mika and raptor's june 2011 photo thread! ^_^

[maya_exquisite]

Hanging out on the bedroom playgym, keeping mommy company as she plays on the laptop.



Dried papaya - one of Rappy's favorites!! Nom nom nom!!



"You keep shoving that shiny silver rectangle in my face... and I'm gettin' reeeeeeal tired it!"



Rappy playing with his foot toy.



"You just don't quit with that shiny rectangle thing, do you?!"



Rappy trying to trick mommy. If I give him scritches, he'll bite me. He thinks it's amusing, but he doesn't realize I'm smarter than him. I value my fingers, thanks!



Daddy gets to mess with Rappy all he wants... here he is, putting a foot toy on Rappy's head for the 20th time. Rappy hisses, but does he bite daddy? Noooo.



My precious non-biting Mika. Haha!



Mika is just too cute!!



He has the nickname "Eggbird" for a reason.



Napping with daddy, yet again. *melt*



Mika's turn to hang out with mommy as she plays on the lappy!!

[maya_exquisite]

Why is the last photo landscaped?! It's supposed to be portrait-positioned and have no clue why it's coming out sideways...

[LisaM]

Love the Pics Raptor is quite the handsome bird and well Mika is just so adorable!!

[javi]

Very gorgeous. Love the playgym too.

[SandraK]

Maya, your photos are great as usual and the birds are still gorgeous! I'm positive that if you look at Rappy's photos long enough you can see his eye pinning. And of course, Mika is still at maximum foofiness and looking cute enough to eat. It's just something about those popsicle colours.

Are you sure you don't backcomb Mika's feathers to give her that foofy look?

[BlueMoon]

He has the nickname "Eggbird" for a reason.

Sweeeeeeeeet!!!! You can just see him going ".....whaaa??" ^^ Mika's just too adorable

[Tadelle]

Gorgeous birds!

I just love it when a bird holds food with its foot like that. So cute! Only recently have I noticed birds seem to be left handed.

And that 3rd picture of Raptor, the one where he gets close to the camera. Inquisitive birdie!

I don't know why people (in general) don't fall in love with birds automatically. I know I do!

[maya_exquisite]

Hahaha! Thanks, guys!! Sometimes I think we bird people take MORE pics of our birds than people do of their kids!!

I also took some pics of Mika creviced between my bf's tummy and the pillow he was holding as he lay down... I'll have to upload those soon. It was SO cute!! The bf was laying on his side, holding the pillow in front of him, watching TV and I was like, "Where's Mika?" The bf says, "He's smushed himself between my stomach and the pillow." I quickly grab my camera and it was SUCH a cute sight!!

I really don't know how Mika is just THAT floofy... I can soak him wet to the bones, and even pushing his feathers apart he has SO MUCH DOWN that you can't see his skin!!

[Shade]

Your birds are adorable!

[maya_exquisite]

Your birds are adorable!

Yours are!!

[maya_exquisite]

Resting with daddy as he watches TV on the couch - this is pretty much a daily ritual already! I how much Mika loves him.











I got jealous and wanted Mika love too! Hehe.



Trail mix, anyone?? I'm not a fan of trail mix (these are daddy's snacks), but THIS kind of trail mix I think I can LOVE!!







My boys hanging out on the living room playgym (at different times, of course!)...





Rappy trying to trick me - yet again - into giving him scritches so he can bite my fingers. I'm NOT going to fall for it...







Trying to trick mommy is hard work, so naturally he began to yawn. Haha!



This looks like "What? I can't hear you... come closer (so I can BITE you)."

[Shade]

Seriously - there's some major cuteness factor going on in those pictures!

[maya_exquisite]

But the photo quality is POOP compared to yours!

What would you recommend for someone that wants your quality photos, yet needs a compact-type that can easily fit in a purse or (hopefully) pocket?? I looked online on forums and I don't understand the camera terminology and it just made my head hurt.

[Sir Peter of Canada]

But the photo quality is POOP compared to yours!

