Sometimes...Take I and Take II

I embarked on a new twist....experimenting with SP's.   I am not very comfortable in front of the lens, so i decided to push myself and see what would happen.  Sometimes....i just need to do that.

I have a Flickr contact, whose photos just simply flat out awe me.  I know i will never be as amazing....but she inspires me to try.  When i say i could look at her photos for hours on end, i am not kidding...they simply leave me awestruck.  This shoot happened because of her and i can only hope that she is not insulted by what i have attempted here!  i was SO afraid to post this on Flickr.  I do not want her to think badly of me...because believe me i know this does not even scratch the surface of her work...and i am SO honored that she even added me as a contact back!

I did find out one important thing....probably more that have not struck me yet...i was much more at ease doing this type of shot incognito!  I am very VERY self critical and do not feel in the least photogenic.  Sure...i get a decent shot once in a million that i actually like of myself....but they are few and far between and are always a big happy surprise to me!

These 2 shots are identical, but processed differently and i like both for different reasons.  One of my reasons for liking the shot at all is the emotion it conveys without ever seeing a face.  The concept of a portrait without seeing a face is rather a strange one to me, but yet i like it.  It really makes you look at the photo and sense the person as a whole, not based on what they look like.  I feel less vulnerable and less judged....other than maybe folks (like my family) think i am quirky and strange when i do this!  Blessedly i have a generous helping of artsy friends that understand and indulge me by tagging along when i get one of these whims.  We laugh....a lot!

I titled this "Sometimes, i just need a hug..." and it is one from a small set that is titled "Appeasing the Darkness".  Take II of this shot is rather like an illustration for a book...more-so than a photograph...altho, it IS a photograph....the same exact one as above, with an entirely different editing take on it!  I love editing....for me it is artistic magic, that i can make happen with any photo i want! i do love magic!!  SOMETIMES..........you just have to do what you love, but ALWAYS you should love what you do!

An Apple a Day...

“Here's to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They're not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can't do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.” Apple, Inc.

My apples needed some fresh air and sunshine, with a touch of cool breeze, so i took them for a walk in the egg basket. They did said they were ok with that, but i know they really wish i had an apple basket for them. Here they paused for a respite on my Adirondack chair near the little fish pond. They think the sun makes them sweeter....i hope they did not sweeten the Granny Smith too much....i like those tart!

Oh, the quote?!? i like it. It reminds me of someone i know! ;)

Altho, the part about changing the world....that part i am not sure about. This person i know probably won't do anything that comes close to that...but hey, dreams sometimes come true. Of course this person does not dream in that grand of a scale....this person is much more simple than that.

i wonder... can you change the world with a smile?

Happy Mother's Day to all the mom's i know!   

South Carolina, Beaches to Plantations

I just returned from a bit more than 2 weeks away.  This time of year is a good time to head south, especially if still in the grips of mother nature's winter hissy-fits.  It was not a whole lot warmer in Virginia (The first 9 days of my trip), but i was certain once i moved on to South Carolina i would be home free in the warmth department.  Not quite true.  i am was not complaining, even when i heard it was warmer and sunnier back home in NJ.  The scenery and history more than made up for it....i mean it was not like it was freezing, and the overcast skies were incredibly helpful to getting some very nice light for shooting.

Mt. Pleasant was our first stop after leaving Fredericksburg...about an 8 hour drive.  We arrived just after dinner to a nice rolicking thunder and lightning storm.  i love storms...in the morning it was overcast but i just HAD to see the ocean, so we drove a whole 12 minutes to Isle of Palms....and little by little the sun began to peek through...enough that i got some color while foraging for beach treasures and taking a lovely nap on the beach.  When i was ready to leave, i looked like a sugar cookie...the wind had covered me head to toe with the finest sand i have ever seen!  We headed into Charleston, to the Phoebe Pember House...a quaint B&B in the historic district of the city.  The next day we spent touring the whole historic district on foot....from the Central Market to the parks at the tip of the peninsula, and i happily snapped away at the beauty around me!  The third day, we took the car and headed out to visit 2 plantation houses...quite different from one another, but related by family ties...each was owned by sons of the Drayton family.  the history was fascinating for both places, and they were quite beautiful in their own way.  i was partial to the 1742 home, in impeccable condition, and altho it is now part of the Historic Register of South Carolina, it is still used (unfurnished, with no electric or running water!) for family reunions of the Drayton descendants and the descendants of the slaves and servants that lived there pre Revolutionary War.

i love traveling....especially south, and especially near beaches.  i am a misplaced Southern Soul at heart, with a tremendous love of the sea.

