Delicate Growth

I have a love hate relationship with this wisteria.  I have 3, two that do not bloom and this one that does.   All are extreme growers and you can almost see the vines move and flower as you set the camer lens on the plant.  Love the look and hate the trimming and invasive nature, but the flowers are so delicate and lovely that I shall forgive its nature.   This was taken with my 150mm Sigma macro lense and given two very light filters of dry brush.

Little Green Frog

I almost did not enter this in the contest for animals but I got picked to be looked at again with the little green frog.   It is sitting among my zinnias and so there were leaves and all sorts of green stuff in the way.   Then I gave it some textured layers.  

Tenecales

I can't  remember what this was except its in my set of weeds from the day I set out early in the morning before the pasture was hayed looking for textures in the plant life and weeds.  It has lots of great little hairs and spiny things along with the crinkled leaves and long spiky fingers.  Here is was given a light treatment in PS.  

Seriously Brillient

Isn't this an incredible expression!  From the Alexandria Zoo this is one of the largest land birds originating from Australia and for the life if me I can't remember its species!   I had to take this through a no climb wire fence and so I had to do a severe crop on it.  After I got done with some exposure work I tried a dry brush filter on it and it really picked up the texture of the horn and the glassy eyes.  Such a great contrast. and so brillient!   

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.

San Juan Mission

This lovely set of columns from the San Juan Mission was
right for the lens with the sun so bright and making the shadows interesting.   It was a bit over exposed I felt and lost much of its texture in the brick and surface so I did some processing of dry brush effect which I think enhanced it.   San Juan Batista, Gilroy California from a visit in December.

Another Editors Pick

I have been a member of BetterPhoto.com for ages
and I get so tickled when one of my photos is chosen for
the final round for their contests.   This is called
Siblings.  Taken with my 100-300 mm Sigma out my
kitchen window.  I posted a bigger version of this on
the previous post.  To see my gallery at Better Photo
http://www.betterphoto.com/gallery/gallery.asp?memberID=86733