PHOTOGRAPHY Archives - Page 4 of 15 - Keeping With The Times

Lilac Party II

June 9, 2015 by Barb 9 Comments

Today I thought I’d better get on with the lilac party … even though the shrub I picked these from has finished blooming. It happens so fast … but I have another type that’s just starting … too much fun around here I tell ya!

Lilac Party II, Keeping With the Times, Texture Tuesday

kk_dreamlike

Original

You can’t even imagine the scent … or maybe you can …

kk_QuietDreams

Here’s a favourite from last year, edited with the new preset kk_Hush …

Lilac Party II, Keeping With the Times, Texture TuesdayLilac Party II, Keeping With the Times, Texture Tuesday

kk_Hush

I take hundreds of photos and it seems that once a few weeks (or years) have passed, I don’t feel right using them. Well, I’m on a mission to get over that! Does it matter whether I took a photo today or last year? I don’t think so … a lot of work goes into setting a scene, shooting, and then processing images. It’s a self-imposed restriction I’ve put on myself … one of many it seems.

I do think a side note letting viewers know you’re using an older image is all a person needs to do … or maybe not even that? Anyway, seems like I was into a lilac series last year as well:

Melancholy Lilac I

Melancholy Lilac II

Melancholy Lilac III

Texture Tuesday at Kim Klassen dot com

Lavender Love

June 5, 2015 by Barb 17 Comments

I can’t believe how fast I went from the lilac party to lavender love … but when I spied these lovely plants at Costco I was thrilled!

I haven’t been able to find this specific type at any of the greenhouses I’ve been haunting. I love the small, slim wands with the tiny flowers.

The scent is beyond words … but even more so when dried (I know because I’ve already dried a few sprigs).

So far I’ve simply photographed the plant like it’s growing in a field that goes on forever, but ideas are spinning around … small bouquets, dried bunches, perhaps even a wand or two …

Lavender Love, Keeping With the Times, Friday Finds

kk_Hazed

I want my summer to look like this … lazy, hazy, and dreamy …

kk_Hazed

Thank you for dropping by, and have a wonderful day!

Friday Finds at Kim Klassen dot com

Lilac Party Part I

June 2, 2015 by Barb 13 Comments

Oh my heavens … it’s lilac party time around here and I haven’t shared any photos on my blog! And I’m so overwhelmed I’m going to have to break them into Parts I to III, or maybe even IV or V.

Spring is one crazy season in these parts … it’s like a dam has burst and every plant is pouring blossoms out in torrents. Everything from shrubs and perennials, to annuals in the garden and pots on the deck … flower overload … and then there are the wildflowers popping up everywhere I look.

Therefore, today I’m going to take it slow and concentrate on my #fromthechippypottingbench series from Instagram.

Lilac Party Part I, Keeping With the Times, Texture Tuesday

kk_Lilly

With the rustic nature of the bench and the tools, I felt stronger edits (presets) were in order; kk_SoftLight and kk_Lilly. Both enhance clarity and colour. Everything just pops, including the white paint, but believe it or not, there’s a slight (de)saturation adjustment as well … and that’s a good thing …

kk_SoftLight

Here I set a few snippets on the back of my “green” door, which is white …

kk_Lilly

OK, I guess I’ll stray one tiny bit and share my white lilac that clearly is not white … note to self … don’t buy shrubs unless there is at least one bloom for colour verification …

So, I'm going to go slow and concentrate on my #fromthechippypottingbench series. With the rustic nature of the bench and the tools I felt that strong edits (presets) were in order.

kk_DayDreaming

“Believe none of what you hear, and only half of what you see”

Oh I had fun trying to give credit for this quote! Who do you think said it?

Happy Texture Tuesday everyone!

Kim Klassen dot com

Spring Flowers

May 26, 2015 by Barb 23 Comments

It’s a good thing my friend asked me to go for a walk last week, or I may have missed these Marsh Marigolds entirely. There’s one spot in the ditch where these flowers flourish … technically its a mini swamp. A mosquito-infested mini swamp … ask me how I know … .

Quite honestly I think my head may explode … there are so many flowers starting to bloom right now and I can’t keep up. It’s like a parade on fast-forward.

