Before and After | Purple Pearls and Sunshine

I love photo challenges!! It helps me to improve on my photography, and editing skills.  I recently came across a new one called, Before and After ... a weekly challenge hosted by Monica over on her blog ... Pixel Perfect!  Each Thursday you would enter an SOOC, {aka: 'straight-out-of-the-camera' image}, any theme, along with an edited version of the same photo.  You then share the 'recipe' ... your equipment used and editing program, and if possible, your step-by-step process on the edited version.  Once you've entered and linked up to her site, you can have fun checking out the other entries on the list!

This, being my first entry, and since I haven't been out and about with my camera too much lately ... {one reason being the weather, and more importantly, my son recently got married, :) and our life has been quite full in the past couple of months} ... so, I've chosen to enter one I took on a very sunny, warm day this past fall, just before the 'winter to remember' began!  This photo reminds me of the warmer days to come ... are you as ready as I am?!  This is my great niece, Little Miss Rylie.  She loves her purple 'pearls', and the sunshine.  I really love to capture the innocence of childhood, and you'll probably be seeing a lot of this little girl! 

As you can see the original 'sooc' image was a bit dark, and 'splotchy' ... it wasn't as sharp as I'd like it, either.  I had just gotten a new lens ... 50mm f/1.8, which I was testing out on a Canon 30D, my current camera.  It's been a little while since I edited this, but if my memory serves me correctly, using PSE7, I simply brightened up the image, adjusted the colors and contrast, got rid of the noise {something I still seem to have trouble with, but I'm working on it!}  Once I saw this, I couldn't stop there, and went one step further ... I hope it's okay for this challenge, but, I really liked this image in b/w, so just today, I converted the first edit and added a 'mocha' layer to it, warming it up just a bit, and finally adjusting the contrast. 

So, there you have it ... my first Before and After entry on Pixel Perfect.  I'd so appreciate your thoughts on these.  After a few years of 'practice', I am now working on getting my business off the ground this year.  I'm open to any encouragement along with some kind, constructive criticism! :)  I'm looking forward to meeting some new friends over at Pixel Perfect, and learning lots more about this passion of mine!  

To join in, or to see more Before and After images, just click on the logo below the edits! 
You all have a happy and blessed day!  ~ Deborah

I Heart Faces | Fix-it-Friday #85

You have got to admit ... this little girl is an absolute doll!  I couldn't resist working on this image, taken by Julie Rivera, of her own daughter, even tho it's a bit past Friday.  Most images will probably be sharpened up more than the original, but I felt the edits of this one should stay in a softer focus.  The first one is the original image by Julie.  I played around a lot with these last night, and my recipes below are as close as I could get to what I did.  Would love your thoughts on these!

*To see more edits of this sweet little face, or to join in on Friday's fun, just click the button below! 
Have a warm and wonderful weekend!  We're expecting more snow here ... how's your weather? :)

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My first edit: (Using PSE7)

cropped . reduced noise . brightened her eyes . levels adjustment . duplicated layer .
screen blending change . sharpened a bit and flattened.

Second edit: (using the first edit)
sharpened a bit more . b/w conversion . color fill layer .
adjusted contrast/brightness . flattened . added a light vignette.

Third edit: (using the first edit)
added a 'pretty in pink' texture layer . soft light blending change . flattened

Fourth edit: (using the first edit)
added a yellow photo filter . adjusted levels .
added melon colored gradient layer at bottom of image for softening effect . added a light vignette.

First image is SOOC ... By Julie Rivera

I Heart Faces | Fix-it-Friday #84

I can't believe how fast this week has passed!  It's already another Fix-it-Friday over on I Heart Faces!  This week's photo is from the extremely talented Keli Hoskins!  It was the first time I'd been to her website, Kidnapped By Suburbia, and I'll definitely be going back again!  The original image below is of her adorable little girl, and as you can see it has some shadowing, and color issues, which were a bit more challenging then previous fixes.  Some have been requesting more difficult images to fix, and I do believe we got one this time!  I've had a lot going on this week, and a bit preoccupied ... my son is getting married out of state, and we're preparing for their homecoming mid-February, so my steps are not as detailed as usual, and I only did two edits this time.

Using PSE7, I began by cropping the image, did some color and contrast adjustments ... then using the brush tool, I worked at smoothing out the shadows on her face, and that sweet knitted hat.  I then added a gradient layer to mimic a sun flair ... finished it off with a texture layer from Shadow House Creations, giving it a vintage sort of feel.  The second edit is the first one without the texture, which I converted to b/w, adjusted sharpness, and contrast, then added a different SHC texture giving it more of a coffee tone.  I'm sorry about not having more detailed instructions, but I can say that it took quite a few steps to get these results, and I wish I'd had time to do a better job on these, but I'd still like to know what you think.  In any event, I'm anxious to see how others did with this one, too!  If you'd like to join me, just click on the logo below the images! 

Have a blessed weekend!

. original image .

I Heart Faces | Fix it Friday #81

A busy weekend with friends and family = late getting this week's Fix-It finished, and entered! What a gorgeous couple, aka: Arden Prucha (Photography), and her husband! This one was captured by Michelle Johnson during the recent Dream Big Photography Workshop, and I love it, so I just had to get it edited and entered, even though it's late on Sunday ... or should I say, in the wee hours of Monday morning!

