going to call myself "Old woman") Your wife is beautiful, she looks like she belongs in a Chico's ad (ask her, she will know). Thanks for sharing with us. dana m.

[Alison]

Absolutely beautiful OT.

WOW look at your stunning wife! She looks fantastic! Talk about Glamorous Gran!

Gorgeous looking family OT.

What lens and settings did you use for these? The clarity is wonderful.

[Old Timer]

Great looking family Old guy (btw...i see you are younger then I am, and I am not going to call myself "Old woman") Your wife is beautiful, she looks like she belongs in a Chico's ad (ask her, she will know). Thanks for sharing with us. dana m.

Thanks Dana. We did a plane transfer at DFW both ways, we may have flown right over your house. I agree Joy is a beautiful grandmother. I know all about Chico's, I'm the one that pays the bills at our house. I have started to recognize those cute little ribbons on the shopping bags and I know when Joy's been there. And we do get their catalogs.

[Old Timer]

Absolutely beautiful OT.

WOW look at your stunning wife! She looks fantastic! Talk about Glamorous Gran!

Gorgeous looking family OT.

What lens and settings did you use for these? The clarity is wonderful.

Thanks Allison, I think she's a looker Grannie or not. Josh has got a real hint of red in his hair right now, no were near what your son's looks like, but you never know what will happen in the next few months.

I used the 28-70 f2.8 Nikkor on the D70 on all of these I think. Bounce the SB80 off a low white ceiling for the groups and used it for a little fill on the window lit image of Josh and Sam. Thanks for asking. Don't have your window technique down as well as you but I was reasonably pleased with most of my images from the visit. I've got lots more it will be Christmas before I get through them all.

[Alison]

Well they are gorgeous shots!
How do you go about using your flash? I am still trying to understand how it all works.
I know about the bouncing bit.
What has got me stumped is...I meter my shot then once the flash is attached all that metering seems to go out the window. If there is a technique or tip to using a flash I would love to know.

For example, an overcast day, indoor window lit situation at ss1/125, F7.1, ISO 100... heavily underexposed without flash. Attach the flash and the shot will be fine. Am I right?

[Liz]

Larry,

You have such a wonderful family - I always look for the pictures you post. Joshua is beautiful. What an expression in that first photo! Makes me wonder what he's thinking about.

I'm glad you had such a wonderful time.

Liz

[Old Timer]

Well they are gorgeous shots!
How do you go about using your flash? I am still trying to understand how it all works.
I know about the bouncing bit.
What has got me stumped is...I meter my shot then once the flash is attached all that metering seems to go out the window. If there is a technique or tip to using a flash I would love to know.

For example, an overcast day, indoor window lit situation at ss1/125, F7.1, ISO 100... heavily underexposed without flash. Attach the flash and the shot will be fine. Am I right?

It would seem that the main question here is, is the flash your main source of light or are you going to use it as supplement or as fill. If as in your example you meter before the shot and than attach your flash, then I would think that the flash is then the main source and yes the metered light is meaningless at that point. However if you meter the highlight areas and then adjust your flash to give an equal or slightly less amount of light then your ambient is the main source and the flash is there as a fill in light.

To be honest with you since I've started using the SB80 I don't really worry with it. I use to do all the figures for distance and guide number and all that, but now most of the time I just let the camera and flash do all the work. I'll fire off a test shot check the histo and dial in a little + or - on the flash as needed and then fire away. In most situations I'm trying to use the flash only for fill to get rid of shadows and supplement the existing light. I very rarely use direct flash on a subject. I'll use the ceiling, a wall or reflector of some kind most of the time if the flash is to be the main source. The SB80 is very versatile and gives me plenty of opportunity to do about what ever I need to.

[Old Timer]

Larry,

You have such a wonderful family - I always look for the pictures you post. Joshua is beautiful. What an expression in that first photo! Makes me wonder what he's thinking about.

I'm glad you had such a wonderful time.

Liz

Thanks Liz. Joy and I are having a wonderful time learning to be grandparents. Makes raising your own almost worth it to get to have grandkids. We weren't sure we would ever have any grandchildren now they are coming faster than we can keep up with them.

[Cowgirl]

Congrats again!

I'm so happy that you had a visit.... that little one is soooooo cut!

As Paris Hilton would say... your wife is hot!

Naw, seriously...... It looks like you have a wonderful family, and nowadays especially, a family is so important. Enjoy those GRANDKIDS!

Take care driving those highways!

We went to TN this last Feb... I have a good friend living near McEwen (sp?) - an hour west of Nashville. TN is very pretty! I love the big rolling hills and rivers! PLUS its so GREEN! Here in TX its very hot and dry and our grass/trees suffer from the heat.

Kathy

[Old Timer]

Thanks Kathy. West Texas was the greenest I have ever seen it. They had had a lot of rain the a couple of weeks before and everything was unseasonably green. I spent a day just south of San Angelo on a large ranch that had lots of wildlife and terrain that was much different from the Midland area. Had a great trip and I can't wait to get back down there and see that baby again.

[JETA]

Congrats on baby Joshua OT! You've got one gorgeous family. Your wife looks like a model!

[Old Timer]

Thanks for the lovely comment JETA. Joy is the corner stone of our family and attractive as well. Makes you wonder when you look at an old grouch like me doesn't it. Our family is growing by leaps and bounds. Can't wait for the next grandchild to enter the picture next month.

[Alison]

Your colours are always so beautiful OT. However, having another look at the difference between the indoor and outdoor shots I can see the warmth in the colours indoors. Both sets of colours are so perfect and FANTASTIC! I hope you are going to be able to help me with my colour issues.