Transformed

Playing around with a photo I took tonight.

The original:

Wowza, that's quite magenta.... In reality, the flower is a deep purple, which is probably the most difficult color for a digital camera to render well. I just liked the spikey center.

So, playing around in Lightroom, I applied the Bleach Bypass preset:

I prefer the pink and shades of brown to the bright magenta.

Finally, for Kim Klassen's Texture Tuesday, I added her simplicity texture, multiply blending mode at 75% opacity:



Which version do you like the best?

Bits and Pieces of Me

It's the end of January which means it's time for the {in the picture} link up with Christy, aka Urban Muser.

I've taken at least one selfie each week in January:






It's not too late to join in - just go here on Urban Muser's blog for the details.

Something Old, Something New to Scavenge

Just when I thought I didn't have the photos for this week's photo scavenger hunt, I got a little creative and I dug into my archive.

Here's a doughy smile:

I made Chinese Dumplings today and arranged a rope of wrapper dough into a smile.

Stand Alone:

Caesar, our horse, standing in the cross ties at the stable.

Rusty or Something Old:

The scroll of my violin - it is an antique French violin, made by Amati Mangenot around 1930.

Artificial:

I went into my archives for this one - some silk flowers I have in my office at work.

Repeating Pattern:

A belated good luck symbol for Chinese New Year. Taken with the Fisheye attachment of the Olloclip on my iPhone. Chinese New Year was about a week ago, but we're still celebrating a little here with traditional Chinese food.

I had a fun time finding this week's items - next week's items: Strike a Pose, Footwear, Hobby, Shiny and Color Me Green.

I hope you have a fabulous Sunday evening!

P365+1 Week 4 - Cats, Horses and Camera Toys

With my knee injury, using my iPhone for my daily photo has been a blessing. I can no longer carry my purse with the DSLR in it - the purse is too heavy and I am worried I would drop it.

I spent last weekend confined to the house, but I still found interesting things to take pictures of [mainly because I was bored out of my mind!].

Saturday morning was super cold and windy, but the sun was shining and the cats basked in its warmth.


I stayed home from church on Sunday and Hannah woke early to peer out the dining room window.


Monday - I had the MRI on my knee and Erica got her braces off, but she wouldn't let me take her picture. Teenagers! Instead, Sam hung out with me, trying to vie for my attention.


Tuesday - I went back to work at the office and got the official word from the doctor's office that I have a torn ACL in my left knee. I have an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon in late February - a long three weeks away - that was the earliest appointment they had! After work, I took the kids to have passport photos taken. I waited until Erica had her braces off because I thought she would appreciate having a non metallic smile for these photos. So much for that plan.....


Wednesday - Look what came in the mail! This is what happens when I'm laid up with a bum knee - I start shopping....

A vintage Kodak Brownie camera. It's in great condition and I plan to buy 120mm film and try it out.

Thursday - A visit to the stable to see Caesar. Because of my knee, I am unable to go into the stable area - the ground is too uneven and today it was super muddy due to heavy rains that passed through the area. I'm relegated to the car and I got some reading done. I'm reading Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand.


Friday - yet more camera toys (I told you I spent too much time online shopping)

The Olloclip attaches to the iPhone and comes with three lenses - macro, wide angle and fisheye.

Here is the first macro shot I took:

The stitching details on Caesar's bridle. We were again at the stable, I was again stuck in the car.

In the stable, Erica took this picture of Caesar with his winter blanket:

Since Caesar's winter coat doesn't come in as thick around his upper body, we bought a blanket for him to wear when the temps dip below 20 degF. We think he looks quite formal with his wrap.

The Brownie Hawkeye

I blame my knee injury for this, but truthfully, I've had my eye on a film camera for at least a year, ever since my workplace auctioned off a vintage Canon AE1 SLR camera they found in a back room closet. I placed a bid on that camera, but didn't win.