Add Your Own Sky...

Add your own sky....oh, if only we could do that in
the real world!

i am not sure how you feel about that but i know that beautiful sunrises and sunsets make me a much happier person overall!
i would occasionally add a starlit sky, or a tumultuous sky with bolts of lightning to match my moods.  It would be kind of fun.

i had a lot of fun with this challenge from my 2B class.  i also struggled with it, as i never should have tried it when i was tired.  That being said, i did, and i stuck with it until i finally figured out what step i missed!

the photo to the right was done with a sunset sky that i had in my archives...unfortunately the skies here in Northern Virginia have been rather cloudy the past few days...and someone stole my warm ;(

Ironically the second sky was taken very near to where the first one was taken. there is a spot near a shopping center where i live in NJ, that has wide open spaces for sky shots. 

Both of these skies were really pretty, and altho hard to

tell, the bottom shot had pink, and white clouds in the baby blue sky.  i did enjoy this challenge and am looking forward to warmth and nice skies in SC next week....and it would be nice if it complied with my wishes while i am still here in Va too!

Cinderella Dream...Cottage to Castle

I went on a spur of the moment jaunt with a friend to check out a few Antique places in the area.  She is new to "West Bumblefuk" as she calls it out here in the wilds of Northwestern NJ, having lived on the east side of the state, since....well......as long as i have known her!  

She found a wild and very different carved mask for a special spot on one of her walls....i personally think it would make a fabulous focal point for any of her walls, as she has quite a few pieces that would work SO well with it!  I managed to find a very vintage little suitcase....to go with my slightly larger vintage suitcase.  To make matters even better, both were on sale for 20% off!

When i saw the challenge from Kim Klassen for this weeks lesson,  i was elated! i have never tried tinting...other than APPLYING a preset tint with my Nik software. (BTW, Silver Effects Pro is AMAZING!)

I was pretty certain that i would mess up SOMETHING when i tried it myself, but to my astonishment it worked the very first time!!  i was very exited because i had the perfect photo in my mind from the little excursion to the antique shops.  This particular shop had quite a few very cool chandeliers....from the most ornate and sparkly to rusted metal.  I fell in love for the look of the sparkly crystal against the very vintage, peeling paint doors that she used as a backdrop in the shop.  i am VERY pleased with how this looks!  The whole thing just reminded me of Cinderella....going from the wretched cottage to the beautiful sparkly castle!  i used a slightly warm graduated filter, combines with a very pale pink.  i am smitten with the look!

The Mask....and my sweet little vintage suitcase!!  Yes....the mask is strange....but i think it is very cool!  My suitcase....well, what can i say....it was love at first sight!!  It will make it into some SP's along the way and some portrait shoots as well!

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!  Can't wait to peek at the tinted shots! :)

Beach, Spa.....Ahhhhhhhh

I know...we were supposed to choose our favorite color and do our homework centered around that.  i was far too excited to give this a try...somehow i think i missed this in Beyond Layers homework....i had a lot on my plate last year! Anyway....i had no time to gather blue....i adore blue, always have.  i do admit to having had a fling with pink this past year...and that is hanging on still, but blue still remains my true favorite color.

i find myself dreaming of Summer, often.  (At this point i would actually be thrilled if Spring would make an appearance!)  To keep myself from going totally off the deep end and out of a straightjacket, i maintain my studio room in beach decor and colors....the room is white but accented with the colors of the beach.  I had done a few spa type shots with my shells and sea glass and came across this one.  i decided that i would experiment with my first Color Board, using this shot!  That explains the reason it is not all one color.....with apologies to Kim!  i promise i will do another one in just my favorite colors as soon as i have a little time on the weekend.

