I ♥ Faces - Week 38 - "Blue"

As we are making the most of these remaining few days of summery weather here in the UK, I have taken the opportunity to take the smaller children to the park a few times :D Here is my DD attempting and mastering the fireman's pole solo for the first time - he was a bit chuffed with himself, can you tell? - I think he is saying "yeah!! I did it!!"

This week's challenge over at I ♥ Faces is to capture a shot with blue as predominant colour. I actually found I really did not have that many blue shots, but I was pleased that the climbing frame was mainly blue in this one (that I only took 10 days ago). To emphasis DD and pull out the blue I did some selective B&W editing - hope you like! :D

Now, I know there are some amazing 'blue' entries this week - so when you have left me a comment (hint, hint) go and take a look for yourself, over at I ♥ Faces - have fun!!

SOOC Saturday - Victorian - Autumn

The first shot has had a little contrast adjustment, other than that it is SOOC. I took loads of Autumn shots yesterday (Saturday) and if you want to see some of the others PLEASE visit my 365inpictures blog :D

Today was our town's annual food fayre in the town centre. It always has a bit of an authentic market town feel and it seems this year it took on a Victorian flavour too. Here are some of my own, and other church-family, children at the 'Victorian Sunday school' :D The setting was obviously unavoidable, so I did my best to not include it...not easy!

These are totally SOOC as I've not had time to touch them yet!! Can't wait to see how they turn out with a little PP ageing :D

Time to go 'slurping life' from everyone else's SOOC shots this weekend, over at Melody's blog :D

Best Shot - Super Hero

The biggest fantasy Super-Hero in our house atm has to be Hannah Montana, so here are some shots of my girls in action;

(give you three guesses what song she's singing..!)

The action was a bit fast and furious at points and the light was not so good, being a rather dull, rainy July day, so the pictures are grainy, but all the same they are fun :D

Then of course the greatest Super-Hero of all around here;

(my very first ever shot with a Nikon D700 & with my friend's expensive trigger flash - nice!! - probably will be a long time before I get to do that again!)

He is my SuperHero - infact one of my long standing nicknames for him is 'strongman' - not in relation to his physical strength at all (although he is no weed!), but in relation to the way in which he upheld me through some pretty tough times in the days when we weren't even married :D

Of course he likes to display his prowess from time to time ...

(at the Boulder Stone in nr Keswick)

...but seriously he is the BEST Daddy ever and I reckon if you asked any of my kids they would say so, but to my littlest 'Stitch' he is definitely his SH - Paul cannot be in the house without Stitch climbing up his trouser leg - his shadow is an understatement!! Daddy has to do everything and only Daddy will do - no-one else is good enough atm..!

Not only is he an amazing Dad, but he is also a brilliant friend to many. He is one they call on when they are in a jam and, if he is able to be, he will be there to help/fix/sort it. I reckon there are more folks out there than just our family that would call this man a SuperHero :D - and just to prove it...

(This was taken way back in 2005 on my camera, but not by me, at one of our Church Holiday Bible clubs :D - see told you he was incredible!!)

BTW - these are all near-enough unedited!

Now I'm going to take a look at everyone else's Superheroes over on Loli's Better In Bulk blog - come and join me :D

Fix-It-Friday No.30 - In The Dark (underexposure)

This weeks original was cute, but VERY dark.

I've not really any serious editing of underexposure before, so...

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I started of in Picnik and this is what I got. (for reference sake - edits 1-4 as you read)

really don't ask me how I got there, I just know it involved a lot of levels and curves!!

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Then I took the original into Gimp to see what I could do there;

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edit 6

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I know I used layers, levels, curves and a few 'plugin' effects (can't remember what though!) and was overall more happy with these even though they took a lot longer. I just wish I could figure out the rotation in gimp without getting slices taken out - iykwim!

The rotation in Picnik is SO simple, but I had added the watermark, so I couldn't use it with the gimped edits, but I did have an extra little play with them back in Picnik - I couldn't resist!!

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edit 10

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and a B&A of my shades of B&W
I think what I love about this editing lark is that you can get so many different outcomes from one picture - you can have your cake and eat it :D

As always click to enlarge anything (or hold down ctrl and scroll in!)

Now to see what everyone else has done with this cute little capture go head over to I ♥ Faces, Fix-it-Friday :D

I ♥ Faces - Week 37 - Completely Candid

Although this shot looks posed you'll have to believe me when I tell you it isn't! JA had just come out of the sea and was drying off his hair. As he lifted his head from his towel, I called him (so he looked at me) and clicked - I just love the shot! He was cold (the September sea in the UK is none to warm) and totally unprepared - if he had of been, believe me, he would have struck a pose!!

I would have like to have edited this a little more before entering, but for the fact I forgot it was Tuesday and now it's almost 'closing time' over at I ♥ Faces, so I need to get it posted, or I will miss it - and that would not be good enough!!

It's been a real battle for me to chose a shot for this week's entry, as most of my favourite captures are the candid ones I take - and they are plentiful!!

Now - I bet there are a million other wonderful shots over at I ♥ Faces this week, so don't forget to go and take a look :D

SOOC Saturday - Park Fun

As summer draws to a close here in the UK we are counting the blessing of each warm day that September brings us. Today was not a roaster, by any means, but warm enough for a trip to the park, so I took the opportunity with the little ones, while the girls were at ballet. Of course - I took my camera, but the shots are not too excellent as I was more about having fun with my boys than framing the perfect shot - but they are fun! :D

Now don't forget to go and see everyone else's great SOOC shots this weekend - over at Melody's slurping life :D

Experimenting with Advice...

This was probably not the best shot of JI I've got, but I was pleased with it because I followed some tips I read somewhere (for the first time) and got this shot.

The early evening September sun is affording us some glorious light just now, but facing it is still too bright and produces this kind of face;

Cute - but not what I was aiming for...

...And then I remembered reading somewhere (I've read so much, in so many places of late!!) to put the subject with shoulder to the sun, facing away. Set the focus to the distance you want (using the back of their head!) and then get them to turn their head around over their shoulder (not too fast) and shoot immediately. You only get a split second before they are squinting again, but the top shot is what I got with that advise. Of course you cannot guarantee the face you will see, but you can shoot a few like that with a willing subject - not so much with one that is itching to run off and play and not stand posing for you!! Whatever the face - which is not THAT bad (:D) - I was really pleased with the lighting (warm autumn glow) and the focus was pretty good too. This is completely unedited all bar a slight crop and a touch of increased contrast (my camera - Canon S3 - seems to take low contrast pictures).

Sorry to post this so late - but it was taken on Friday (18th as per post date) and I haven't had time to put it up until now (22nd).

Go and take a look at everyone else's BEST SHOTs this week, over on Loli's Better in Bulk blog :D

More Macro...

Having had a read of the breathtaking post by 'theanimatorswife' for this weeks You Capture, I decided I had to have another go at getting some interesting macro shots, so, aided by the beautiful September sunshine that we enjoyed today, these are some of my best results (with only a touch of brightness, contrast and colour adjustment - nothing more).

and then these are not macro, but I loved them anyway :D