So all plans for making scrappy things for myself went out the window yesterday because we had ANOTHER snow day.  I cannot remember a winter with so many snow days!!  (Of course Harper has been loving it!) 

So, as we usually do on snow days, we spent part of the day making crafts.  Yesterday it was piggy banks and finger paints.

The kids got to pick papers and supplies from my stash and make piggy banks out of recycled drinking bottles.  I would love to take credit for these clever design but Martha gets all the credit - or at least her staff does.  These require no directions - just look and go.  Pretty simple even for a little guy like Magnus.

{Paper - Prima, Adhesive - Scrapbook Adhesive by 3L}

This one belongs to Magnus - his favorite color is yellow - given the option to choose the color for anything he always chooses yellow.  His pig has been very hungry (as he says) and has been gobbling any and all loose coins found around the house.  Harper has been making hers into a frog but hasn't finished it yet.

My favorite part - Magnus insisited on adding a curly tail - something I admit I hadn't thought of.

So we also played with finger paints yesterday.  Lots of fun to get really messy every once in awile (even the adults should do this sometimes - it is quite freeing.)

So I took photos of it - of course - and this is what I wanted to share with you about camera settings (see blog title).   I know it is really tempting to always leave your camera on auto and I also know it is really scary to turn it off of auto but you should sometimes.  I am not saying you need to learn everything there is to know about f-stops, shutter speeds, apeture, etc (if you are not inclined to - and not everyone is) but if you are looking for one simple way to improve your photos check out the the lighting settings on your camera.  Lots of digital cameras (point and shoot and of course DSLRs) have the option for you to change what type of light you have to work with.  So meaning - indoor light, cloudy, sunny, flourescent, flash, etc.  This might be called white balance on your camera.   Light is so SO VERY IMPORTANT to great photo so if you only pick up this one thing your photos will be much improved. 

Take some time very soon to look at your manual and see how you change this option on your camera - this weekend even.  Once you find out how to change your white balance set up an item to photograph and then take the same photo on each setting.  It will really help you to understand the difference it can make.  The only way to learn and understand it is to try it for yourself.  After trying this, move to a different light situation and do the same experiment.  Take less than 5 minutes - don't worry about framing or anything else.  Just take the shots and then spend your time looking at your shots on your computer.  I bet you will see a difference.  Play around with this over the next while until you become more comfortable with your choices.  Then when it comes to 'good' shots - shots you are going to want to keep because they contain a memory for you - you can try this out.  I bet you will be happier with you photos.

So what I am talking about?  Well, because I am a visual learner and always want to make sure others who are can SEE what I am talking about...

I took photos (this is how yesterday's finger painting comes into it) that show this perfectly.

I quickly turned on my camera yesterday to capture the shot but my camera was left on the "Tungsten" light setting (meaning indoor, incadescent lighting).  This is what I got.

See the blue cast to this photo?  Not what I want.

I quickly noticed this and remembered to switch my settings.  I turned to it to "cloudy".  Then this is what I got.

See the difference?  Much more true to life.  Now you may wonder why did I choose "cloudy" when clearly I was not making the kids fingerpaint outdoors on a snow day!

This is from playing around in the past and getting to know my camera.  The table that the kids were at has an incadescent light overtop of it BUT there is a very large window near it which has an overhang above it.  This gives lots of bright, yet indirect light - just like a cloudy day. 

This is why you need to play.  Not everything is as clear as the labels say.  Play, practice, experiment - all on photos that don't matter so when the photos that do matter you don't end up disappointed.

(If your camera allows, you can leave everything else on auto - so it is not as scary!  I also want to mention that there was no flash for these photo - I pretty much never use a flash but that explanation can be for another day.)

Go and try this and then come back and share your progress.  I would love to see it.