Been Awhile...

Lots of photos I have not posted in the last several months. Challenges and trials (literally) and changes have filled up this year. I still love photography and the way taking and editing photos help me mentally, emotionally and spiritually. This year, however, I find myself using my "real" camera less and my iPhone camera - or more accurately, my Instagram app - more and more. It's a fun, quick and easy way to record the goings-on in my life, without having to lug around my Fuji.

This post and the next few following will share many of the Instagram shots I have taken this year. Only editing done was in the app itself and not through Photoshop as I have done with my other photos.

Enjoy!

~ klb

Grandbabies in My Yard!

Every so often, my son Matthew brings his two children, Amelia and Adrian and their dog, Missy over to our place and the four of us - and Missy - will play and visit in the front yard. These photos are from a visit on May 30. Yes, it was a bit chilly that day, but the reason for the hats and mittens is not because of the chill, but because a dear friend of mine in PA sent them (and the pink outfit Mia is wearing) and as soon as we opened the box and she saw the clothes, Amelia began stripping her own clothes off to put on the new ones! Anyway - hope you enjoy the pics - each was processed with a digital texture called "Sunday," by Kim Klassen.

~ klb

Life & Peace

My Goodness, it's been awhile! When Google redid the Blogger site I was unable to access my account for awhile and just got back in today. I've taken a ton of shots since my last post here, but today will only share two... 


I took these yesterday - Memorial Day - and processed them using digital textures by the fabulous Kim Klassen. I belong to both her "Texture Tuesdays" and "Beyond Layers" groups and these photos are for the BL group. Kim has declared this "Quote Week" - each day she will give us a word and our task is to find an appropriate quote and share it either on a photo or in some other creative fashion.

Monday's word: LIFE

Image taken @ the Anchorage Memorial Park Cemetery

Tuesday's word: PEACE

Image taken @ the Anchorage Memorial Park Cemetery

~ klb

Texture Tuesday 2/28/12 ~ The White eDition

This week's challenge for Kim Klassen's Texture Tuesday group was to use at least one of Kim's textures and the photo must represent the word or concept of "White." I thought winter-time images would be perfect for this challenge and I actually chose this photo from the same group I used last week -- one of many shots I took at Mirror Lake in Chugiak, Alaska in November 2008. First is the straight-out-of-camera image, followed by the edited image and formula for achieving my results. Following that, there are a couple more shots taken during that photo shoot.

SooC

Formula

* Cropped original image to 10x8, 300 dpi
* Levels adjustment layer
* Changed color image to B&W (Ctrl + U to bring up Hue/Sat menu; slide staturation bar to far left)
* Increased contrast
* Filter > Distort > Diffuse Glow
* Watercolor texture by Karen from Texture Tuesday - Soft Light @ 79%
* kk_Providence texture - Multiply @ 63%
* Merged all layers
* Clipped photo to mask made by me w/brush from "Grungey Lines by Meth"
* Added caption - CK_Ali's_Hand_Offical font

Thanks for looking! Now, hop on over to Kim Klassen Cafe and check out all the other lovely and creative entries. See you next week!

~ kimB

Texture Tuesday 2/20/12 ~ The Felicity eDition

For this week's challenge at Kim Klassen's "Texture Tuesday" group, we were to use at least one layer of her new "Felicity" texture. I used two layers on my image, which was taken Nov 2008 at Mirror Lake in Chugiak Alaska. There had been an ice fog hanging around for a day or two prior to this day and it gave the trees - well, everything, really - such a nice frosty covering that was stunningly white under the deep blue sky!

SooC

Formula

* Cropped original image to 8x10 300 dpi
* Levels adjustment layer; added Diffuse Glow filter
* kk_Felicity texture - Multiply blend mode @ 17%
* kk_Felicity texture - Vivid Light blend mode @ 15%
* Merged layers and clipped to a mask made with "Grungey Borders by Meth"
* Added watermark; Fonts: VeggieBurger and Century Gothic

This image above was done in a more whimsical style! As I was browsing through the various blend modes, I clicked on the Saturation mode and loved the rainbow effect it had on the snowy ground :)

Formula

* Cropped original image to 8x10, 300 dpi
* Added Levels adjustment layer and Diffuse Glow filter
* Duplicated background layer - Soft Light Blend mode @ 72%
* kk_Shine texture - Soft Light @ 25%
* kk_Finale texture - Saturation @ 100%
* Clipped to same mask as listed above
* Added "Winter Wonderland" - Fonts - Beyond Wonderland & CK_Ali's_Hand_Official
* Added watermark in same fonts listed above

Thanks for popping in and please don't forget to visit Kim Klassen Cafe so you can see all the other fun and lovely creative work by our participants :)

~ kimB

Texture Tuesday 2/14/12 ~ the Happiness eDition

This week's challenge is all about Happiness -- What makes me happy? Brings me joy?  Many things, really... Getting lost in a good book. Singing along to my favorite praise & worship songs. Going on a photo-shoot. Glorying in the wonder of GOD's creation. Spending time with my Hubby. Hanging out with my kids. Creating digital artwork.


