Parents, if you want wonderful pictures of your children, never teach them to say "cheese"! Please learn from my mistake or you will have thousands of photos just like mine - squinted eyes, scrunched up noses, clenched teeth, and an image that just screams "say cheez!!!". Join me while I search for that one perfect shot that doesn't conjure up images of dairy products. Oh, and unless you like that *messy* look, you'll probably want to clean their faces before you snap away. I never seem to remember myself.

An imporant sidenote is to make sure you document your life! Recording the little details of the who, what, where, when, & why makes for wonderful stories and captures your life for years to come. Because if you are like me, you'll forget it all 5 minutes later!

Monday, January 14, 2008

POTD - Week 3: Before & After

I've been having fun playing with this week's theme. I don't do much Photoshopping and I really want to learn how to use it better, especially with digital scrapbooking. Most of my photos I simply process in Lightroom (I shoot in RAW) and then move on unless there is something I really want to correct or enhance. Here are 3 things I played with this weekend:

Before - SOOC, f/4, 1/100, ISO 1600, External flash fired. 24-70 2.8L lens. This isn't a great shot but I LOVE how excited she is so I wanted to try and improve it.


After - Cropped, defog, Noiseware, slightly adjusted levels and curves and sharpened for the web. The skin tone is correct, but the snow is still a little too blue. However, it is in the evening so that is probably close to what it looked like (or wishful thinking on my part?).


Before - SOOC, f/7.1, 1/125, ISO 100. Tamron 18-200 lens. I took this shot this past fall and I like it well enough as is, but wanted something more dramatic & painterly to frame.


So, After - I ran a defog and used the Orton Technique with a little burning.


Before - I used these 2 photos used to make a photo montage to try and learn digital scrapbooking. Both are SOOC, so had to run Noiseware on the first one and then used Brenda's B&W action on both of them. Top photo with 24-70 2.8L lens, bottom with 100mm macro lens.




After - a lot of foul language was involved in trying to create this! I really want to do some hybrid scrapping as I love the idea of combining digital elements with my love of the traditional scrapping, but I think digital scrapping has a much bigger learning curve than I'm prepared for! Any good digital scrapbooking for CS2/3 books out there??? (I have the Scott Kelby & Martin Evening Books but want something specifically for scrapbooking.)

28 comments:

Mandy said...

These are SO SO awesome. I really love them. Especially the one with the orton. I love your rose picture too...the combine of those is priceless!

Toni said...

That face is definitly a great shot! I also love the rose picture. :) Toni

Val said...

The second one is amazing. Just jumps right out at you. Love the rich colors

pakosta said...

neat techiniques!
lovely shots!
tara

Anonymous said...

Love these all! Great job.
cari

Michelle said...

what beautiful work! i love the Orton-ized one. the colors are so vivid. and the blending work of your dd and the flower is gorgeous.

Melissa said...

I think you did a great job on these!!! Totally love the one of your dd sliding. . .you captured a great moment for her! I've never tried the orton technique, yours is gorgeous!

Kristi said...

What great shots!!1 I just LOVE your photo with the Orton technique...definitely one of the best I've ever seen!

Liz said...

The photo of the bridge that you did the orton on is gorgeous!!!!! LOVE that effect on that photo. TFS

Sharon said...

Wow! You've been busy! I like the sledding, wheee!

pat said...

Oh wow--the Orton on your fall shot REALLY changes the feel of it. Like it alot!

Tera Fraley said...

How neat!! Love that last one, and the Orton one is great!! I HAVE got to try one of those!!

For Over 29 Years... said...

Wow, those are really cool. The beautiful fall colors I didn't think could get any beter, but you made it. your right, her face is just priceless in the sled!

Cherie said...

love the photo with the orton technique!!!! wish I knew how to do that !
love the expression on your daughters face!

Lauren Hartman said...

Love how the Orton really brought out all those gorgeous fall colors!

Kristen said...

Oh my gosh, these really are so so awesome!!! I love your dd sledding!! And the orton one, what is orton? Desperatly need the info! :) Great great job!

Tomboymama said...

Wow, really nice. I like what you have done with these.

Tori said...

I love her expression in the first shot! Too cute! Check out jessica sprague... I think she's offering digiscrapping classes now (http://spraguelab.squarespace.com/blog/)

Patti said...

Love the orton technique. perftect photo for it. The first ones look like so much fun

Becky said...

These are beautiful. I especially like the landscape one.

Jodi said...

Great job turning that sledding photo into a great shot like that

April Michelle said...

nice job - i love your orton tech, I plan to try that next!

Ljsmom33 said...

I really like what you did to the landscape!

Danielle said...

I really like the second and third pics. I love the colors in your retouch on the second pic and the you combined the last ones is so beautiful.

Anonymous said...

That orton tech is really cool. Maybe you can tell me where to get the orton tech?

Anonymous said...

thats cool!

cc

bcgal00 Rae said...

Love your photos. Your daughter on the sled is a keeper! The photo with your daughter and the flower looks incredible!

--sme said...

Your colors in the fall scene are simply stunning! I'm usually not a fan of the Orton technique, but I really like it on this one!