What would you recommend for someone that wants your quality photos, yet needs a compact-type that can easily fit in a purse or (hopefully) pocket?? I looked online on forums and I don't understand the camera terminology and it just made my head hurt.

Awesome pics Maya...definite cuteness overload...

Maya...if you want pics like Natacha's...you're going to have to get a DSLR...and shoot in RAW format...she really does know what she's doing...

[maya_exquisite]

Awesome pics Maya...definite cuteness overload...

Maya...if you want pics like Natacha's...you're going to have to get a DSLR...and shoot in RAW format...she really does know what she's doing...

I was looking up DSLR's in compact, but I don't know WTF I'm doing... Are there compact ones? If so, which ones are good??

[Shade]

I was looking up DSLR's in compact, but I don't know WTF I'm doing... Are there compact ones? If so, which ones are good??

You won't really get a compact DSLR
I haven't looked at cameras in a long time - I'm sure there are good P&S out there, but it would require some looking.

Honestly though, the DSLRs are great - I find the lenses make more of a difference than the actual camera body.

[maya_exquisite]

No hope for a compact DSLR in the future...? I just love the way your pics come out, the focus is SO SHARP and the colors are just so VIVID - they literally look like they've been Photoshopped. My main thing is I can't be carrying around a clunky camera, especially being a preschool teacher I use my camera at work and really don't want to take such an expensive camera to my workplace.

[Shade]

No hope for a compact DSLR in the future...? I just love the way your pics come out, the focus is SO SHARP and the colors are just so VIVID - they literally look like they've been Photoshopped. My main thing is I can't be carrying around a clunky camera, especially being a preschool teacher I use my camera at work and really don't want to take such an expensive camera to my workplace.

The sharpness I would put on the account of the lenses I use
The colours - well you can make adjustments in camera, but I tend to leave everything at 0 and just make slight adjustments, normally on the contrast, in post processing.

By the way, entry level DSLRs are getting cheaper and cheaper. If combining them to a nice 50mm f/1.4 or f/1.8 (the latter would be cheaper but still very good), it would be great. I love prime lenses (fixed focal lenses), I do find they are great quality lenses. I use my 50mm f/1.4, 30mm f/1.4 and 70mm f/2.4 the most.

[maya_exquisite]

The sharpness I would put on the account of the lenses I use
The colours - well you can make adjustments in camera, but I tend to leave everything at 0 and just make slight adjustments, normally on the contrast, in post processing.

By the way, entry level DSLRs are getting cheaper and cheaper. If combining them to a nice 50mm f/1.4 or f/1.8 (the latter would be cheaper but still very good), it would be great. I love prime lenses (fixed focal lenses), I do find they are great quality lenses. I use my 50mm f/1.4, 30mm f/1.4 and 70mm f/2.4 the most.

The cost itself isn't an issue, but anything worth real money - I can't take with me to work because I work in a ghetto area with lots of entryways into our room. Taking my Cybershot, eh, no problem because I can stick it in my back pocket. But taking a "cheaper" DSLR isn't a good idea because "cheaper" still isn't going to so cheap that someone won't steal it.

I have no idea what all that is in the second paragraph about the lenses... I'll have to show the bf. What camera and model number do you use exactly? My bf is curious to know.

He's going to see what he can find that will take much better quality photos than my Cybershot without having to buy a clunky DSLR. Let's hope he can find something!!

[AmberMuffinz]

Just an idea, but if you work as preschool teacher and you don't need a super nice awesome camera for whatever you're using it for there, you could just drag the compact one there and use the more expensive nice one at home and wherever else that it won't possibly get stolen. My friend has a really nice camera but she has a big case for it and carries it around like it's her baby haha.

[maya_exquisite]

I have a work camera to use for taking pics of the kids. The main point is I can't be carrying around a clunky camera/lenses - period. I take my birds with me to the park, to my parents house, to my classroom (hence not wanting to take an expensive camera to my class)... not only do I want to take the camera to unsafe places, I don't want to have to carry a big camera in my bag (or carry a separate camera bag or case). I'll settle for something that is in between my current camera and a DSLR, that will fit in my bag without being extra heavy or bulky.