I Heart Faces Week 20 (silhouette)

This was so fun. I had never taken a silhouette picture before. I got online and read up about how to do it. Here in Utah, we have a lake called the Great Salt Lake. It is unusual because it is a salt water lake. It is much saltier than the ocean. Normally we don't go out there much because it has quite the odor, but I decided to make an exception due to the fact that there is amazing sunsets out there. I checked the time of sunset and we packed up and headed out. My kids are in bed by 7pm each night so this was a late night for us. I have to say we had a blast. In processing these pictures, I did nothing to the color. I wanted to be able to remember the gorgeous colors of the sunset just the way they were! Check out all the cool silhouettes by clicking the button below.

Fix it Friday (5/22)

Here are my edits for fix it Friday. I can tell this is going to be a new obsession of mine. It is so fun to edit other peoples photos. I find I'm not as critical of the SOOC image and I can just work on making it look better.
I cropped the image, but felt a bit limited due to the size of the file.(I did download the large file)

The first image is just what I do for my basic work flow.
1. Open image in ACR(adobe camera raw). I liked the exposure, I just adjusted the white balance a bit using the dropper.
2. Opened image in PSE7.
3. Removed the chair in the bottom corner using the clone tool. I also removed the clips from her hair using the clone tool. They were a bit distracting to me.
4. Ran Digital Photography For Moms Defog Action ( http://digitalphotographyformoms.net/ ) I activated the Pea Soup Remover Layer and set it at 100% opacity. Flattened image.
5. Ran Coffee Shop Perfect Portrait Action( http://coffeeteaphotography.blogspot.com/ )
I adjusted the levels layer by using the white dropper and clicked on a part of her shirt. I activated the sharpen layer and adjusted the opacity to 61%. Left the color pop layer at 50%. (I usually mask out the skin, but I liked the color the pop left it.). Activated the whiten whites layer and using a 100% opacity soft white brush, I whitened the the whites of her eyes. I adjusted the opacity on the layer to 41%. Activated the eye define layer and using a 100% opacity soft white brush I went over the entire eye and then lowered the size of the brush to define eyelashes. Activated soft skin layer and with a 15% opacity soft white brush, softened her skin a bit. Activated the dodge/burn layer and using a 5% opacity soft white brush, lightened underneath her eyes. Flattened the image. Now I have my palette to run some other fun actions on.

#1

#2

Using a copy of #1, I ran Coffee Shop Pink Glow Action. I have been wanting to try this action, but I only have boys so this is fun.

I only activated two layers. Soft Haze at 91% opacity and Pink Glow at 21% opacity.

Flattened image.

#3

On a copy of #1 I ran Coffee Shop Creamy Chocolate Action.

Turned the Lighten Layer off, set Chocolate Layer at 71%, kept b/w layer where it was, using the layer mask on the Creamy Layer, I used a 100% opacity soft black brush to remove the creamy from her eyes. Flattened image.

#4
On a copy of #1, I ran Coffee Shop Vivid 2 action. First I activated the Urban Layer and kept it at 100%. Then I activated the Soft Layer and set the opacity to 63%. Flattened image.
#5
On a copy of #1, I ran Coffee Shop Retro Honey Action. I set the opacity on the Dark Burn Layer to 32% and the Light Burn Layer to 50%. Flattened image!

I Heart Faces Week 19 (Blurb Book)

Amateur Entry

I posted this picture a few weeks ago, but I had to choose it again. It is one of my all time favorite pictures I've taken.

Disclaimer

I am submitting this photo into the http://www.iheartfaces.com/ Blurb Book Photo Contest. If chosen I grant I Heart Faces permission to use my photo in a printed version of a book for commercial use and possibly advertising of a photo book on both Blurb and I Heart Faces websites.

Check out all the entries by clicking the button bellow

Fix it Friday(5/15)

This is my first time participating in fix it friday. Right now I am loving sun flare. When I saw this image, I had to give it a try it is so beautiful. I did a few different things with it.

Original

First I ran it through Noiseware and picked the portrait setting. I opened the image in Adobe Camera Raw. I adjusted the exposure, the blacks slider, contrast, recovery and the fill light a bit, until it was to my liking. I opened the image in PSE7. Cropped. Removed skin imperfections with the clone tool and the healing tool. Ran Digital Photography for Mom's Defog Action( http://digitalphotographyformoms.net/ ) and used Pretty Foggy at 100% opacity. I then ran Coffeeshop Pefect Portrait Action.( http://coffeeteaphotography.blogspot.com/ ) It contains a levels adjustment layer, I used the white dropper and clicked on the ribbing part of her dress under her arm. I used the dodge/burn layer at 6% opacity to lighten up her face. Used the soften skin layer at 15% opacity to smooth out her skin. I used the Color Pop Layer at 50% opacity and left the Brighten Layer where it was set. This is what I came up with.

Edit #1

Edit # 2

I ran Coffeshop LOMO action on a copy of Edit #1. I adjusted the Black Fill Layer to 37% and the Vignette Layer to 67%

Edit # 3

Using a copy of Edit # 1, I ran Coffeeshop Color Pop Action. I used the Decaf Color Pop at 57%



Edit # 4
With a copy of Edit # 1, I ran Coffeshop Cross Processing Action. I chose Cross 3 Layer and set the opacity at 67%. I used the Contrast Layer at 79%.

This was so fun. Thanks for sharing your great photo!

I Heart Faces Week 18 (laughter)

This is my kids entry.

This week's theme at I Heart Faces is...laughter. I immediately knew what photo I would choose. This is a picture of my son and his cousin. My son worships the ground his cousin, who is 8 months his senior, walks on. Whenever they are together there is constant giggling and laughing. I have to put a plug in for Rita @ Coffee Shop Free Photoshop Actions.( http://coffeeteaphotography.blogspot.com/)
If you haven't been to her blog...go quickly. This woman is so amazing, generous, and talented. I have become addicted to her actions. I use PSE7 to edit and all her actions run in Elements.(very few out there do) I have especially loved her new LOMO Action(which I used on this photo) and her new Cross Processing Action.

Check out what all the laughing is about this week @ I Heart Faces. Just click on the button and become infected!

I heart faces constructive feedback Friday

It is constructive feedback friday at iheartfaces. I shot these pictures of my boys with spring flowers. I first ran it through Noiseware. I did my edit in PSE. I ran Digital Photography for Moms's Defog action. I then ran Coffeeshop Perfect Portrait action. The skin tones in this picture kinda bug me. There is alot of pink in my older son's face and my baby's face seems a bit yellow/orange. I just wanted to know if there was anything else I could do to fix it.


SOOC


EXIF info
Nikon D40X
f 2.8
ss 1/320
iso 200
28 mm
meter mode pattern

I heart faces Week 17 (hats)

This weeks theme is "hats". Check out all the great ones by clicking the button above!

Kids Entry
My little one year old hates having hats on, so this shot was miracle or very fast shutter speed.

Adults Entry
My four year old is at the stage where he wants to do everything his Dad does. So hats to the back!