Simplicity ~ "Out & About!"

I take my camera EVERYWHERE!

This week I could have entered a dozen photos...

There were a number of possibles in THIS set, 

And THIS was another strong contender, but...

I chose one to make you gasp!!

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This is my 3yo ~ fearless, reckless BOY!

Did I stop him ~ nope!

Seriously ~ what would be the point?!

Did he fall? ~ nope!

I figure life is full of risks ~ better learn to take them bravely!! :D

(PS ~ he is no-where near as high as he appears, but high enough!! ;D)

To join in with this weeks Simplicity Challenge head on over to Faith's Blog and link up ~ it's that easy!

Black & White Wednesday # 7

Continuing my challenge to shoot BW on a Wednesday ~ more (after the rain stopped!) ...

Nothing too inspirational today, but at least I picked up my camera!

It's hard sometimes to think of something interesting to shoot when life is pretty much a constant...

I guess in 9 weeks or so, I won't have so much of an issue with that ~ then I'll just be editing out grain when I've had to up the ISO for all the indoor winter shots, but I am OH so looking forward to playing with my newborn..! Poor thing!

Hop on over to Lisa's and link up :D ~

Fix-It Friday #72 - Soldiers Farewell

ORIGINAL

This weeks image is taken by Julie Rivera ~ I mean seriously ~ she is awesome and we get to fix one of HER pictures! What an honour!!

I mean look at this image... what is there to 'fix'? It's perhaps in need of a teency bit of sharpening and the background is a little distracting, but not overly, so I figured it was time to get creative!!

All my fixes this week are in PSE7. Not my usual editing program, but one that is great to get creative with :D

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FIX 1

Opened in ACR and tweaked the exposure, sharpness, clarity and brightness just a wee bit.

Opened into PSE and applied Photo-mama's Brighten Me action. I fiddled with the layers a bit, but not much. 

(Just in case you go and download this action, it needs to be used on a flattened image, through the guided action player in PSE, so you need to know where to install it (ask if you don't)).

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FIX 2

Used another of photo-mama's actions ~ Summer Vintage and tweaked a little of the colours in this. Essentially erasing orange from Julie's sweet little girl, and erasing pink from her husband.

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FIX 3

Time to work on the background...

I used the magic selector to make two layers ~ one for the people, the other for the background. Then essentially I flooded a background, painted and erased until I was happy!

(I used edit one for this fix)

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FIX 4

I created a desaturated copy of edit 3 and pasted it into edit 2. I then played with the layers until I was happy. Can't remember exactly what I did, but I liked the darkened, yet still present background in this one.

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FIX 5

Working on fix 3 I added texture and some desaturated layers and....

And off of this the last two edits sprang. 

I just thought it was an image one would want to keep with you...

FIX 6

FIX  7

Both postcard templates were free downloads from Flickr, but alas, I forget where :(

If I find the links I'll post them.

Meanwhile, it's time to show off your edits and link up to Fix-It-Friday...

Simplicity ~ "Mood!"

I love this capture of my daughter in a fleetingly thoughtful mood! :D

She was looking out over the scenic Malvern hillside (having climbed to the highest point already) and taking a moment...

This is my first time joining in with a Simplicity Photo Challenge.

To join in just click and link up...

Paper-Hearts: Simplicity in the Every-Day

I've never entered Paper Hearts before, but I couldn't resist this week :D

Link Up and join in over at Chelsey's blog...

You Capture - "Flowers."

You know, I've been out of the YOU CAPTURE loop for a few weeks 

Not deliberately, but you know how it goes sometimes..!

Anyway, if you popped by here yesterday you'll know I went shooting in B&W.

I didn't post these ones to BW Wednesday, which is good, because it means you get to see them new today ~ and SO cool that this weeks YC is all about flowers :D ~ Happy ME!!

These are last ones in my garden ~ irl they are orange and I am happy that they are still there, at least for now...

Time for you to link up... ~ head on over to Beth's YC :D

The Gallery #2 : A Smile!

Seven of my favourite smiles in all the world!

Link up with THE GALLERY to see more lovely smiles today...

Black & White Wednesday # 6

I made a decision today ~ on Wednesdays I'm going to set my camera to BW and ONLY shoot BW, 
no colour at all, no PP conversion (although I am allowing myself some processing). Lets see how long I can keep it up for..!

Today's offerings can all be seen HERE, but here's a few of my faves for your instant satisfaction 
~ after all that's what you came here for isn't it?!

When you are finished looking, please comment ~ that's how I grow my skilz!
And then head on over to Lisa's ~ there's exciting news over there!

Communal Global ~ "Around the World" : MINI-SHOOT II

Today I went and captured two willing volunteers.

Edited with PresetHeaven's 'Wedding Look' mostly + a few tweaks.

To see the individual photos head on over to my flickr page

And when you are done, don't forget to share your Tuesday with us over at Communal Global.

I ♥ Faces - Week 38: "Smirk!"

WOW ~ THIS is a tough one! After all who takes pictures of people smiling "in an affected, smug, or offensively familiar way"? ~ seriously? Not me! If someone were smiling me in that way I would not be calmly pointing a camera at their face and shooting it ~ perhaps I should!!


I think I'm going to have to go with the 'affected and smug' part and leave out the offensive ~ still not easy though!

This was taken of my son, at an animal farm during our holiday this year. 

He was certainly feeling very smug that the canary chose to sit and pose on HIS finger!

For more 'smug mugs' this week head on over to iheartfaces, hop around and then link up :)

Perceptive Perspective #2 / Bench Monday #1

As I decided to enter Bench Monday for the first time this week (taken for the purpose), 

I was uber pleased to see that this week 'Perceptive Perspective' theme was 'feet' ~ great ~ two birds with one stone!! :D

To join in just link up (PP linky goes up tomorrow)...

Macro Monday ~ Garden Rake!

 

In the absence of inspiration I looked at my lawn rake, stood up against the wall and wondered if it might make a half decent shot ~ I was pleased that it did!!

To join in with Macro Monday head on over to Lisa's and link up :)