Marsh Marigold, Keeping With the Times, Texture Tuesday, Still Life

kk_DayDreamingLightRight

So of course I had to have a bit of a play in Lightroom …

Marsh Marigold, Keeping With the Times, Texture Tuesday

Original

kk_Raw

kk_Midnight

Caltha palustris, known as marsh-marigold and kingcup, is a perennial herbaceous plant of the family Ranunculaceae, native to marshes, fens, ditches and wet woodland in temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere.

Texture Tuesday at Kim Klassen dot com

Lightroom and Finding the Light

May 22, 2015 by Barb 10 Comments

I’ve been so inspired by Kim’s bright and airy images lately, that I set about finding (creating) the right light and then enhancing it in Lightroom. Now I think I’m going to change my dining room window situation from no curtains, to white opaque curtains …

Oh, and I’m loooving the new presets she’s created, some of which are available in The Studio Online … can I say magical … basically one click …

Lightroom and Finding the Light, Keeping With the Times, Friday Finds, white cosmos, flowers

kk_DayDreamingLightRight

When I saw this vine at a local greenhouse, I didn’t hesitate one second before putting it in my cart … it’s called a Wire Vine … love …

kk_Lilly

Light + Lightroom Presets = Magic:

kk_Air

The weather has turned so incredibly beautiful and I’m finding it hard to stay inside … hmmm … I just happen to know where to find a garden that needs to be weeded …

Have a lovely weekend everyone!

Friday Finds at Kim Klassen dot com

Radish Tea Sandwiches

May 21, 2015 by Barb 5 Comments

My food styling post is now on the blog at Kim Klassen dot com where I explain my process, as well as the trials and tribulations of a still life artist ;) … but for now, here’s another version of the Radish Tea Sandwiches, and the travelling knife …

So what is the travelling knife? Well, it’s a knife that’s travelling the globe, making it’s way to several members of The Studio Online. My turn has come and gone, and I must rush to the post office to send it on it’s way to Spain! Yes, the knife is heading to Rosana … and I can’t wait to see what she does with it!

Thank you for stopping by today!

Potting Bench for Friday Finds

May 8, 2015 by Barb 15 Comments

Of course you knew you were going to get more of the potting bench for Friday Finds … right? And about Friday Finds …I can hardly believe it … where did that week GO? It’s just … gone …

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It was a crazy, chaotic, and creative week—I had messes all over the house; from the basement, to the deck, and everywhere in-between …

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Parts of it were a bit more organized, like when I went to town to get a hair cut, and then groceries. Of course I had to visit every greenhouse in the area (just to look, I told myself).

However, I did bring home a few pretties … such a miracle after a long, cold, colourless season …

kk_litely

Oh yeah … we did have a bit of this … aaacckk …

… and I fell down some icy stairs (ouch), but other than that, it was all good …

Potting Bench, Friday Finds, Pansies, Keeping With the Times

kk_Midnight

Thank you so much for dropping by today!

Rhubarb Leaves are Beautiful

May 4, 2015 by Barb 29 Comments

I can’t be the only person who thinks rhubarb leaves are beautiful; they’re so full of curly, crispy, crunchy texture!

Rhubarb Leaves are Beautiful, Keeping With the Times, Texture Tuesday, rhubarb, potting bench

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We’ve just recently returned home from Arizona where I played with roses, and ranunculus, and gardenias … all breathtakingly beautiful, colourful, and exotic flowers.

But this northerner is extremely happy to be home, and as I took a stroll around my garden, every tiny green shoot filled me with wonder and awe. It’s such an amazing experience to witness the miracle of spring.

When I saw some tiny rhubarb leaves pushing up through the soil I was so struck by the beauty of it, I had to pull a few stalks for a still life set-up. This is almost sacrilege because, for every tiny shoot I pull, it means one less stalk of rhubarb that will make it into crisps or pies. I think I’m OK with that … I can always throw in a handful of strawberries to compensate.

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So, now I must introduce you to my new potting bench … oh my … when I saw it at the Carvel General Store I nearly fainted. I wanted it badly … very badly … but I made myself go home and think about it. I already have a gorgeous potting bench, and numerous other barnwood pieces … so I really needed to consider the pros and cons.

Turns out there were no cons ;) … it’s smaller than my “real” potting bench, and as you can see, there’s chippy white paint all over it … to.die.for.

kk_lilly

I’m in the process of rearranging the deck, painting a couple of wooden chairs, and getting my plant pots ready to go. When I accomplish all that, I’ll post the reveal of our full deck makeover. Such an exciting time of year!

