Love Affair

Yes, I'm having a love affair with Lightroom.  I've learned that I can completely (well almost completely) edit an image in Lightroom.  As far as I can see, I can do everything in LR except add layers.  What that means is I have to go into Photoshop to add a texture or text.  Other than that, LR can almost do it all.

For Texture Tuesday, I cheated a bit.  I used Kim's LR preset "Touchadrama".

I liked it so much I never added the texture.  This pretty little bowl came from Anthropologie.  

Join me at Texture Tuesday for more beautiful images.

Kim is actually highlighting images from some of the contributors.     

~ Calm ~

  

Just for Fun

It's been a crazy busy week as I'm sure it has been for all of you.  

For Texture Tuesday, I picked an image I have worked with and posted previously.  This time I used Kim's "Dusty Rose" texture and edited for that soft look.

 
Then I took a turn and decided to have some fun with it.  If you haven't tried Pixlr.com, it's loaded with little fun effects.  I use Pixlr Express since I do most of my editing in PS.  I used Pixlr's "smashed" effect here.

The geometrical shapes give it a really different look.  I'm always looking for ways to add a twist to an edit.  

Enjoy the week and stop in to see more Texture Tuesday.

Dandelion

Photoshop Artistry, Fine Art Grunge posted some new bonus content for members.  I was taken with these new textures and decided to have a little playtime.  I had taken this shot with my iPhone on the spur of the moment on my way into an office.   It was just one lone dandelion shining its little heart out.

The image was very underexposed, so I cleaned it up, brushed it off, cropped it to a square and added one of the textures.  I love the way it turned out…..very sort of abstract and painterly.

I think if one must have a "weed" in one's yard, the Dandelion is delightful.  It certainly doesn't know it's not wanted.  

~ Calm ~

Hotter Than a Chili Pepper!!

That's what it is here right now, and we have a few more days of it.    So I'm just hunkered down in my studio/office.  Too hot to clean house, right??  Right!!

I think I will paint today, but before I get off on a different track, let me post my entry for Texture Tuesday.  Have you seen Kim Klassen's new website?  She has completely overhauled it, and it is just beautiful.  It is just so "Kim".  I'm taking her "Start to Finish" class again.  Just finished her "Lightroom Begin 2", a freebie, and I'm also taking her "31 Days" which is 31 tips and tricks for Lightroom.  This lady truly gives 110%, and I've learned so much from her.

I edited this image in Lightroom….changed exposure and added a filter from Topaz which now plugs in to Lightroom as well as Photoshop. Yay!!  I took it into PS and added two layers of Kim's "Way".   I took this shot from above, a trick I also learned from Kim.   I know you will want to visit Texture Tuesday's entries for more fun.  So click the button below.

~ calm ~

Lightroom Class

With the completion of Kim's Lightroom Begin, I decided to do a real photo shoot.  Since I have so very little natural light to work with, I did everything I could think of.  I held a piece of white foam core hoping to reflect/bounce light.  I still needed more, so this was as good a time as any to play with ISO and exposure compensation.  The exposure compensation makes a huge difference.  So I took 40+ images of the rose and one other still life composition.  I culled and ruthlessly (as Kim puts it) deleted many of them.  This entry for Texture Tuesday made the final cut.

I used Kim's "Annabelle" texture which is one of my favorites.  I like the musical notes on the edges.  

I think I'm finally developing an understanding of Lightroom, but I'm extending my access to this class as there is so much about the library and catalog, I may need forever.  It's a huge learning curve,  for me anyway.  I'm going to sign up for 31 Days….Lightroom Tips and Tricks.  I thought the quote was perfect for my continued learning goals. 

To see more Texture Tuesday art, click on the button below.

Skyline

I tried yesterday and day before to do a "mouseover" for this image.  No such luck!  I have done them previously, but for some reason I just can't get it to work.  So I gave up and you'll just have to know that this final image is vastly different from the original.  I was inspired by Cathy Bueti's spread in the autumn Somerset's Digital Studio.

I was intrigued with the way she got the black/white look with the coppery color in the foreground.  I did my best to imitate even though she did not indicate how she got the look.  I used a grungy, scratchy texture and I like the result.  The fun of all this is the experimentation, and I can spend hours trying different textures, blend modes and filters.  Before I know it two hours have passed.  As I always say, art in any form, is my meditation.  I get lost in the process.

~ calm ~

The Sea

Labor Day week-end has come and vanished.  It was a quiet one for us, riding our bikes to Starbucks and not doing much of anything else.

Here I am at 11:25pm madly trying to get this post done for Kim's Texture Tuesday.  I kept it really simple here.  I used one layer of Kim's "Beached" and one layer of her "Waterstained Frame".

The ocean has been amazing this last week - huge surf with waves of up to 15 feet.  The lifeguards were kept hopping….too many people who are not strong swimmers.  For some reason these people think they can handle the heavy surf and then they get in trouble.  I'm sad to see summer winding down.  Even though I love fall, I like the long days.  Fall signals the daylight is waning.

Check out the other work here at Kim's new site.  It's beautiful!