Spring Photo Shoot..Oh Shoot!

Every spring (and sometimes summer) we journey on over to our neighbors beautiful flowers and take some pictures.  By some I mean lots and lots.  And we usually end up with a hand full that are worth a hoot.  Between my meager photography skills and the almost always unwilling subject, getting any good ones is an arduous task.  Let me clarify.. by a "good one" I mean one that is not blurry (me), not over or under exposed (me) and the subject is smiling or at least doesn't look like she is in miserable despair (Maya).  Now, I like a candid unforced, natural looking picture but my subject turns on some serious melancholy when faced with a lens.  She will look everywhere but at the camera.
I have had Maya's picture taken professionally 1 time.  She was just over a year old and I didn't expect anything that would rock my world.  We had only been home with her for 2 or 3 months and our relationship was still pretty rocky.  She did OK.
I tried one other time.  She was almost 3.  The photographer got about 4 pics before we gave up and I said to her, through gritted teeth that I was sorry we had wasted her time.  We tried with me in the room, out of the room, helping to direct her, sitting quietly, anything to get Maya to cooperate.  She suggested that we look at the few she was able to get and I reluctantly agreed.  They were pitiful.  The photographers only remark was, "She looks soooo saaaaddd".  Yea, I know, gggrrrrr!!
Her school pictures, on the other hand, have been wonderful, hmmm?
I don't have editing software except for the little I can do in iPhoto so most of my pics are strait from the camera, a Canon EOS Rebel XSi with a standard lens, usually on the auto setting.  Like I said, meager skills.
So, here is a sampling of some of my favorites from this weekends shoot.  I have also posted some others and some of the same on FB.

Oh I love my beautiful, contrary girl!