I thoroughly enjoyed working on this image, so, for a quick rundown on the procedures ... using PSE7, for the first edit, I cropped it to bring them in closer, flipped it horizontally, adjusted levels, contrast, brightened his eyes, and sharpened it up a bit, working a little more with color curves, hue, and saturation, then added a diffuse glow, to soften it up.  On the second edit, I used the first one, and added a texture, masking it off of their faces, and her hand. I also toned down that zipper on his jacket, as well.  On the third edit, I again, used the first one, converted it to b/w, added a gradient fill, and a tint black layer playing with opacity till I was satisfied, then toned down that zipper again ... I thought this one had an air of mystery about it.  Let me know your thoughts on these, or if you have a favorite!  Now, I'm headed out to see some of the others, as well, and if you, too, would like to see more edits of this gorgeous couple, just click on the I Heart Faces logo, below!

 Original SOOC By Michelle Johnson

 First Edit

 Second Edit

Third Edit

Fix-it-Friday #77

Well, it's Friday again, already, and another opportunity from I Heart Faces to practice with our editing! I loved working with this image ... a little girl lost in thought ... how often I find myself there! This one courtesy of Michelle Johnson.  I had some extra time today, so, I did more than one edit.  It had a vintage sort of feel to it, so I went for that look.  Would love to know your thoughts, and if you might have a favorite among the ones here. :)

Using PSE7, I started out on the first edit by fixing the little flaw on her cheek, and removing a few stray hairs ... adjusted levels, contrast ... sharpened to bring out more of those beautiful eyelashes.  Adjusted color for skin tone, working with both hue and saturation to fade out the color of her shirt, giving it a more vintage feel. I then added a mocha layer, dialing the opacity back to 40%.  For the second edit, I used the first one converting it to b/w, with a bit more sharpening, then added a taupe layer - opacity 70%, then finished with a vignette.  For edits 3 and 4, I used the first edit, added two different textures, the last one giving it a 'dreamy' look, then, I masked those off her face, adjusted the contrast and colors just a bit, and these are what I came up with for this week!  To see more edits on this image, click on the logo below and scout the links at the bottom of the page. Thanks so much, for stopping by! Hope you all have a blessed weekend!

 . original .

 #1

 #2

 #3

#4
(Kinda dreamy)

Photo Challenge Week 42 | In The Orchard .... and then there was that apple!

*The sun was so warm
Shining down on the ground,
As we sat in the garden
And looked all around.
I said to my Adam,
“Just look at us two!
Already, we’ve run out
of fun things to do.
We’ve eaten our fill
And we’ve climbed all the trees;
For didn’t God tell us
To do as we please?”

And then ... she saw that apple! 

I loved this week's photo challenge, and all the fruitful images it's produced!  You'll enjoy them, too ... I certainly have!  *The above poem is an excerpt from 'The Snake in the Grass', by Kathleen Long Bostrom.  I thought it was quite fitting for this particular photo, which I've entered over at I Heart Faces in this week's 'In The Orchard Photo Challenge'!  Little 'Eve' (Mercy) discovered that sweet, juicy, red apple, and notice Little 'Adam' (Levi) there in the background looking just a bit concerned ... maybe, because it appears she's going to eat it all before he gets a bite?!    

There are more wonderful photos to see ... just click on their logo below and scroll to the bottom of the page ... it's the perfect time of the year to take a trip to an orchard and enjoy a sweet, juicy, red, or green, apple!

Fix-It-Friday #71 - Too Much Time with a Truck and Textures!

Yep, another edition of Fix-It-Friday is happening now, over on I Heart Faces, and this weeks photo is brought to you by our very own Angie Arthur ... this image being from a senior session. I have to say that Angie did an excellent job on this one ... the composition is fabulous!  Other than bringing color back into the sky, there wasn't much to do on improving it, so I just had fun trying out some different textures, which I got from Shadow House Creations.  (You can go absolutely crazy over there, downloading ones you like ... not to mention all the time you can spend just playing around with them!)

Now, back to these edits ... as you'll see, I didn't have much to do tonight, so needless to say, I probably spent a bit too much time working up all 7 of these! I had to stop myself, or I would have had who knows how many!  Can anyone relate?! Lol!!  Anyway, it was a relaxed evening, and I had fun!  The first step to the original was to adjust color and contrast ... next step was to layer on one of those delicious textures, masking it off of some of the areas, and again working with the colors, contrast, and levels.  This is where I spent most of my time on each one.  I also added a vignette, finally converting one into a black and white image.

You could do so much with an edit.  The possibilities are endless!  I realize these instructions are not quite as detailed as most are, but, I'm still learning how to use all the features of PSE7, and I seriously got a bit lost working on all of these tonight!  I would love your opinions though, and if you have a favorite, do let me know! :)  Scroll down below, click the button to see other creative Fix-it-Friday edits!  I'm headed over that way, myself! I'm anxious to see what others have done with this! 

Hope you all have a blessed weekend ... the weather here is absolutely beautiful!
Blessings - Deborah

^ Original ^

Image By: Angie Arthur Photography

 Fix #1

 Fix #2

 Fix #3

 Fix #4

 Fix #5

 Fix #6

Fix #7

Click the link below to I Heart Faces, and, see more Fix-It-Friday edits of this image. :)