EYE OF TOBIA PHOTOGRAPHY BLOG » the kids

Crying Tiger Hidden Griffin | Providence wildlife photography

Tobia — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 13:44:57 +0000

I picked my kids up from a benefit for Brown Street Park in Providence. Griffin had had his face painted like a tiger and they had both received balloons. When we got home I ran inside to get my camera to catch the animal he had transformed into and left them with our neighbor. But when I made it back out, camera in hand, I found poor Griffin and sister in a state of pure dismay. His balloon had slipped off of his wrist (Mommy failed at the simple balloon preservation knot)
Is it terrible is it that I still took this picture? He was so heart broken as we watched it, a little speck, traveling up into the clouds.

Luckily he is 2 and his innate Happy isn’t that far from the surface of whatever Tragedy he has just endured.

And it wasn’t too long until his inner tiger came out again.

And he was on the hunt for a new adventure in no time.

I hope that he is able to endure all that life throws at him with the same flexibility he managed to muster with this loss. He still talks about that balloon and asks if we will find it someday.
My little tiger-griffin.

WEEEEEEEEEE | World War 1 Memorial Park North Attleboro.

Tobia — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 05:45:05 +0000

Perhaps you look at the photograph below and think (like I do on most days), “Wow! what a cute 2 year old!”

Then perhaps you come to a slide that looks like this and think, “What self respecting parent would send their kid down that thing? I get vertigo looking up at it.”

Now. Let me introduce you to my son Griffin. He was up this before I could set my camera to manual… And that is fast.

Speaking of monsters, my daughter has been known to tame a few wild beasts of her own.

But if you really run into trouble, they will both come on the double.

If you are in the neighborhood, I highly recommend World War 1 Memorial Park and Zoo in North Attleboro, MA
Parks, slides, GIANT sandbox and a petting zoo. Who could ask for more? My kids can’t.

poodle portraits? | projects for kids

Tobia — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 18:54:05 +0000

This was one of my favorite projects to do when I worked at the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp. I can’t even tell you how much I enjoy having kids old enough to do “projects” now. So in between the jumping, running, rolling, imagining, rock banding, shrieking and twirling that makes up much of my time with my little ones I have been trying to squeeze projects in. This one is one that never seems to get old. I have the kids lay down on a long rolled out paper, head to head, and crudely trace their outlines.

I tried doing it with precision, but well… you try tracing squirming 2 and 3 year olds. After hanging the results over the easel and pinning it there, they each went to their respective sides and had at it.
As you can see, Dunedin sees herself as a eyelash model.

Griffin took a slightly different approach to painting his self portrait. I think this is another case of life imitating art.

Then, of course, we had to involve the poodle. Dunes traced it herself. You think it is a better outline than mine? Fine, but my subjects were far more challenging.

*Important note. You could have the kids trace you, but I would stick with colored pencils.

This awesome marker holder was purchased at Kreatelier on Hope St in Providence. It all rolls up and ties neatly together for travel. One of those things you think to yourself- “I’m creative, I could totally sew a couple of those in the time it takes to clean up all the marker mess from the floor and wall.” But then you think to yourself, “hmm, I could squeeze that into the time I have between editting an album and picking kids up from daycare, OR I could just walk the kids over to Kreatelier and let them pick thier own paterns out…”
Dunes actually keeps her markers fairly organized in this thing. Although, the one I got for Griffin hasn’t helped a lick. hmmm.

Field of Dreams | Child Portraits in NH

Tobia — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 20:29:34 +0000

Some friends just got a house in NH that sits on a gorgeous property with an incredible view. And this was what my camera drew me to… What is it about sticking a kid in a field that makes me all camera giddy? See for yourself…

You will have to take my word for it. Their view rocks.
portraits, eyeoftobia, wedding photographer"/>
But so do my kids.

*Note to self: new technique to get smiles from my daughter…. Get a bug in your ear and freak out a little.

Ahhh- what I will endure for a real smile-with-the-eyes kind of photo…

How do you say no | Vermont portraits

Tobia — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 19:19:14 +0000

He is 2. All he wants to do is explore. And run. And climb. And poke at things. Usually things covered in dirt and slime. So we took off down the path, he and I. He with his binoculars and I with my camera. All the big kids were done and had headed back. But he knew there was more to climb, run and poke at.
And how do you say no to a face like this?

He came armed with tools of the exploring trade and fingers ready for action.

I hear a bear! No?! Just kidding it was only a chipmunk.