Working in Elements 11 after very nearly mastering Elements 10 was a bit frustrating.  i have trouble locating things and therein lies my escalating frustration level with 11.  I adored my E10 program and could move through what i was doing with confidence....with E11, not so much!  i am sure i will grow to love it just in time to have to upgrade to 12! I can't seem to get used to how simplified it looks....and i am thinking it is cleaner looking because they hid things!! I feel like i am on a scavenger hunt every time i use it! i now am beginning to open it and say to myself, "OK, ready for another adventure, Susan?  Don't get frustrated....breathe....it will work out!"  i find the pep talk helps a bit!

i hope to streamline how much time it takes me to do these lessons by the time the end of April comes.  i am heading to Charleston, SC. for a little vacation...i will be bringing all my work, and paraphernalia with me, so that i don't fall too far behind.  i will be gone the week BEFORE going to SC, dog and apartment sitting for my youngest daughter...then possibly home for a few days before leaving again.
i don't want to get behind to the point that i feel overwhelmed, so therefore, i will be packing everything i need so i can try and do the lessons at night....because during the day i will be soaking in my beloved south, camera in hand!! :)

Miracles DO Happen...

Here i am....late as usual!  I knew it was too good to be true that last week i finished my homework and was not doubled up on anything for a change.  Things have a way of reverting back to that when life suddenly jumps in and tosses you a few fouls.

Let me just start by saying that i have a very, VERRRRRY long way to go with this whole text on a path, text on a shape thing in CS5.  For this past week, CS5 has been one gigantic thorn in my side....and so it continues!  Given the kind of week i have had....Monday a biopsy (still awaiting results), Tuesday zooming around trying to find backsplash tile and countertop and making decisions on sinks and stoves for the kitchen remodeling, wednesday, sitting for 2 of the three grands, and again a bit today after realizing this morning that THIS Sunday is Easter and rushing to the store for things ofr the egg hunt here and the lunch...tomorrow another round of tile stalking, and a bit more shopping....oh, and did i mention i just began a 30 day Clean Eating Challenge, which has boosted my energy level to the point that i now fall asleep quickly when i GET to bed around 11 or 12, but find i am awake around 5am....WIDE awake.  My wish for longer days seems to be coming true!

Tonight, after dinner, absolutely determined to get my text to behave itself on some sort of path, i decided to bypass CS5 until i can give it my undivided attention (read: Sometime this summer at the beach on a rainy day!) and just go with Elements11.  (just when i had gotten E10 down to a science they make me get and learn another and i am not quite sure i am liking the changes....it looks a bunch more simple....but so far i am finding it more confusing).  I am pleased to announce that after an hour of twiddling with it, i have finally produced 2 that i can deal with!  One (the sweet easter eggs shot) of Kim's, and my shot taken at my very favorite secret garden.....which for some reason made me think of Easter last week when i was there.  The words, He is Risen, popped into my head when i saw this metal stake that looked like a cross....and the burlap brought to mind a burial shroud....it stuck in my head as i was walking away....nudging at me to go back and reel off some shots.

That's it for tonight...altho my 3 year old Lileigh Bean PROMISED she would let me do my homework today if she could stay with me instead of going home...."pacuz, Mmmm-ma, I love you TOOOOOO much!"...she lied!  We had a lot of fun....but this did not get done until tonight and that bean that i love TOOOOOO much back, wore me out!!

Have a wonderful Friday and a Blessed Easter....Passover....or whatever your heart desires!

Oh, My!! :)

Oh, My!!  i did it!  i did a chalk lettered piece....again, not wonderfully wonderful, but i like it!  it was relatively easy to do, and i am ok with it.  The second part of the challenge was a Layout...and i really REALLY did try to do it in CS5....but i am abysmal with that program, having had it for awhile and not ever being able to make it do what i need it to do.  I fight with it more than use it and get frustrated and then stop, switch to Elements 10 or 11 and just do what i have to do there.  To my credit, i do go back to CS5 when i am not frustrated and try again, until the frustration returns.  i seriously need Kim classes for that program....sigh.  To ease my frustration i worked this challenge out in my favorite summer beachy colors.  i am SO beyond sick of winter.

The last challenge for 2BD8 was a Matte Finish shot.  That was really quite fun and gave such a pretty look to the shot of the vivid blue orchid...made it so much softer.  This style would fit quite nicely with the card sets that i make, and the ease of the recipe makes me inclined to use it more often.

OK....I am pretty sure that by the time i get this posted there will be a 2BD9 waiting for me, but i am so delighted that i actually finished a whole challenge on time that i am just sitting here smiling!! YAY me!  i guess i do work better under pressure, as i have a ton of edit work to do, and i am in a good place with that so far too.

