Damn Camera Settings … Damn Kid …

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You probably think that I like taking photos, right? If you said right, you’d be wrong. I quite dislike it. I hate getting out the camera, adjusting the settings, trying to figure out the best angle, where the light is. Are there shadows? The more I learn, the more critical I become, the more mistakes I see, the worse the photos get.

Mr. MK is a really swell kind of guy. If there is anyone reading this, that knows Mr. MK, this is when you’d comment and agree with me. Because he is so darn swell, he carried the heavy camera for me pretty much the entire holiday. Being lazy, I set the camera on the ‘P’ setting (about as Auto as my camera gets) and just snapped pictures. They all looked really dark on the camera’s display, but the display is hard to see in the bright sun, so I just let it be. I did comment a few times that, “my pictures SUCK”, and then forget about them. Whenever, I said that Mr. MK had to look and fiddle, which bugs me because he has no clue how my camera works!

It was one of those holidays where you drag your ass back to your hotel room about 10 pm with 3 tired kids, legs worked to death thanks to your new MBT shoes and then you thank God you snapped a couple of photos on your iPhone, so you don’t have to download/upload/edit your camera photos for that days blog post. In short, I didn’t bother looking at the photos on my computer until I got home.

BIG freakin’ mistake … they’re all DARK, under-exposed, upon further inspection of my camera, a setting had been adjusted (about 2 days into the vacation) to making all my photo’s 6 stops darker than ‘auto’ and they so, so, so suck. Hmmm … could some swell guy be responsible for this? Hmmm? Could he?

I have managed to salvage a few, however, the beautiful landscapes of Utah aren’t in the salvaged few. I think I may have to scrap the “Guess that Canyon” contest. *SIGH* Don’t cry, really, it will be OK. It was just a contest and the prize probably would have sucked. REALLY! Who wants a trip to the Grand Canyon anyway. NOT ME. HA.

Even worse than the camera settings, were the subjects! The holiday was filled with, “OH Moooooms!” and “the suns in my eeeeyeees!” and “I feel stupid”. Good grief! They better not dare complain when they’re older and there’s not a single great picture of this trip.

Here we are in the wilds of Utah …

Me: Georgia, smile at mommy
No Smiling in Utah

I should have quit, while I was ahead.

Me: NO, look at me and smile.
No Smiling in Utah

Me: That’s not looking at me. GEORGIA. SMILE. LOOK. AT. ME. AND. SMILE. Be a good girl and I’ll Give you a gumball.
No Smiling in Utah

Me: A gumball … a yummy pink gumball.
No Smiling in Utah

Me: Georgia … do you want Mummy to eat your gumball? Do YA? HUH? ‘Cause I will you little shi …
No Smiling in Utah

That’s when I noticed the elderly couple watching us! They were lovely (from St. Paul, MN … loved her blonde hair, just like their 5 year old granddaughters), they wondered if she were 5. Nope just three …. AHHH … they said all knowing. Just about then, Georgia escaped.

Three really does explain so much, maybe even my camera settings, right Mr. MK?

All comments and back-links for this post will be entered to win one of two Power Ranger action figures (includes shipping and handling) in my ‘Power Ranger Giveaway’. If you comment and blog about the Giveaway you’ll receive two entries (too easy). I’ll randomly choose two winners on December 1st, 2008 @ 9 p.m. –> make sure to come by and enter often.

MK xo
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15 Comments

Jenn B · November 23, 2008 at 8:16 pm

ha! cracks me up! (the georgia photos, not the crappy photos…though glad the pressure’s off on guessing canyons. geography is not my strong suit)

the “she’s 3” would’ve elicited a ‘knowing ahhh’ from me as well, seeing as how we’ve currently got a 2year old and a 3 year old (“almost 4” i should say).

btw, i did the ‘listmania’ this afternoon. took me waaay too long, but it was fun. almost as fun as reading your answers. :)

Jenn B’s last blog post..Forwards & Tags

lace · November 23, 2008 at 8:47 pm

This post had me laughing. I love the faces little ones make. We currently don’t have anyone in the 3 range and I’m glad for that, 4 and 2 are tough enough and they don’t even live with me (although sometimes I wonder if they don’t truly live here).

Oh, I’m gonna miss the canyon guessing. Geography was one of my favorite subjects in school (I minored in Geo in College)

Thanks for the wonderful words.

lace’s last blog post..My New Header

Hannah · November 23, 2008 at 10:24 pm

I’m sorry, but I am laughing! I guess I wouldn’t be if it were my sweet angel pulling those faces, but she is honestly just so cute and funny!!

Hannah’s last blog post..Down, but not out

John | English Wilderness · November 23, 2008 at 11:53 pm

My new camera has a crazy amount of settings too. I’d read the manual if it was smaller. I wish they’d provide a quick start guide. There’s setting for snow, beach, sunset, sunrise, water, portraits, moving stuff, arghhh!

John | English Wilderness’s last blog post..The View From Attermire Cave

Yan · November 24, 2008 at 1:10 am

Hey, Kim, you have the funniest post that makes me smile !! Georgia is always so cute, I love looking at your photos :)

Thanks for checking in, I hope all is well with you too? Take care !!

Anastasia · November 24, 2008 at 6:23 am

You made my day. I was laughing for the whole morning. :)
The third picture is great

blogged about your giveaway

http://stasymipip.blogspot.com/2008/11/contests-november-242008.html

outside voice · November 24, 2008 at 7:07 am

That is hilarious! I was just feeling this way on Saturday, when I tried to take a picture of two kiddos and a guinea pig (borrowed from school) and no one would look up at the same time. Too funny!

outside voice’s last blog post..it’s complicated

Tenille · November 24, 2008 at 11:48 am

Love your writing! Love the pictures…my son does the exact same thing! I’ve found the trick is to make him say something silly, but something that makes his mouth look like he’s smiling like the typical “Cheese!” but something like “Tell mommy, Pickles and Pineapples!” or whatever the heck I think of that will make him smile as he’s saying it. Works sometimes. ;)

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amy · November 24, 2008 at 2:09 pm

awww too cute pictures!!! oh so cute lol just like my 3 year old and pictures…hehehehe

Cindi · November 24, 2008 at 7:14 pm

I am telling YOU that YOU should write a book. Stories that I shouldn’t be laughing at of yours, I do laugh! Actually, many times your pictures and stories are a bright spot in my day. Happy Thanksgiving…..Cindi

Susy-Q · November 25, 2008 at 5:13 am

My son does the total opposite when I ask him to smile for a photo. He gives me the biggest, craziest grin you have ever seen and yells “Cheese”. It was cute at first but now all my photos have this crazy smile. I usually wait for the smile to subside before I actually snap the photo. It requires good timing but I can sometimes get something decent.

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Geri C · November 25, 2008 at 11:11 am

Feelin’ your pain, Mom. Feelin’ your pain. It’s all good though, one day when the kid are grown those pics will elicit laughs and smiles! Then you can snap the picture you wanted 20 year ago!

Geri C’s last blog post..Can I Get a Hook-up?

Colleen · November 26, 2008 at 5:57 pm

I nearly peed my pants. Those photos and the captions… completely hysterical.

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john-canon · January 30, 2009 at 12:50 am

good information for me.. thanks

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The Miracle of Photoshop (& Lightroom) | mommyknows.com · November 26, 2008 at 8:14 pm

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