A Pear And Lavender

I love lavender.  I like to run my fingers between the soft leaves and bring the fragrance with me.  I like to look at it too, the flowers and also the toads and an occasional tiny snake who find refuge in my little patch of lavender.  I lost most of my lavender plants last winter with the abnormally cold temperatures, the three I have left put a smile on my face.  I found this lonely flower and thought he deserved a photo, inside of course it was getting chilly.  

My things were still set up from my lavender shoot, so that is what I used for a photograph of a pear and bowl for my Be Still 52 class.   

There are so many choices in editing a photograph.  I didn’t realize how different the color temperature was between the lavender and the pear images until I brought them together.  I liked the purple and grey at a cooler temperature and felt the pears looked good warmer, it brought out their speckles.  Editing photographs is something I never grow tired of with all the different options and looks that can be experimented with, and then don't forget about the textures.  So many options so little time... it sure is fun.  

Today I am joining Kim Klassen’s Texture Tuesday and also her class Be Still 52.  My images were textured with sybil and simple.

Thank you for stopping by!!

Have a great week!!

Michelle

 

Changes In The Air

‘Take a quiet walk with Mother Nature.  It will nurture your mind, body, and soul.’     Anthony Douglas Williams

 ‘In every walk in nature one receives far more than he seeks.’  -  John Muir

I have spent some time outside this past week enjoying the good weather.  There was some rain, but all in all it was a beautiful fall week. 

My daughter, husband and I went to Glen Helen Nature Preserve on Sunday.  The weather was beautiful and there were still some fall colors to look at.  When my pictures didn’t have much color, I used Kim Klassen’s Lightroom preset autumncopper which added more fall color.

We have been outside working in the yard too, raking leaves and pruning trees.  While I was raking, I noticed there were two purple coneflowers, a little worse for wear, but still there.  I normally don’t take pictures of flowers past their prime, but I thought these deserved a photo.

We are going to get our first taste of winter tonight with freezing temperatures and a little wet snow, just in time for Trick or Treat tonight in our city.  In our part of Ohio they stagger the Trick or Treat nights so each suburb has kids Trick or Treating on a different night.  Since the weather will be bad tonight, we went to a neighboring city to Trick or Treat last night.  So my daughter already has her candy and if it is nice, she gets to Trick or Treat twice.  This is the first year we have done this, I felt like we were cheating somehow, but we did have fun.  My daughter dressed up as a window washer and put blue Gatorade in a Windex bottle to squirt in her mouth.  Oh to be a kid again...

Today I am joining Kim Klassen’s Friday Finds.  My images were textured with Kim Klassen's textures painterly and thursday2014.  This week I found beauty in nature, which really isn’t hard to do.

If you celebrate Halloween have safe and fun night!

Thank you for stopping by!!

Have a great weekend!!

Michelle

 

Lemons

I bought some lemons.  The lemons were for my Be Still 52 assignment which was to create a still life photo inspired by a still life painting.  After I took photos for the assignment, I took a few more photos that I liked better and thought I would share them today with Texture Tuesday.  

My still life photo (below) for the Be Still 52 class didn’t turn out how I had it pictured in my mind.  I need to find a different glass pedestal, this one seems crooked.  I thought it was sitting crooked on the wood paneling, but no, it is just crooked.  I didn't see this until I was trying to edit the image.  I guess that happens sometimes.  

I have some very exciting news… my little brother (he is 39 years old) and his wife had their first baby last night… it’s a boy.  I am so happy for them.  I can’t wait to take pictures of baby feet.  I love baby feet.  

Today I am joining Kim Klassen’s Texture Tuesday and Be Still 52.  The still life image was textured with Kim’s textures dessert_2b, cecile and waterfront 7_magic in screen mode for the canvas texture.  I kept playing with layers until I felt it looked like an old still life.  The other lemon images were textured with Kim’s texture gift and the top one has a layer of waterfront7_magic also.

Thank you for stopping by!!

Have a great week!!

Michelle

 

Old Wood

 ‘The smile on my face doesn’t mean my life is perfect, it means I appreciate what I have and what I am blessed with.’  -  unknown

Sunday morning I looked out the window to a rain soaked, leaf covered deck.  I got grumpy at first, we just cleared all the leaves, and then I noticed the raindrops on the leaves.  I grabbed my camera and went outside, still in my pajamas, to photograph them.  

While photographing the leaves I noticed what a great backdrop the old wet wood makes.  The deck wood is old and needs replaced.  It is one of those projects we audibly moan at when we discuss the huge task.  I wish I had a magic wand that would fix all the things that need fixing…

Today I am joining Kim Klassen’s Friday Finds.  I tweaked my images in Lightroom and textured them in PS Elements with Kim’s texture wednesday.  My Finds this week are fall colors and a great old wood backdrop.   Also learning to accept whether in a house or life, there is always something to be improved and I will be grateful for where I am standing today, even if it is on an old wood deck.

Thank you for stopping by!!

Have a great weekend!!

Michelle

 

A Blanket Of Fog

The day didn’t go as we had hoped.  We were expecting clear skies and endless views while driving down the Pacific Coast Highway in California.  Needless to say the weather didn’t cooperate and instead of clear skies we saw a blanket of fog.  

The surfers didn't seem to mind the fog and the chill in the air.  I loved the old fence and a VW van always deserves a photo.  It turned out to be a very nice adventure. 

Today I am joining Kim Klassen’s Texture Tuesday and the Be Still 52 class.  My images were textured with Kim’s texture 1612.

Thank you for stopping by!!

Have a great week!!

Michelle

 

20th Wedding Anniversary

My husband and I celebrated our 20^th Wedding Anniversary last week in California.  It was my first time in California and a great trip.  We started in San Francisco then drove up to wine country.  It was harvest time in wine country.  The sights, smells and tastes were wonderful, a sensory overload.  

The leaves were turning colors, the sky was blue and the grapes were being picked.  A few vineyards left grapes on the vines for visitors to pick and eat, it was fun comparing the different types of grapes.  

 The bees were well aware the sauvignon blanc grapes were the sweetest.

After a day of wine tasting, dslr photography is a little less precise .  I did remember to use a variety of apertures as I was taking pictures.  While looking over my images at home, I decided I liked the aperture f5.6 for the depth of field in the grape vines, just the right amount of focus and blur.

I am still amazed that 20 years has past since my husband and I got married, the time really has flown by.  In those 20 years I truly believe we have made each other a better person.   Yes, we argue at times, annoy each other too, but I can’t imagine my life without him.  

Today I am joining Kim Klassen’s Friday Finds.  My images were all tweaked in Lightroom and I added Kim’s texture ‘flow’ in Photoshop Elements.  My Finds are:  20 years of marriage is something to truly celebrate and never to be taken for granted, grapes right off the vine are very yummy and I like f5.6 when standing among grapevines.

Thanks so much for stopping by!!

Have a great weekend!!

Michelle

 

A Little Break...

Hi!  I will be away from my computer for a little while… I will be back soon.

Have a great day!!

Michelle