Texture Tuesday at Kim Klassen dot com

Wreath Play in Photoshop

April 29, 2015 by Barb 11 Comments

I had to have a little wreath play in Photoshop and thought I’d share it with you.

These days I’m taking advantage of every single bit of floral inspiration I see when I look out my window.

It’s a blessing to be able to stay in Arizona until the weather in Alberta turns lovely … not just spring in the technical sense, but warm, sunny, and green … sigh … I know it’s happening and I’m so looking forward to returning home … it’s starting to heat up here in Arizona—big time. I’m not complaining … just sayin’ …

Now, on to my wreath …

or is it two wreaths … you tell me …

I’m guessing you sense there’s a bit of trickery going on here since “Photoshop” is part of my blog title. OK … here’s the scoop.

I created a wreath on a piece of white foam core and took a few shots in Auto mode … er … yes … I used Auto (and why not?) it gave me the sharpest image.

In Lightroom:

I adjusted exposure using Auto Tone, then did a bit more tweaking to get the colours brighter, whiter, and sharper.

With the Tone Curve tool I clicked and dragged in the white part of the photo to whiten the background as much as I could without blowing out any of the whites in the flowers or the wire frame.

I exported the image to Photoshop and dragged it onto a new 12in x 12in, 300ppi document. I duplicated it and moved the duplicate into the upper right corner … looks weird right?

Here’s the magic, change the blend mode of the top image to Multiply:

How fun is that?! When using the Multiply blend mode in Photoshop, areas on a layer that are pure white completely disappear from view!

I did have to tweak the white backgrounds again in both images, and used a bit of layer masking to hide edges but really the initial effect is pretty good.

When I posted it on Instagram I suddenly lost my mind and went off the rails … and created a kaleidoscope (not once but twice). I’m not sure how much it was appreciated, but I had fun!

I hope you enjoyed my little Photoshop tip today!

Oxford Book of Garden Flowers

April 24, 2015 by Barb 14 Comments

I had some pretty special “finds” this week, and one of them was The Oxford Book of Garden Flowers … when I first saw it, I mumbled out loud, are you kidding me? Then I sheepishly looked around the store to make sure I hadn’t offended anyone … then I said it again, are you kidding me!! I quickly flipped to the front to see what they were asking for it, and $5.00 later I was walking out the door with my new treasure.

Botanical illustrations are extremely popular right now, and these old books are hard to come by (ask me how I know.) But this baby was meant to be mine! I had about 10 minutes to spare before my hubby and I were to meet friends for lunch (my other special find this week) so I picked one last antiques store and quickly walked straight to the back, scanning as I went.

In the back corner, on the top shelf, sat a handful of books … and the rest is history … .

Here my lovely ranunculus drew their last breath …

kk_oldendays

And here’s my other special “find” …

Yes! the lovely Melinda of Melinda Anderson Photography. How fun! What a sweetheart she is, and we had the most wonderful visit (lovely hubbies included). This photo just makes me smile.

Don and I had taken a spur-of-the-moment road trip to Prescott, and when we got there I texted Melinda to see if she would like to meet. I guess the stars were aligned that day, and it all came together … another serendipitous moment.

Friday Finds at Kim Klassen dot com

Lightroom Preset Play with Ranunculus

April 21, 2015 by Barb 15 Comments

Applying a Lightroom preset to ranunculus (or any photo for that matter) is like watching magic unfold.

While I still love original images, I adore the rumpled and dreamy edits.

Kim has a wonderful demonstration on her blog today … she’s amazing … and it looks like she’s going to offer her presets for sale!! Right now they’re available only through The Studio|Online, so this is pretty exciting news!

kk_rumpled

kk_dreamlike

kk_rumpled

Original

I had the following image printed at Artifact Uprising (as a card) and oh my … gorgeousness …

Original

… I’ll be doing a post on that later … .meanwhile, I hope you have a wonderful Tuesday!

Texture Tuesday at Kim Klassen dot com

Chocolate Ranunculus and Tea

April 16, 2015 by Barb 19 Comments

You would not believe how many hours, and how many photos were shot, for me to get this Chocolate Ranunculus and Tea series just the way I wanted it! Whew! It was quite the production and I’ll tell you why … but first … the story behind my finds.

This week, I was on my own for a couple of days while hubby was away on business.

But just before he left, we stopped at Trader Joe’s because … well … really, do you honestly need a reason to stop at Trader Joe’s?

