Improvements and light

I can't believe it has almost been a month since posting last! 

A few months ago I posted about joining a forum called Ilovephotography.com.  I really like the site and have learned many valuable things from it.  3 weeks ago I joined a critique group and have been enjoying posting and receiving feedback.  I feel like it is really making me improve!  A couple things that it has made me really try to focus on are limb chops, color casts/skin tones, and composition.  I have realized that I am successfull many times when I take close up portraits but when looking at a bigger picture I get a bit lost and end up having backgrounds that are a bit too busy and distracting.

Another thing that I feel is attributing to my improvements is I have finally taken the quality of light seriously.  I have been able to see light more clearly and have realized it is probably one of the biggest factors in a successfull photo.

Here are a couple photos I have taken in the last few weeks.

This is why I cannot get the D7000....or maybe it is operator error.

Here is the 3rd edit of this picture.  I can't seem to get it right.  I have never had this problem with pictures in my D80.

Interesting thoughts.

Tim and I felt something today that we could not explain when visiting the house. We both thought it was just the addition of the carpet and lawn had made it feel more homey but.... After thinking about it tonight for a bit I have come to the conclusion that our house has just aquired a spirit. A very positive one as I left feeling so alive and as if the world was beautiful. I had not felt it on previous visits. It was a very strange sensation but definitely palpable.

Our house has gone through a major transformation...

Dining

Pedestal sink in powder room....I have wanted one of these for a long time!

5 burner stove

Double oven

Kitchen almost complete.

Master shower

Master bath roman bath faucet

Master bed from hallway

Master from inside master

North side of loft

Looking other direction

North side of yard

panning

South side of yard

Today it really seemed like more of a home than a house. It is amazing what a yard and some carpet does for the place!

Closer to the real colors....taken with Kaia's Camera

1 month to go!

The blue tiles are not as bright as the picture looks but you can get the idea. The countertops are covered with butcher paper to protect them but you can see some edges poking out in the foreground. Love the purple counters!....except they messed up and gave us bullnose (round) instead of the square edge I had asked for. I am waiting to hear back about what they are going to do about it. A stainless steel hood will go in the center.

Master Bath...

Shower

Finished fireplace. Looks even more purple in person. I love it too!

New Table...

I just bought this table at the Restoration Hardware outlet for $400 It is in nearly perfect condition. It was already on closeout for $499 and then they had a deal that if you spent $500 you got $100 off. I was very lucky in that I had seen the table two weeks ago and couldn't stop thinking about it. So I called today and they said someone had it on hold and then they said the hold had just dropped off 20min prior. Yay! Also the $100 deal was only this weekend so lucky me!

The table is 8 feet long (no leaves) and it can seat 8. Now I just have to find some chairs that match that aren't upholstered.