Follow Your Heart

Last summer these two lovely birds frequented my bird bath for a couple months.  They were always together and while they do not look like make and female having the same dark coloring, its possible they are siblings who stayed together during the hot spell.  I chose this photo to work on out of all of the ones I had of them, their topaz eyes set against the dark navy feathers, the blues and violets so attractive with the chocolate brown bodies.  If anyone knows this species, drop me a note!  Enjoy.

Drawing Without An Eraser

I tried something new with a studio type photo of one of the rabbits in my collection and a few colorful leaves left from fall.  I just put the rabbit and leaves on some freezer paper for the background so it would be plain but I think I could have used a white flour towel too!  Maybe next try I will use that.  So here I have used a couple of layers and a recipe from The Test Kitchen
http://photoshoptestkitchen.com/.  I only did a couple little things different than the tutorial showed but I like the soft over all effect and how it took a very stark image and transformed it into something more.   The Brush I used is an art brush that was added at the last, Life Is The Art Of Drawing Without An Eraser.  Enjoy!

Eagle Portrait my recipe

OK everyone, I have been asked how I am creating my art.  I think this eagle will be a good example.  You can see below the original photo that is just bad with awful light and reflections.  I am really happy with the new image of the eagle.
1. I use PS7.  Open the image and duplicate the background.
2. Add a gradient layer black to white at 45% opacity and then using a soft round black brush with opacity about 45% again brush away the areas you want to show through.
3. I duplicated the gradient layer and set it to blending mode screen      22% opacity.
4. Another adjustment layer was added with a soft warm peach color
   4b1506 hex code soft light blending mode at around 15%
5.I went back to the duplicate layer I added a watercolor filter
6. I now added an adjustment levels layer and brought out the whites.
7. Another adjustment layer Hue and Sat to take out the greens and yellows for a soft look.
8. I went to the top of my layers and added a very cool free texture from Deviant Art and set at soft light about 23% and duplicated that layer.
9. I added a mask layer and brushed away the area over the bird for the last part
10. I added the very nice little frame to finish it off.  Don't you think it look's much more interesting.  I feel like I saved that photo from the trash bin.

This must seem like reading Greek to my friends who visit my art here,
but the steps are quite easy to learn especially if I keep my pen and paper handy at my keyboard!   I am learning all this at:
http://photoshoptestkitchen.com/

Textures and Frames

Working through some of my old images and have always liked this little bird.  As a stand alone composition I did not like it so decided to work it over with the textures and layers in PS and add some words from a set of Dream brushes.  I love how it looks. One of the layers was a olive that brought much of the image together and allowed the little wading bird to be more of the main attraction.

At the Test Kitchen http://www.kimklassencafe.com/
there was a little tutorial on making a frame with the layers.   I tried a little studio photo of some shells and was really happy to figure out how easy it was to make this frame.  Then I added that burst of light rays which ruined it!  Oh well, after I stepped back and looked at it about 5 min later, I truly regret adding that at that strength!  But the frame is wonderful!

Humming Bird Antics

I have become so lazy, and my photos are in desperate need of organization.  I have so many interesting images and how can I do justice to each one!  I have been taking some time this last fall between selling our ranch and moving to review some of my favorite photos and moving into a folder for future work.  This is one of those photos.  Its a little hummingbird hen who constantly guarded her flower area.  She is complaining to another hummingbird who is flying above her in this composition from last summer.  Enjoy!

I am having such fun learning new things in photoshop with Kim Klassens
"Test Kitchen".   This week we had a challenge photo called the Red Shed where we did some extra effects and texture to a great old structure.  This is not an image I shot but I am going to work this technique on a couple of my existing images and see how it goes.
Hope you enjoy and if you want to visit Kim's site it is: www.Kimklassencafe.com

Did I save them or not?

These photos I took today after Deacon had his bath.  He is 5 1/2 months old here and cute as can be so I was happy that he was posing for me to take photos.   The problem I had was me not him!  I was trying to kneel down and not holding my camera solid so the photos were a bit out of focus.   BUT they are so CUTE!!  Were they worth the work to try and save them?   This first one has 3 layers of dry brush and I was happy that it actually resembles a portrait from a studio.

This Cutie Pie photo has better focus yet I liked the dry brush effect so much I gave this one treatment.

This has to be my favorite (I think for now), and it
also has one layer of dry brush.

We have just sold the ranch and bought a new house with escrow to close Dec 22!  Should be a wild December and doubtful I will get to do much photography, but I enjoy getting these special photo opps with my favorite new boy.   He is a mophead!
Now my afghan hound handle of mopheads can still be used.