Fix-it-Friday | #82

It's another Fix-it-Friday over @ I Heart Faces, and we have a great image to work on from Rachel Durik.  I so admire her work, she is blessed with an amazing gift.  I have been contemplating on just how to fix this one ... it's pretty much perfect!  I love the crisp look of her eyes, not to mention those freckles and her smile, absolutely adorable! 

I thought it could use just a bit of brightening up, so here are my fixes using PSE7 ... first one is the original SOOC image.

First edit ... B/W:
1.  Adjusted contrast
2.  Brightened her eyes
3.  Converted to b/w
4.  Added color layer #968781
5.  Blending Change set to Soft Light
6.  Opacity 100%, and flattened image

Second edit ...
1.  Adjusted contrast and color levels
2.  Brightened and added more color to her eyes

Third edit ... starting w/the second edit ...
1.  Added texture layer from Shadow House Creations
2.  Blending Change set to Soft Light
3.  Opacity 100%
5.  Maxed off of her face, and flattened image

The fourth, and final edit, I had to leave my 'post' to fix some dinner, and forgot to list some of the steps to share.  After cropping, I experimented with some of the gradient layers, (still learning to work with those) and basically adjusted the color levels, with some added sharpening ... now, I do think,  she looks like she has a bit of Irish in her! 

sooc by susan keller

second edit - b/w

third edit - color

fourth edit - color with texture

fifth edit - Irish eyes are smilin' ... wonder if she is Irish!

Please do leave a comment, and let me know which one you like!
To see more edits of Rachel's image, or if you want to join in, click the logo below!

Days of Winter Light

Well, I decided to shed a little light on my blog ... to disperse the darkness, so to speak.  The darker background was seriously depressing me, so I brightened it up a bit around here ... finally!  This time of year we have little sunshine, the days are, for the most part, overcast and gray. The experts say we need light to feel good ... I know that's true in my case, and the whiter background here does help to lift my spirit!  I'm still figuring some things out, though, so I hope you'll be patient while I'm under construction!  I'd love to know what you think of the changes, too! 

Hope you're all enjoying this amazing winter we've been experiencing .... all over the country!  It's downright dangerous to live in some areas, but here, we don't have as much snow ... at least not as much as I'd like, but I'm loving what we do have!  It's been very cold, though ... in the teens with the windchill, at times, below zero, so I haven't ventured out too much to get any good snowy images.  I did manage to get a few, not long ago, when we had our first snow ...

One day we were out running some errands and decided to take a detour through the country.
We passed a horse farm where we found these three beauties out enjoying the snow,
with absolutely no thought for the cold!  I was wishing I had my saddle with me ...
riding a horse in the snow would be a little bit of heaven!
At least I had my camera along for the ride, and no matter how cold it was,
of course I couldn't help leaving the warmth of the car,
and snapping a few images of their gorgeous faces! 
I didn't have a carrot, or any sugar to offer them,

 but they all were eager enough to come close to the fence, and pose for me.

Their coats were so thick, their noses so soft, and their eyes so bright ...
these photos just don't do them justice.
I'm going to try to get more when we're out their way again ...
and bring along a carrot, or three, for them next time!

I Heart Faces * Smile * Photo Contest

A smile costs nothing but gives much.  It enriches those who receive without making poorer those who give.  It takes but a moment, but the memory of it sometimes lasts forever.  None is so rich or mighty that he cannot get along without it and none is so poor that he cannot be made rich by it.  Yet a smile cannot be bought, begged, borrowed, or stolen, for it is something that is of no value to anyone until it is given away.  Some people are too tired to give you a smile.  Give them one of yours, as none needs a smile so much as he who has no more to give.  
~Author Unknown



This week I Heart Faces is turning 2, and that's certainly something to SMILE about! The moment I saw the theme for this week, I had an image in mind ... this one is not the best in quality of sharpness, or color, but still ... the theme was written all over it!!  :)  We had recently been to a birthday party for a friend, and this was one of her gifts. She lights up a room with her smiles and joy, and this definitely fit perfectly with her personality.  To find a reason to smile, or to share one of your own, click on the logo below.  Have a wonderful week! :)