U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Christopher Warren, with Detachment 4, Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron Light 37, drops his helmet and runs to greet his wife in Kaneohe, Hawaii, on Dec. 1, 2011.

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Welcome Home!!

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Christmas is such a great time for taking pictures!  Here are a few ideas that you might like to try to create some great photos for Christmas.

1) Take pictures with a ball ornament. This is a pretty fun idea.  You take a picture of a glass ball ornament and you can see the scene in the reflection.  You can have a lot of fun with this and be creative as you want.

2) Take a Christmas tree bokeh shot. Bokeh is basically the light in the out of focus area of a photograph.  To achieve this look you will want to use a low f-stop such as f1.8 or f2.5.  I usually try to do it with the lowest stop on my lens.  Even if you have a point and shoot you might be able to do this.  Some point and shoots do have a way to change the settings.  Focus on your subject and make sure the Christmas tree lights are in the background.

3) Black and white Christmas pictures. I love to make some of my pictures from Christmas morning black and white.  It makes your pictures appear a little more classic and magical.

I am always taking pictures, especially when my husband is gone.  I want to make sure he doesn’t miss anything.  So this Christmas morning, don’t forget your camera and capture some great memories

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GROTON, Conn. (Nov. 11, 2011) The Los Angeles attack submarine USS Springfield (SSN 761) makes her way through the fog to return to homeport at Submarine Base New London. Springfield returned from a scheduled six-month deployment. (U.S. Navy photo by John Narewski/Released)

Welcome Home to the Sailors of the USS Springfield (SSN 761)!

You can find more photos here and here.

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Eye on Deployment

110727-N-YF783-050 NORFOLK (July 27, 2011) Intelligence Specialist 3rd Class Gregory Charles hugs his fiance and one-month-old daughter for the first time after returning home from a deployment to the U.S. 5th and 6th Fleet areas of responsibility aboard the guided-missile destroyer USS Mason (DDG 87). Mason was the final ship of the Enterprise Carrier Strike group to return home to Naval Station Norfolk. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Kayla Jo Guthrie/Released)

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101222-N-7179M-087 NORFOLK (Dec. 21, 2010) A family member waves from the pier as the Los Angeles-class submarine USS Boise (SSN 764) returns to homeport at Naval Station Norfolk after a scheduled six-month deployment. Boise conducted operations in the U.S. European Command area of responsibility, supporting national security interests and maritime security operations. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Danna M. Morris/Released)

Welcome home to the USS Boise (SSN 764)!!

Do you have a favorite homecoming photo? We are starting a new feature on our Facebook book page where we will highlight a fan of the week. Submit your favorite picture to our wall,  during that week we will choose a favorite fan and change our profile picture to reflect the winning photo! It’s going to be great fun.

Examples of photos:

- Homecoming

- Military Wedding

- First Kiss

- First Hug

- any military life themed photo

- etc…(you get the idea)

Submit your photo to our wall here:  http://www.facebook.com/mymilitarylife

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Photo of the Day

Sgt. Cesar Hernandez, a flight equipment technician with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 232, shares a moment with his daughter, Catalina Hernandez, at the Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 11 and VMFA-232 homecoming here, Nov. 22. Family and friends welcomed home 110 Marines and sailors from a six-month deployment in Afghanistan.

There are few things as memorable, emotional and thrilling as homecoming.  Just had to share this homecoming photo with Sgt. Cesar Hernandez and his little girl.  I’d say she got her Christmas present early this year!

~ Raising my juice box ~ Cheers little one!

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USS New Mexico on sea trials

I recently read about the USS New Mexico‘s sea trials over on Bubbleheads Blog and gosh how I LOVE seeing that NM flag flying in the sail.  NM just in case you didn’t guess is my home state.

The commissioning date has finally been set and will be March 27, 2010.  I am planning on attending and I’m so very excited!  I have never been to a commissioning before and I can’t wait.

In my research of what to expect, I came across this video of the USS New Hampshire being commissioned.

Even though New Mexico has two other submarines, for some reason I am very excited about this new submarine.  Maybe it is because it is called “New Mexico”, vs Albuquerque or Santa Fe.  I’m seriously considering adopting this boat.  Maybe it has something to do with the galley being called “La Posta”, a local favorite in Las Cruces.

La Posta owner Tom Hutchinson said the naming of the galley after his restaurant has “extra special significance” because he served in the Navy from 1977 to 2002. Nine of those years were in active duty. His service was as an aviator, and he worked with Navy submarines to coordinate the tracking of Soviet Union submarines.

Hutchinson said he plans to name a room in his restaurant after the sub.  read the entire article.

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From navy.mil

Future USS New Mexico Completes Sea Trials

12/3/2009

From Naval Sea Systems Command Public Affairs

WASHINGTON (NNS) — Pre-Commissioning Unit New Mexico (SSN 779), the U.S. Navy’s newest submarine, successfully completed its initial sea trials, or Alpha Trials, Nov. 26.

The submarine departed Newport News, Va., Nov. 24 to evaluate its seaworthiness and operational performance. New Mexico’s Alpha Trials included diving to test depth, executing an emergency surfacing, and testing the ship’s propulsion plant performance.

Successful completion of these sea trials is a significant step towards ensuring that New Mexico meets all specifications and is ready for delivery to the Navy, which is anticipated by the end of 2009, following completion of Bravo Sea Trials and the Navy’s Board of Inspection and Survey trials.

“New Mexico’s successful completion of sea trials is a testament to the hard work of the Navy’s shipbuilding team,” said Capt. Michael Jabaley, Virginia Class program manager. “It is this partnership that has helped get New Mexico to where it is today, ahead of original contract schedule.”

New Mexico is the sixth submarine of the Virginia Class and third that Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding will deliver. Delivery of the ship prior to the end of the year would be four months early to its contract delivery date.

When commissioned in early 2010, New Mexico will join the five subs of its class as flexible, multi-mission platforms designed to carry out the seven core competencies of the Submarine Force: anti-submarine warfare; anti-surface warfare; special operations forces; strike; irregular warfare; intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance; and mine warfare.

For more news from Naval Sea Systems Command, visit www.navy.mil/local/navsea/.

	Future USS New Mexico Successfully Completes Alpha Trials

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090328-N-6597H-427 PACIFIC OCEAN (March 28, 2009) A flight deck director gives hand signals to the pilot of an F/A-18C Hornet from the “Blue Diamonds” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 146 as it moves onto catapult one in preparation for launch from the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74). John C. Stennis and Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 9 are on a scheduled six-month deployment to the western Pacific Ocean. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jon Husman/Released)

I just love this picture.

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Lt. Jon Sunderland dresses in a Santa suite while directing aircraft operations aboard the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) Christmas Day. [via Navy.mil]

Just when we thought Santa would be recovering from all his travels, here he is having fun on the USS NIMITZ.

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