After that, I've gone to eBay, scrolling through the endless collection of vintage SLRs and box cameras, bid on several, seemed to lose every auction. I thought I wanted a 35mm film camera, but started reading up on medium format cameras and decided it would be something different for me to play around with. After all, isn't that what this thing called photography is all about - trying new things.

I did some research and found a great site that outlines the ins and outs of the Kodak Brownie Hawkeye and decided that would the camera to buy. Because what good is a camera if you don't know how to use it?

OK, they are super cute to photograph:


It came with the original box and user manual.


The camera is in mint condition - I don't think it has ever been used. It is an earlier model, as evidenced by the metal winding knob. It doesn't support an external flash, so it was made between 1949 and 1951. It's probably the oldest thing we own now!

Now to buy some 120mm film. Not that I think it will produce Hasselblad like images, but it will be fun to experiment with.

Linked to This or That Thursday:

Through the Looking Glass

This is what happens when I'm out of commission and not able to go outside with my camera.

I'm finding different ways to shoot things outside from the inside:



My neighbor's backyard, taken through a drinking glass. I was drinking a big glass of water when I noticed how the bottom of the glass distorted the window in front of me, like a fisheye lens.


See the bent lines? Those are part of the windows, normally straight. Hey, I'm always on the lookout for weird things like this!

Changing subjects - my knee injury - first of all, thank you for all the well wishes. I found out today that I have a torn ACL (the Anterior Cruciate Ligament). Truthfully, this is the diagnosis that I expected and while it's certainly not something I wished for, I know it is treatable through surgery and I am confident I'll recover. So no marathon for me this year, but I won't let this stop me from trying in 2013.

Lessons Learned

Since injuring my knee on Wednesday, I've learned several things:

• Crutches look easy to use, but in reality there is nothing "natural" about sticking these contraptions under your arms, planting them and swinging your feet forward.
• Crutches do get easier to use with time. The problem is thinking you have mastered them. That's when you could wipe out. Fortunately, no first hand experience here!
• Stairs are quite frightful when you have a bum knee and are using crutches. I understand why ranch houses are popular for folks with knee issues.
• There are a myriad of ways to maneuver up the stairs when you are on crutches. My son has determined at least 5 different variations and has demonstrated them all to me. I've stuck with his first one - if it works, there's no reason to risk falling down the stairs trying something else.
• Crutches can serve as pretend guns. Just ask my son.
• You can't carry anything when on crutches. I am thankful for pockets.
• Heavy doors are impossible to open when on crutches. I am thankful for those automatic doors and people who hold open the manual doors.

I have a new appreciation for folks who have permanent mobility challenges - you really take those basic things for granted.

Windows to the Outside

I'm home bound this weekend, so this is what I found around the house. I love windows and I wish we had more or at least better ones.



1. Side Glance, 2. Frost on the Trees, 3. Looking Outside, 4. Catching My Reflection

Linked to Mosaic Monday and the Photo Of the Week Challenge.

Sunday Selections

First some random thoughts:
Hubby is mourning a little bit today - Syracuse basketball suffered their first loss of the season last night.

I'm home bound again and starting to get a little stir crazy. I probably need to start reading those books I never seem to have time for.

Now some photos for this week's Photo scavenger hunt.
Sunset:

Actually taken two weeks ago - for whatever reason, I wasn't outside to catch the sunset this week.

Black and White:

Monday night dinner at a no-frills sushi restaurant

A Day in My Life:

I get to watch hubby and Samuel cat relax on the couch. A Day in Sam's life is quite grueling - nap, snuggle, eat, pounce on the other cat then snuggle some more....

Four:

Four Fabulous finds -
Upper Left: $18 coat (Aeropostale)
Upper Right: $12 long sweater (Target)
Lower Left: $12 ruffle sweater (Target)
Lower Right: $17 lacy sweater (Hollister)
Can you tell I have teenagers in the house? Whenever I am forced to shop at their stores, I try to find something for me.... Sometimes I find something cute and not too age inappropriate.

