Welcome to the dock photo shoot part 2! (click here for part 1) For today, the pictures of my cousins’ wives Steph and Kelsey.

Here is Kelsey (Luke’s wife):

And here is Steph (Steve’s wife):

My sister Erica did snatch the camera out of my hands at one point, and I know that many of these are her shots. Perhaps even most of them. So props to her for a good eye! I can’t remember which are hers and which are mine, but no one’s counting, right? Erica? Erica? OK.

I know for sure that Erica snapped this one with Steve in the background. Love it.

Since processing the pictures of Erica in yesterday’s post, I’ve been working on my black and white skills in Photoshop. I’m definitely not where I want to be yet, but I’ve learned a couple tricks–my favorite is the one of Steph (second black and white down.) Something about the exposure and contrast just works for me. The ones of Kelsey could use a little more ‘oomph.’ I sense that I need to play more with ‘levels’ and ‘selective color.’ I’m sorry that you have to be part of my learning curve, Kelsey. I’ll do better next year.

These ladies are so beautiful, I’m telling you.

I also messed some with their eyes in the two pictures above–could you tell? Sometimes I can get a little too enthusiastic about my small stash of Photoshop tricks, and I need to watch myself carefully so that I don’t overdo it and turn my subjects into some kind of blazing-eyed, high contrast freak show.

I love these next two . . . they just make me laugh. For some reason they’re an illustration of how perfect of a match Steph is for Steve.

While I’m at it, I should say that pictures were also taken of me by my loving sister. The problem is . . . I have very sensitive eyes. The light was reflecting off the water, and it was too strong for me. Like a shot of tequila right in the eyeball, I’d say.

Half the pictures are me crying, with red, squinting eyes. Yep, more tequila-like effects taking place.

In the other half of the pictures, my eyes are closed or looking down. I can’t help it. It probably has something to do with being so pale–I sense there’s a link.

I actually liked the picture above . . . until my husband looked at it and said “what’s wrong with your neck???” Something about the line of the shadow and the creases at the side made it look alienesque, like it’s a too-large head that got attached to a tiny shriveled neck. Did the rest of you recoil in horror, or like me, not notice it until someone pointed it out?

If I overexpose it and turn it blue does that help at all? Does it blot out the weirdness? Or does it just add to the “alien” factor?

I’ve completely lost perspective.

And to end with, the mast of the sailboat inspired some of us to, um . . . pose, I guess you could call it.

I’ve always secretly wanted to learn to pole dance, and it seemed like the most marvelous opportunity. Simply mahvelous.

Moral objections to pole dancing aside, it gave my back a great stretch. A great, crackity-cracking, painful stretch. My spine will never be the same again.

Oh, and I didn’t actually pole dance. More like I contorted myself a little and then busted my gut laughing. And then fell on my back and just lay there helplessly as I cracked myself up. It wasn’t pretty, and you should be glad you weren’t there. I may have even snorted.

But the best shot of all (which I purposely saved for the end) is this artistic, wonderful shot of my cousin Steve. Please try not to cry–it’s so moving.

Good work, Steve. I give you an A + + +.

I leave you all with a shot of the lake itself.

This picture is like an injection of peace straight into the veins. Mmmmm.