Hope you all have a delightful week and i look forward to perusing your shots...such fabulous inspiration for my artistic soul!!

Experiment in Chalk

This is just a quick post and run tonight without a very big story!  i played with a chalk text on a texture with another texture on top. i am not thrilled with it, but it is almost midnight, and i am tired.... my youngest daughter surprised me and drove all the way up from Manassas, VA. to spend her 2 days off work with me! She did not tell me she was coming....

SO here it is...for now this is what i've got....til tomorrow possibly...or wednesday.....maybe....DANG, so much to do and so little time!  I still need to do a template-less template shot and a matte shot....and probably this weeks homework and two edit jobs......sigh.....when it rains it pours, or in this case, snows.  i hate snow....

See you soon!

POV...Shots From Above

Kim Klassen 2B D6....revisiting a lesson on POV (Point of View)
Perspective is a funny thing.  It can make you see things so differently,  expanding how you think of things, and opening new worlds of exploration.

Looking down on Lileigh Grace's "princess dress and work boots" i saw more than the mess on the floor.  I saw the scattering of little girl hopes, wishes and dreams.  The moment of a whim, that came to life, danced and twirled, and then moved on.
Looking down on Faith the Wonder Dog (trust me she deserves that name for all her troubles, as it is a wonder she is still among the living!) i saw the love and hope in her eyes.  The subtle hint of begging for perhaps a dropped morsel of something from me at the kitchen sink, or from the snack bag as i was doling out portions to my grand beans!
Looking down on the warn and tattered old book on my windowsill, i saw a well used and loved source of knowledge.  Where seeds of interest and curiosity took root and grew for someone long ago.

Perpective..... POV...........it is ALWAYS worth the visit and the revisit, for you never know what you will find.

Short piece tonight...sitting for a 1 year old that only sleeps about an hour a day, and a three year old with boundless energy and no naps makes for a VERY mellow Mmmm-ma this week.  Normally i am up, playing and editing and enjoying my time in the quiet of the house....but for now i think i just need some sleep, because "sitting" is a misnomer with these 2.....it rarely happens!

Follow the Light :)

Have i told you lately how much i enjoy my 2B class!?  I popped in this evening to find the most wonderfilled wonderful and inspiring chat from Kim....just when i was beginning to feel like the dreary of winter was never going to end, and have been lamenting the nasty cold and wind of the past week.

Kim talked about light.  A subject dear to my heart.  I simply ADORE light!  i can not live without it streaming into my life and my house.  It baffles me to go to my daughters houses and find curtains closed and blinds shut tight....what IS that???  like living in a cave....i run around opening curtains and blinds after they leave to go where they are going!

i live in a house built over 3 time periods....the oldest section dates back to the mid 1700's....the other sections are additions to the tiny one room farmhouse, and were added in 1826, 1920,  and the last addition in the early 1930's.  i often "follow the light" from room to room when doing photo's inside.
Early morning light at the front of the house...late day light at the back of the house.  Midday light on the covered porch...and i am lucky enough to have a white room off the kitchen with loads of late afternoon light.
The photos i chose to include here were taken in mid morning, at my open front door in the 1826 section of the house....in the room that was probably once a parlor of sorts, but is actually my dining room now.

There is nothing more beautiful that light streaming inside.  it brightens more than just the room. It makes my spirit soar!

Inside Out....

2B, Day 4

Anxious to get busy on this very interesting and fun assignment for BeyondBeyond!  i snagged a few minutes before i had to run out to sit for my 2 grand beans last night and played in my edit room with the shots i took during the afternoon.  The first one was done "cold"....because that was how i felt after carrying out my inside things and staging them in the dusting of snow in the woods.  I do not tolerate cold well and it took me some time and a hot cuppa, to be able to edit without shivering!  I loved the muted tones and how the glass matched the colors of the winter woods and the little chest.  As i was finishing up, i got the reminder text that i needed to be out of here in 20 minutes....so i promised myself i would try another rendition....one a bit warmer, with a texture and a quote.

I had the chance to do that today after church, and the luncheon in honor of my grand bean, Noah, who had his church Dedication ceremony today (like a Christening elsewhere).  I find photography to be SO magical.  The mood evoked from one photo can be totally changed with a bit of playtime in editing....
i very much like both of these, altho they are the same, they are really quite different, don't you think!?

