Critic, Critique

I have been thinking, in an extra sentimental way about pictures tonight.  I was dumping my memory cards to try and prevent myself from deleting any photos that I hadn't yet saved.  I started going back a couple months and then a couple months more then I wanted to see what Julia looked like a year ago, how healthy my Dad was a year ago and so on and so forth.  I went quite a way back and smiles came across my face and tears streamed down my face too. 

I am often critical of my picture taking skills since I have got my new (well, year and a half now) camera.  I took a photography class that I think tremendously helped me have a better eye and be a better judge of how a picture is supposed to look coming out of your camera.  What I haven't stopped to think about is how many memories I am TRULY capturing.  When I take pictures, I try and take them for "picture frame" sake and really trying to nail a GREAT, SHARP shot.  I can't handle my white balance being off and I really can't handle blur very well.  If I don't get that great sharp shot, I usually just shirk it off and say "Oh well, next time" and put my camera back in the bag with a little pout. 

Tonight I truly, truly enjoyed looking through my pictures from the last year and a half.  I found that indeed! I do make my kids laugh and have fun, that Uncle Damon loves to make the kids screech and squirm (all the pictures are blurry because of their movement),  I saw that my Dad was so extremely proud of his family and loved to be silly with his grandkids.  I love how I am documenting tradition with Erin and his Mom and the kids making noodles from Grandma's pasta machine. 

In essence, it doesn't MATTER how my camera is performing (as long as it is).  I am not trying to win any awards for great pictures, I just want to create some great memories with my family and always try to capture our emotions and feelings when it is our MOMENT.  In celebration of shitty shots and great memories, here are a couple. 

Yellowed out from today.  We had a great time ice skating at Mahoney.  It was Julia and Henry's first time. 
I was skating like Michelle Kwan.  Seriously, I loved it and thought I was on Ice Castles or something.

Blurry Shot from a couple days back.  The kids wanted to wear shorts all day and dressed up in their superhero capes and Iron Man costume.  The blur just indicates lots of fun.  Duh.