Santa Jeff got me this very cool photo processing software for Christmas that allows me to process my images in what's call High Dynamic Range, or HDR. I had heard about it, but what I read made it seem very complex, and I just couldn't get my head around trying it. Then, I read an article by a woman who had gotten "burned out" on photography and stopped taking images, until she heard about HDR, and tried it. It gave her a new passion for photography. In the article she mentioned the software she used, and commented on how easy it was to use and learn, so I was immediately intrigued! Anyway, the above image is an image of some old junk yard trucks that I took earlier this year. I applied a pretty intense effect, just for fun, and this was the result. Those trucks haven't looked so fun in years!!
This image used a different effect that created a sort of painting look to the image. It also really pulled the details that were in the dark in the original image I shot. This is a sunrise shot from our back patio. The house in the image is of one of our neighbor's house. I just love the way this process captures the details that were in the dark without losing any of the details in that sunrise sky. Some of the colors aren't quite "real", but that's the painting effect.
This last image is just lovely. The original image was really wonderful, too, but I played with it to see what could result. This image is more detailed and vivid than the original image, but it still maintains the soft quality of the original. I am in love with this software, and think I love photography even more now that I did before!! Enjoy!
The theme of this swap was butterflies. The ATC above uses some book page text as the background. I then applied a napkin that had some really pretty roses and added a gel transfer of a butterfly that I found in a magazine to the very top. Because it's a gel transfer and not the actual magazine image, you can still see the text thru the wings of the butterfly as it sits perched on the roses.
This ATC uses a piece of a music page as the background. Again, I applied a napkin to that, with some rose buds and leaves on it, as well as a little butterfly. I also added a butterfly stamp, just for a bit of balance.
And, finally, the piece I call Butterfly Bling. Again, music pages as a background, but this time I used a butterfly rubber stamp over it. I then colored in the wings, body and added some very obvious antenna with art glitter. I'm not sure why I really like this one, but I do!Enjoy!
Some fun holidays in January! The first holiday, above, is Thomas Crapper Day. He is supposedly the inventor of the inside flushing toilet.....I have no idea if that's why it's called "crap", tho! (C'mon, you know that's what you were thinking!)
January 23 is National Handwriting Day. I found some old handwriting instructional pages and used a rubber stamp I had of a woman's hand writing a postcard (I only used the part of the stamp that showed her hand, so you don't see the postcard.). I was drawn to this holiday because I remember in 4th grade when we were taught cursive handwriting, mine was so atrocious, I couldn't earn enough stars on my homework pages to allow me to begin doing my homework with a pen. I was certain this was going to keep me from graduating to the 5th grade! I remember I was so afraid of opening up my final report card, that when I saw that I had been promoted to the 5th grade, I was so relieved, I almost peed in my pants....or skirt, as the case may be! It's amazing how intimidating those Catholic nuns could be!! I'm sure in some way I'm scarred for life re that, since I still remember it so vividly after all these years!!
I had some really cool stamps from Australia, so I thought I should honor Australia Day! The background is a map of the ancient world. It just looked so cool I couldn't resist using it. I do believe Australia is just off the foot of the koala bear!Enjoy!
What a fun weekend this is - first winter snowfall! They are still predicting more snow for tonight into tomorrow, but we did get out and enjoy it today! Jeff & I took Miki out to our 10 acres, where she enjoyed playing chase the football with Jeff!
As we wondered around the 10 acres, I saw this branch full of snowflakes that look like crystals. Isn't this lovely?
If you look close, you can see the snow falling in this image. I had just stepped out of the studio, when I saw how the little tree in our yard looked so wonderful up against the wall of the house. So, I ran inside to grab my camera, and when I came out, some snowflakes added to the special effect!
This shot is one of my favorites! Yesterday, Miki woke me up at 6am to go outside, and when I peeked out back, this was the view from our back patio. Such a peaceful scene. I especially love the fact that someone left their red Christmas lights on all night, so they were still glowing in the first light of sunrise. Enjoy!
December has its fair share of bizarre holidays! December 10th is the Festival for the Souls of Dead Whales - this has to be one of the more unique ones. Why whales? Well, I did a bit of research, and one of the stories behind the holiday is that it is an Inuit holiday (Alaskan native). They relied on whales for food, and it supposedly was their way of honoring the whales. Sounds good, right? Well, again supposedly, the Inuits never heard of this holiday. So, now the thought it this was made up by a calendar company, looking for ways to encourage the purchase of ceramic mugs.....of whales, I suppose!
