“If your photos aren’t good enough, then you’re not close enough”

Robert Cappa once said "If your photos aren't good enough, then you're not close enough".  As a macro photography enthusiast this saying and "fill the frame" were the two things that always came to mind when I had my camera in hand.  I always did know the "rule" about negative space and room to breathe, but it was something I didn't think about often.  A few years ago when I had a photo chosen for a magazine cover, it was then I realized how important negative space was.  No negative space leaves no room for words to be printed.  I've also come to realize that if your photos aren't good enough then they're probably just not good enough.

This weeks lesson on leaving room to breathe was one I struggled with, always wanting to get a little closer and closer.  All photos have a layer of kk_felicity and were taken back into Lightroom and the preset kk_darklight was applied.

Thanks for visiting.  Sharing with Kim Klassen's Texture Tuesday.

Merryy Christmas

May this Christmas season sparkle and shine. May all your wishes and dreams come true and may you feel this happiness all year round.

Merry Christmas everyone

Textured with a layer of kk_letgo and sharing with

My back yard.

A little something different for today.  This is a view of my back yard during a sunset.  A layer of Kim's kk_cherish was used with the blend mode of difference and an oilpaint filter.

Sharing with Texture Tuesday

The Perfect Christmas Gift

My daughter has told me that a child only needs three Christmas gifts, something they want, something they need and something to read.  I rolled them all into one and went Christmas shopping for a present for me.

Textured with Kim Klassen's kk_minus43 and sharing with Kim Klassen's Texture Tuesday.

I don't really know where to begin this post.  I took a look back and I made four posts this year, not very consistant.  I must admit, I have had a couple of rough years with the appearance of Alzheimer's in both of my parents, their move to a nursing home and ultimately both of their deaths in the past year.

This year I also lost my job, a job I thought I would be at until retirement, but that's another story for another time.  So many changes in two years, sometimes it's been a little hard to wrap my head around it all.

Good things have also come out of the past two years.  I now have three little grandson's, one four year old and two one year old's.  I am also employed part time, so I'm not sure if I'm semi-retired or semi-employed.

Time has started to heal and it's time to move forward.  I couldn't think of a better place to come back to, but with Kim Klassen's Texture Tuesday.  She has been such an inspiration in my photography life.

Here's what I came up with for this week's Texture Tuesday.

I have a vase with bamboo sitting on the table and the sun was streaming through.  The first thing I thought of was using the lens baby with a star filter.  Not being close enough, I added a 4x macro filter.  The photo came out as I wanted with the unfocused light appearing as stars, but the backgound was a little boring, so I added a layer of Kim's autumnburst.  All was going well, but a little blank spot was calling out for an aligator from our trip to Louisanna.

If you've made it this far in the post, thank you for visiting me today.

Texture Tuesday

It's been such a long time since I've used my camera and posted to this blog.  Hopefully, it will start to be a regular occurrence.  Here's my photo for Kim Klassen's Texture Tuesday.  Peonies are now in full bloom in the yard.  I simply added a layer of Kim's texture letgo.

Sometimes grunge just feels right.  Textures used from Photoshop Artistry and Kim Klassen's Inked.  Mouse over for the before.

Linking up with Kim Klassen's Texture Tuesday

I can see clearly now

I'm following my own advice from yesterday and the world looks a little brighter.

A frame placed in the Christmas tree provided the basic photo but it was a little busy with all the branches and lights, so a "little" processing was needed to remove the distractions.  Filters and textures used are from Photoshop CS6, Photoshop Artistry and Kim Klassen's Dreamit.

Sharing with Kim Klassen's Texture Tuesday

For Kim

I’m not sure how I found Kim Klassen’s blog and TextureTuesday but I was amazed by her style of photography and the idea of adding textures to a photo.  Then I found that little link to subscribe to her free textures.  Something free, who could resist. It was on January 15, 2011 that I downloaded my first free textures.  While following along with her and visiting all the blogs linked to Texture Tuesday I was introduced to the use of textures and a new style of photography and art.  I never would have guessed at that time, Kim would have had such an influence over my photography and blogging.  

A few months ago, Kim’s husband was diagnosed with cancer.  Being a Canadian, I know her husband is being very well taken care of in the hospital.  The best of medical care is available to him.  The one thing that is not offered is help and support to the caregiver, Kim.  Being put into the position of the caregiver, the strong one, can stress out the strongest of people.  I’m sure this time has been filled with ups, downs and feelings of being alone.  But she has not been alone.  Many of us think of her daily and pray for her husband’s recovery.

During a course offered by Kim I met an amazing group of ladies “The Groupies” who share and support each other.  When one discovers a new website or course, it’s posted in the Facebook group. Photoshopgrunge.com was one of the interesting links posted recently. The course which many of us Groupies are doing right now, Photoshop Artistry is taking us through a different thought process of using textures. Many artists have contributed to this course with “freebies” and of course Kim was one of the generous artists. Our challenge this week,  was to simply, send some love to Kim.