I’m just looking, I said …

… but he was on to me … and, as a matter of fact, hubby was the one who spied the ranunculus and was more than happy to lead me to them. I tell you, I nearly fell over (really). I turned a bit quickly and stumbled ever so slightly.

I’ve been dying to get my hands on some after since seeing so many gorgeous images on Instagram … every time I saw one I was filled with longing (drama queen here).

I ended up buying four bunches, three brightly coloured, and one white because at $4.99/bunch I did not feel one bit bad about it. In fact if I get the chance I’m going back for more.

But today I’m sharing only my white ranunculus. When I started arranging them on this sweet teacup (which I also found this week) I was swept up and way (more drama).

When I applied Kim’s kk_chocolate preset I was stunned. That preset tends to blow out whites in photos but oh.my.good.heavens … when my heart starts pounding, that’s when I know I’m on to something.

I spent almost a whole day taking shots and as I was posting them on Instagram, I noticed an old problem of mine. I had used different white backgrounds and shot my images in different lighting. Well, that’s OK for IG I thought, but I’m going to fix this because I wanted a good cohesive series. So the next day, I redid the whole shoot using the exact same setup for each one and I also shot them all within an hour, beside an east-facing window …

… because I wanted this …

… a collage with matching tones.

I learned so much by doing this shoot, even more than I’m going to share, so as not to bore you to tears … oh, hello? … are you still with me? If so, thank you for stopping by and have a wonderful Friday!

Texture Tuesday, and One Thing

April 14, 2015 by Barb 18 Comments

Today is Texture Tuesday and I present my “one thing”.

To explain … the “one thing” is a prompt in The Studio|Online whereby we choose one item and use it in a series of photos.

I’m currently working on a series of plate images and decided to use the burnt old cookie sheet I found at a garage sale as a background.

I’m happy enough with these, but my plan is to set up and shoot 4 different plates at the same time, with the same light, and apply the same processing to each one. This prompt is very inspiring and also grounding … as long as my background stays the same I can play and play and play …

I’ve used this background many times before …

… with lots of different elements …

… and I’m feeling more and more inspired! So strange how that is—it’s the same thing over and over—but different each time.

Have a wonderful Tuesday!

Free Download for Subscribers

April 10, 2015 by Barb 13 Comments

I can’t believe it’s time for Friday Finds already, and today I have a free download for subscribers!

Goodness the days fly by …

I found a couple new-to-me stores here in Arizona. First, Home Goods which is much like our Home Sense in Canada, and then a Marshall’s right beside it.

Oh my … the hubs is a saint taking me to all these places … I found so much loveliness … I never buy anything too expensive, just a lot of little things which add up … we talked about that at The Open Studio last night. It seems to be a problem with all of us lovers of “still life”, but I think we beat ourselves up a bit too much. I don’t spend money on much else … I certainly have no vices (insert smile) … anyway, I found some sweet little garden-themed props to go with my hyacinth print. I’m including a link to the full resolution file of this print with my next newsletter (going out today).

I also found three hyacinth bulbs which I scooped up, brought home, and proceeded to plant into their own separate little containers. I think I’m trying to satisfy my gardening bug whilst in Arizona … in a condo.

I love what the “chocolate” preset did to the following image … and do not those scissors look like they are sitting right there?

Tip: if you need a prop, perhaps a photo of a prop will do :)

Thank you for stopping by and have a wonderful weekend (perhaps I’ll see you on Sunday for Sunday Sundries.)

Friday Finds at Kim Klassen dot com

Hyacinth Print Download

April 9, 2015 by Barb 6 Comments

Just popping in with a quick note to let you know I’ll be including the full resolution file of my “Hyacinth and Tulip Fling With Spring” in my next newsletter as a free download.

It’s approximately 8″ x 8″ and I printed it on plain white photo paper using my colour laser printer. I was pretty pleased with the results.

It now brightens up the table at the entrance to our condo.

Original:

Then of course I had a bit of a play in Lightroom using Kim’s presets, and because you will have the full resolution image, you could edit it too.

How fun! I’d love to see what you do with it!

Please use it any way you want – as a framed print, card, journaling material … all I ask is that you use it for personal use only, and give credit to me if you post it online.

So, if you haven’t signed up for my newsletter and would like to have this print – check the sidebar for details!

Have a wonderful Thursday!

