It didn’t just wilt up and die like the rest of the plants. No…it went out with a flourish.
February 29, 2008
Want the Effects But Don’t Have The Cash?
I know there are a few of you out in Internetland who love to take Photographs but who can’t afford Photoshop’s $675 price tag. I only recently made that jump because Adobe was offering owners of Photoshop Elements (the downsized version of PS for the home photographer) an upgrade to Photoshop CS3 at a really bottom-basement price of $299. (Hey, even at $299, I felt THAT pinch!) So, if you can’t afford the best, what to do?
Well, there ARE options.
If you’re just getting started with wanting to edit or improve your digital photographs, you might want to try something like Google’s free download, “Picasa.” I remember downloading that program about two years ago and it took me about an hour to figure out all the different things it would do. You can use Picasa to crop photos, increase saturation of color, sharpen your image up, or add a special filter. The best part is, everything is undoable as long as you haven’t saved the photo to your hard drive. Once you save it, though, your changes become permanent.
Since Picasa debuted on the scene a few years ago other programs have followed on its heels. About two months ago I heard about one called “Picnik” and this was a step up from what you could do in Picasa and it was still free. They did offer a ”full” version with more options for a price but the free program would interface with online galleries like Flickr so you could upload a photo from home and then “work” on it on your lunch break at work. Pretty spiffy stuff.
This week, though, I heard about another option that takes you one step closer to what PhotoshopCS3 and PS Elements allow you to do and its called “Splashup.” Again, it adds some new tools like those you would use in Photoshop but it comes free of charge. Simply visit their website and download the program and you’re on your way.
So, with all these options coming out, why do people like me continue to buy Photo editing software like PS CS3 and PS Elements? Because…the options that you are getting with those free programs only begins to hit the surface of what you can do with the editing programs you pay for. Granted, Splashup adds a whole new level to the game with many basic tools that, until now, you had to pay for but even those tools don’t do all the things that the tools with the same names do in Photoshop. And, if all you want to do is brighten a simple highlight or deepen the colors of your favorite photos, then they will allow you all the creative freedom you will ever need. If, however, you want to take your work to the next level and do things to Photos you never even dreamed you COULD, then keep plunking those quarters into the cookie jar because what you get from Photoshop CS3 will likely NEVER be found in a free program download. You just have to try it out to understand the differences but take my word for it, it was worth every Ramen noodle dinner I am going to have to eat in order to buy my copy.
February 28, 2008
Saying Goodbye to Winter
I was cleaning up outside this evening and found a plastic tub that had fallen just beneath the deck. I pulled it out and found a clump of ice with some dead leaves stuck to it. Well, you know me – I had to run inside and get the camera because everyone who sees a clump of ice with a bunch of dead leaves stuck to it knows this is a prime photo opportunity, right?!
(Okay, so I’m alone on this.)
But, considering it was the last sign of cold weather left in my yard, I grabbed the opportunity and shot off a few frames. This was my favorite of the bunch…
February 27, 2008
Easy Being Green
I’ve had a shamrock plant for close to eight years now. I find it to be a pretty happy plant – keep it from getting thirsty and it will grace your kitchen window with its sun-seeking leaves and frilly white flowers.
To me, it represents part of my heritage, but it also reminds me of a place faraway that I one day hope to visit. In my mind, the rolling hills of Ireland are as green as the leaves on my shamrock plant. I cannot wait to see those hills in person one day!
For now, though, the green of the shamrock will have to tide me over…
Oh, in case you’re interested, I’ve just opened a new blog here at WordPress where I can write to my heart’s content. Anyone who’s interested, you can also find me at “Late to Life” in the very near future.
February 25, 2008
Not Long Now
This weekend, I got some really cool shots of the ice that formed along the rocks and tree roots inside a waterfall. For a couple of moments I remembered how beautiful winter can be when it’s not being judged for how long it takes me to scrape it off my car. Instead, I saw the softness and beauty of all that white stuff I’ve been cursing these past couple of weeks.
Shame on me for forgetting that winter can be truly beautiful. Don’t believe me? Zip up those high top boots and go for a walk in a forest. Oh, sure, I am still chomping at the bit for spring to make an appearance – but that walk in the woods reminded me of the quiet beauty of winter and got me over that desperation for warmer temperatures that I’d been feeling.
February 24, 2008
February 23, 2008
Outdoor Oyster Bar
I needed a change of scenery so I headed over to the Parkville Nature Sanctuary this morning and walked through the woods for a couple of hours. I ran into one family on a nature hike and a fellow photographer who knew the waterfall would be a great place to shoot in weather like this. I’m still working on the waterfall images but this one was a quick fix. Taken up close with my new Canon 100mm macro lens it only needed a quick crop and a little brightness added.
Doesn’t it kind of look like an oyster on a half shell at a fancy restaurant?
No matter what it is, I’m rather “lichen” it. 
February 22, 2008
The Beauty of Brown
It actually rose above freezing this afternoon so I grabbed my camera bag and headed over to a nearby lake. Winter was overwhelming me…from the snow to the ice to the bare naked trees. I tried to go with it…tried to find something good in the little bit of color that broke up the black and white landscape. Finally, I found a touch of brown. BROWN. Dull, boring BROWN.
I threw the photo in PS Elements (because I am not far enough along in my reading to even attempt CS3 yet) and I did a levels and saturation correction. Then I pulled in a midnight glow action, increased the contrast and did a quick sharpen. Lastly, I went to the lighting effects and pulled in a flashlight look, sticking it right behind the middle of the leaf.
Voila! Brown became beautiful…
February 20, 2008
Slowing Down
I just wanted to let everyone know I’ll be slowing down on posting photos for a little while. I just got my new copy of Photoshop CS3 and have realized that PS Elements is NOT just a smaller version of PS. It’s going to take some serious hours of reading and playing before I get a true handle on this puppy and I don’t want to resort to posting “crap” just so I can say I posted so…
Don’t worry if I’m a little more sporadic at posting for awhile. If I can’t pull it together and get something new up here every couple of days then I’ll go into my archives and find the two or three decent photos from last year and show them off instead. I really appreciate you all stopping by and offering up your comments and critiques so don’t run off and leave me just because I’m off learning something new. I promise to share what I’ve learned when I get back.
J.
