Hear the Dandy Lion

Hi everyone,  I hope your week is going well.   I found found a few little props to use with my photography this week.  How I love to see things with a fresh eye.  Do you see the tissue paper as part of the layers of this photo!   Of course I used the soft gossamer cheese cloth here but also toward the back is that crisp tissue paper.   It transformed this photo so well, I can't wait to play with it again.

I edited in my old Light Room and then took it into Elements for the texture work and processing.  The quote is mine, it was just something that came to me and I liked it.   In the course of finding stillness, we might actually be able to hear a dandy lion if we are quiet enough to listen. 

This month I am taking things to KISS.  Keep It Simple Silly.   So the blog is getting a make over, a re-do, and update and its needed this for oh so long...   You know how things get stale, well I am pretty sure that's why I didn't work here much.   Its like a closet with a fresh new look, you just gotta get stylin!
Till next time...

Fun In The Sun

I entered this cool photo in the monthly theme contest at Better Photo.  It has right now Editor's Pick which pleases me.  It is not the traditional kids playing in the summer sun and water like most that have been sent in.  This is a man painting the Santa Cruz lighthouse in December!  The day was so lovely and warm for this time of year on the coast and you just gotta enjoy the lady on the bench taking a snooze.  I am guessing its his wife who is enjoying the sun in her own way.  So I treated this with a light watercolor wash in spirit of the painter and his canvas.

Birds!

I got to digging around some of my photos that desperately need worked on and found this great sea gull from our visit to California in November 2010.  Santa Cruz boardwalk has an abundance of willing models who love nothing more than posing for the camera.  Processed with textures.

Unlike the Seagull these little siblings come regularly to my birdbath and have some growth yet.  The parents are almost black with blue wing tips and a few spots on the chest.  I have no idea what they are but they are entertaining!  Processed with dry brush.

Under Water Again

Once again we are visiting the Monterey Bay Aquarium and here are anchovies and a shark species.  The little fish swam in tight formation changing direction and darting as a single body, its quite a contrast to the easy moving shark.  This photo was worked over in photo shop with some texture added a bit of noise and dry brush to get rid of some of the flat feel from taking the image through thick glass.   Its also an ATC card!

Kelp Forest

When I got to visit Monterey Bay Aquarium I could not pull myself away from the Living Kelp forest. This exhibit sits right next to the ocean and draws in fresh water for the creatures living there, and it has 3 levels to view it, from top, middle and floor.   There was so much life and activity it was absolutely captivating.  I will try and share more photos from our vist and some art I created from them as I go along.  This taken from floor level, and one of the exhibits goal is to let you see what divers see when they go below the surface.

Santa Cruz Light House

I have been getting some time to play with the wonderful photos I took when Don and I were in California last Thanksgiving.  This is such a beautiful shot of the Santa Cruz Light House at the Surfing Museum area.  As we walked along the long path, the temps were warm, air calm and people were walking their dogs, painting the scenery, playing on the beach.  It was a slice of heaven with the ocean glittering and sun just overcast enough to allow for some wonderful photos.