Barb

PS … my copyright won’t be printed on the image …

Gift from Cristina Colli

April 3, 2015 by Barb 14 Comments

I recently received a beautiful set of prints from Cristina Colli as a “thank you” for sharing my dinner plate art to #12monthsofhappystills.

I live in a rural area, and as I sat in my car at the community mailbox, I took a quick peek inside the package before carefully wrapping it up again. I was very excited, but I wanted to save it until I got home so that I could savour and document the moment. After sending a quick note to let Cristina know I had them in my hands, I carried on and didn’t fully open it for a full two days! Is that crazy? I don’t think so … the weekend was busy and I wanted to be alone … sitting with a cup of tea with no chance of being interrupted.

When I finally had a quiet moment, what I found was a lovely tag, a beautiful “polaroid” of pink blossoms against an impossibly blue sky, and a gorgeous origami envelope. Cristina demonstrates how to make these envelopes on her blog here. I’m pretty sure I’ll be trying my hand at this real soon.

When I opened that beautiful envelope, I discovered 5 more stunning prints.

As I set the string down, it fell into a heart! This is the absolute truth … oh … my … I was spellbound for a moment … .

Of course I had to rearrange the string on top of the prints, so I pinched the bottom where the string came together, and carefully slid it on top. Can you believe the perfect bow on the side?

Cristina’s images have inspired me to get busy and have a few of my own florals printed. I have tons of them sitting on my hard drive … and I hope to “pay this forward” very soon.

Sharing with Friday Finds at Kim Klassen dot com

Hyacinth, Willow and Tulip Play

March 31, 2015 by Barb 16 Comments

I was happy to return home last Friday (home sweet home) but there isn’t much colour around so I remedied that with a quick trip to the grocery store for a spring bouquet filled with hyacinth and tulips.

But since I felt overwhelmed by the fullness of it … I plucked out one purple hyacinth, one yellow tulip, added a sprig of pussywillow, and suddenly I could see clearly … ahhh … simplicity …

A little preset play was in order … so on the following image I used kk_within … one of my favourites …

km_within

Next … kk_chocolate with a little brightening of the yellow in the tulip:

Hyacinth Willow and Tulip, Texture Tuesday, Keeping With the Tiimes

kk_chocolate

I’m linking up at Texture Tuesday with Kim Klassen dot com.

Wildflowers Still Life

March 24, 2015 by Barb 28 Comments

I love wildflowers, and when I saw this beautiful Globemallow growing in huge clumps in ditches and vacant lots, I couldn’t help but pick a few to play with.

Let me say that I only pick wildflowers that are abundant. I would never pick a rare or threatened species.

The bright orange flowers of Globemallow sway gently on tall stalks, and as we drove by, I swear they were waving at me … pick me … pick me … I’m sure I heard it …

Wildflowers also bring to mind something Kim wrote in The Studio Online about her experience with ranunculus.

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kk_chocolate

I can’t reprint her story, but let me just say that wildflowers are not intimidating.

They’re understated, and many times you have to look close to see their gorgeousness. I also love that they’re seasonal (usually). Where I come from, I’m not going to be finding any purple vetch in the middle of winter — and that would make this Light and Airy Wildflower Bouquet a rare and beautiful thing, wouldn’t you say? I included some some tips on how to care for wildflowers in that post if you want to take a peek. They are more delicate than you might think.

Texture Tuesday at Kim Klassen dot com

Sunflowers I, II, III, and IV

March 20, 2015 by Barb 31 Comments

How much fun can you have with a $5.00 bouquet of sunflowers?

Would three days of photo shoots be enough? I think so … yes I do, and now I’m going to set it on a table and simply look at it. I’m done …

For my first image, I put one sunflower in the new blue vase I found at Target, set that on an old baking sheet, and added a little yellow dipping bowl. Then I threw in the vintage fork for no other reason than I don’t have a hand carved wooden spoon (smile).

Sunflowers, Friday Finds, Keeping With the Times

kk_dreamlike

The backdrop for the following image is the board that slides into my desk to hold my keyboard (you gotta get creative!) Then there’s the old burned stone/clay pizza pan I found at a garage sale (hubby was perplexed), and finally, some sharp thorns I found in a ditch.

kk_within

The collage I made for By Arrangement, with the page from an Anthropologie catalog:

… and finally a side view with a piece of artwork by Emily Winfield Martin which I found in a Flow magazine. The little caption on it (which you can’t read) says “spoil yourself” … ummm … OK …

… don’t mind if I do …

I promised to share my Anthro purchase but I didn’t get it together in time to get some good photos so it will have to wait … perhaps I’ll have it ready for Sunday Sundries … (it’s a cookbook). However, I did find an interesting site whilst I was visiting Anthropologie online. It’s called Terrain, and oh my … it’s filled with wonderful eye-candy. Have you seen it? You should have a look!

