Here's a bit of a different type of post. Instead of showing you 3 different images, it's the same image with 3 different creative effects in Adobe PhotoShop Elements10. And, in case some folks may think the Adobe folks are paying me to do this.......I only wish that were so!! LOL! Anyway....the above image is pretty much what the original image looks like. However, I applied what is called "feathering" to the edges to give them that softened look. I like this - I think it could be a good effect for a number of uses - including perhaps some wedding photographs I'll be taking a week from today!
The above image reflects the use of a filter that creates this effect. It's called a graphic pencil filter, and it has a really interesting look to it. It's very soft and sort of old-fashioned looking.
This last image uses a filter called sponge painting. It does give it a painting type feel. It has some interesting texture as well. Very cool, I think!
Enjoy!
I decided to get up early today to shoot the sunrise with my new camera (yea!). The hummingbirds decided to join me for a sunrise breakfast! Love the above image - you can just barely make out his wings fluttering as he approaches the feeder.
Here's another hummer actually being still and sipping his breakfast. They are slowly getting used to us being there, so they don't fly away now when they notice we're around.
I think of the above image as just being so joyful. It looks like the hummer is just rejoicing at the start of the day! And, check out the great sunrise in the background.
This profile shot is another of my favorites. It's just such a perfect still photo of a hummingbird - something pretty rare!
Enjoy!
Last weekend, Jeff & I went exploring along the dirt/back roads in the East Mountains, where we live. What a great place to live, with all of this wonderful beauty surrounding us! Above is just a lovely scene along one of the roads we explored - love the sort of half-falling down barbed wire fence!
The above image just reminded me of days gone by, and the beauty and loneliness of railroad tracks. Altho originally, this image was in color, I think this sepia toned image better captures the spirit of yesterday.
And, of course, what would exploring be if not to see what wildflowers there are! The above bloom, which I think may be yarrow, was found in what we think was a deserted small mining operation. Nature has now re-claimed that area!
The color of the above bloom makes me think it may be a western wallflower, but, again, I'm semi-guessing, since I don't have my wildflower book open beside me! In any event, I just love the fact that there are orange wildflowers in this area! I always think of wildflowers as being colors like pink, purple, yellow, etc., but not orange. Love the boldness of the color!
I love the tiny little purple blooms above - again, a bit bolder in color, but such delicate little things. Just for some perspective, each little flower is smaller than the size of a penny - maybe about half the size of the face of a penny - tiny perfection!
And, finally, this lovely bloom that almost always seems to be growing in the middle of the road when I see it! In this case, however, it was growing in among the rocks of what looked to be the remains of a cabin from long ago. Again, nature seems to have re-claimed the area!
Enjoy!
Here's the second half of the art travel journal pages. Again, to read the quotes, just click on the image and it will enlarge so you can see it - enjoy!
Here's part 1 of my prepped art travel journal pages. Each page has its own quote, which is reflected on the bottom of each page. My plan for the journal is to take it with us when we take our August trip. Each day I will add my own thought for the day written on the tab in each library card envelope, and also include a photo of the day! Since the quotes speak for themselves, I won't add any other comments. I think you can click on each image to enlarge it to read the quote! Enjoy!
What fun! Today we drove around exploring the East Mountain area, using dirt roads/back roads. Took some fun photos and then played with them to create what I'm hoping to use as background paper for some digital collages.....once I figure out how to do it!! The above shot is of a section of a fairly decent sized rock and I played with the Hue/Saturation function in PhotoShop to create this great effect!
This image is from a different view on the same rock, using a different adjustment on the Hue/Saturation function. It's sort of Christmas-y, I think, altho the red is more pink than red. Still, I really like it! What can I do with this???
And, last, but not least, is this photo of a great dead tree. The branches were just so expressive and cool, I couldn't resist shooting it. I then played around with Hue/Saturation, and then inverted it, so the tree came out white, and you could see the detail of the branches so much better. This is so moody, I just love it. It will make a great background for collage!
Enjoy!
I couldn't resist playing with some of my flower photos yesterday, creating crazy color bookmarks! The above bookmark is the Rocky Mountain Townsend Daisy, which I shot back in June during the Sandia Mountain wildflower walk. Amazing the fun stuff one can do with PhotoShop!
And, this bookmark is a crazy colored gladiola bookmark, from a photo of the gladiolas that are growing in my pots both in front and back of the house! Now, I just need to print these out on some good cardstock and get them protected. Haven't decided yet whether to use gel medium and varnish or laminate them. Oh, well, I'll figure it out!
Enjoy!
An explosion of yellow and apricot in this post! The above photos are daylilies I posted a day or so ago, but now I've applied the HDR effect, altho not too strong. I just love the added detail that it brings to the image.
The above lily just seems buttery with the HDR effect applied, doesn't it? It almost feels like I'm under a soft yellow umbrella, and I just about needed to be in that position to get this shot!
And, finally, this happy daylily! The dual color just seems to really pop with the HDR effect. And, this particular flower just seems so happy!!
Enjoy!
Playing around with some of my garden flower photos, and decided to convert a couple to HDR. I think they look sort of surreal, but still really pretty! I especially love the gladiola, above. This is the same photo that I posted a couple of days ago, but now it's in HDR. Not saying one is better than the other - just think both are pretty and very cool in their own way!
Here's an apricot colored daylily. There's something about this photo that just feels so fresh and clean to me. I'm not necessarily an apricot person, but I really do love this color!
And, finally, a photo from the Sandia Mountains - the HDR effect isn't quite as pronounced here, but it does have a nice "look" to it.
Enjoy!
There were such beautiful blooms in our front yard today, I couldn't resist snapping a few photos to share! The above photo is of a gladiola that I planted in one of my pots (along with moss roses) - I just love the color of it!
And, this lovely pair of blooms are day lilies, which are blooming for the first time since I planted the bulbs/corms a couple of years ago. Some of my day lilies are still quite small, but eventually, I'll have a wonderful day lily patch!
And, finally, this close-up of another type of lily that has started blooming for the first time in the garden. I planted the bulb/corm a couple of years ago, so I don't even remember what type of lily this is! LOL! Still, it is really pretty and worth the wait.
Enjoy!
Mom is visiting for the weekend, and this morning was a lovely morning for a flight! So, here's Mom and her pilot, Jeff, getting ready to get on board and take off!
Here she is in the co-pilot seat, enjoying the view.....and not flying!
This was the view we were enjoying! We're now having the monsoon flow, so it rained a bit the last few days, and has "greened" things up!
Enjoy!
We had a metamorphosis happen on our back patio over the past week or so. The above photo is of a little caterpillar that attached itself to the ceiling of the back patio. It was busy working to form its cocoon.
In about a week, the cocoon was fully formed, and the metamorphosis was happening inside, out of sight! I was waiting, rather impatiently, for the magic to happen!
And, then, this morning, the magic happened!! The butterfly emerged, and spread its wings! I have to admit, I wasn't here at this moment - my wonderful partner, Jeff, took this photo! In a couple of hours, the butterfly's wings had sufficiently dried, and it was gone. Sigh......still how great to have captured this!
Enjoy
