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Monday, December 27, 2010

Some of my Favorites from Christmas!!

CHRISTmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus.
Happy Birthday, Jesus!!!

Also, the day kiddies throughout wait for Santa to bring them their toys...only if they've been nice (and not end up on the dreaded naughty list). I remember when we were growing up my mother would struggle to get all the kids their presents from Santa. We were seven kids and it wasn't easy for them to get everyone equally and of course the little ones would always get the most since it was mostly about them. But somehow she always managed to make it amazing for all of us. I remember one year my mother wanted to make sure the kids behaved themselves throughout the year and laid out a bag of coals for my brother Tito (she was a humorous lady and one of many tricks). Of course my brother and I were prevy at that point in time to the the scheme and he sure did play it up. I don't quite remember if the kids behaved themselves or not that year, but the memory of that day still is vivid in my mind as it was yesterday.

This year we spent Christmas part at my daughters and part at my sister's home with family, some old friends and some new ones, and I loved every second of it. Making memories is what it's all about. From putting out cookies and milk for Santa with the grandkids to taking silly photos in front of the Christmas Tree at my sisters. It's a time for love and being thankful that we can be together (and missing those who weren't there).













Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Photo Contest - Pet Faces

This is Palo Gold Gun, my Dad's Palomino. He was born in 1983 in Preston, GA to champion parents, One Gun Jr. (sire) and Palo Gold Rush (dam) and went to live with my Dad in August of 2000. He is an absolutely beautiful horse and is truly a part of our huge family. This last August my husband and I visited Amarillo, TX and stopped in at the American Quarterhorse Association. There we requested his records and got his history going back eight generations and brought this information back to my Dad. My Dad knew that he had champion in him but did not have all the history. Palo Gold Gun placed in reining for a couple of years until he got hurt and had to be retired. He lives very happily at my Dad's and shares stables with other ponies. He is a very happy old guy.






Make sure you go and check out all the other amazing entries at I Heart Faces.

Saturday, December 11, 2010

To edit or not to edit......

Questioning whether a photo should be edited, whether through Photoshop or any other means of many amazing software that is out there, is I suppose a matter of opinion or how much you want to perfect your craft.

I for one will never let a photo leave me without some form of processing/editing to make it the best that the photo itself can offer. Is that a bad thing? Ask any professional photographer if they edit their photos and the answer will be yes. Now, I don't classify myself in the category of those professionals that have perfected their craft with many years of blood, sweat and tears, but I consider myself to have a good eye for how I want my photo to look. Also remember that having the best camera and best lenses does not always guarantee best white balance, best lighting, best settings. So editing a photo is not a bad thing, in my opinion it makes you a photographer who wants the best looking photo out there for their clients, friends, family or just for yourself.

So for those of you out there who think that SOOC (straight out of the camera) photos is the way to go, I will demostrate the most simplest of editing/processing to one simple, very colorful photo.


Equipment: Canon 50D
Lens: 24/70mm f2.8L series
Settings: 52mm / ISO 3200 / f3.5 / 1/640
No flash / shot indoors under kitchen lighting


Editing Program / Adobe LR3
WB, auto
Add blacks to 25
Vibrance to 70
Noise reduction 49 and detail to 76

That is it and it took 30 secs!! (Click on photos to enlarge for a closer look)








Just the slightest editing to what would be considered a perfectly fine photo, now makes that photo Pop!!

So next time someone ask you why you edit your photos, just say "why not??"

Happy Editing!!!

Dec 2010

Monday, December 6, 2010

Photo Contest - Self Portrait

I loved this weeks challenge. Although after snapping a bunch of pics I have to say I that I probably shouldn't have gone with anything this close up!! Where did all those lines on my face come from? I swear they weren't there twenty years ago!! LOL Oh well, it is what it is and here is my contribution to this weeks Self Portrait (after applying a little {hehehe] softening!!!)







Make sure you go and check out all the other amazing entries at I Heart Faces.