Credit Where It Is Due

Credit Where It is Due

I like to make photographs, and I enjoy being praised for what I have done. But God teaches a different attitude, one of thankfulness and humility. He pointed that out to me recently. I DO NOT MAKE THESE PHOTOGRAPHS ALONE. I didn't create the light, or the technology which makes photography possible. I didn't buy my camera, it was a gift from my husband. I didn't give myself the ability to see through the camera in order to make an image which others find pleasing. It is right to use what I have been given to the best of my ability, but it is wrong to take credit for what I have not done. God made the light, the elements which are used to manufacture the camera, and the world from which these images come. He has given me gifts: people to teach me, eyes to see with, and a brain to process information. I am thankful for these gifts. He deserves all the praise, not I.

Friday, September 28, 2012

Friday, September 21, 2012

Abstract in Black and White

From my archives, an abstract of a piece of construction equipment.
The original was cropped, had the light adjusted, was rendered with Picasa's HDR-ish tool, 
and was converted to black and white with a green filter.

Monday, September 10, 2012

Monday, August 27, 2012

Wood Grain, Life, Death, and What Remains

This is a view of a dead tree. The bark is gone, revealing the beauty of the wood.

It has been a long time since I posted last. 
The yard sale is over and I am disposing of what remains. It is a lot of work! 
I have learned:
Junk to me is treasure to someone else.
Treasure to me is junk to others.
Most importantly, no matter what my treasure is, when I am gone, it is still here. 
If I have not provided for its disposal, my heirs will have to. 
I hope to leave many treasures, especially memories, 
and few pieces of junk. 

Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Minatare Lake, Scottsbluff County, Nebraska


I haven't updated this blog for quite a while as I've been busy with organizing a yard & estate sale instead of taking pictures. 
I hope everyone is having a wonderful summer!

Friday, June 15, 2012

Charismatic Columbine

I've been playing with Picasa again! 
This image of a columbine blooming in front of my house has been cropped slightly and 
the mid-tone light increased just a little.

"Orton-ish"

Infrared black and white--dramatic!

"Holga-ish"--I like this black and white rendition.

This is the color inverted, so it resembles a color negative.
I love these colors!

"HDR-ish"
I am getting to like this conversion...

And now, an HDR-ish portrait of the fly...



Friday, June 1, 2012

Picasa Meets Forest Trees


Same trees, different conversions

This was converted to black and white in the normal way. I like the mood 
the somewhat dim and very green light has
in this version.

This one, though, has had an infrared conversion. It makes the green leaves white--
 I think they look like flowers--and the mood is entirely different.

Friday, May 25, 2012

Picasa Meets an Egg

I noticed this egg in the middle of the trail I normally walk on...
I think it probably was some predator's meal.
Of course, I had to take its picture...

When I put it on my computer, I couldn't get the interior to show detail...
until I inverted the colors.
It was a short step from there to this black and white.
A little strange, perhaps, and it looks a little like it's floating.
But I like it!

The steps to this image:
Crop
Bring up the shadows
Invert the colors
Convert to black and white

Enjoy the weekend!

Friday, May 11, 2012

Monday, May 7, 2012

Picasa Meets a Waterfall

This is a small seasonal creek on our property.
I thought the subject and composition of the original image were beautiful.
BUT
Nothing was really clear, and the colors lacked pizzazz.

Well, I have been playing around with Picasa's editing tools, so I played with this.
I decided not to crop it. But I did do these things:
First, I used the saturation tool, which brought up the color some.
Then, I posterized it, adjusting for maximum colors and detail, which made it look more like a painting.
Focus issue solved.
Next, I applied what is called "Orton-ish." This tool increases contrast, "bloom," and  "brightness." I had to tone it down with the sliders to get an effect I liked.
Finally, I added the border.

This is the original.

What do you think?

Friday, May 4, 2012

An Old Building


This is scanned from a 35mm print which was taken about 1974. I cropped it a little, retouched a few damaged spots, and adjusted the colors.
I don't know if this building still stands, or why it was built.
But I think it makes a great photo! 

Rain