You are currently browsing the monthly archive for May 2012.
“I hear lake water lapping with low sounds by the shore . . . I hear it in the deep heart’s core.” William Butler Yeats
I’m posting two photos here today – the first is my original rendition as I wanted to show the fish that were spawning under the dock. However, I didn’t like the effect really, so I just reworked it and used this porthole .png that I found on Photobucket. I think I’m happier with the result. The Rainbow Trout weren’t swimming in close to shore so it was not possible to capture them in this shot.
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“Art is the window to man’s soul. Without it, he would never be able to see beyond his immediate world; nor could the world see the man within.” Claudia Johnson
Enjoying some of our last moments at the Lake before heading home to Vancouver. No special processing here . . . tweaked just a bit for contrast and clarity in Lightroom. Otherwise SOOC.
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“Turning a Tree into a Chair
The Tree is there. Someone comes along with his/her tools: Axe, knife, etc.. He whittles a chair out of it. Now the chair is there.
Now once it’s a chair you have the option to leave it like that or you can carve details into it, paint it, and/or add upholstery. It’s still a chair whether you improve upon it or not It just then becomes a specialized type of chair like Victorian, modern, or such.
That’s what HDR does. It adds details, paint, and upholstery to the Photograph. It’s still a photograph, but now enhanced. If you like the regular old whittled chair then don’t HDR it But if you think your [chair would look better to you] in HDR then do it ” GusDoeMatik ( from Scott Kelby, Photoshop Insider)
The is a raging debate about whether HDR Photography is a valid art form or not. There tends to be two camps – you love it or you hate it. I’ve found it growing on me . . . mainly because of the challenge of learning new techniques in post processing. I am keeping an open mind and learning as much as I can about it as just one more tool in my arsenal. I can see where certain photos will adapt very nicely to HDR while others – not so much. I tend to be a realist, and like my photos to portray the reality in a scene. I think HDR has the ability to make you feel as though you are in the photo – as though you were really there in that moment. I think really good photography SOOC also has that ability – so I guess the challenge is to find a healthy balance. Since my journey through this learning maze has just begun I’ll keep y’all posted!
Following is another of my attempts at HDR, followed by the original SOOC. It had just rained, and then the sun came out. Very typical for Cariboo Country. We took advantage of the break in the weather and I quickly set up my D7000 on timer and bracketing (2 stops under and over).
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Original (normal exposure) unprocessed photo:
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“I hear, I know. I see, I remember. I do, I understand.” Confucius
Yeah – what he said!!
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“If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant; if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.” — Anne Bradstreet
Spring is my most favorite time of the year . . . I love wandering in the garden to discover what is bursting forth – every day it’s seems something new. Here I discovered my Paeonies had bloomed but their beautiful display had gone unnoticed because of everything else that has grown up around. I was so sad to have missed it . . . but determined that next year their beauty would not be hidden . . .
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“Many hands make light work.” John Heywood
I still need a few more of me though! Those weeds are killer! The yard has suddenly burst out in all it’s splendor. So I thought I’d get a little help . . .
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“Water is life’s mater and matrix, mother and medium. There is no life without water.” Albert Szent-Gyorgyi
We were playing in the back yard before naptime. She is a water baby at heart . . . and loves playing in her water table. I took my socks off so they wouldn’t get wet as I cleaned it out and refilled it, then took her sandals off so they wouldn’t get wet. She immediately grabbed my socks and put them on! So much for not getting them wet – but what’s a Ya Ya to do, eh? I live for moments like this . . .
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“Children are natural Zen masters; their world is brand new in each and every moment.” John Bradshaw
She’s just fascinated with the other kids in the play area . . . and I was absolutely fascinated by her fascination . . .
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“Be who you really are, do not change for anyone, and always, always dream big enough to achieve.” Unknown
Play time at the Kristi Yamaguchi “Always Dream Park” in Fremont. I did some extra processing to this image. The original image was not blurred in the background. I used Topaz Plugins and Photoshop to do a detailed blur which took several hours as I had to mask out the chain on the swings. I’m pleased with the effect, as it put the emphasis on the Baby and me.
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“My love for ice cream emerged at an early age – and has never left!” Ginger Rogers
Today I took the little one to Blackhawk Plaza in Danville, CA. It’s an outdoor mall, with ducks roaming the ponds and streams at the center of the shops. We purchased Duck Feed at one of the local stores, and proceeded to spend the next couple of hours chasing and feeding them. Baby had such a great time chasing them . . . which of course meant she deserved an ice cream before we headed home. You’d think she had died and gone to heaven! Yum Yum!
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Nurture Self 365 