Author: Julie Meyers Pron

I went to college in the early 90s. A writer and communicator by nature, I never would have considered entering the Junkins building at SMU, where the School of Engineering was housed. Neither would the majority of my sorority sisters or female friends. I’m scratching my head thinking about it… I can’t remember more than one female in my sorority house who pursued an engineering background. Yet, day after day, engineering is around us, a part of our lives. In this creative field, often based on science, engineers are problem solvers, helping the community and bettering the lives of others.…

I can’t tell you the number of times I shouted in glee this holiday season, “squee! another great shot! Check out the bokeh!” or “Look at the crisp, vivid color of this shot!” or “Wow! I can’t believe how focused I can be on exactly what I want now!” You get my point, right? Photography lessons with the DSLR brought me a long way this fall. And love all I’ve learned and am learning. Over vacation, I learned something new: how to get the yellow, sierra tone out of pictures taken at night by setting a custom white balance. But…

I’ve been playing around on my adorable little Lenovo Yoga Pro laptop for the past 2 hours as I fly over the country (Hi! I’m looking down and waving to YOU!) on my way to the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. While I have loved using the Tablets (and so have my kids), the addition of this little laptop has made a huge difference in my every day. The switch to a desktop You may recall that a little over a year ago, when my laptop’s second battery had died, and there was little to be done to save the computer from…

In October, during my Clickin’ Moms course, First Steps with a DSLR, I became a better photographer. I learned to take my husband’s camera out of Auto and to adjust for different styles. I learned about working better with my subjects, a bit about composition, and, most of all, how to use the Exposure Triangle (that’s Aperture, ISO, and Shutter Speed.) What was the outcome? I learned to better adjust photos to focus on and catch the sharp details I wanted to focus on. I learned to play with light and color and how to get the best shots of my kids…

Well, this is exciting. About two weeks ago, I joined a campaign with Lenovo, the technology company that once created processors for IBM. As a member of #LenovoMoms, I’m a member of a team using Lenovo products in my everyday life and sharing how they fit with my readers. So, there’s something funny about Lenovo. Even though they’re the biggest brand name in tech product sales in the world, most of America is always asking, “Len-what?” Like, my husband, who asked when I shared the opportunity with him. “Len-who?” he wondered over my excitement. “Lenovo,” I replied, pointing to my desktop PC…

Looking for a gift that plugs in and entertains? Whether you’re springing for a PS5 or you’re going for a hobby-related gift like the Aeros, there are plenty of ways that you can ensure that your family and friends are entertained over the holidays. Here are a few best bets for your giftee’s hours of enjoyment. Bonus! Check out the awesome giveaway below. Disney Classics Box Set Product Description: “From The Studio’s earliest days, music has always been an integral part of the Disney creative process. But when ‘Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf’ debuted in 1933, it began a…

Chills. I promise you. If you’ve ever enjoyed Disney animated movies, if you’ve ever sung “A Whole New World” or “A Circle of Life” at the top of your lungs while driving cross country, if you’ve ever connected in any way, at all, with Disney Music then you’ll just absolutely fall for this Disney Medley featuring Alex G and Peter Hollens. [You know how this works… if you can’t view the embedded video, get out of your mailbox and onto Julieverse.com! Or, just click here to view.] So, you watched it? You listened? You felt? Come on… fess up… who melted? Who…

I can’t believe I’ve made it through the Shooting 101: First Steps with a DSLR class through Clickin’ Moms. I am amazed at the differences I see in my photography. I’ve truly become a hobby-ist… bringing my camera everywhere, taking a million snapshots, and evoking eye rolls from the fam for too many pictures of things in nature. And, you know what? I love it! Here’s a brief recap of weeks 2 & 3, as well as samples of my work. I have a long way to go, I know. But I am so excited with my improvement. View Week 1 here. Week…

This summer, we took a quick trip to Disney World, which, as you know, is the most magical place on Earth. Adding to the magic this fall, we were one of the families to test the new MyMagic+ MyBands, Disney’s newest big deal. The bands are rolling out through the fall, with their official debut scheduled for February. If you’re lucky enough to be staying in one of the testing resorts, you’ll receive an email from your travel agent or Disney Parks to let you know you qualify. It’s still optional to participate, but, trust me, you want to. We…

A few weeks ago, I shared my excitement: that after years of having no idea how to shoot out of auto, I was offered an opportunity to participate in an introductory class at Clickin’ Moms University. I shared photos that showed that I had no idea how to take pictures at all–there was little clarity, little care for composition, and light never played into my mind. I’m facing it; I was a point-and-shoot girl. In just one week, I’m already noticing that I’m looking at pictures differently. The class instructor provided us with the goals of learning about light this…