Day 29 - Being Brave

Today is a two/three parter.  I will probably only do two.  

Part II
5 Brave & Bold Photography Dreams

     - take photos everyday varying the subject
     - do a tour/photo tour of Prague 
     - Europe
     - work with my photos without guilt
     - become better at marketing my work

Part III
Being brave is not something I attribute to myself.  The house is for sale and moving East will be a brave thing for me to do.  The move was going to be in 2008, although when I moved here, my goal was to move back to Idaho when I retired.  Our daughter decided to go to college locally and the move was postponed.  Then the market dropped out of sight.  The house is on the market again.  It didn't sell last year.  Moving will be big for me.  Lots of changes heading my way.  

I'm anxious to move in both definitions of the word.  I'm anxious to be closer to my mom and help her since my dad has passed.  I'm also anxious for all of the changes that happen with a move. I'll surely miss my friends here.  Making new ones will be different.  And finding a new place to live.  Where will it be?  How big of house?  Buy?  Rent?  Lots to make me anxious.  This is the best photo I have to represent me being brave:

I pretty sure I'm ready.  Now, if the house would only sell.  

Day 28 - 1 Photo 3 Ways

Today was a struggle, yet again, for me.  I don't have many photos that work well as a still life.  So... here is number one:  

I used the kk_framed texture, lowered the opacity and used a brush to take some of the texture off of parts of the coneflower and frame.  Number two:

Here I used kk_cool grunge and kk_abstract textures, lightened the layer and added the inspire brush.  And lastly, number three:

This one was changed to black and white, lightened, a noise filter was added, as well as adding the white brush "who so ever loves believes the impossible." 

I put them altogether here:

The three versions were placed on the kk_wish texture.  

It's fun to add these different techniques to my photos.  I am learning quite a bit, but wondering if I will use any of the techniques in the future.  I guess it's better to know how and use them sporadically than not know how.  

Day 27 - It Begins With You

Today's mission was to put myself first at least once this week.  I had already done that, so I was a step ahead.  Next was taking a photo of how we had done it.  I had bought a bouquet of flowers because they were so pretty in the store.  They made me feel good.

I lightened the photo, added a texture, added text and made a frame after feathering the photo.  I like how it looks.  I don't have any great spots to get good light, so I placed the vase close to the kitchen window.  Here's the result:

Looks like the frame should have been a little bit darker.  

I skipped days 25 and 26.  Self portrait was the theme.  I'm not comfortable with my photos of myself, so I will work on it and hopefully, do it later.  

Texture Tuesday - Something Orange

Here is my Something Orange for Texture Tuesday:

I added a texture (kk_partings), text and a frame.  I love zinnias.  This one was so pretty and the orange almost jumped off the page.

Zinnias are for absent friends or lasting affection.

Day 24 - How 'bout a little pastel process?

Another exercise...this one was pretty fun.  I like being able to produce a new photo out of my old ones.  One of the things I learned is you can't just use any photo.  I really had to go through my photos to find a couple that would process correctly.  The pastels really make the photos beautiful.

First try:

I like this, but maybe it should have been lighter...  I also used a brush, like a stamp.  That was kind of cool.  I had trouble figuring it out at first, the stamp thing.

Here is my second try:

I love it.  I am so happy with the outcome.  I like the perspective.  I took the photo looking up.  I lightened it, added a texture and removed the texture from some of the flowers.  Then I added the quote and there you go.  

The last one I did:

One of the hardest parts is getting a quote I like.  Which shouldn't be that hard, but if it isn't just right for the photo, I don't want it. 

OK, onward and upward.  Next is a self portrait.  That will be interesting since I avoid the camera.

Day 23 - Ask Yourself This Question

This question applies to so many aspects of my life right now.  If not now, when?  I'm kind of big when it comes to procrastination.  Which is probably why I'm behind in this class!

I just finished "The Language of Flowers" by Vanessa Diffenbaugh.  In Victorian times, messages were sent with flowers.  A tussy mussy is a bouquet of flowers, each with a meaning.  For instance, a bellfower means "thinking of you" and a red rose means "true love."  You could also add baby's breath for "innocence."

The question came up again while I was reading this book, "if not now, when?"  I decided to do more research for my Day 23 lesson and tried to find the flower or plant that means procrastination. It turns out to be an ironwood tree of which I have no photo nor do I  know where I can find one.  So I looked for persistence.  

As it turns out, there are a few different ones.  One is euphorbia, one is dogwood and another is bindweed.  

For this lesson, I used the euphorbia, which is not in bloom now, and dogwood.

I'm going to try to find flowers that also apply to the lessons.  It should be interesting.  

Oh, and the book was good, too!

Day 22 - Frame It

Wow - I forget to post a blog when I learn a new technique. Today's lesson was learning how to frame a photo.  My first attempt:

I used the kk_gesso texture, then added a like color frame.  I do like the result.

Here is another:

Here I used kk_antique and kk_vignette and added a frame.  I need to re-watch the frame video because I can't figure out how to get the frame with no texture.  

Overall, pretty easy.  Just need to practice!