Photo Session

Yesterday I did a photo session.  I planned it so that I would have the morning light coming in on the Christmas tree -- it was a Christmas photo session, of course.  The subject needed to look nice, so I combed her hair.  And she was decked out in her Christmas attire -- a Martha Stewart holiday collar which was 50% off at Petsmart this week.  And I had a Santa hat from the year before.

Once I got over the fact that she just wasn't going to wear the Santa hat, the session went very well.  Meggie patiently posed for numerous shots -- and if you know anything about Airedale Terriers, this was akin to a Christmas miracle!  This is my third year for doing a photo of Meggie and this is the first time that I had a selection to choose from for our Christmas cards.  Below is the final version.  The only photoshop-ing was to crop and add a date.  Meggie is an incredibly sweet and kind dog, and I sort of think it comes across in this photo. 

Merry Christmas from Lady Margaret of Penleigh House aka Meggie.

I don't know how I did it

I see these beautiful, pale photos that have been layered until they have such a "dreamy" look to them.  I wanted to make one.  A search through my macro photos for something that was in the pale pink family produced this Gerber Daisy.  Perfect.

I added a texture layer, and then started playing with the adjustments.  To my surprise, pale and dreamy isn't what appeared.

But I love it!  I can see it framed with lots of white border -- maybe even a white frame.  And my first thought was what a beautiful scarf in a soft, sheer fabric.  A scarf that would coordinate with everything in my closet.  Or maybe even a vintage style dress -- like something from the 40's.  Fabric.  Yes, definitely fabric.  Fabric making would probably be taking my dabbling a bit too far -- so, I'll have to go with the framed lots of white border.  This certainly wasn't what I set out to achieve -- it's my found art!

What AEDM day is this?

I've been away for a couple of days.  But, I think I've been a tiny bit creative every day even though I don't really have anything to show for it.  I'm working through a book called "You Can Draw in 30 Days" and I'm drawing and shading balls and boxes.  Hope to share something with you in the coming days.

I did take some pictures.  I pulled a few of them up in Photoshop Elements and played around with the  color hue and saturation, and with the balance of tint and temperature.   I see photographs where these values have been changed, and I'm just not quite sure if I like it.  Sometimes the color combinations are so vivid that I'm immediately drawn to them.  And then sometimes, I think it's just too bizarre.  Take a look at these, and please let me know what you think.  

A Different Shade of Sanibel

The Night Sky - AEDM 8

As I was walking my dog last night, I looked up at the evening sky.  Just last Friday the space station was visible for six minutes as it traveled across the sky -- so I always look up.  And there was that big beautiful, almost full, moon in a clear sky.  My attempts to capture the evening sky have been quite unsuccessful, and last night was no different.  Determined, I put my camera (the camera I need to know much more about) on manual and set it for a long exposure.  I wasn't steady enough, so I found a metal fence post in the garage and used it as a tri-pod, although technically it was a mono-pod.  Here is the result:

In Photoshop Elements, I added texture and made minor adjustments to hue and saturation.  And here you have my AEDM day 8:.

AEDM day 4 - Which Door?

 Today I've dabbled with Photoshop Elements again.  Hadn't planned to, but Kim Klassen sent out a new "freebie" texture and I just had to try it out.  You can sign up for them on her website.  She calls it "Shades of November."
 

This is my photograph taken in Italy.  You walk down a street, and every door is a photo opportunity.  I used Kim's texture twice.  The first layer was soft light at 52% with the door area erased.  Next I used the same texture as overly at 81%.  I finished with it and liked the results.

But then I look back to the original (no texture, no Photoshop) and I really like the cleanliness of it.  Still can't get a clear focus (no pun intended, ha ha) even on my "style."  What do you think?  Door number 1 or door number 2?

One Little Word Project

I'm participating in a year long project called One Little Word (taught by Ali Edwards and through the website Big Picture Classes ) -- sort of a combination of photography and scrapbooking.  Ali Edwards is a scrapbooker, and yet, somehow I didn't realize that this class had anything to do with scrapbooking until I got the first assignment!  Oh my goodness -- there is so much scrapbooking stuff.  I could be happy just buying supplies.

My word for the year is "nurture".  It came to me in the bathtub -- this is my year to nurture myself!  January's assignment -- you can see that I'm a bit behind -- used a template from Ali Edwards (so, I'm learning more about Abode Elements) to expand on your word.