Linking up with Friday Finds at Kim Klassen dot com

Collage By Arrangement

March 19, 2015 by Barb 3 Comments

I treated myself to sunflowers, and after several still life shoots, I created a collage for #ByArrangement with @sarahnotes on IG. Oh my gosh, these take me forever to set up! I usually start out with one thing and end up with something entirely different.

It didn’t occur to me to create a collage to match my still life set until this morning … after that … it was easy and the pieces fell into place. Image processed with kk_within.

We have a lovely little distressed “trunk” that we use for a coffee table and is so perfect for photos, next … a page from Anthropologie (literally) …

We had gone to Kierland Commons for lunch on Tuesday, after which we wandered around and shopped a bit. Of course I had to visit Anthropologie … oh my … talk about inspiration! I was trying to describe the feeling to hubby but I’m not too sure he got it … I was gushing … even the work table that the employees had set up to plan their displays was a piece of art, and I wanted to photograph it … .

After purchasing one item, I picked up a catalog, which is where I found the background paper for this image.

I’ll be posting my sunflower still life images (and my Anthro purchase) for Friday Finds – see you tomorrow and have a wonderful Thursday!

California Poppies in Arizona

March 18, 2015 by Barb 4 Comments

Hello, and welcome to “app” happy wednesday #36 where today I’m sharing my California Poppies! and I have it from the best sources that I am right about what these are!

If you’re new to the party, this is a link-up to share your photos edited with “apps” of any kind! Let me stress there are no rules!! Just join the fun and share any kind of artsy creation.

It’s that time of year when we make the trek to Arizona. Yes it’s spring at home, and it’s wonderful, but it’s also a great time for us to get away and enjoy some sunshine.

As we were driving through the Kingman area, there were thousands of poppies filling ditches and even fields. It was a glorious sight but unfortunately I couldn’t get a great photo because it was too bright out. So, I simply picked a handful, set them in a coffee cup full of water, and brought them to our condo were I quickly styled and took photos (they were falling apart as I was working – so delicate!)

VSCO:

So that’s it for me today (on holidays!). Now, let’s see what you’ve been up to!

Use any “app” you like and perhaps explain how you used it. Did you use just one? Did you use several?
Simply create some art. Post it on your blog or Flickr or wherever you are uploading your work, and then come back here and link it up!
Visit a few friends to see what they are up to and perhaps learn some fabulous new tips and techniques.
Link back with a text link or use the “app” happy wednesday button which you will find at the bottom of this post.
Each party will start at 5:00 am on Wednesdays and will stay open until the following Sunday at midnight.

*sorry … this series is closed

Food Styling Tips for March

March 12, 2015 by Barb 12 Comments

Good morning! My food styling tips for March are on the blog today at Kim Klassen dot com. I hope you’ll pop over to read my thoughts on setting the dinner table!

But first, here are a couple more images from the shoot that didn’t make it over to Kim’s.

Lemon Shortbread Cookies

March 10, 2015 by Barb 17 Comments

In the Studio, Gigi Thibodeau posted a photo of her Lemon Shortbread Cookies for the “stacked” challenge. When I saw it, I sat straight up and shot her a note saying I must have that recipe.

kk_lightandairy

There were a couple of reasons I wanted to make those cookies …

First of all, I had been searching for the perfect delicacy to set atop my new tray. Along with this tray, I had a new grey and yellow tea towel, so the delicacy had to have a hint of yellow, right? Not only that, I love shortbread, and I love lemon, and it just all seemed to come together.

The vintage whisk complemented the scene perfectly and an extra dusting of icing sugar never hurts anything (in my opinion.)

kk_lightandairy, kk_within

I’m linking up to Texture Tuesday at Kim Klassen dot com

Gigi blogs at The Magpie’s Fancy … if you would like the recipe (thank you Gigi!)

Minimalist at Heart

March 6, 2015 by Barb 13 Comments

Hi. I’m Barb, and I am a minimalist at heart.

