This lends so much warmth to the room. I love how nothing 'matches'... yet - it's such a harmonious existence. Lots of little clay drawers... perfect for storing those perfect little nothings that we all have (and don't know where to store). ((Pier One a few years back))

don't ask me why. Just let me explain. It's part of that love affair I have with my Sony... it was Halloween timeframe and we'd just staked out the heads... I just couldn't resist. Who would've thought that they'd turn out to be so cool??

It all has to do with perspective. These crocus were screaming to be photographed, and for all their colorful beauty - I was later devastated when I took them from the camera into editing mode... as saw that there was a horrible cigarette butt amid the flowers on the left hand side. But it's all about how you choose to look at things. It's still a wonderful picture - even if I hadn't told you that I'd cropped very carefully, and chose to show only the beauty.

I felt so like an intruder. I had been teaching my youngest about how your 'eye' is perceived in photography, 'birdseye view' etc. So we were walking early one morning, AND since I love droplets... this caught my eye. I crouched down and snapped away. Not until I pulled it into editing, did I notice that I had disturbed the peace of the little spider on the backside. He must've just scooted around when I came bursting into his little world. His presence was a little 'extra' that I hadn't anticipated... and now when I look at this image, I'm not so fascinated by the droplets - but more how accommodating the spider had been for me! (yeah, that's the way I see it!)

mmm. Lovely dogwood, pale and blushing pinks on a wonderfully striated textural background. I dropped out the color of the background so that the blossom would shine. It does, doesn't it?

This image makes me think I can paint... I often take shots and as I'd mentioned a few posts ago, then edit with Photoshop's dry brush effect... I was musing how to bring color back in this - and was so tempted to run a page of watercolor paper through the printer, then do a very subtle tint. But, it was just a thought.

A friend of mine has a teenager who was wanting to post an image for his avatar in one of the chat sites online, I was sent a regular portrait image and took it immediately into Photoshop. Because there were harsh background shadows, I selected the core of the subject (asking: who is this person, what in this image is 'telling'?) then worked within minimalist "less is more" parameters, after all - don't you agree that this image gives enough visual information for a teen online - I do.

As much as I like realistic images, I have a great deal of fun editing digital images in Photoshop - the 'dry brush' being my absolute favorite tool. I think a lot of what makes an image eye-catching is the deliberate thought process while it is being composed. Balance, exposure, cropping, texture, color and of course subject.

Almost without editing, my images are usually pretty well composed in my camera's viewfinder, framed in what I consider to be the most pleasing way. But, often when I am faced with the 'whole' in the editing window - I will crop it way down - and find the results more pleasing because often - just a hint of what IS... really, is all we need.

A few years back I did a study to satisfy my curiosity, adjusting the hue in photographs. Not surprising was the finding that no matter what direction I slid the bar, I found that, in nature - the results were always complimentary.

Interestingly enough though was this peacock...
I ask you this:

If you didn't know for a fact what the true colors were - which combination would you think was best suited?

Amazing...

My first love has always been art - but I didn't officially have 'work' until I was almost forty and someone wrote me a thank you note - saying that they 'love my work'. That is such a specific word to an artist... it's like a great line you cross over. For now, "I" have been recognized as an artist and I have 'work' - therefore - I must now be official.

Art comes at me from many different aspects all day long. I truly believe that most of us don't see what is before us - because we don't know how to look for it. For years I have fixed in my mind just what I intend to say about a picture before taking it... which means there should be a reason for taking it. A purpose.

This method can also be applied to tasks you take on -art you create, friendships you cultivate and also the sheer way you choose to live your life.