Still having fun

August Break - Three

Today's photo for the challenge were these pigeons that my grandsons pointed out to me as we were running errands.  Since they were so excited about them I stopped the car so they could get a good look at them and I could, of course, photograph them.

This was the original photo, not exactly going along with the theme of three, but still in need of some fun I again went with Photoscape to produce the photo on the top.   I used the editor>filters>distorts>3, which is where the three came in.  I know it's a bit of a stretch but it was the best I could do.

I'm not quite sure which I like better.  What do you think?

This last photo is just one I took at the same time.  So glad my grandsons pointed them out to me.

☺☺☺Enjoy☺☺☺

Johnina

Bleeding orange and having fun

August Break- Orange

I've had several hellacious days, hence no posting.  Even though my health is improving I am still disabled and as anyone who has chronic health problems can tell you there are days when you do not function well.  If I had still been employed I would have been calling in sick.  Anyway more on dealing with chronic health issues at a later date.

When I saw the theme for the August Break challenge was orange I thought I would have a hard time until I walked into Wal-Mart.  It had slipped my mind that I was in Tennessee and the college football team here , the Tennessee Volunteers, have orange as their team color.  When I got home after taking these photos Laura said she thought that if they could the town folk here would paint the whole town orange they would.  After seeing all the orange around including all the apparel on those same towns folk I would agree, in fact I would think that they would bleed orange if they could.   

Since I am not a football fan and I difinitely needed a just for fun break, I decided to play with a photo editing program I recently downloaded.  Photoscape is a free photo editing program that I downloaded from cnet.  It is a fun program that I have used in the past but due to computer problems I have not used in a while.  Now that I have a new computer, well new to me anyway,  I've reinstalled it  and now have to remember what all the filters and enhancements do, so I'm having fun playing with it . 

The original photos on the left side where kind of ho-hum, but after I played with them and had a great deal of fun with them, I like the abstract pieces of art.
Hope you enjoyed my little excursion into photoscape filters.  If you have any questions on what filters I used and how I applied them please leave your question in the comments section.
☺☻☺Enjoy☺☻☺
Johnina

Surprised at what you see

August Break- Windows

I am finding that the biggest challenge for the August Break is that instead of taking photos of whatever strikes my fancy and having it speak to me about what I should blog about; I am now doing just the opposite I have the subject matter given, then hunt for a subject to photograph.  I'm finding this to be a whole other mind-set.  I have entered contests where the subject was given then you had a week to find just the right setting to photograph; I've even won some.  Doing this with a one day time constraint is many times more difficult.  With a week or more of time, I can indeed find my subject, take my photo, edit, and tweak to my hearts content so I feel confident in having done what I could to put out a photo I can be proud of.  With this time constraint I no longer have the ability to reflect make changes then reflect again so I'm not so sure.  This challenge is really making me s-t-r-e-t-c-h and make occasional leaps of faith, both of which are good things for me to learn how to do.
My photo for today is of my daughters living-room.  In spite of having little money, she is creative in her decorating.  She also has the courage to try something non-traditional.  I love the plants which is pretty traditional, but then she hangs them over her window like a living valance.  I'm sure that as her plants grow in and up the hardware it's beauty will continue to increase.  Good job Sweetie.
I was also experimenting with my shutter speed for this one and the backlighting was giving me problems so a triple challenge here.
The next photos are ones that were done earlier.

I have often been challenged by photographing windows due to unwanted reflections, but in this case the reflections turn out to be the focal point of the capture.

This was taken as I was walking around some abandoned warehouses that I noticed while I was shopping at one of the busiest stores in town.  I started out photographing from the parking lot and realized that in framing my picture I was trying to avoid the barbed wire fence that surrounds the store.  I figured it really ought to be pretty safe with all the shoppers in the area so I walked across the street to get a better look.  I'm glad I did.

