Texture Tuesday

Wow!  I’m really rusty!  It’s been so long since I’ve posted.  But, I thought I’d give it a shot today.
Just like with everyone else….real life takes over and the blog comes in second!

I had some surgery and put my camera on the shelf for a bit.  Then we were blessed with our first grandchild!
We took several trips too.  It’s been quite a summer!

I’m not sure I can keep up with two blogs, taking classes and community work.
I think my blogging will be sporadic at best!  But I want to improve my photography skills, so hopefully
you’ll see some of those efforts from time to time here…

Thanks for checking in!

Judy

Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.
~Martin Luther King, Jr.

Nikon D300, Lens: Sigma 18-250, ISO-200, f/6.3, PSE 11, Kim Klassen’s Paper Stained Texture on Multiply @78%.

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Color Week!

It’s Color Week!  What a wonderful way to usher in feelings of spring, even
though we’re still gazing out the window at bare ground and a few piles of snow!

Day 1: Green
Day 2: Yellow
Day 3: Pink
Day 4: Blue
Day 5: Red
Day 6: Rainbow!

Enjoy~

A green plant provides a sunny spot to sit and rest for a butterfly.

Yellow tulips brighten a gray day.

A hot pink hydrangea floret poses for the camera.

Nothing heralds spring like Dwarf Snow Iris popping out of a snowy garden!

Red stripes call to sailors from Sapelo Island, Georgia.

The rainbow you can eat~fresh fruit and vegetables!

Thanks for visiting!  Come back again!

 I started my second class with Kim Klassen today.  It’s all about PhotoShop Elements 11.  You can click this link or the side-bar button called Picture Pro-cess.
She is also teaching a Picture Pro-cess class for CS6 users.  Check out the link above or the button (side bar) if you are interested.

Judy

Texture Tuesday~”Wise Words”

This week’s parameters for Texture Tuesday with Kim Klassen are:

Use at least one of Kim’s textures, and wise words…as a quote or in an accompanying
comment.

This past week we’ve been working on photos that make us think: “whispery”~

Whenever I think of whispery….I think of my beloved Porcupine grass!  They are light and
feathery….and move with the slightest breath of air.

Of course, what makes them beautiful and whispery…also makes them difficult to photograph in the wild!
With the wind and weather we’ve had this week, I decided to bring a few inside to shoot.

Introducing~”Whisper”….
**click photo to enlarge image*

Dried winter Porcupine grass…..

Photo info: Nikon D300, lens Sigma 70mm macro.  Metadata: ISO200, f/3, 1/500.
Processing: PSE 11, Black & White gradient layer 47% opacity, texturized with KK Grunged Up
on Soft Light @68% opacity.

Here is another attempt at a Whispery photo…..

Whispery porcupine grass…

Photo info: Nikon D300, Lens: Sigma 70mm, Metadata: ISO200, f/4, 1/1250.

I apologize for not keeping the processing data on this one!  I know I used one of Kim’s textures.

Thanks for stopping by!  I appreciate it!

Have a great week!

Judy

Texture Tuesday~”Anything Goes”

Texture Tuesday’s theme is Anything Goes.  We can use a photo, phone photo, textured or not…

I chose an image from a series of shots I took with tulips last week, and added Moonlit and Desert textures from Kim Klassen’s
new Cloth and Paper Collection.

*click image for a larger view*

Pink Tulip.

Image info: Nikon D300, Lens: 18-250mm, ISO200, f/5.3, 1/125
Post Process: PSE 11, KK Textures Moonlit on Multiply @56% opacity,
also Desert on Soft Light @74% opacity.  Used soft brush to bring color back
to the tulip.

Thanks for viewing!

Judy

All text and images are copyright © 2002-2013 and are the exclusive property of Judy Johnson (unless otherwise indicated). All Rights Reserved. All Images are protected under United States and International copyright laws. None of the images on this site are in the Public Domain.

Black and White with a Touch of Color

Hello dear readers…

Today, something new.   We are to take an image, and apply a Black & White “Action”, or a Black to White gradient map layer,
and then bring back some of the original image’s color.

Since I have to review the lesson on downloading tips for “Actions”, several more times…..(it sounded rather confusing at first!) I decided to

use a Black  to White gradient map layer instead.   At least I do know how to do that!

In PSE 11,  I created a new adjustment layer, and made that my Black to White gradient map.  Then, I used the paint brush tool (in black) to gently go over

the brass key in the photo, bringing back the color, until the key had the appearance I wanted.

Next came the quote about Courage.  I made a brush stamp for the quote, so I can reuse it instead of typing text each time.
I went on to make brush stamps for a few other quotes I have, also.  That was certainly fun to do!

My father-in-law.

About the image:  My father-in-law served with the US Army in WWll.  This is his own Serviceman’s Manual.
Nikon D300, lens: Nikkor 105mm macro, ISO 1000, f/3.2, 1/160.  Post process: PSE 11.

Thanks for stopping by!  I appreciate your comments and likes!

Judy

All text and images are copyright © 2002-2013 and are the exclusive property of Judy Johnson (unless otherwise indicated). All Rights Reserved. All Images are protected under United States and International copyright laws. None of the images on this site are in the Public Domain.

 

Ten Truths

Ten Truths about Me….