You think that bug was funny, you should see what I just put in my mouth! And the 2nd photo: after he is told that it is, in fact, time to head back.

Hark, who goes there?

Going to Meggies house and Wild Animal Transport

Tobia — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 19:42:02 +0000

Last month I was off shooting a wedding during the Kentucky Derby. Our cousin Meggie was having her annual Kentucky Derby party that sadly, annually, I keep missing. This year my husband and kids were going to be able to make it. And there was a “Hat Contest” involved. AND Prizes.
Prizes of CHOCOLATE.
Chocolate for hat wearing.
Yup.
So Dunedin picked out favorite hats for herself and Griffin and later helped her dad make his choice.
I wasn’t there, so I will sum up. She won. And Meggie, with her oodles of charm and chocolate, bestowed upon my daughter the prize. 5 pounds of chocolate. My daughter weighs 30 pounds.
1/6th of her body weight was given to Dunedin in chocolate.

Let me give you an idea of what 5 lbs of chocolate does to the brain of a 3 year old. Take a normal drive to the grocery store. 2 kids in the back, one screams “GO LEFT!”
“Why?!” I ask ? ! ? ? ?
“Meggie’s house is that way!!!!”
“Dunedin, we are going to the Grocery Store. We need milk, eggs, toilet paper…”
Undeterred by timing, logic or obvious need for t.p. she responds “Quick, call Daddy, he can tell you the way. I brought my hat…and Griffin’s too!” How she remembered her hats and I forgot my wallet… Okay that is a different story.
Lets skip ahead to yesterday. This is how I have been finding them around the house. In make shift cars, with their hats on, always headed to Meggie’s house. Here you see them driving the flying blanket model car. Equipped with car seats for their wild animals who are, of course, headed to the party as well.

If only my kids had gotten to GM in time. The American car industry would have been injected with innovative car designs from the two seater towels (great for the beach), to the lowrider coffee tables (lots of spots to put your drinks), and my favorite, the model T-Toy box (with tons of trunk space) all with hybrid power (self or mommy powered). I guess it would be a problem if cars would only drive to Meggie’s house. Perhaps the auto industry will need to look elsewhere for innovation. So thanks again, Meggie!

Self portraits spot on

Tobia — Thu, 20 May 2010 10:17:06 +0000

I found my kids drawing on the chalkboard yesterday and thought I would share. The scene started with some disputes about land-rights, but that was easily solved by drawing a line down the middle and labeling the top. They then continued drawing pictures of themselves. I have to admit- a fairly close rendering on both sides. D spends much of her daily life up in her head, imagining and creating worlds of her own creation. G, on the other hand, manages to live his life as a swirling activity in the external world-but still within the confines of space allotted to him. I have to say I am really enjoying them at this age. Photonotes: I love the way the soft light filters in on them through the shaded window. Our living room actually creates fairly tough lighting situations. Windows are on 2 sides of the room and it gets full sun that would have side lit this photo and caused far to harsh of shadows and contrast. Add to that we have a mix of lights-halogen and incandescent, which can cause annoying color shifts in photos. Blue hair and orange skin-ugggh. I actually have thought of changing one of the fixtures in our rented apartment so that I could add different light bulbs because the white balance issues I get with photos bothers me so much. To create the soft, sculptural light, I turned off the lights and closed the blinds- still getting the benefits of natural light, but creating an enormous soft box on the right.

A few belated photos

Tobia — Wed, 12 May 2010 20:06:51 +0000

Just a few photos of some of our friends enjoying life as it is best enjoyed. With curiosity, knee high rain boots and a fishing net.

1600 ISO and full frame

Tobia — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 22:13:28 +0000

Wow. Check the detail. All shot with the Canon 5d Mark ii with a 50mm 1.4 lens. Not so shabby.

Of course the kids ain’t to bad either…

However, every once and a while some serious tickling had to interupt my testing of the new camera…

In case you have forever been dying to know what ISO is or have thus far managed to not worry your brain about this aspect of your camera… a little synopsis is coming soon.

Yup somehow we made it to two.

Tobia — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 20:18:08 +0000

My baby turned 2 a few days ago. Sniff.
He was thrilled. I can’t believe what a lovely little man he has become. He doesn’t fit on the guitar any more… not that he doesn’t try.

Dunedin was Uberjoyed to help with this cake. We almost had to have chocolate covered fingers on the cake instead of strawberries at the rate they would sneak into her mouth.

Can I just note… this photo came from my Iphone. For a web photo, not so bad!