For the past 29 months I've found great happiness in my role as "Gammie" - with the birth of my granddaughter, Amelia, in 2009 and my grandson, Adrian, in 2011 life has become brighter, richer and more joyful! This photo is one I took with my iPhone over the weekend. Neither are really smiling, but I just love the B&W image and their adorable little faces. Of course, just seconds later they were laughing and squealing, out of sight of the camera :)

SooC

Amelia, 29 months; Adrian, nearly 5 months. Feb 2012

Formula

* Resized original photo to 6 x 6, 300 dpi

* Adjustment layer for levels

* Smart Sharpen filter

* Diffuse Glow filter

* kk_Felicity - Linear Light blend mode @ 45%

* kk_Fall In - Linear Burn blend mode @ 74%

* Font: Rider

Don't forget to visit Kim Klassen Cafe to see the rest of this week's fun and lovely challenge entries!

TFL :)

~  kimB

In Every Place

Latest textured photo. I took this one in Sept 2010 at the Alaska State Fair in Palmer.

* I used three digital textures by Kim Klassen - Stained Linen, Serious Magic and Canvasback.
* Clipping mask made from a brush from "Grungey Borders by Meth" and...
* Corner flourish brush from "Brushes by Kaffaleen" - both found at Brusheezy.com
* Fonts for quote are Maiandra GD and CliveBarker
* Fonts for watermark are Beyond Wonderland and Tekton Pro

~ klb

Texture Tuesday 2/7/2012 ~ The Free & Easy eDition

This week's challenge in Kim Klassen's Texture Tuesday group is to use at least one of any of her digital textures on one of our images. I took this photo at the Town Square in downtown Anchorage, Alaska on June 8, 2008. See my processing formula following the photos --

SooC

Formula

* Cropped original photo to 12 x 6, 300 dpi

* Made a levels adjustment


* Duplicated original layer; set @ Soft Light blend mode, 65%


* Added kk_Revolution texture by Kim Klassen - Color blend mode, 35%


* Merged all layers and clipped to photo mask I created using brushes from "Grungy Lines by Meth" and "Grunge Edge pack" (creator unknown), both found at http://www.brusheezy.com/


* Added text using CK_Alis_Hand_Official and Arial fonts


* Added watermark (Beyond Wonderland font)
 
Be sure to check out all of this week's creative entries at The Cafe

Texture Tuesday 1/31 ~ the Simplicity eDition

This week's challenge was to use at least one layer of Kim Klassen's "Simplicity" texture on an image of our choice. I shot these sweet love birds on the beach in Waikiki, Feb 2010.

SooC

Formula -

* Cropped to 8 x 10

* Adjustment layer (levels, curves)

* Duplicate original layer; Soft Light @ 25%

* kk_Simplicity; Vivid Light @ 30%

* Removed texture from the birds' faces and upper bodies

* kk_Stained Linen; Soft Light @ 82%

* Merged all layers and added to...

* Clipping mask made with a brush from "Grungey Lines by Meth" (brusheezy.com)

* Added Text - CK-Ali's_Hand_Official font (80% opacity)

* Added personal watermark (Soft Light @ 40%)

Please be sure to check out all the lovely and creative entries this week at Kim Klassen Cafe!

~ klb

My Heart...

Just a simple edit of my youngest and his two children. Taken at Walmart 12/23/11.

Matthew - 26 yrs
Amelia - 27.5 months
Adrian - 3 months exactly

~ klb

Texture Tuesday 1/24/2012 ~ The Story eDition

This week's challenge @ Kim Klassen Cafe is to use at least one of her textures on an image that evokes the word, "story." I actually used 1 texture/2 layers on this photo I took in December 2008. I chose this image because the raven appears to be animatedly relating a story to his neighbor. In reality, the black bird was fussing at the raptor and trying to scare it off! The bald eagle never moved, however, and the raven eventually flew away.

SooC

I cropped the image to 8 x 10, 300 ppi; added an adjustment layer for color balance; made a levels adjustment and added two layers of Kim's Waterstained Frame texture; one layer in Multiply @ 25% and one in Overlay @ 65%

Please check out the other creative challenge entries HERE

~ klb