This weekend we all took a little family trip to a local corn maze. We, actually I, was on a mission to find a pumpkin patch, like a u-pick kind. What I found was that we would have to travel to um.. almost Tennessee to find one. I really didn’t think that would fit in with the kids’ nap schedules, so I gave up the search and settled for the corn maze. Apparently, the only pumpkin patch in this area was destroyed in hurricane Katrina and the people who owned it cut their losses and didn’t replant.
The kids loved the corn maze place. There was a lot more to do there than just go through a giant, and by giant I mean HUGE corn maze. We did the kiddy level and that was enough for us. Besides the maze, there were two playgrounds, hay rides, this little train that had barrels painted like cows that kids could ride on, and the corn cannon. We did all the stuff except the corn cannon. Binh hated, hated! the corn cannons. He kept saying “Noise. Noise scary!” whenever we got around it. So we missed that and the pig races (I guess the pigs were tired by the 3:00 start time, ’cause they had done two other races that day and well, they’re pigs so I don’t think they run a lot of races normally). The weather was unseasonably (but seasonably for the rest of the nation) cold with a high of about 60. It was also really windy all day. Now I’m pretty wimpy when it comes to cold weather, but some people there had on gloves and hats. It’s a fall festival, folks, not a Christmas one..
So I’ve been trying my hand at learning to shoot (my camera) fully manual. Man, is that hard for me. I do much better in aperture priority mode only because at this point it’s hard for me to remember all the stuff I have to think about before I shoot an exposure. Most of the time I’m trying to catch something really quick and so I haven’t gotten the skill yet to set everything before the fleeting moment is over. I was really looking forward to trying to shoot some yesterday, but it ended up being rather disappointing. With the wind and cool temps, the kids noses and eyes were running the whole time, and Ava’s little face was really red (and snotty!:) It was just sort of a let down b/c I think I was really hoping to get some good pictures in.
Anyway, here some pictures I took while at the corn maze. I’m not saying these are terrible photos, I just didn’t have the kind of photo day I was hoping for. I’m also having a hard time with sizing in this blog format, so forgive the various sizes.
Metaphase 
Oct 19, 2009 @ 17:35:36
We have pumpkin patches in Indiana! Hint Hint
I’m not a photographer, but I think the photos are great, they show movement, calm, beauty… well, and then you have Ashley, 5 out of 6 ain’t bad! It’s good to see family time, it’s moments like this your kids won’t forget and if they do, you’ve got beauty pictures to remind them. Love ya Sis
Oct 19, 2009 @ 19:28:02
I think your pictures were awesome! the butterfly looked almost fake, it was so clear and crisp. and I mean that in a positive way.
how much of a bummer is it that in the SOUTH there are no pumpkinh patches? we are going to get ours from the pig later this week. we were going to do it last weekend along with some outdoor pictures, but DANG it was cold!
I loved seeing your family day though. those are my favorite days!
Oct 20, 2009 @ 02:09:13
Great pictures and beautiful kids. Ash looks pretty good too.
Oct 20, 2009 @ 18:42:16
Oh the pumpkin patch, what a memory for me. I used to take my little boy to a farm every year except for this year. He is 14 now and has other things on his mind…..sports! I remember one year, he flipped himself over because he was to small to pick the pumpkin up. Times like these is what having kids is all about. Cherish each moment with your kids, give them a time of their life, then they can grow up like us, and think what fun they had. (Do y ou remember the trip to the west and the fancy resort?)
Oct 21, 2009 @ 16:18:38
Love the pictures! Especially the one with Ava sticking her tongue out. This is the first year since . . . I can’t remember when, that we haven’t made it to a pumpkin farm. Sad, because I love taking pumpkin farm pictures. I’m hoping we’ll get a good snow before Christmas and it will be just warm enough that I can get good winter pictures this year instead of the traditional fall pictures. What kind of camera do you have? I’m starting to put out feelers for what is good now, because I think mine is starting to die or something. What is the average life span of a digital SLR? Any ideas?
Oct 21, 2009 @ 18:39:38
I have a Nikon D40x. I love me some Nikon. I think the big two are Cannon and Nikon. I just did a little research and everyone whose pictures I really admired had Nikons. I think the most popular is the D90, but it’s more expensive and heavier than the one I have, though mine has most of the same features. I can’t take video with mine, which I think the D90 can do. Someone correct me if I’m wrong about that. I don’t know the life span, but I think it’s a long time if you take care of it. It would depend on just how much you use it, too, I would imagine.