At the Lake

We live right by the largest lake in New Jersey called Lake Hopatcong. We often go to restaurants on the lake to eat dinner & enjoy the view ... but we don't go to take pictures too often. So Saturday night, Brian was putting together our new grill, and rather than sit in the house for a few hours, I decided to take Julianna down to the lake. We went to a small beach over by where we used to live. It has a nice pier and small swimming beach and boat docks. I do love our lake in the summer time - it's so pretty. We are lucky to live so close.

Every year we say we want to get a boat. Maybe a boat like THIS. You can't have a fast speedboat on the lake, even though so many people do, but you can't take it all out so what's the point of having a Donzi boat when you can't step on the gas? A nice party boat would suit us fine. We can take friends, family, the kid & dog comfortably! Maybe if we finally decide we can't sell our house and stay here for a while. Ugh.

Anyway back to reality.... So I was slightly challenged on Saturday night with the lighting. It was an hour before dusk and that nice golden hour. I thought my settings were OK for most of the shots i took, and the histogram even showed good. But, then I got them into Lightroom and they were all under-exposed , dark and often blurry. Phhtt. Bad job but at least I know what I did wrong. I need to over compensate in that type of lighting it seems! Live & learn right? Luckily I was able to lighten up most of the decent shots in Lightroom and save a few. Anywho, Here are my photos from Saturday evening.

I love her pretty face in this picture (if you overlook the major limb-chop!) 

Julianna was very excited over the ducks! 

She sat there for a while watching the ducks and the boats - while I got to snap a few pictures of her! 

Such a peaceful night - on a peaceful quiet part of the lake. When Brian and I first moved in together, before we bought our house 8 years ago, we used to be able to walk to this pier (and beach next to it) - It was a nice luxury. 

The clouds were moving all over and creating some interesting lighting. 

I love this little duck - and it kept quacking at Julianna. She was so happy it came up to us on the dock! 

She kept asking to go on the beach ... so I told her to sit down & take off her shoes- and she did. 

Wiggling toes in the sand! (Now she loves sand- 3 weeks ago she wouldn't have gone within 5 feet of this sand!) 

Julianna was jumping up and down in the water and loving it. 

Splish Splash. 

She loves the water!

And of course when i was time to go, I had to drag her off the beach kicking & screaming ... which turned into a full blown meltdown because she did not want to leave. "No Mama! Beach! No Mama! Beach!! Nooooo!" I got her in the car quickly and shut the door so she could scream all she wanted without people staring! haha!