Differences/Similarities ~ A Sense Of Place

 

There is no way I can count how many trails I have walked on. That's where I tend to gravitate; to walking trails in the woods. They may be behind my home, in a city park, or in a state park. It doesn't matter to me as long as I'm walking and breathing in the fresh air. At least usually it's fresh,  every once in a while I smell the distinct hint of a skunk in the woods behind our house. I'm really careful and leery when I get a whiff. I usually head the opposite direction!!

When I find a new trail, what makes me want to walk on it? After all aren't they all pretty similar; trees, moss, vines, leaves, mushrooms, lichen, water, stones, mosquitoes and mosquitoes and mosquitoes? Pardon me. Did I repeat myself? They are one of the things I don't like about woodland trails; that and the snakes and ticks!!  I must remember to add insect repellent to my camera bag!! The image below, I just had to include. I was swatting the mosquitoes away and accidently took a picture. Personally I kind of like it. I think I'll name it "Sweeping Across The Trail."

 

 

Back to what draws me again and again to the woods. It's not the similarities. No, it's the differences. Each trail is unique, each leaf...

each tree...

each seedpod...

and each rock.

 

When I go walking my eye is looking for things in nature that are unique and have fascinating textures, details, or shapes.
 

 

What do I want YOU to see? The same thing...textures, details, or shapes.  I want to convey a sense of discovery and wonder. I want YOU to see and enjoy the beauty of God's creation.  I saw it and I want to share it with you!

 

My images aren't perfect. They're usually not edited. (Usually, but the curlicue has been edited by saturating the color to make the darker background.) Most of the time  they're pretty much just as I see them. They are a piece of me that I want to share with you.

 

Through my lens
I discover the depths of beauty
My soul soars to unknown heights
Bliss
                            ~ (author unknown)

 

 

Third Thursday Challenge ~ May 2013

This month found me trying to organize the thousands of pictures on the computer. I use Picasa to upload my pictures and they are organized by dates. I've created folders for each year and the sub-folders for the months. This works fine if you know approximately when you took a picture, but, for instance, if I'm looking for pictures of benches I have to go looking through lots of folders.  I wanted a better way to find things than searching by dates.

 

That has been the problem, here's how I'm working to solve it. I am now using Creative Memories Memory Manager 4 software to organize my photos. I've taken a class through Big Picture Classes called Finding Photo Freedom that has helped me tremendously. My photos are organized by year, quarter, date and also by subjects; people, places, things, activities, and individuals. It's been a long process. I've only sorted and tagged one year of photos (I only have three years of pictures on my computer). I work on it for 15 minutes a day and someday, I'll be through! I'm not giving up or quitting.

Stick with me, I'm getting to the challenge!

 

This organizing  is all new, but while I was roaming around this new software, I played with some of it's editing features. They are not as high tech as Photoshop or Lightroom, but there's enough to satisfy me. I randomly picked an image,  a historical home, and then played.

 

The Original

straight of the camera

 

 

 

Rough Painting Effect

This is the only way I'll ever paint a picture!

Old Glass Effect

This one made me laugh;

"and they all lived together in a crooked little house."

 

 

 

Embossed Effect

This might be pretty for a postcard.

Black and White with a red filter

This almost looks spooky to me or maybe mysterious.
I get the feeling that something's about to happen here.

Top - Sphereize Effect

Bottom - Swirl

These are fun, but I cannot imagine what you'd use them for!

And finally...

Color Temperature Adjustment

This is my favorite.

I really like this.

I really, really like this!

I love the warmth it gives and the feeling of nostalgia.

This feature I can see myself using many times.

So, that's it for this month.  You may of noticed after the last month's traumatic challenge of photographing people, I went easy on myself this month.

 

 

There was a crooked man, and he walked a crooked mile.

He found a crooked sixpence against a crooked stile.

He bought a crooked cat, which caught a crooked mouse,

And they all lived together in a little crooked house.

(The rhyme was first recorded by James Orchard Halliwell in the 1840's)

 

Now this crooked little man and his crooked cat and mouse

They all live together in a crooked little house.

Has a crooked door with a crooked little latch;

Has a crooked roof with a crooked little patch.

(The song was recorded, in a calypso music style,

with the title "Don't Let the Rain Come Down."

by the Serendipity Singers 1964. This final verse was added then.)

 

Now you will be singing this all day long!

So Sorry!