Portraits of Sisters

I am continuing to play around with Elements in preparation for upgrading to CS3 some day. I've been working on portraits I took for my church directory and came up with this shot of Mackenzie and Jenna. I kind of like it. The black and white look was made using a gradient mask layer. I was surprised at how it turned out.

Another Sproat Lake Scene

Although I don't think anyone is visiting this site, I will continue to post some pictures from time to time. I spent a bit of time working this picture, also taken while camping at Sproat Lake the first week of September. I've photoshopped it quite a bit for effect. I wanted the water blurry (since I didn't get it in camera) but the tree sharp so I worked it a bit. I kind of like it. I should be tracking what I do to these pictures because I never remember after I've done it. I'll have to start doing that.

Scott Kelby Photo

Check out this picture by Scott Kelby taken at Glacier National Park (note: click on the picture to see a bigger version. I love the smooth effect you get on waterfalls by using a slow shutter speed. I have been attempting similar things myself but I have to learn to get up earlier before the light is too bright to get the slow shutter speed. Either that, or invest in some good ND filters.

Another Animoto Slide Show

I'm still playing around a little bit with this Animoto site. Here's another slide show with a few pictures from our vacation this summer. Animoto currently allows and unlimited number of 30 second shows. Longer ones are either $3 per show or you can sign up for a year for $30. It could be an interesting way to show off photos.

I have to admit, it's a little wild for people of my generation, but it seems to be right up there in league with YouTube and Facebook and stuff like that. Wow! You can even post it on Facebook.

Animoto Slide Show

I'm continuing to experiment with different ways to show pictures. I have a couple of Slide shows in previous posts and here is one from a new one just making the rounds called Animoto. Click play below to show what I did in just a few seconds since I already had some small photos set aside that used in the Slide slide show previously.

Sproat Lake Park Scene

I spent some time on selfish endeavors tonight and worked on a picture I took a couple of weeks ago while we were camping. It's just some rocks in the water, but I like the scene. I might do some more work on it later, but this is what it is for now.

Portrait of a House builder

I volunteered to take portraits of people in my church for a church directory so that I can learn and possibly add it to my business interests. During a lull, my daughter showed up and wanted to borrow my truck to pick up a compacter because she and her husband are building a house and that's what she's working on today. She looked pretty cute in dirty, grubby clothes and I made her sit for a quick shot in exchange for borrowing the truck. The result is below even though she said, "don't put it up on the internet or anything. Too bad, Terri. It's going up on Facebook next.

The only thing worse than having a picture taken of you when you are totally oblivious to the fact is to have one taken with a dog hunkered down underneath you. I absolutely love this picture. I was busy trying to take a shot across a little pond of the bride and her sister when the groom's son (I think) took this shot of me. Now, you have to understand that I really don't like dogs (or cats even though we currently have three residing in our house) and that's what makes this picture even more delightful. I knew there was a dog running around but I had no idea that he had posed me for this picture with him (or her, who knows? I didn't look that closely.)

But hey, it almost looks like I know what I'm doing, doesn't it.

(By the way, I took way too many pictures squatted down on my haunches. Boy, did I suffer for the next few days.)

Brian and Nadine's Wedding

Here's a few pictures from the wedding that I shot recently.

Summer Vacation Slide Show

I've been looking for a way to more easily share some of my pictures and here's a new way that I've just discovered. It's pictures from the summer in the Okanagan that I have referred to in a previous post and linked to (I believe) to my Phanfare site. But this might make it easier all around. Let me know what you think.