This was taken in an elevator at the art center in downtown Atlanta.  The art center houses the High Museum of Art and the Atlanta Symphony Hall so it makes sense that they would build an elevator with a skylight so you can see the elevator workings.  I thought it was very cool.  I was amazed however at the looks and questions I got as I rode up and down taking the photos as apparently most people never noticed it.  That's what this challenge and my blog is about; seeing the beauty or just plain cool things that surround us.  Look around including looking up, you just might be surprised at what you see.
☺☺☺Enjoy☺☺☺
Johnina

Back to Kingsport Tenn

Rest area on I-75
All in Bloom

Took a break from visiting my daughter to continue working on my health, but I traveled back last week during the heat wave.  I made it back to Kingsport in record time.  Last time even though I thought I left at the right time to miss Atlanta traffic it still took me 2 1/2 hours to get from Locust Grove through Atlanta to Marietta.  This time it took 45 minutes.  It always amazes me at the time difference that can occur while driving in the city. Sometimes for no apparent reason your time can double or triple.  How do those who commute everyday figure this out?

Blessed shade on a hot day

The other thing that continues to surprise me is the different personalities of the rest areas.  Each has it's own beauty.  The difference between rest areas between states is even more remarkable.  Georgia's tend to have lots of wide open spaces with minimal landscaping mostly around the main building and they are not staffed except at the main You have entered Georgia Rest Area.

Georgia rest area picnic site

Tennessee has smaller rest areas with more landscaping spread across the entire area.  They also have the bonus of being having an attendant on site.

Beauty at the rest stop
Art edit

At one of the Georgia rest areas I saw some evergreens that where in some places dead, dying, and other places growing and thriving.  I loved the textures and color combinations so I snapped a shot.

Life goes on

I have been looking at a lot of abstract photos and art lately so since I really liked the colors and textures I decided to try my hand at turning this photo into an abstract art piece.

  I edited it in Photoscape (available for free on CNET) using the swirl filter then I added a lens flare.  I added three lens flares in three different colors and turned down the opacity on the flares.

I then transferred it to Gimp and layered the edited version with the original. (Gimp is alsoavailable for free on CNET). This was my first attempt at using layers. I then cropped it to emphasize the center flare and came up with this:

What do you think?
Enjoy
☺☺☺Johnina☺☺☺

Serendipity-Looking back

Sunset in July

Every cloud has a silver lining or in this case a colorful one.  Just because I am down and out with a broken foot does not mean that I can't find something to enjoy.  In this case I am going back through some of my older photographs and editing them.  This is turning out to be a delightful activity for me.  I am finding new favorites and am enjoying seeing some of the progress I have made as a photographer.  Even with this broken foot there is Serendipity if I but choose to find and follow it.

Early Morning Light

I am using the theme of Glow from Carmi's WrittenInc to show off some of my photos that I am editing.

Explosion of fall colors

Hope you

Enjoy

this as much as I have

☺☺☺Johnina☺☺☺

See the Beauty: Moon at Sunrise



Moon at sunrise December 2011

Yesterdays' sunrise, a beautiful start to a busy day.

Art edit of Moon at sunrise December 2011

And a fun photo to play with

Enjoy

♥♥♥Johnina♥♥♥





Christmas lights- Just having fun

Just having fun with Christmas lights

Yesterday I had to pick up Tom from work (we are still down to one car for the two of us) and after running errands and starting physical therapy, I was exhausted.  I was also sitting in the car bored and waiting; but I had my camera soooo.. I tried to take pictures of the Christmas lights around the houses across the street.  Unfortunately due to the fact that it was dark outside in order to take photos the shutter speed has to be slow which makes it hard to focus and hold the camera still enough, long enough to get a crisp photo. See photo to the left.  Since I was so tired I did not bring a tripod (I was simply to tired to mess with it) I decided to just have some fun with the lights by purposely moving my camera.  The collage at the top of this post is a collection of the abstract photos I got.  All the editing I did was to crop the pictures and then make a collage.  They are kind of strange, but I think they are kind of cool and best of all they were fun to do at a time when I need a little fun in my life.

Enjoy

☺☺☺Johnina☺☺☺

AEDM Day 7- Red leaf- 400th post

Wow i was surprised when I looked at my stats for this blog to realize this is my 400th post.

I also realized today that when I signed up to do Art Every Day Month yesterday that since I am in the hospital I don't have access to my scanner so I could post my artwork.  However there are other types of artwork that I can create because I do have my computer and my photos. 

I had signed up to do a new note card swap on Swap-bot which was a scavenger hunt for three themes  on three cards.  The themes are leaves, red and nostalgia, so I went on a scavenger hunt through my photos to turn into cards.  I have a purchased Georgia O'Keefe (love her art) card with one of her leaf paintings on it which I will send, but in going through my photos I found this wonderful red leaf photo to edit.