So Kim, just to let you know many of us are grateful to you for the so many things you have done for so many.  You are always in our thoughts and prayers.  Stay strong, have faith and know that you are not alone.

Textures used Kim Klassen's Cherish and Letgo.  Sharing with Texture Tuesday.

Standing on the outside

Sometines I feel like this red poppy, standing on the outside, perhaps dancing to a different beat but I think I have finally realized that it can be a very good place to be.

Texture used was Kim Klassen's Annabelle.  Sharing with Kim Klassen's Texture Tuesday

Garden Flowers

Texture Tuesday on a Wednesday.  This week's theme is the color orange.  Right right I have an abundance of these little orange flowers in the garden and thought they would make a good subject for the color orange.  The texture used is Kim Klassen's Paperlove.  If you hover over the photo with the mouse, you can see the before and after.

Sharing with

Texture Tuesday Lilacs

"As one gets older one sees many more paths that could be taken. Artists sense within their own work that kind of swelling of possibilities, which may seem a freedom or a confusion." Jasper Johns

 Kim Klassen's latest texture "Confusion" seems to fit my state of mind lately. I was thinking I was getting old, but now I see it as to too many paths to take.


 Hover over with your mouse and you'll see the before and after.

 

Sharing with

i heart macro

 

 Texture Tuesday

 

Texture Tuesday and Yellow Mums

This weeks theme over at Kim Klassen's Texture Tuesday is free and easy.  Any photo, any color, any texture.  In my Easter centerpiece I used egg shells for little flower pots and they haven't hit the compost bin yet so I thought I'd get a little more use out of them.

Two layers of kk_paperlove, one set at multiply and one at overlay.

Two layers of kk_paperlove, both set at multiply.

  

One layer of kk_paperlove and one layer of kk_stained linen both at multiply.

   

  

String, Tulips and Texture Tuesday

Yesterday I was showing you my new string project.  As you can see it's progressed a little. It's also Texture Tuesday at Kim Klassen's and this weeks challenge is the color pink.  I love pink in photograph's so it was an easy choice to add pink tulips to "the project". All photos have had a layer of Kim Klassen's embrace with the blend mode of multiply reduced to 50% - 75%. The texture was slightly removed from the flowers. .

My string project has been winding and gluing string around a jar to create new vases. With the theme of "Modern Cariboo" decorating for the house, these little vases will fit right in. It also brings new life to pickle and other little jars that would have been destined for recycling. 

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Once I finished a few more jars, I'll post new pics to show you the completed project.

Texture Tuesday - Whites

This weeks challenge at Kim Klassen's was to focus on the color white.  White is a color I love to photograph, but, I've never used a texture with white flowers and was pleasantly surprised with the results.  If you mouse over each photo you should be able to see the before and after. Both photos use a layer of kk_providence with a blend mode of multiply to provide a little color and a unsaturated layer of kk_stainedlinen with a blend mode of multiply at 50% to provide a little texture. In both photos the textures were softened with a brush at 50%.

Texture Tuesday

While on vacation last September, my daughter and I took in an American Civil War Reenactment in Luray, Virginia.  Part of the day was a trip to the old school that would have been turned into a hospital.  With medical supplies being cut off to the south, alternatives needed to be found to treat emergencies as well as common illnesses such as headaches.  As I listened to the young lady give her presentation I was looking at the jars of herbs on the table and thinking this would be a perfect photo for a texture.  I'm not sure what each of these herbs would have been used for as I was concentrating to much on getting the photo.  I've been waiting to use this photo and Kim Klassen's challenge of using her texture Felicity seemed perfect for this one.

This was the scene looking out the window. The same texture Felicity has been applied to this as well.

Texture Tuesday

This weeks challenge at Kim Klassen's Texture Tuesday is open.  Easy enough, just apply at least one layer of any of her texture's.  I've been playing with a bundle of white mum's I bought at the supermarket for the past week and finding they are a very versatile flower.  Kind of like one of those foods without a lot of taste, they seem to take on the flavor of the accessories and processing.  Here's the final version.

And here's the original, SOOC view I started with

I first applied a lay of Subtlyyours with a blend mode of overly at 54%

Then a layer of Sweettart with a blend mode of multiply at 60%. I used a brush at 50% to erase some of the texture from the hearts and flower.

Did a little work in Color Efex with a high key and vintage film filters.

Back into photoshop and added a duplicate layer of Sweettart.

A small adjustment with a curves layer was done to add a little contrast and finished.

Texture Tuesday

This weeks challenge at Kim Klassen's is to use her new texture Simplicity. I think I picked the wrong photo for the texture and settled on using it in the background only using the brush to erase it off the flower petals.  After the texture was applied I did some lighting of the flower centers with curves in photoshop.   It really has reinforced for me the that not all photos go with all textures, they should be carefully matched.  If you hover the mouse over the photo you'll see the before and after.