I have the rest of Jamie and Taylor’s engagement pictures uploaded and ready to share with you all today–at least my favorites from the approximately 100 that I Photoshopped. (Click here for the first batch.)

The whopping two times I’ve done engagement shoots, I’ve been so nervous upon arrival at home after the shoot itself. No matter how tired, I rush to the computer to download the pictures and just confirm as quickly as possible that it was not a disaster.

With each good shot I find, I breathe a little easier . . . until I reach a state of excitement over the results that drives me to start working on them in Photoshop immediately.

And once I open Photoshop, as my husband and sister can attest, I become an obsessed maniac. I don’t stop to get a drink. I don’t stop to pee. I promise myself a cup of coffee as a reward after completing 10 pictures, but when I finish them, I keep going without the coffee.

I’ll get the coffee after 10 more pictures, I whisper to myself. And I continue promising and then denying myself rewards, stuck to my seat, eyes getting more and more glazed over, until someone wrenches the Mac from my hands.

Some people may confuse this for ‘efficiency’ or ‘focus.’ But deep down, I know its manic roots.

Anyway, after spending a serious amount of hours looking at these pictures, playing with different editing techniques in Photoshop, getting advice from my sister Heidi and from my husband, I’m so happy–given my level of skill–with how they turned out.

One day I hope to say that I’m completely happy, without adding the skill-level disclaimer.

Of course, I can see so many areas of improvement–especially with my Photoshop skills. But, at this point, the learning curve is fun.

And I’m talking about improvement of my skills–not of how these two looked! They looked fabulous every inch of the way.

I only wish I were so carefree and relaxed in front of the camera. I always admire those who are able to act naturally as the big glassy eye gives them the stare down. Last summer Erica tried to instruct me in the ways of a relaxed smile . . . but I can’t say the lesson stuck.

I think it would be loads of fun to do a blogging series with advice on how to pose–and not just how to angle your body towards the camera or what to wear, but also how the heck to make your expression non-monstrous. Not over-worked . . . but also not over-blank.

Heidi had one idea which I’ll be sharing with you soon–possibly even with pictures of myself to back it up. I just have to have a quick conversation with my soul to see if I’m ready to share some hideous looks.

Then again, if you’ve seen that shot of me performing a facial stretch in the Fake Smile post, it can’t get much worse . . . except for maybe alien space-doll Jenna. That one still gives me the shivers. Not because it’s especially horrific, but because I thought at the time there might be a chance that my expression was classy and elegant–and it was so much not that.

Anyway folks, enough about my posing woes. Have a great weekend, okay? That’s an order. See you all on Monday, and enjoy the rest of the pictures in this little slideshow!