We are back from Idaho...
safe and sound! We had a GREAT time and I took 1086 pictures. I've been loading the ones I've edited so far. There are just too many to put on the blog, so I've loaded them into my Zenfolio as an album, if you'd like to see them! Idaho Summer 2011 Album I will be adding more as I edit them!
I'm also posting to say that, yet again, I will be missing my 365 post tomorrow! Lol! The next 365 post will be huge! We are leaving early in the morning for San Diego for the weekend. Nugget's 5th birthday is on the 24th, so we are all going down to Sea World to celebrate! But the following Friday I will get them all posted...promise! I have no plans to go anywhere! Lol!
And because a post is sad & lonely without pictures I'm sharing 2 shots of the girls. A dear friend & fellow photographer makes headbands and asked me if I'd be interested in a swap. I take pictures of the girls wearing them and keep the headbands and she gets a copy of the images for her business. So I had her mail them up to Northern Idaho so I could take advantage of the beautiful scenery and greenery there! I have a compulsive disorder that requires me to edit my images in order. It's all a part of my storytelling style of photography. It's ingrained in me and I cannot fight it! But I did pick one favorite shot of each girl to edit so I could show Misty of Lilly Anna Kids! Be sure to check out her site and if you love her stuff, go crazy shopping! And I swear that advertising her business was not part of the deal. Her stuff is just that good!
So onto the pictures then I need to finish dinner and figure out a 365 shot for today! Lol! I couldn't decide which direction to go, and since I love to edit, I did a clean edit, a creative edit & a filmy B&W.
Clean edit...edited with Pure Actions (quickly becoming my favorite clean actions of all time & loving their new Haze set which is creative and hazy but not over the top or too contrasty). Crystal & Rachel (owners and creators of Pure) are the most amazing, sweet & talented women I know! I've known Crystal for a few years back from the beginning of the iVillage photography board days and met Rachel on 2peas in a bucket! But that's not why I'm plugging their actions. I truly truly believe in these actions. They are true to their name...PURE! I've never been a big clean edit kind of girl, but with these actions I am now finding myself doing more and more clean edits. The detail these actions retain, the texture of clothes and skin and the overall detail of your images are totally retained while giving them that perfect PURE pop! They are quickly becoming my favorite actions and I'm in love with their Haze set! They are all so perfect! So...that got a bit long...sorry about that! :)
Then for the creative edit, I started with the clean edit & duplicated the photo and ran my FREE MZ XP Soft at 100% and that was it!
Then once again I went back to my clean edit and duplicated it to create my b&w. I ran Lilyblue Just BW from her Simple Set and adjusted it to taste then added some grain! YUMMY. I truly love me some filmy grainy b&w's!
Now Nugget's picture! I love when my girls give me the serious face rather than the cheesy snapshot smile and head tilt! Again, all pure actions...
Also started with the clean edit and ran MCP Fusion Creamsicle (Creamsicle 35% & One Click Color 30% with other layers adjusted in this folder)...
Same thing again but this time I ran Lilyblue's Soft BW from her Simple Set and made adjustments...
I have many many more to edit from Idaho and also many more of the headband shoot to edit! Then I will have many from our weekend in San Diego & Sea World. Yay...fun shots to edit! I love it!
Hope everyone had a great 2 couple weeks and that your weekend is even better! See you soon! :)
6 comments:
These pictures of the girls are FABULOUS! Wow!! Like knock-your-socks-off, fabulous! The one of your oldest daughter just...wow, it speaks to me. Of course Nugget is always adorable and photogenic, but there is something about that one of Haylie. Like a glimpse into the future, at the beautiful young lady that is emerging. Gorgeous!! (Ok, I hope that made sense and didn't sound creepy...lol)
I really love them and love how you experiment with your actions so much. You must have quite a collection! x
Haha..didn't sound creepy at all! Thank you so much. Avyree is usually the one who's so photogenic so I was over the moon happy when I saw these of Haylee on my LCD. We were working on not smiling yet not frowning or looking mad! She got it right away! Woot woot! Now maybe I can start doing some shoot with her! Lol! :)
Thank you Chelsea! I do have a LOT of pay actions that I mix & match with! Lol!
Crystal, would you mind detailing your editing steps on the clean edits? I love, love, LOVE creative edits, but keep coming back to clean edits, and really feel they're definitely "me"...so, I'd love to compare my workflow to yours...if you don't mind. ;)
MJ...I don't really have a workflow set it stone. I used to. But as I get further in my journey, I find that I am able to take each shot (or set of shots) as individuals and edit each to suit it's mood, light & colors!
I am a creative edit girl at heart. But lately I've been doing more clean edits...thanks to Pure Actions! They've changed my approach a bit and it's surprising since I love creative edits. But these actions are so true, pure & clean that I find I'm enjoying doing more clean edits than I ever have! I have Pure 1, Pure 2 and the new Haze set and I'm over the moon abou them! And so you know, 99% of my editing is done with actions. So I can't give you individual layer steps, just which actions I used and in what order!
For my clean edits I used a combo of Michelle Kane Actions & Pure Actions!
I don't remember my exact steps for these clean edits but they were the same for both girls! Here's a range of what I would normally use (in no particular order)
Michelle Kane... Bland to Brilliant, Glisten & See Things Clearer
Pure Actions... Boost the yellows & blues, Boost the shadows, Snap that Baby & Cloud 9!
It's all trial and error and I approach shots with different lighting or moods differently. I'm learning to really read the photo (mood, lighting, colors) and play up what is alredy there...if that makes sense! Lol!
But if you love clean edits and true pure clean edits that keep colors clean, texture of skin & clothes in tact, skin tones in tact...Pure Actions are UH.MAZING! I actually have written a couple gushing posts on their FB Fan page. If you don't have it just google Pure Actions Facebook & you'll find them! They have turned me into a clean edit lover and they are the FIRST in 3 years to make me like clean edits. So that says a LOT coming from me! Lol! Plus Crystal & Rachel and like the sweetest girls on the planet. If you haven't been there and go, tell them I sent you! :)
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