Sometimes I do get to places just when God's ready to have somebody click the shutter. - Ansel Adams

Friday, March 27, 2009

I ♥ Faces * Fix It Friday

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This is the 8th week of 'Fix it Friday' over at the I Heart Faces blog, but only the first one I've ever participated in. One photo a week is submitted and people are allowed to do as they wish to fix it, post it on their blog and then link back. Anybody that knows me knows how much I love playing around with pictures and editing them. So when I found out about this, I just couldn't pass the opportunity by.



--original

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--my play (Photoshop CS3)

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--& here's a screen shot of the levels after I finished

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I am not good with explaining AT ALL, but I will try :)

Just resized to 600px on the long size.

Used Kylie Banks' Photoshop action to crop following the rule of thirds.

Made the eye color pop. Slightly whitened teeth and smoothed skin with actions I wrote myself.

Used the clone tool to slightly lighten the shadows under her eyes.

For the color correct I:
*duplicated the image
*blur → average blur
*ctrl+i
*changed mode to 'color'
*reduced opacity to about 9%

To sharpen, I used 'Boutwell Magic Glasses' from Totally Rad Actions & 'Sharpen THIS' from The Pioneer Woman.

I then added a frame with an action I wrote myself.




*Photo credit: http://blacksalt.wordpress.com/ {the little girl in the photo is her daughter}

Saturday, March 14, 2009

Name Your Dream Assignment.

Until it gets warm, and STAYS that way, here is a fun link for you (because I have only been taking snapshots of my cute kiddos, and I dont share them publicly, so I have nothing to share for the time being).

Name Your Dream Assignment. Where will your lens take you?

Oh, and I plan on changing the layout soon. Just so you know :)

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Update on my Dad.

He was released to come home late Wednesday evening. All of the tests showed up perfect with no damage what-so-ever from the mini stroke, so that is WONDERFUL news! He had to do the MRI/MRA twice because he coughed or something during the first one and they missed a small area on his throat. So that's what they did Wednesday morning and had to wait on the doctor to come and speak to them. The Neurologist came in and told them that the first one looked perfect though and the lady that did the Echocardiogram said everything looked good to her as well.

I'm hoping to get to bundle the kids up later today and go see them. They live right down the road but I never go anywhere because I dont want to chance making my son and daughter sick. I cannot wait until warm weather! But, I didnt go today because I figured they could use some rest because they were exhausted from being in the hospital.

They've all been telling him that he needs to quit smoking. I really hope he does! Same for my Mom! I know (well, not from experience because I've never smoked or anything) it's an addiction and hard to stop but I've always been so worried about them. It hit me one day in third grade when I was walking down the hall in my old elementary school and seen a poster with a black lung which was all the damage that smoking had done. I've been telling them (and one of my sisters who also smokes) ever since that they dont need the things. I know they dont like hearing it, but I dont say it to be mean. I say it because I love them and dont want anything to happen to them.

Well, sorry to ramble. Just wanted to give an update and let you all know that he's ok. He's back on his medicines for his heart, blood pressure and cholesterol. So hopefully he quits smoking &, along with the other things, it'll take that 10% of mini stroke victims who suffer a full blown stroke down to 2%. I hate bad things. Thank you all for the thoughts and prayers though. Please continue to pray :)

Sunday, March 8, 2009

My Dad is in the hospital.

I havent been on here in forever, but I'm here now. I'm asking for you all to send prayers and positive thoughts to my Daddy. He was admitted into the hospital last night because of some things that happened yesterday.

My Mom called me a few hours ago and said that the tests revealed that he has had a mini stroke. So they're keeping him tonight to do a bunch more testing to try to see what's going on and to help him prevent any more mini strokes or full blown strokes from happening.

Please, please, please, please send thoughts and prayers.
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