Today I took Faith (still in her school uniform, which she’ll probably wear for awhile) outside with her little brother Ethan for some photos. Both Ethan and Faith are life-size Masterpiece jointed vinyl dolls–Ethan is 40 inches tall and about the size of a 4-year-old, and Faith is 46 inches and the size of a 6-year-old.  The weather kept shifting rapidly from sun to clouds to showers, so the lighting of the photos varies. It rained briefly at the end of the photo session, and I had to stop and quickly haul the kids back into the house.

Here’s Ethan taking his first look at Faith in her new school uniform. Settings were f/7.1, 1/500, ISO 200.

He seems very interested as Faith tells him about her uniform and starting first grade. Settings were f/7.1, 1/500, ISO 200.

Faith shows Ethan her new backpack. Settings were f/7.1, 1/250, ISO 200.

And Ethan helps his big sister put it on. Settings were f/7/1. 1/125, ISO 200.

Ethan and Faith, taken as it was getting very cloudy and about to start raining. The ISO jumped up to 800 due to the dark clouds, and I switched to cloudy white balance which changed the coloring. Shortly after this I had to take them into the house. Settings were f/7.1, 1/100, ISO 800.

One last photo of Ethan and Faith on Labor Day. Settings were f/7.1, 1/100, ISO 800.

The Tobacco Hornworms were on the tomato plants again this morning, but now there were 4 of them and one was actually chomping on a green tomato. So I reluctantly took them off the plant. Here’s a view of the back of a Hornworm. Settings were f/8, 1/100, ISO 320.

A bumblebee flying around the Mexican Petunias–I still haven’t been able to freeze the action of the bee’s wings. Settings were f/5.6, 1/1250, ISO 640.

A pretty butterfly that was attracted to these flowers in my neighbor’s yard. I haven’t tried to identify it yet. Settings were f/5.6, 1/800, ISO 400. Coming back to add that I checked What’s That Bug and BugGuide, and the butterfly is a Gulf Fritillary.

Some palm fronds against the sky, which was blue with some white clouds at the time. Settings were f/6.3, 1/250, ISO 200.

And here’s Sophie, posing under the palm trees. Settings were f/8, 1/100, ISO 320.