This is an image inspired by a succulent, a few pebbles, and a polka-dot coffee cup I found in a cute kitchen shop in Quebec. When I saw it I knew I had to have it. I didn’t know exactly what I was going to do with it, but I had to have it.

I especially love white, graphic images, they make my heart sing.

But what a nightmare to get two photos with the same white tones! That’s why I’m only posting one of the dozens of images and edits that I’ve spent (too much time on.)

Have a look-see at the History panel in LR …

As well as adjusting tones, highlights, and shadows, I desaturated almost every colour from blue to red. As I desaturated each colour, I watched the succulent to make sure nothing I did affected it. The only colours I didn’t desaturate were green and yellow. And still, I’m not happy with the white background. I have much to learn.

I’ve written about this before for Friday Finds – Stillness. In that post I mentioned that I follow Mary Jo Hoffman’s blog STILL. She shares her tips and techniques so openly but I still can’t quite get it right.

So I’ve found that only practice makes perfect, and even then, maybe not perfect, but good enough.

Have a wonderful Friday!

Friday Finds at Kim Klassen dot com

March Blues

March 4, 2015 by Barb 8 Comments

Hello, and welcome to “app” happy wednesday #35 and the March blues …

If you’re new to the party, this is a weekly link-up to share your photos edited with “apps” of any kind! Let me stress there are no rules!! Just join the fun and share any kind of artsy creation.

Oh. Hello March. I remember you.

It was a typical early March day: bright blue skies, white puffy clouds, and ferocious winds blowing powdery snow and sculpting it into rock hard waves.

I used VSCO for the following images …

The wind blows the snow off the fields and into the ditches

If it wasn’t for my phone, I wouldn’t be recording the small moments in my life. The meaningful moments. The everyday moments.

The good news is that warmer weather is forecasted for the weekend. There should be a lot of water running …

So that’s it for me today. Now, let’s see what you’ve been up to!

Use any “app” you like and perhaps explain how you used it. Did you use just one? Did you use several?
Simply create some art. Post it on your blog or Flickr or wherever you are uploading your work, and then come back here and link it up!
Visit a few friends to see what they are up to and perhaps learn some fabulous new tips and techniques.
Link back with a text link or use the “app” happy wednesday button which you will find at the bottom of this post.
Each party will start at 5:00 am on Wednesdays and will stay open until the following Sunday at midnight.

*sorry … this series is closed

Tulips for Texture Tuesday

March 3, 2015 by Barb 23 Comments

Tulips in their last moments are absolutely stunning. Delicate, transparent petals curl this way and that, clinging to pale twisted stems that can no longer hold them upright.

As I was making dinner on Sunday, I looked up at the bouquet I’d had for over a week. A few petals were dropping silently onto the counter in front of me. A bit of yellow pollen filtered down and sparkled in the sunlight that was streaming in from the west windows. It’s funny, until that moment I hadn’t had any urge to take photos of them. I’d simply enjoyed their frilly orange selves standing straight and tall in a glass container.

But suddenly, I was more than ready to trade a vegetable peeler in exchange for florist scissors. I walked into the pantry, pulled out a rustic piece of black painted metal and set it on the floor. I gently snipped the blooms and ever so carefully laid them down.

I was amazed at the light coming into the pantry and how it was making the petals glow. Here are two more edits in LR.

Tulips Last Hurrah, Keeping With the Times, Texture Tuesday, Dark and Moody

kk_within

kk_touchadrama

Linking up to Texture Tuesday at Kim Klassen dot com

I hope you’ll join us tomorrow for “app” happy wednesday! Come and link up an image edited with apps of any kind – there really are no rules!

Gift From a Friend

February 27, 2015 by Barb 13 Comments

When I went to the mailbox last week, I was delighted to find a gift from a friend! This treasure came out of the blue and into my hands on a cold, dreary, uninspiring winter day. Although I didn’t photograph it right away, it inspired me for the whole week and I went about my days with new enthusiasm.

All week I was dreaming about a still life “from above” which has to be my favourite type of image. Don’t get me wrong though, I can appreciate a stunning focus and shallow depth of field just as much as the next person …

I tried not to overthink it and went with the obvious sewing theme. Following is the original image with the usual tweaking in LR to get it presentable; exposure and tonal adjustment, lens correction, and cropping etc.

