Please vote for me!

I have a small favor to ask...can you please go to http://www.mikecolon.net/blog/ and vote for me (Michelle Hires) to win entry into this Photography workshop?  Repost this on your blog, facebook, twitter to get me extra support.  Voting ends Friday (5 pm PST) and I'd like a shot at getting this!

Thanks!!

I ♥ Faces - Pets

Here is our beloved Italian Greyhound Indy being the BEST SPORT EVER allowing Daddy to put Hope's earrings (clip ons - don't call PETA on me) on him. He loved it and she loved it too. I think it makes him look quite dashing, don't you??

Please take a moment to check out all of the other ADORABLE pet (or animal) photos over at I ♥ Faces!  

Disclaimer: Indy was not harmed in the taking of this photo - he actually enjoyed it :)

I ♥ Faces - Sweet Dreams

I have so many photos of Hope sleeping because she is the cutest thing on the planet and it's the only time she stays quiet.  Here she is all snuggled up with the first teddy bear she ever got - from her daddy.  He's away in Afghanistan right now so it's sweet that she likes to cuddle with that one.

Check out all of the other sweet and adorable sleeping faces at I ♥ Faces!

I ♥ Faces - Fix it Friday!

It's been a while since I've participated in Fix-It Friday but I couldn't pass it up this week!  I just recently won a set of textures and edges from the Kaleidoscope collection of Patti Brown and I was excited to use them.

I did a few slight adjustments (temp, exposure, clarity on eyes) in Lightroom.  I think went to Photoshop and used a few of my nifty actions from Kubota and the applied one of the beach glass textures from The Gallery Collection. 

My second one is the same photo but it has the Lightroom Preset - Aged Photo added.  It's one of my faves!
I think the finished product looks pretty nice!

Head over to I ♥ Faces and check out some of the other fantastic fixes!
Before:

After:

The Photographer in Me

I've been an avid picture taker for more than half of my life.  I LOVE taking pictures.  I've never ever considered myself an artist before.  I liked working with numbers.  I liked things that were definite and 'correctable'.  I've discovered that I AM an artist and I'm loving EVERY minute of it.  I did a photo shoot today with one of my best friends and not only did I have fun doing it but I learned that I'm actually quite good!  It was only the second ever shoot that I've directed and I think I actually DO have an eye for what makes a great shot.  YAY for me!  School is really helping me.  It's giving me confidence and allowing me to think outside the box.  It's encouraging me to KNOW that I can take a good picture and that I don't need to photoshop the hell out of it for it to be great.  I LOVE that!

I ♥ Faces - Excited!

There is nothing in the world that Hope loves to do more than go to the water park. I knew almost immediately which recent photo I would be posting for this week's I ♥ Faces edition. So, without further ado, here it is!

Please checkout the many more great entries for this weeks challenge at iheartfaces.com!

My silly little princess

5 minutes for mom and Hasbro are having a silly child photo contest. I took some photos of Hope for her 3rd birthday invitation and the silly little thing started talking to herself in the mirror. This photo makes ME giggle every time, I hope it has the same effect on the judges.