December 30th is not only Bicarbonate of Soda Day, but also Festival of Enormous Changes at the Last Minute Day. I focused on the Bicarbonate of Soda Day, but I think the background also sort of reminds one of a lot of changes all happening at the same time, which makes it all seem like the last minute! So, I'm kind of honoring both, don't you think?? (tee, hee!)
And, last but not least, is December 3rd, or National Roof Over Your Head Day! This holiday is to be a day to appreciate all that we have, not the least of which is (hopefully) a roof over our heads. No one knows exactly who first founded this day, but I like this sentiment, and hopefully this gentleman appreciates the roof that's over his head.Enjoy!
Bosque Del Apache is a National Wildlife Refuge near Socorro, New Mexico. Every winter, thousands of sand hill cranes and snow geese spend the winter here. The majority of them are here from late October/early November until February/March. The above image is of hundreds of snow geese who were spending the afternoon enjoying the autumn sun in one of the marshes in the Bosque. They did leave this spot shortly after I took this shot, but returned overnight for a magnificent sunrise show the next morning!
Here are a couple that I think of as the Royal Pair. Don't they look regal? I love the reflection of them in the still waters of the marsh, too. Sort of an idyllic moment. Very calming and peaceful.
We were at the observation deck set up on the side of the marsh, waiting for sunset (and the sand hill cranes), when I happened to notice what bird experts around me said was a golden eagle perched on the top of the dead tree in the marsh. No wind meant great reflections in the water, and I couldn't resist capturing this lovely late autumn scene. A reward for patiently waiting.....Enjoy!
Every evening at the Bosque, the sand hill cranes will come back to roost in one of several marshes. The one we were at was the largest, and many cranes spent their nights here. The visitors' center stated there were about 1500 cranes here at the time we were here, and, altho we saw many, I doubt that we came close to seeing all 1500! The cranes tended to arrive in small groups, sometimes only a couple at a time. The image above is of a couple of the first that arrived. I was lucky enough to capture them performing synchronized eating, as I like to think of it! Mirror images of each other, and mirror images of each of them in the water. Very cool. Most of the cranes don't arrive until after the sun has set, so these were two of the early birds, so to speak.
Here's a bit of a close-up of a couple of other early birds. I was amazed at how perfectly graceful they are when they fly - look at how their feet are just perfectly pointed and together - figure skaters should try to imitate cranes when they work on keeping their toes pointed while skating! These two flew very close by the observation deck we were on.
As the sun got closer to setting, more cranes began arriving. This image appealed to me because I think of the cranes landing as doing a bit of a dance, and the entire scene made me think of them putting on a dancing performance. I also loved how still the evening was, so that all of their movements were captured in the reflection of the water.
This shot was one of the last that I was able to capture, and I really love this one. The cranes are silhouetted against the sunset sky, just as the last rays of the sun lit the sky. I couldn't have asked for a more perfect pose of the cranes, except, of course, they weren't posing. They were just coming home for the night, in the most graceful way possible.Enjoy!
Santa Jeff got me this very cool photo processing software for Christmas that allows me to process my images in what's call High Dynamic Range, or HDR. I had heard about it, but what I read made it seem very complex, and I just couldn't get my head around trying it. Then, I read an article by a woman who had gotten "burned out" on photography and stopped taking images, until she heard about HDR, and tried it. It gave her a new passion for photography. In the article she mentioned the software she used, and commented on how easy it was to use and learn, so I was immediately intrigued! Anyway, the above image is an image of some old junk yard trucks that I took earlier this year. I applied a pretty intense effect, just for fun, and this was the result. Those trucks haven't looked so fun in years!!
This image used a different effect that created a sort of painting look to the image. It also really pulled the details that were in the dark in the original image I shot. This is a sunrise shot from our back patio. The house in the image is of one of our neighbor's house. I just love the way this process captures the details that were in the dark without losing any of the details in that sunrise sky. Some of the colors aren't quite "real", but that's the painting effect.
This last image is just lovely. The original image was really wonderful, too, but I played with it to see what could result. This image is more detailed and vivid than the original image, but it still maintains the soft quality of the original. I am in love with this software, and think I love photography even more now that I did before!! 
