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Category Archives: Photography

What I Love: Jean Jackets

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I remember watching “The Wedding Singer” and being completely enamored with Drew Barrymore’s jean jacket and became determined to add one to my wardrobe. And thus began my love affair…

Why I Love Them

-They are so versatile. Just like jean pants, they go with practically any color, pattern, texture or fabric.

-They are crazy comfortable….because they are denim. Duh.

-They are timeless. I mean, hello?! I pray denim never goes out of style.

How To Wear Them

-Dress down with some camo and/or cut off shorts to dress it down.

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-Add an oversized scarf, statement necklace and brightly colored skinny jeans.

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-Wear with oversized sunnies, leggings and an oversized t-shirt for a last minute outfit.

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-Dress it up with a belted maxi (perfect date night outfit).

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And I want to get married to my husband all over again, so I can wear a jean jacket with my wedding dress. Why didn’t I think of that six years ago?!?? How cute is this?!

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(Sources 1-unknown / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6)

Happy Fashion Friday!

How To Take A Better Picture With Your iPhone

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I own a very nice dslr, but I find that I end up using my iPhone to take 99% of our daily living shots. It’s super convenient because I always have it, but also I am incredibly impressed with the technology behind the iPhone’s camera. It is a very “smart” device and I’ve been really happy with how all of my pictures come out.

Now, I am no expert, but I thought I’d share some tips that I have learned over the years using my iPhone.

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#1. Hold your phone as still as possible.

I know this is not always a possibility, especially if you have a child jumping on you, but if you can, keep your hand steady. If you need to, go ahead and prop it on a table or ledge to give you added stability. This will decrease the blurriness that might occur.

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#2. Let your phone focus on the subject or touch the screen to where you want it to focus.

Iphones have built-in technology that will auto-focus. If you give it a few seconds, a flashing square will appear where the iPhone thinks it should focus. If you don’t have time for this, go ahead and touch the screen where your desired focus point is. This can also change the amount of light that your phone lets in. Play around with it and you’ll be amazed at how you can learn to “trick” your phone into letting more light “in” or keeping light “out”. This works especially well for sun flares or silhouettes.

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#3. Get in as well-lit a space as possible.

I know that there is an ideal amount of light and sometimes you are indoors and there is nothing you can do about it, but if you are able to change locations, go outside or go closer to a window where there is more light and face your subject towards the window. You will have a much clearer picture and cut down on blurriness, especially if your subject is a busy toddler.

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#4. Take as many pictures as you can.

I think that my brain is sometimes stuck in the “film era” and forget that I can take as many shots as I want. This guarantees that you’re  more likely to get the shot you want. Just don’t forget to go back and delete the ones that were sub-par, especially before you sync your phone to the computer or your husband might get mad. *gulp*

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#5. Edit with apps.

Do as much as you can with your shot and then feel free to edit your picture. There are so many great editing apps available, that it’d be a shame not to use them. My favorites are Snapseed, Instagram, Camera + and PicTapGo. These allow you to add light to darker spots, crop and add cool filters.

And don’t forget to share them with the world on Facebook or Instagram.

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You can find me on Instagram at @_thegirlwiththesmile

This is not a promotion or a sponsored blog post, I just REALLY love the iPhone and all it’s awesomeness!

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Framing This Moment

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My husband just finished a “Quest for Authentic Manhood” class at our church and we attended his graduation. I looked over and saw him holding our youngest son and was filled with gratefulness that I get to spend the rest of my life with this man. He is an excellent father (goodness knows what our children would be like if it was just up to me to discipline them) and I love seeing him grow in his leadership role in our family.

{Linking up with Shauna to frame this moment.}

And check out my post about hosting a clothing exchange over at Life As Mom where I’m a monthly contributor.