RedDancer-Studio

Kim Klassen "Stay" texture layer

Played with another Kim Klassen texture. Used an older Christmas Cactus flower. Still have lots to learn. Adobe PhotoShop is a powerful piece of software and I've only touched on a tiny portion of the possibilities. Learning tips and tricks from Ms. Klassen and her textures.

PhotoShop layers and peonies

I'm taking a year-long online workshop with Kim Klassen. We just finished week 1. I learned something new about the layers pallette. Here is the peony I posted last week before the added layer.

And here it is with the soft light layer. Now the peony really pops!

Amazing, simply amazing. Next will be layer masks which I way don't understand.

Bouquet of silk peonies - Pier 1

I have been looking at Joanne's and Michaels for silk peonies. I even tried Target. Finally found one small bouquet of white peonies at Pier 1. Beautiful flowers and the best part? They won't die. Love them. It's pretty difficult to find a peony bush in Flagstaff with our short growing season.

I am so happy I found this bouquet. I can see it being the star of many photography experiments. Thank you, Pier 1.

Gotta love the zoom lens on the Canon 50D DSLR.

I thought the colorful glass stones added to the beauty of the bouquet.

I finally removed the Pier 1 tag after this photo, but for this first attempt at photographing the peonies, it doesn't bother me. The vintage hat found at a church rummage sale adds another touch of romance and elegance. I didn't even have to make any adjustments in PhotoShop.

Kim Klassen "Oh My" texture layers

Awhile back, I signed up for Kim Klassen's weekly texture layers. This is the first time I've played with one of them. Here's my calla lily image:

And here's the same calla lily with a sweet texture that Kim calls: Oh My. Subtle but interesting.

The "Oh My" texture layer overlays my calla lily. In PhotoShop, I selected the Rough Pastels filter on canvas with diffused light. Sweet and nice.

I'm also taking a one-year long course with Kim, BEYOND LAYERS. You can find out more about Kim's free weekly layers from her website. Enjoy.

Easter flowers

When I went to Gilbert with Suzanne, I only had my Blackberry for a camera. Found flowers at Fresh & Easy Market and silk flowers at Michaels. Can you guess which came from where?

This one is a freebie. The daffodils were standing in bundles in a box with no water. Gee, I wonder why they wilted.

Estate sale treasures

I recently visited an estate sale here in Flagstaff and found a few pieces of very inexpensive costume jewelry. Thought I would share. I even found a lovely silverplate bowl to use for photos and a vintage weaving loom spindle.

I wore the green plastic bead necklace to work and it is lovely. The pearls have a gorgeous rhinestone doodad and the green and plastic clip on earrings will be used in an assemblage of some sort.

Adobe PhotoShop filters

I took this photo a few years ago in Sedona, AZ, and played with it in PhotoShop on Sunday. What a difference a filter makes.

Original image

Diffused filter

I think I'll use this filter more often. I had seen some diffused images by DJ Pettitt on Facebook and thought I'd see if I could duplicate her process. Looking good.

Today's quote from Tom Peters

"There is no such thing as a minor lapse of integrity" by Tom Peters

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Blackberry camera works fairly well, most of the time.
This is Dr. Kent Winkler, MD, my cardiologist. Love having a handsome physician.

This was taken with the Blackberry when I was walking at Buffalo Park in Flagstaff last Fall.

And this is a great photo of milkweed at Buffalo Park last Fall.

Wowsa! Nikon Coolpix 950 still amazing

Wow! I am ever so grateful that I still have my Nikon Coolpix 950.
And that I have PhotoShop CS4.
And that I'm taking a wonderful ecourse with Holly Becker and Leslie Shrewing, 
BLOGGING YOUR WAY. |
And that we have the great Cedar Closet thrift store in Flagstaff with wonderful volunteer interior designers who let me take pictures.
Welcome to my wonderful world.

Angel Wing Begonia bloom

While I'm still trying to decide what the focus for my blog needs to be, I'm playing with my cameras and PhotoShop and posting images. I gotta say, I can take some awesome photos, when I really get in my zone. 

For this flower, I used my first digital camera, a Nikon Coolpix 950, that has been a great workhorse. Now that I have the Canon EOS 50D DSLR, I can see the limitations of both cameras.