Read on for the rest of the story, and a couple different edits in LR …

kk_today:kk_gentle:

So what was the gift, and who sent it? Well, the gift was two vintage spools; one with blue thread and the other with no thread. The gifter was Caz and she blogs at Caz Sultz Photography. I am so bowled over that someone would send me a gift just because … thank you, Caz! from the bottom of my heart! You are a great on-line friend and who knows … we may meet someday. I’ve met quite a few blogger friends in real life, and it’s an amazing and enriching experience.

So just a few more tidbits about the items in my photo. I found the round (thing?) of needles sitting on a shelf in my favourite junque store … no one wanted it … it was dirt cheap … I gasped when I saw it. The embroidery hoop, key, and velvet perfume cover were my Moms, and I added a few dried poppies and leaves from an long ago bouquet.

Today, I encourage you to reach out to a friend. Tell them how much they mean to you. Give them the gift of you.

You will not regret it.

Friday Finds at Kim Klassen dot com

Jade Plant Propagation

February 26, 2015 by Barb 7 Comments

Jade plant propagation is a great thing to do when it’s still February and warm weather is at least two months away. Anyway, what’s a girl to do when she thought spring was in the air and then reality hit?

Well, she goes inside to play with her plants and to continue dreaming … because you see, on Tuesday, I was outside at my potting bench listening to water pour off the roof, digging into some dirt.

Today, I’m in my pantry at my Hoosier (which is just as inspiring as my bench). Yesterday I emptied the whole thing and changed the direction it was facing, hoping to catch the north light a bit better. I think it helped, but I think it still leaves something to be desired. However you never know until you try something do you?

edit with kk_dreamlike:

edit with kk_within:

This is the direction I used to have the Hoosier. The side light does look fabulous, but the photo was taken in June when it was much brighter outside. I’ll post a photo of the way I have it now as soon as the light is a bit better.

Thank you so much for dropping by. I hope to see you tomorrow at Friday Finds!

PS Touch: Fade

February 25, 2015 by Barb 8 Comments

Hello, and welcome to “app” happy wednesday #34!

I took this shot with VSCO, imported it into PS Touch, added a black overlay, and used the Fade function to fade the lower right corner. That left the upper left corner in the dark, so to speak. A touch more dramatic wouldn’t you say …

You might want to check out a few of my earlier posts for some tips and techniques on using apps:

PS Touch

“I took the photo into PS Touch and filled a layer with solid black (circled in red) on top of the photo …”

Using Camera+

“To capture bokeh in Camera+, focus in on a small object by tapping the screen, then touch the Focus Lock (I circled it in red). Lift the camera up and your image should be out of focus and you can capture your bokeh! That’s it!”

Using PicsPlayPro

“Cropped both photos in PicsPlayPro. I also boosted the saturation with a filter. Imported the house image into PS Touch, then imported and layered the gull photo over top. Used the Fade function to fade the lower third part of the bird/sky photo to reveal the house and the field.”

So that’s it for me today. Now, let’s see what you’ve been up to!

Use any “app” you like and perhaps explain how you used it. Did you use just one? Did you use several?
Simply create some art. Post it on your blog or Flickr or wherever you are uploading your work, and then come back here and link it up!
Visit a few friends to see what they are up to and perhaps learn some fabulous new tips and techniques.
Link back with a text link or use the “app” happy wednesday button which you will find at the bottom of this post.
Each party will start at 5:00 am on Wednesdays and will stay open until the following Sunday at midnight.

Sorry … this series is closed.

Vintage Kitchen Blues

February 24, 2015 by Barb 12 Comments

My vintage kitchen blues: my Mom’s cookbooks, a couple of tea towels, a ladle and a blue Medalta bowl. Processed in LR using kk_within.

I’m loving Kim’s new guidelines for Texture Tuesday! Texture is now texture, whether it’s an overlay, a preset, or texture in an image … woot yay! I’ve become so enthralled with presets it’s almost all I use anymore. BUT today I added one (very light) layer of kk_touch-a just because …

Update: I got my postcards mailed – I’m so stinkin’ proud! and excited to receive six pieces of amazing art in the mail from people all over the world!

Texture Tuesday at Kim Klassen dot com

Dinner Plate Art

February 23, 2015 by Barb 6 Comments

Here I am, playing with my food again!

… for the weekly prompt at The Studio On-line. Too much fun!

Have a wonderful Monday!

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