Not exactly my most fun thing to do!
But here we go~

Lake Michigan at Holland, on a lovely sunny day in March.

1. I love to be by, in or on the water.
2. My heart is with my family.
3. Sunshine makes me smile.
4. I love improving my photography skills.
5. I’m hooked on animals!
6. I love different kinds of typography.
7.  Travel!
8. I make multimedia journals.
9. Swimming, skiing and snowshoeing are my favorite sports.
10. I can’t stay away from sweets!

Photo info: Nikon D300, Lens: 8-250mm, ISO250, f/13, 1/1250
Post process: PSE 11, Kim Klassen texture Minus43/Multiply @57% opacity.

Thanks for stopping by!   Judy
All text and images are copyright © 2002-2013 and are the exclusive property of Judy Johnson (unless otherwise indicated). All Rights Reserved. All Images are protected under United States and International copyright laws. None of the images on this site are in the Public Domain.

 

Texture Tuesday: Free and Easy

Today’s Texture Tuesday’s quest is to use at least one of Kim Klassen’s textures on any photo…. free and easy!

It should have been free and easy for me, but I just upgraded from PSE 9 to PSE 11, and had 5 days of issues following the installation. I can now edit photos and move back and forth between the Organizer and the Editor, which is a big step from where we started on Friday!  But importing a texture still causes the program to crash.  We’ve been in the forums, asking questions, doing live chats with PhotoShop advisors, watching videos; and on the phone with our son, a photographer who uses PhotoShop, Lightroom and other programs,  who’s been helping us brainstorm too.

I’m thrilled I made it through the process WITH the texture on this photo!
I’m hoping I can remember how I did it!  I certainly cannot use “Place” under File any longer to place a texture.
That causes an instantaneous crash!

I love to purchase fresh flowers in the winter…and photograph them.  It makes me happy to have them in the house, and
it reminds me that spring will come again~ someday!

Fresh tulips bring spring into the house! Info: Nikon D300, lens: 18-250, ISO250, f/4.5, 1/125

Info: Nikon D300, lens: Sigma 18-135, ISO250, f/4.5, 1/125
Processing: PSE 11, Kim Klassen Mary texture, Multiply ~39% opacity
Thanks for stopping by!
Judy

All text and images are copyright © 2002-2013 and are the exclusive property of Judy Johnson (unless otherwise indicated). All Rights Reserved. All Images are protected under United States and International copyright laws. None of the images on this site are in the Public Domain.

Day 12~ Brush-Lovin’

Today’s lesson was about using the brush tool as a stamp.  What fun!

I stamped the quote on my barn photo with the brush technique Kim taught us.

A white barn in the fall.

 Info: Nikon D300, Nikkor 18-135mm, ISO250, f/8, 1/250.
Post processing: PSE 9, Kim Klassen textures: Printed & Sienna,
and brush stamp with quote.

 Thanks for viewing, dear readers!

 Come back again!

 Judy

All text and images are copyright © 2002-2013 and are the exclusive property of Judy Johnson (unless otherwise indicated). All Rights Reserved. All Images are protected under United States and International copyright laws. None of the images on this site are in the Public Domain.

Texture Tuesday~ “Dream-Like”

This week’s Texture Tuesday’s requirements are to make a “dream-like” effect with our photo and one of Kim Klassen’s free textures.

So, with that in mind, and for something new, I tried an outdoor photo.
But, my first two images just didn’t work well with a dreamy look.

For my third attempt,  I tried a winter photograph I took a few weeks ago,
when we awoke to find Jack Frost had literally slathered ice everywhere!

Frost covers flowers from last summer.

 (** Click on the image for a larger size….)

     This time the image seemed to work for a soft, diffused, dreamy look.

     Image info: Nikon D300: Sigma 70mm macro, ISO400, f/7.1, 1/500.
Post processing: PSE 9: pale rose gradient adjustment layer on Lighten @58% opacity,
KK texture: Sybil @98% opacity.

    Thank you for visiting!  Thanks for your “likes” and comments!
Judy

All text and images are copyright © 2002-2013 and are the exclusive property of Judy Johnson (unless otherwise indicated). All Rights Reserved. All     Images are protected under United States and International copyright laws. None of the images on this site are in the Public Domain.

Day Ten ~ A Painterly Effect

“Nature is painting for us, day after day, pictures of infinite beauty.” ~John Ruskin

 

Today’s assignment in Kim’s class is to use gradient maps, filters, adjustment layers, textures, and other
techniques, to create a painted effect from a photo.

It was an interesting lesson, but I still haven’t committed the process to memory!  I need my notebook beside me!

The countryside around Florence, Italy.

The tower of an old church in Assisi, Italy, stands guard over lush fields.

A view of Assisi from Rocco Maggiore.

 Kim Klassen’s textures used: Finale, Sienna and Vintage Gradient on the middle photo.

I need a lot of practice, but these are my first versions of the Painterly Effect.
I used PhotoShop Elements to process the photos.

Thank you for visiting!  

Judy

All text and images are copyright © 2002-2013 and are the exclusive property of Judy Johnson (unless otherwise indicated). All Rights Reserved. All Images are protected under United States and International copyright laws. None of the images on this site are in the Public Domain.