Garden Portraits

For this current photo theme, I knew I HAD to use a couple of older photographs from last summer.

One of my favorite flowers are the Dahlia's.   Before we moved, we had a large variety in our sunny backyard.   Unfortunately our new yard is small and mostly all shade.  I guess that means finding new flowers that prefer shade! =) 

This next Dahlia I found last summer at Point Defiance Park in Tacoma .  I loved the delicate look of this beauty.  I wish I could find this one for my yard.

                    

This last photo was also taken at Point Defiance Park this past weekend.  I thought I would share a rose.  I was thinking it might be a 'Peace Rose' however the edges seem darker than the Peace Roses I've seen before.  Maybe a variation?

                

I'm glad I had the opportunity to participate, thank you Carly and Karen for all you do to keeping the Round Robin active and fun! =)

.Comments are appreciated, I will be by Sunday to visit all who participated!  Be sure to  a moment or two to check out the others who took the time and effort to participated:                              Round Robin Garden Portraits.

** In my eagerness, I realized I didn't read the full instructions so here is an overview or 'full' (actually only a quarter at most) photo of the Rose Garden at Point Defiance Park in Tacoma.

 

Copious of Color

                     

The bride went to Pike Place Market in Seattle the day before her wedding and had an abundant selection of colors and textures for all to enjoy on her wedding day

Be sure to take a moment to check out others who have participated in the Color Carnival Photo Theme.

Bounty of Color

I've been enjoying this opportunity to return to 'Bloggerville' and playing along with the various photo themes.  This time it's Color Carnival,  hosted by Martha. (waving hi to Martha)

At first I thought I wouldn't have anything for this particular photo theme as it's been raining  here in the Northwest. (what's new!) Then I found this photo and decided to share the bounty of color in the form of delicious sweet fruit.

            

         Did I just make you hungry for some fresh fruit?

Fern Horns?

As I mentioned in my previous post, it's been a LONG time since I've had the opportunity to participate in the photo challenges/themes.  Business has been good. =)  However, I am learning one must take time to have some fun too!

Here is my contribution to the Ruby Tuesday Photo Theme.

           

Last year we had a Chihuly exhibit at the Conservatory here in Tacoma.  It made for some interesting visuals with the different shapes and textures.

English Primrose

It's been a LONG time since I've had the opportunity to participate in any of the photo challenges/themes.  I've been missing them!

Here is my contribution to the Mellow Yellow Photo Theme, it's a beautiful black and yellow English Primrose.

         

Fix it Friday - from the past!

This isn't the current Fix it Friday photo.  However, I went and snagged all the past photos and figured during some down periods I would do my own edits on them.  Unfortunately for me, I don't know if I will find out how others edited the same photo.

This little guy was adorable and I simply couldn't let the distractions around him take away from him. =)  Don't you just want to pick him up and hug him?  I do! 

This first photo is the original that we are given to edit.   The second is my edit. 

As I mentioned I wanted to remove any distractions and bring full attention to his face. =)  Cropping eliminated a lot of the distractions, a little blurring of the background did the rest.  Other edits include light adjustment and brightening his eyes a wee bit was all it took.

  

In 3's

It's time once again for the Round Robin Photo Challenge!  Time sure flies when your having fun or when your so busy you that time simply escapes you.  The current challenge is "In 3's" - The Challenge is to take and present three different pictures of the same subject or theme.

As you will see by my entry below, I got carried away ... just a wee bit, right! =)

                My husband and our dog, Toby playing fetch.

                     

My THREE children.  Each different and unique in their own way.

 

Once again our dog, Toby.  Shaking off the water, thinking he's a lap dog (silly boy) and patiently waiting for he okay to eat a hot dog!

Three views of one waterfall - Ponytails Falls not far from the Multnomah Falls on the Columbia Gorge in Oregon.  BEAUTIFUL area one I HIGHLY recommend seeing. =)

Three different views of Mt Rainier, I never get tired of looking out and seeing the mountain so majestic.

The last two are business related. =) 

            

From an engagement session, they were such a fun couple!  I want more like them ... please. =)

                              Dancing/spinning bride.

I hope you enjoyed your visit!  Please take a moment to visit the other participants and say hi as well.  =)  Just click on the link below:

      Round Robin Photo Challenge

Cosmetic Surgery

The other day my daughter and I were talking about magazine covers and how much editing they do on a person.  She didn't think they could change a person that much until she saw what I did to her photo.  Check out what Dr Monica did to my daughter.

Straight from the camera

I exaggerated a lot of things on her just to make a point.  I thinned her body and face, narrowed her nose, smoothed her skin, brightened and widened her eyes, 

Now she understand how many changes can be made to a person in the magazines.  Of course IF she used the "fixed" photo it wouldn't be a true representation of herself or her personality.

Fix it Friday # 50

I haven't had the opportunity to participate in the "I Heart Faces" Fix it Friday in a very long time!  When I have participated, I've rarely added my own link to the site.  However, today I decided I'd fully play along.  Besides the bit of distraction came in handy today! =)  (prevented me from getting into trouble!) 

This first photo is the original that we've been given to fix.  All the following photos were my edits.  Isn't she a beautiful young lady?

