Flexible Edits- Smart Filter and Adjustment Mask

1. Patriotic; 9.18.2010; 7:08 AM; Idaho Falls, Idaho; f 5.6; 1/100; Canon Rebel XSI

2. Wave River; 9.17.2010; 5:15 PM; Rigby, Idaho; f 4.0; 1/1250; Canon Rebel XSI


These were both pictures that I liked before I edited them, but I think the edits add a different touch. Patriotic, is a bench that is located outside the Police Department in Idaho Falls. There is some slight color in the bench, but due to the lighting when I was there, you don't see much of it in the original image. I added a Smudge Stick Smart Filter to it, and masked out the star area, so that the filter only affected the red stripes. I added color to the picture by using layers and changing the hue and saturation. Wave River was edited by adding an adjustment mask. I brightened up the foreground by duplicating the layer and using the screen blending mode. I masked the sky out so it would have the same natural color.

Fauna and Flora

1. Rufio; 9.26.2010; 8:59 PM; Rexburg, Idaho; f 5.6; 1/30: Canon Rebel XSI

2. Budding Flower; 9.18.2010; 6:34 AM; Idaho Falls, Idaho; f 5.6; 1/15; Canon Rebel XSI

3. Pink; 9.18.2010; 6:33 AM; Idaho Falls, Idaho; f 5.6; 1/30; Canon Rebel XSI


Macro photography is one of my favorite things to do. I really should invest in a lens more specifically for it though. I enjoyed taking these pictures and love the shallow depth of field that I got. I slightly enhanced the colors in the flowers by using levels and curves. With Rufio, I photoshop his potty out of the picture. (I hope that is okay!) I wish I would have been able to go home for this shoot because we have a mini farm and it would have been fun to post pictures of the animals! Maybe I'll get some this weekend and add.

Blending and Type Adjustments

1. Antique Garden; 9.18.2010; 7:29 AM; Idaho Falls, Idaho; f 5.0; 1/40; Canon Rebel XSI
2. Tree Bark; 9.18.2010; 7:02 AM; Idaho Falls, Idaho; f 5.6; 1/50; Canon Rebel XSI
3. Hidden Door: 9.18.2010; 7:28 AM; Idaho Falls, Idaho; f 5.6; 1/25; Canon Rebel XSI
4. Flower Texture: 9.18.2010; 6:49 AM; Idaho Falls, Idaho; f 5.6; 1/13; Canon Rebel XSI

I took these photos near an antique shop in Idaho Falls early one morning. The lighting was very nice and I loved the natural color that was in the scene. I edited the first one by overlaying the tree bark texture and slightly burned the corners. I overlaid the flower texture to the door and added a repeat and fade type to it. It was exciting to see the difference that overlaying a simple texture made to an image.

Color Study in Yellow

1. Star; 9.18.2010; 6:56 AM; Idaho Falls, Idaho; f 5.6; 1/100; Canon Rebel XSI

2. Flower; 9.17.2010; 6:17 PM; Rigby, Idaho; f 5.6; 1/40; Canon Rebel XSI
3. Hydrant; 9.18.2010; 7:04 AM; Idaho Falls, Idaho; f 5.6; 1/50; Canon Rebel XSI
4. 446; 9.18.2010; 6:30 AM; Idaho Falls, Idaho; f 5.6; 1/50; Canon Rebel XSI

5. Lemons; 9.21.2010; 9:32 AM; Rexburg, Idaho; f 13; 1.0; Canon Rebel XSI

Yellow is my favorite color. I enjoyed finding different things around the town that had this color. I woke up early Saturday morning to make it to Idaho Falls to get good lighting. Although I was slightly tired, it was a fun experience. It was a bit of a challenge at times, but it kept my eyes open and looking to things that I wouldn't always be looking for. In these images I adjusted the levels and the curves using Photoshop. This brought out the color and made thepictures slightly more vibrant.

1. Temple; July 13, 2010; 6:06 PM; Rexburg, Idaho; f 5.0; 1/80; Canon XSI
2. Divers; April 15, 2010; 10:27 AM; Mazatlan, Mexico; f 6.5; 1/200; Casio Exilim

3. Telephone Booth; February 13, 2010; 8:19 AM; Hamer, Idaho; f 1.3; 1/80; Canon XSI

4. Baseball; March 24, 2010; 6:06 PM; Rexburg, Idaho-Fourplex; f 5.6; 1/80; Canon XSI

5. Church Window; February 11, 2010; 10:43 AM; Idaho; f 5.6; 1/400; Canon XSI

6. Painter; January 27, 2010; 11:06 AM; Rexburg, Idaho- Video Production Studio; f 4.5; 1/60; Canon XSI, Tripod

7. American Flag; November 16, 2006; 6:49 PM; Kodak EasyShare Z710; Washington D.C.;

I love exploring photography and capturing single moments in time that may never happen again. I have included some of my favorite pictures from my past. They all bring memories flooding back to my mind when I recap the experiences that I had taking them. When I first started taking pictures, I thought I would enjoy portrait photography and candids of people, but I have come to understand that I am typically drawn to the environment that is around me. The things that we see everyday but may not take the time to look at them or see the beauty that they poses. Each of these pictures had slight edits that I did in PhotoShop. I adjusted levels and the color slightly.