Colorful:

A salad I ate Saturday afternoon. Spring mix, tomatoes, balsamic vinaigrette, crumbled blue cheese and a sprinkling of trail mix (nuts and dried fruit). Really yummy!

Saturday Morning

It's a cold Saturday, and with my knee injury, I am unable to go anywhere outside. Fortunately, the bright sunshine makes up for my lack of mobility and I am thankful I can hobble around with my camera inside.

The Morning Sun:


Sam awoke mid morning and promptly found the warmest spot in the house.


I hope you are having a great Saturday!

P365+1 Week 3 - Quite The Change of Plans

We started the week with snow, sprinkled in an altering event in the middle and ended with more snow.

Last Saturday, January 14 - Shadow in the snow:

I was out taking photos out in the snow after my morning marathon training run.

Sunday, January 15 - Snowball fights:

The boys were taking advantage of the first snow. They tried to build a snow ramp, then decided there wasn't enough snow for sledding and went to option two - flinging snow at each other.

Monday, January 16 - Sushi:

An impromptu dinner out at a "new to us" restaurant - and the sushi was consumed in three minutes. The restaurant abuts an Asian grocery store, so after dinner, we bought all sorts of fun Asian snacks like Pocky and Moochi. Yum!

Tuesday, January 17 - Trying to Stay Warm:

I purchased this coat Saturday afternoon while at the Aeropostale with my son. I love the hood feature, it's warm and best of all, it was only $18.

Wednesday, January 18 - Sunny Start:

The day started off nice enough. I love sunny mornings in the winter. Unfortunately, things didn't end so well Wednesday night....

Thursday, January 19 - The Result of Wednesday Night, aka, my marathon training is over:

While playing soccer, I turned wrong and my left knee gave out a huge popping noise and then it gave away. The popping was so loud, the players on the side of the field heard it. I can't bear weight on it without it feeling like it's going to give out from underneath me. Had an X-ray today and an MRI scheduled for next week. Needless to say I won't be running any time soon.

Friday, January 20 - Today's Office:

I'm working from home today, trying to keep off the knee. Note the bag of ice next to the mouse - my knee has swelled up and I need to get the swelling down for the MRI to be effective (advice from a good friend).

What a difference a week makes, and while not necessarily the good kind of difference, in the grand scheme of things, things will be OK. I'm fairly certain, based on conversations with others, that I will be able to run again. I won't lie - I'm disappointed that I won't be able to run that marathon this year, but there will be other opportunities in the future.

I hope your week wasn't as "exciting" as mine!

Instagram Tricks - Drop Shadows Using Photogene2

It's no secret that I'm a huge Instagram fan. I am using my iPhone and Instagram for this year's P365+1. I previously wrote a tutorial on How To post Vertical photos in Instagram. Since then I've learned how to get a drop shadow effect in Instagram and that's what I'm writing about today.

First of all, you need to have an photo editing application that creates the drop shadow effect. I use the Photogene2 app. Seriously, at $0.99, it offers so much power for the money. I use it for 99% of all my iPhone post processing.

In Photogene2, select the photo you want to edit and click on the wrench on the bottom of the screen to bring up the editing menu, shown in the screen shot below:


Select the Preset Menu, and then Select Frames in the Preset's sub-menu, and scroll through the variations until you see Drop Shadow:

Click on the Apply button at the upper left corner of the screen to apply the drop shadow to your photo.

The Photogene2 background defaults to Grey, so now you have to change the background to White. Select the Enhance Menu


Then Scroll to the backgrounds selection and select the white "radio button" to change the background to white:


Export the photo to your camera stream. If your photo is already cropped to the square format, you can open up Instagram and post it. Note that if you use any filters or frames in Instagram, that will impact the drop shadow. I opt for no filter (Normal in Instgram).

Here is the end result:


If you have a non square photo, check out my How To post Vertical photos in Instagram post for further instructions.

If you want to follow my on Instgram, my handle is @shirley319. Happy Instagramming!