             

           

Pretty basic here, lightened, removed dark under eye shadows and smoothed her skin complexion.

         

Decided to play with the saturation, some texture and vignetting.

        

Decided to crop the image, bring the focus to her face. 

    

Thanks for stopping by please feel free to leave some feedback, ideas or suggestions as they are always welcomed. =)

Almost Photo

The current theme for the Round Robin Photo Challenge is 'The Almost Photo'.  You know the photo that could have been a great picture, but for some reason it just didn't work out!  We all have them, I generally delete them and move on.

Two weeks ago Sonny and I were photographing a wedding.  With us was a new intern who wants to get into wedding photography.  I always teach them to keep their eyes on what happens when I'm setting up the group shots.  It's during that time when the really fun candid photo opportunities happen.

During the set up of the bride with the groomsmen, I noticed the intern/wanna be assistant was in her own little dream world.  Then out of the corner of my eye I saw this ....

Check out the expression on the groomsmen directly behind the bride.  What was so happening?  Unfortunately, I don't know as I was distracted with set up and wasn't focused on them at that moment. (sigh) 

This last photo is my granddaughter, Amelia.  She was planning on planting a wet kiss on me.  My intention was to sneak a photo of her as she wasn't allowing me to take any pictures that day.  It could have been a fun photo if it was in focus! =)

 

Be sure to check out the other Round Robin Participants! 
ROUND ROBIN PHOTO CHALLENGE

Look Up ~ Look Down

I had great plans to get out with my camera for this challenge.  The photos I had in my imagination had nothing to do with brides, flowers or anything related to weddings.

Then IT happened.  My 'mud wrestling' experience where the mud won.  I was simply walking to my car and hit a muddy slope that grabbed me and took me down in a heartbeat.  My ankle went one direction, knee decided to go the reverse direction of the ankle, the hip not wanting to be left out went with the ankle and the low back decided to go with the knee!

No major injuries.  However, I felt like a 90+ year old woman.  Today, I feel about 70.  Maybe in a few more days I'll feel my age or even younger would be nice! =)

Anyway, due to the mud wrestling event, I've been reduced to sharing wedding photos. (sorry)

Using a monopod, held high over head, looking down on the entire wedding.  Taken at the Rose Garden at Point Defiance Park, Tacoma.

            

This photo I actually took a few days before the fall, it's looking down the flowers in my front yard. =) 

Now to look up a bit in life. =)  I've share both of these photos before and I apologize that they are repeats.

This is Ray Bethell a 90 something man from Canada who does amazing work with his kites.  What you can't see is that he's controlling FOUR kites, three are in formation the 4th is a mere speck in the photo.  He controls a kite with each of his hands and the other two are controlled by his knees/legs/hip movements!  When I'm 90 I want to get around and move like he does!

        

Here is a photo looking up at my daughter Kimberly.  The first time I posted this photo, things were looking up for her as she was approved for a home loan.  This time, things are looking up because she is now living in the home she is buying!  =)

Thank  you for stopping by!  I look forward to seeing what was down or up your neighborhood. =)  Check out the other participants here:  ROUND ROBIN

Childhood Memories

In late January we purchased a home and have been busy moving and slowly attempting to get our lives back in order.  A few days ago we finally were connected to the internet again and I had an urging to go check up on the latest challenge over at the Round Robin Photo Challenge. 

When I saw it was "Childhood Memories"  I was thinking this could be fun and a charming step back in time., I have to do this!  Then I read on and they said I suggested it!!!  With everything that has been happening I had totally forgotten.  I'm glad I got the internet in time to participate. =)

This was my beloved "Tiggy".  I insisted that he WAS a tiger.  In my young childhood mind, ALL big cats were tigers.  People would tell me it was a leopard and I thought they were ALL stupid!  Come on, he looks like a Tiggy, right! =)  (sigh)

Our family cat obviously didn't like him and took off a section of Tiggy's nose.  So much trauma I really don't remember it happening.  Though I still to this day remember being in tears when he lost his eye and my mom had to sew on a button and insisted that Tiggy could see once again.   I think he's only got one good eye.  What's your opinion on his eye condition?

I didn't take this photograph above.  It's a scanned copy of a photo I have.  This was my dad's bookstore in Ojai, CA called Bart's Books.  While other children went to a park to play, this was my playground filled with books, comic books, an art easel, our bad kitty and lots of fun people.

This is the inside how it looks now.  It's still gives me warm fuzzies when I think of being there! =)  If you go to Southern California I HIGHLY recommend you stop in Ojai and check out the bookstore.  Yes, it's still in operation. 

This last photo I'm sharing is downtown Ojai.  I walked so many times down this street as I headed to school or when my mom took me with her when she did some shopping. =) 

One time we looked into a store window and I (we) saw MARY POPPINS!  They tried to tell me her name was Julie Andrews or some silly name like that.  I KNEW ... it WAS MARY POPPINS!  Oh,  and she was really sweet to me but didn't pull anything out of her bag much to my disappointment.  What was up with that?

It was fun going back in time.  I look forward to visiting everyone's childhood memories on Sunday as I have a wedding to photograph Saturday.

Have a great weekend and thanks for letting my inner child come out to play again! =)