I edited it to look more like a note card drawing and that edit is on the top of this post.

I also found this photo which fits the nostalgia theme, it was already edited, but one that I love.

Or maybe I'll send this one- which I also edited earlier but love the way it turned out.  What do you think?

When I get home I will be able to print them on textured or lightly patterned card stock to finish this art project.

Enjoy

☺☺☺Johnina☺☺☺

Oh no- fall begins in Georgia

In the last couple of days it has become obvious that autumn is getting a head start this year in Georgia.  In the last couple of days I've had to locate my jacket, turn off the air conditioner because the house was to cold with it on, and this morning I was able to open the windows so I could check out the heater and make sure it worked.  Every year when it starts to get cool at night we turn on the heat to make sure it works and to make sure any dust accumulated in the system during the summer is gone.  I hate that first time start up smell.  I would also be very unhappy if we needed it one night and it didn't work.  We've lived in this house for over 20 years now with the same heat pump.  The last time we had to have the air-conditioner part of it fixed, we were told they don't even make parts for our heat pump anymore.  Happy to say it works wonderfully.  I really don't want to have to replace it right now.

I am enjoying the cooler weather especially in the morning when I walk the dog and work in the garden.  I am really getting excited about planting my fall perennials, clearing out and changing around my gardens.  I am not looking forward to the leaves falling and this has already started.

This picture was taken in my front yard this morning.  Amazingly the photo above is the same photo as the photo at the top of this post.  I am still learning the nuances of Photoscape and having lots of fun.  I have been organizing my photos and in doing so  I have discovered that I do not feel that a photo is finished until I either put a frame around it or do some kind of art editing to it.  Discovery # 1 in my journey to decide what direction to take my art.

Please remember the giveaway of the book Creative Awakenings. I am working on my journal and will shortly have some photos of my progress.  Click here for details.

Enjoy

☺☺☺Johnina☺☺☺

Bright new day

Hoping for a bright new day.  I just got home from taking my computer down to the Geek Squad at Best Buy.  When I got home the first priority was to walk the dog and when I looked up this is the sky I saw.  I love it when the sun shines through the clouds like this,  It always cheers me up.  I always really dislike leaving my computer but it was not allowing me to download my new photo-editing program that I received for my birthday sooo since I have the insurance that covers such things to the Geek Squad I went.  Since my computer was also running slow again they suggested a complete check-up.  My insurance also covers this, love insurance, love the Geek Squad and Best Buy.  Between Emily and I the insurance has more than paid for itself.  I still hate leaving my computer though because all my pictures are on my computer.  However I had not erased my pics from my camera so I still had 475 photos on my card in my camera.  Went to download the program that allows me download my photos only to find that the CD was cracked.  I went to http://www.canon.com/ to see if there was anything I could do.  I fully expected to have to leave an E-mail and hope for an E-mail back.  Surprise, surprise they have a toll-free number with real people, really helpful people and the person I talked to patiently walked me through the process of getting my photos downloaded.  I was even more impressed when I found out the are headquartered in Virginia in the path of the hurricane and they were still quick and patient and helpful.  Certainly improved my opinion of Canon.  All in all this is the best experience I've had when my computer has been down and out, so I will still be able to post.  Maybe when my computer comes back it will work better and I will indeed have a bright new day. 

Enjoy

☺☺☺Johnina☺☺☺

Moonlight tonight

 

These pictures were taken tonght because the moon was so beautiful shining through the trees and I wanted you to see them so I only did a quick edit.  I cropped and signed them.

Enjoy

☺☺☺Johnina☺☺☺

Having fun with Photoscape

See yesterdays blog to view the originals

These were done on Photoscape which I downloaded from www.cnet.com

Enjoy

☺☺☺Johnina☺☺☺

www.cnet.com

Play to learn~Insight #2

This post in in response to the comment made by Janet http://jkbees.blogspot.com/ on my last post.  She said that she wasn't very good at photoshop; well I didn't start out doing very well with photo-editing.  I still don't own photoshop most of my photo-editing is done with free software and then I just played with the programs to see what each would do.  I had lots of fun learning because I was just playing and on the computer if I didn't like what the program just did I was able to hit Undo and it went back to what I had before.  Some programs will Undo for quite a few steps till you get back to your original photo.  No money spent just play time and everyone needs to spend some playtime sometimes.This is the original photo and while I liked the flower I did not like the background so I cropped it in a square to hide as much as possible.