In the warmer version, i used the Kim Klassen texture Isobel in Soft Light at 100% opacity, and the lettering is Pea Annie at 66% opacity, using the dark greenish brown color from the pine needles on the ground  to the left.   OR....i might be all mixed up and those instructions are not exactly what happened!  i really need to start writing things down!!

I am SO over the moon with this class.  It pushes me to engage myself fully in the assignments... sometimes to the point of agonizing over the creative aspects.   i sometimes am a complete creative blank and this PUSHES me to regroup....to stretch and reach and challenge myself to do what i KNOW in my heart i can do.  I do not always win in my challenges, but i do feel good that i try my best and give it my all with each one...you can not fail, if you try....you can only fail if you fail to try.  :)

A Little DOF Art :)

Well....in spite of some more glitches in the machine here, i managed to get 2B Day 2 under my belt!  I Adore playing with depth of field with my shots, and took the opportunity to do so while Lileigh Grace was engaged in her artwork.  She is progressing quite well for a 3 year old, might i add!

i ALWAYS have my camera with me when i go to her house to visit or watch her and Noah Jacob.  Usually, the camera and just the EF 24-105 zoom lens, as it is good for drive-by shootings of the photographic kind as well as shots of the beans!

i normally shoot in manual mode, but have been known to throw it into AV for a different effect.  Experimenting with my equipment is something i love to do.  There is no fear of failure...there are exciting lessons to be learned and i learn best with the hands on approach.  i am a show me kind of gal! (Therefore i am hoping i can figure out why i can't access the Vimeos anymore...another glitch) So here are my DOF shots for the day 2 lesson/challenge.  Now i am off to make dinner.....ever the at home challenge with a ripped up kitchen and no ovens....and with all the issues i have been having and trying to solve all day with my email, the day flew by without accomplishing half of what i needed to do.

i promise, Kim....i will step back and revel in my laundry....each piece of clothing will get my complete attention and i will not think about all the other stuff that needs doing, so that i am not frazzled.  I am hoping that your "doing dishes" trick works for me, altho i do LOVE doing laundry!  Yes, i know....i am a "sick puppy", or as a friend never misses a chance to point out, an "odd duck"!!

Keep on clickin'!!

Take a Moment...

Take a Moment...

I have been away again.  I had a call from my mom.  My dad was in the hospital.  She did not ask me to come down, so i asked her if i should.  My dad is 91, mom is 83.  She seemed relieved, and when i spoke to my dad, he actually sounded rather good....but agreed that it would be helpful.

i had set up a flight ....or so i thought, after going round and round with someone from the airline to use a ticket that we had not used and needed to use by March.  When i went to check in online, the ticket was issued in my husband's name.  A frantic call to the airline brought rude answers from someone that barely spoke english.  After a frustrating 5 minutes or so on the phone i requested a supervisor.  She also spoke broken english and refused to help, saying it was "policy" not to transfer the ticker.  I asked her why the girl who booked it took my name and asked if i was the passenger, before completing the transaction  AND then told me to have a nice flight and that she hoped my dad would be ok.
She had no idea why...but the rule was it could not be changed.  i told her to cancel it, and hung up in tears.  My parents were expecting me the next day at noon.

i ended up having to book a train....24 hours down....and another 24 hours upon return.  It was the only reasonable priced way to get there without waiting for a reasonable airfare in a reasonable amount of time to help them.

I spent 10 days satisfying myself that they would be ok when i got back to NJ.  Since my return i have been playing catch up with life at home.  i am looking at this mug....this culpa hot cocoa and thinking that the verse on it is how i am feeling at the moment.  i need a good old fashioned hissy fit!  let it all out and start fresh.  I feel it coming on....probably tomorrow at the unemployment office.  I came home to find that they have put my file into "pending", because THEIR phone system was overloaded and i could not get through to them there or online since mid December "Due to the effects of Hurricane Sandy, and the influx of claims".  The wait times exceeded 3 hours each call i made daily no matter the time of the call.  Life goes on and i have barely enough time to finish the chores here, never mind sitting by the phone for 3+ hours.  Typical bureaucratic BS, which i am running out of patience with.
SO....if you hear something loud and long tomorrow, it will be the sound of me and my HISSY FIT!
Happy Monday!