come out and play [30/52]

posted by on July 30, 2011 · 17 Comments

Hey you guys!

Yep, I actually picked up my camera. Hell, for that matter, I'm actually walking. heh.

Recovery from major surgery has been slow going. For weeks, I thought I'd never feel right again. But once the four week mark reared it's head, my body finally started listening to me and got the hell up. Since then, I'm better everyday. Finally.

That's not to say I can venture too far. This tickseed is right outside my front door :)

come out and play

What started out in my head as just a floral with maybe a texture thrown on for good measure, turned into me playing around looking for a toy camera kind of look. I started in Lightroom, messing with color blending and adding some fake light leaks using graduated filters, then took it over to photoshop and added some textures, one of them being Vintage Tinted Lens from Jerry at Shadowhouse Creations. Great texture to get a bit of that plastic lens look. A simple gradient gives that over-exposed look in the upper left corner (or some lovely fake sun?) and then a slight color overlay finished it off. I have to say, I had a really hard time not taming those yellow-greens. I had to keep telling myself to leave it alone. You get those overly vibrant colors with the plastic lenses. Kinda.

Oh, and yes, I added rounded corners. Rounded corners just scream retro, right? Right.

It's probably not for everyone, but I kinda like it.

You know, sometimes I have way too much fun processing. heh.

I'm so glad to be back, you guys. You have no idea :)

---------------------------------------------------------------

Hosted at twoscoopz! You can visit or join the focus52 flickr group here. My own focus52 project can be found on flickr here or by clicking 'my f52' in the category list to the right.

filed under my f52 - Tagged: , , ,

may flowers [18/52]

posted by on May 8, 2011 · 15 Comments


Finally! Just when I thought Spring would never arrive, my little corner of the world is finally showing signs of life.

Better late than never!

I had fun hunting down flowers of all shapes and sizes and actually felt like using my camera for a change, rather than the boredom that's hit me lately. Guess I just needed a change of scenery.


But the absolute best May flowers of all, are the ones given to you on Mother's Day ...

Roses from my beautiful daughter. It's crazy to think she'll be turning sixteen this year.

She was five years old just yesterday, giving me dandelion bouquets.

*sigh*

----------------------------------

The majority of the above  photos were processed with the new Lightroom Preset Super Pack from Cara Rose Photography.  Cara is an amazing photographer whom I've admired for quite some time. Her flickr stream is a thing of beauty and packed full of luscious light and dreamy bokeh, always guaranteed to inspire. I'm so pleased to support her in her newest venture. You can find Cara on facebook, flickr and on her website.

---------------------------------------------------------------

Hosted at twoscoopz! You can visit or join the focus52 flickr group here. My own focus52 project can be found on flickr here or by clicking 'my f52' in the category list to the right.

filed under my f52 - Tagged: , ,

easter [16/52]

posted by on April 25, 2011 · 20 Comments

Normally, I go crazy taking photos of all things Easter. This year, not so much.

But I did go crazy for these tulips ...

Beautiful light. And yes, the extreme exposure was done on purpose, messing around looking for a dreamy type of feel.
Whatever, I like it :)

Again with the light. I have issues.

Here we go. Some normalcy...

But of course, there must be some textures involved.

Florals demand texture.
It's a law.

I love tulips.

And just to prove it was actually Easter around here,

some peeps :)


(I honestly, honestly despise this shot but it's the only Easter-ish shot I took this week. Yuck.)

I hope you had a wonderful Easter weekend.

Mine was utterly lazy and absolute Heaven.

Perfect :)

---------------------------------------------------------------

Hosted at twoscoopz! You can visit or join the focus52 flickr group here. My own focus52 project can be found on flickr here or by clicking 'my f52' in the category list to the right.

filed under my f52 - Tagged: , , , , , ,

beautifully aged [9/52]

posted by on March 5, 2011 · 19 Comments

There's nothing I like better than taking an everyday photo and transforming it into something special with a few beautiful textures. So for this week's focus52 prompt, 'aged', I did just that ...

I plucked a few flowers out of my still thriving birthday bouquet (sent all the way from Florida from my girl, Cher! love her) and arranged them in a vintage glassware piece (origins totally unknown). A few textures later and I have something entirely different than the photo that came out of  my camera, even though I kept the effects fairly subtle and light.

Using textures is one of my very favorite things to do with photos.

What about you? Do you have a favorite post-processing technique?

Textures from Kim Klassen and Tammy Lee Bradley. Thank you, ladies!

---------------------------------------------------------------

Hosted at twoscoopz! You can visit or join the focus52 flickr group here. My own focus52 project can be found on flickr here or by clicking 'my f52' in the category list to the right.

filed under my f52 - Tagged: , , , ,

Mr Demille, I'm ready for my close-up [7/52]

posted by on February 19, 2011 · 18 Comments

Yeah, not really. But I do have a director's chair :)

Visiting with my macro lens for this week's prompt had me wishing for Summer and my garden. With around three or four feet of snow still in my yard, that's not happening anytime soon.

So I took the opportunity to try a few so-called 'cliche' shots that I've always wanted to try but never really got around to.

First up, the eyes (eye?) have it ...

Gorgeous hazel peepers courtesy of my daughter's girlfriend. The girls know by now that nobody is safe from my lens. heh. And I've learned that these types of shots are hard! but whatever, it'll do :)

I've always wanted to try the threaded needle thing, but never really got around to it.

It was fun! and I couldn't resist a 'not-so-close-up' shot. What is it about a needle and colourful thread? It's so appealing to me.

And although my garden is, sadly, only a dim memory from last year, at least I had some Valentine roses to play with. Really, what's a 'close up' prompt without the requisite floral shot?

I'm not a huge fan of roses, but these ones sure are beautiful. So pretty.

So this was fun! A bit of a challenge all week though, looking for something in my house to photograph that I haven't already.

And I just want to say, you guys have no idea how hard it was for me to NOT put any textures on those last two photos. Killing me! Seriously. Don't be surprised if you see them pop up again, all dressed up.

They're all but yelling at me to do it :)

---------------------------------------------------------------

Hosted at twoscoopz! You can visit or join the focus52 flickr group here. My own focus52 project can be found on flickr here or by clicking 'my f52' in the category list to the right.

filed under my f52 - Tagged: , , , , , ,