Learning & Doing

How are you today? Ice, snow, and cold winds blew across nw Ohio yesterday creating a winter wonderland that belies the treacherous side of nature.  I have some before and after photos to share with you.  I can't believe how much can be learned in a few short days.  I have a long way to go, but I'm getting a feel for just what Photoshop Elements can do for photography. 

Very little processing was actually done to this photo.  A boost of color, a bit of softening and adding text were the lessons learned. 

Learning about layers, blend modes, and levels in the adjustment panel dominated this lesson.  Yes, the photo is dark.  Besides taking the photograph shortly after sunset, while there was still a bit of light left, I also wanted to capture a darker mood.  By the way...read the storybook Imagine a Night with paintings by Rob Gonsalves and text by Sarah L. Thomson.  Read it to yourselfl, read it to a child, it's a beautiful book.

I created this vignette trying to convey the feeling of a lover's letter returned.  In this lesson we were introduced to textures.  I've fiddled with textures before, but never in Elements, so it was a lesson I was anxious to learn.  I used Kim Klassen's textures that she creates and generously shares. If you're curious what textues look like you can peruse Kim's Texture Shop here. 

The texture assignment called for two photos, so this is the second one I texturized.  Again, I used Kim's textures.  I'm bothered by the dark line just below the roses.  I tried to brush it out, but it only made it worse so I left it. I sure hope I learn how to get rid of unwanted bits like that at some point. 

So this is what I've been up to.  What have you been up to, my friends?  Are you keeping warm and cozy?  I''m leaving you with a line from Imagine a Night that sums up the spirit we each have to fly...

"Imagine a night...

...when you take just one last ride;

beneath you, the hill grows steep

and your wheels grow wings."

~Sarah L. Thomson