Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Wordless Wednesday: Playing with Photoshop

A few months ago we had a lot of landscaping work done. But with the drought here, things are dying. My azaleas are completely brown. My Crepe Myrtle trees have black leaves and are looking mighty sad. And then there are some things that are just thriving. My knock-out roses. And these cone shaped, purple flowers.

So, I went out the other day to take some pictures. And then, I just went a little wild playing with photoshop. So, here are some before and after pictures:
So...what about you? (Should this be my new catchphrase?) Do you find yourself taking pictures you never would have taken before you started blogging? Or does blogging make the pictures you take "normal?"

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25 comments:

Amy said...

I love those photos! I don't have photoshop but I'd love to get it. Is it fairly easy to use? I didn't want to purchase it and then have tons of issues with it. :)

I probably have taken less photos since I started blogging, but I definitely do keep my blog in mind when I take my camera out with me :D

Heather said...

The one with the butterfly is amazing!!

The Joye of Teaching said...

That butterfly! OMG! I...I;m just speechless...

Twisted Fencepost said...

I have always been a picture taker. My family picks on me. But they enjoy my pics. Now I just have a reason to take more pictures.

Shannon said...

The butterfly pic is very cool... wow!

I totally now take pictures I never would have taken before blogging!!!!

Keys to the Magic Travel said...

Amy--Oh, I have no idea what I am doing with my photoshop! I downloaded Pioneer Woman's actions - and I push one button and get loverly photos. I need to take a class. And these pictures? I am not quite sure what I did - some sort of "artistic" filters. I got my copy off ebay for under $100 - it was brand new, sealed in the box. But it was the CS2 rather than CS3 that is out now...

Heather and Joye--Thank you! I took tons of that butterfly. But this one I love. And love that you see its "tongue."

Becky--Yeah, I have always had to endure the complaints from my family as I take 47 pictures of them before we can move on to the next thing. But I want to be sure I got the best shot. And I do find that I take pictures of interesting things - like JT in the panty drawer. Before I would have just hoped I recalled the event. Now I have proof!

Shannon--Thanks. And me too. I am even now planning to get a small point and shoot to put in my purse so I can document my crazy life any time :-)

Brian and Staci said...

It's funny that you should ask if I find myself taking pictures of things I ordinarily wouldn't...I just posted about something I'm quite sure I wouldn't have taken a picture if I wasn't blogging :) I aspire to take pictures like you! Beautiful work!

Keys to the Magic Travel said...

Staci--Ah, yes. Your infamous eggs :-) But they tell a story don't they? Well...they add to the story. And thank you. I just have fun with it. And I love to get up CLOSE. As close as possible. And the, crop it even closer with software.

Tiffany said...

Hi Kat,

Awesome photos! The one of the butterfly is absolutely incredible! Can I ask who Pioneer Woman is? I keep seeing references to her and am dying to check her blog out.

Thanks a lot!
Tiffany

Insane Mama said...

I always "thought" that I could take good pictures until I started blogging, then I realized that my pics are crap.

Teri said...

I think you can probably guess that I have always taken pictures that now suddenly are cool blog material. I mean, I shoot EVERYTHING.

Beautiful pix, btw. :-)

KimmyDarling said...

I'm so impressed! I can't figure out PhotoShop to save my life. I'm trying to learn Corel Draw right now, and it doesn't seem any easier, but I'm trying...

Kim
(formerly known as Future Butterfly...)

mavibu said...

Awesome pics! I use Photoshop fir digiscrapping. I'm new to blogging, but yes, I kick myself often for not having the camera on me more often. Maybe I'll get little to keep in my bag, too....BTW, I'm loving your blog!
Maria

Lula! said...

Give me a beach and my girls dressed in white sundresses and I could make a semi-living off my photog skills.

But in real life, on the shore? Nah, I suck. I'd have scared off that glorious butterfly mere seconds after approaching it. Sigh...

Great pics...you amaze me!
p.s. I love Seal. And his music, too.

Keys to the Magic Travel said...

Tiffany--Because I am lazy - just google Pioneer Woman. She has a fun blog, amazing pictures, and you must check out her cooking section. Some of the best recipes.

IM--Before I blogged, I still took the same type of pictures. Just not quite so many of things like panty drawers. Or close ups of flowers. Some blogs have the most amazing photos. I am just a wannabe.

Teri--Not only do you shoot everything, you keep the cooles memoriabilia. I can't get over some of the things you still have...

Kim--I can't figure it out either! What you see posted is me just messing around. I have no idea what I did. Or how to duplicate it. I need a class. Or a pool boy named Javier to tell me what to do...

Mavibu--Welcome! And thank you. I am coveting a small camera for my purse. Since I can't figure out my cell phone camera - or how to save what I do take pictures of...

Lula--Well, I got lucky with those bee pictures a few weeks ago...and when I saw the butterfly, I just got lucky it was still there after going inside to get my camera and answer a half dozen questions from Katie. It did fly away a few times, but it kept boomeranging back...

Gramma 2 Many said...

Kat, I find the pictures absolutely beautiful. I have ran all over my yard taking pictures this summer. I missed one of my hydrenga though. It was blue on one side and pink on the other. All on one stem. I looked at it today and it is beginning to fade.
Thank you so much for visiting with me on Monday BATW. I have seen you a few times, mostly on my daughters blogs. I hope you will come back to see me again. I will be sure to have the Coke Zero cold when you arrive.

Tiffany said...

At one point I think I was addicted to photoshop. I love it. I use Elements and go this great book recommended by Pioneer Women.

You just flip to what you want to do and there are step by step instructions.

You have inspired me to get back to it.

Elena said...

Oh man, my poor computer is so filled with pictures. I try to make myself delete the bad ones, but I have a really hard time with it. Your pictures turned out really neat. They look like watercolors or something.

Mama Dawg said...

I take photos for artistic reasons mostly. Then for memories and finally for blogging.

Yesterday, I found myself taking pictures of toadstools in my yard with the thought of a blog post in mind.

Hey, tell your mom that I sent her a message through etsy with pictures of a couple of lanyard options.

Rhea said...

I have to say, I already took tons of pictures and way too many and of weird things...so blogging made the pictures I take MORE normal. lol

I've always been a photo-freak.

Love these pictures! You're doing great with photoshop!

Unknown said...

WELL DONE!!!!!!!!!!

This weekend when my girls are at their dads I REALLY want to play with my photoshop some!

storyteller said...

I enjoyed all your before and after photos … and I’m definitely taking different kinds of photos now that I blog than I did before. I’m also ‘playing’ with Photoshop too … yesterday at Sacred Ruminations and today at Small Reflections … just because ;--)
Hugs and blessings,

Angie's Spot said...

I can honestly say that blogging hasn't changed my photography style in the least. However, if I had a copy of Photoshop and a lot of extra time, there's no telling what my pictures would look like!

Firefly Mom said...

Great pix! I really need to get Photoshop! BTW, I think that purple cone shaped flower is Butterfly Bush. We had about 6 of them in our last yard and they certainly live up to their name!

Do I find myself taking pictures that I wouldn't take if I wasn't blogging? You bet! Otherwise, I never would have taken pix of dead and half eaten animals from our nature walk! Truth be told, I took them *specifically* to put on the blog! I swear that I'll start writing the blogs in my head while we're in the middle of an activity ;)

Nissa said...

I think blogging makes my pictures more normal. I used to love to take pictures of scenery and my garden (even though I'm not great at it) and manipulate images with Gimp, but since I started actively blogging, it seems my pictures are all about my kids & daily adventures.

I guess I have enough creative projects going on, though..