[my life, my blessings, my journey]

{summertime bucket list} strawberry picking

For the past two summers the kids and I have made our own little "bucket list" of things we'd like to do before September rolls around. Strawberry picking was at the top of our (ok, my) list this year. We picked lots of juicy, red berries and have the sticky fingers and strawberry-stained clothes to prove it. Jack was a strawberry-eating machine - some of the photos I caught of him just make me laugh. He was two-fisting his berries and as soon as someone would offer him another or he would spot a strawberry nearby, he would chuck the ones in his hands and leave them for dead....on to the next! Needless to say, I think we'll probably make another trip to the strawberry patch next week before the berries are done for the year.

The girls and I will be making strawberry shortcake this afternoon - hooray for sunshine and summertime!

*As a side note to the my photo friends, what is your best advice for shooting in direct sunlight? I obviously couldn't avoid it in this situation and did the best I could but I'm not thrilled with the shadows and harsh light. Any tips or tricks for shooting in direct sun would be very much appreciated. Over and out...

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4 comments:

Andrea said...

YUMMY! Looks like a fun time. I like the last photo best. :-)

Dawson Cattle Company said...

i love the bucket list idea! and the straberry pickin looks like fun. when i shoot in direct sunlight i set my auto setting to cloudy or if is shoot in auto use a uv filter. have a great weekend!

penandview said...

I am so glad you went! Your patch looks so farm'ish, I love it. Those little wooden boxes are cute too.
I have strawberries coming out of my ears now. I have eaten so many in the last few weeks!
As for shooting in full sun? You kind of just have to accept it and make the best of it. I sometimes will shoot slightly exposing more than I should, or I move my exposure compensation dial to the right (on a Canon) so that it exposes just a bit more. I also pay attention to where the sun is hitting the faces and I will attempt to get them to turn away from the sun so that their bodies create their own shade on their face.
For ex: fourth pic up from the bottom...adorable pic!...but for example sakes...if you went around him so he had to turn towards you with the sun slightly on his back side, his face would have been in the shade. Same with the pic below it. (Oh, and look at the shade on the strawberry in his hand--golden opportunity for a close up.) Of course when the sun is directly overhead at noon, it's harder, so I look for ways to make shade. I create it with my body at times. :)
Some people say use your flash to make fill light, but I don't like to. I just accept the light for what it is. It's part of capturing that moment, in that specific time!
These pictures captured that and so they are perfect!

stacey said...

Oh fun! We plan on going sometime this week! Did you go to the one in Northfield just south of us?

I think your photos turned out great, Amanda. I, like Tracey, often overexpose slightly in the direct sun. If we had a little bit more sun lately around these parts it would be easier to practice! ;-)

Let's plan a time to get together soon!!