So far I have tried many different programs but my favorites are Picasa which is a good basic editor,  but it is just a basic editor, just google it to get the download.  Go to http://www.picasa.google.com/

 the second picture was done on picasa.

 Next in line is picnik at http://www.picnik.com/ for download.  you can get there from Picasa but I find it is more convenient to go through picnik after saving in picasa if you used it.  Picnik is a really fun program that does not take up computer memory as it stays on the Internet and the free version shows all the steps you took on the last 5 edits you do.   They also have a pay for service which adds to the basic program including keeping track of all your editing steps for all the photos that you edit. These next pictures were done in picnik.

Layered with star background

Hypnotic effect

Next is Photoscape which can easily be downloaded from http://www.cnet.com/.  I usually go through them as they check for virus, etc. and the download is easy.  This program has a little more finesse to it, especially when it comes to tweaking your colors and they do it on two different levels of skill.  Plus cnet has lots of other programs to try free, free to try, and purchase. This next picture was done in photoscape.

Color adjusted, selected Region out of focus- pixelated

Region out of focus- zoom

The last program to get is gimp which I also downloaded from http://www.cnet.com/ This is the only website I would recommend downloading gimp from there are many listings for downloaded gimp and I tried a couple and had some really horrid experiences until I found it on cnet.  Then I had no problem.  This is the closest free program I have found to photoshop.  There are also plug-ins like photoshop available for it.  It is however the hardest of the different programs that I have recommended and I am still learning about it.  There are you-tube instructions available and also books. see amazon though my website for gimp books.  Search Amazon.com for gimp books.  I use it for all kinds of more complicated operations like removing power lines.  I did not edit with gimp this time due to time constraints.  Between these programs I find that I can do pretty much all the editing that I want to do.

I hope you will try some of these programs you have nothing to lose and a lot of fun and learning to gain

Enjoy

☺☺☺Johnina☺☺☺

Insights

Until I took my little stroll around the neighborhood I did nor realize that these evergreen trees had flowers.  A new insight from taking the time to really look around me.  When I am looking for fun things to photograph I tend to look a little closer, look from different angles and different distances therefore I get new insights on the world around me.  If you look at yesterdays pictures you will see more of the tree. Then I just had fun with the close-up and wanted to give you some insight into how I came up with my art edit.

First I adjusted the color to make them brighter as I was shooting in the full sun the colors were a little washed out.

I then made the photo that  zooms out making the colors radiate out.  Next I wanted to add some texture to the photo to add more interest so I added the glasstile effect.  I looked at it for a while and decided that there were too many big blocks with basically the same color so I went to another program and

I layered with a solar system background, but I decided that the photo was now too static so I zoomed it one more time leaving the center as the sky to ground the picture.  I recropped it so that the blocks would be more even; added a couple of sets of borders and like any artist I added my name (signature). Then I hit Save.   I wish I had saved more of the steps to give you more insight but I wasn't thinking about this post when I was editing.  Sigh

Enjoy

☺☺☺Johnina☺☺☺

Welcome Home

I'm feeling much better now.  However I am trying to catch up on what was left undone while I was not up to doing much.  This seems to be a constant theme of my life.  I am on an upward spiral this time not a downward one, so I am recuperating faster and getting more done when I do feel better.  Hooray! Hooray!  Right now I am also researching how to do more to improve my health.  The better I feel the more I can do to make myself feel even better so now I am deciding on my next step.  Since my herbal teas seem to be helping so much I am researching herbs and what they help with.  I am trying to find a good reference book on how to use and maybe grow the herbs.  I've been checking books out of the library in hopes of finding one without spending a lot of money on books that may not fit my needs.  If anyone knows of a good book or a good blog on herbs and natural healing I would appreciate it if you would leave a comment or e-mail me (see Hi this is me page above)
Since I was feeling better I edited some of the front door gardens and mailboxes that welcome home the people in my neighborhood.  I love my front door garden and the colorful, cheerful greetings they give to me and have started to notice those around me and take photos of them.  These pictures were taken just a few days ago as I walked around my neighborhood.

                            ENJOY ☺☺☺ Johnina☺☺☺