It’s Topaz Impression time again. I used a Monet filter (plus textures added in Photoshop) on these two images. The second one is a copy of the first, re-edited in Lightroom in black and white with some split toning.
Ranuncu-LOVE
I had a photo already to post today, but then I came upon these ranunculus photos in Lightroom that hadn’t yet made my blog- one edited and one not. I had fun editing the second one to kinda-sorta match the first- so here they are!
Editing notes: I really need to start consistently labeling my layers in Photoshop. I could tell I added a filter to a layer in the first photo- and then some texture (which comes in with a label automatically). I assumed I used Topaz Impression- but which filter??? No idea. For the second one I used Cezanne II, one of my favorites. And another thing- is there a way to mark favorites in Impression? Anyone, anyone?
Heartland- DONE!
It started a year ago on a road trip to Kansas to visit Lonnie’s father. I became obsessed with the seemingly endless flat horizons of Kansas, broken only by the occasional barn or silo. There is a beauty in this stark landscape with the wheat fields, the barb wire fences, and the oddly industrial look of modern farms. I took photo after photo with my iPhone (usually through the window as we drove along), and I had fun editing them right there in the car. May’s road trip was melancholy, however, as we drove across the plains knowing that Lonnie’s dad had just died. This time I took photos with my Nikon often with the lensbaby attached- mostly from the car at 70mph. I was still obsessed with the landscape, but I also wondered each time I clicked the shutter when we would be driving these roads again.
In my AAUW photography group, we are asked to commit to a long term project of some sort. After our trip a year ago, I decided to create a Heartland series for the assignment.
When I traveled to Yellowstone last month, I took these photos with me on a little external drive to work on; I was planning to make a photo book to take to my photography group. I worked on it during a couple evenings after the kids were in bed, but I could never get the book to save- it would always say it was still uploading! I didn’t have the time or energy for a frustrating computer project, so I decided to abandon it until I came home. Once home, I sat down to work on the project again, only to discover that, no matter what I did, Lightroom would not recognize the photos. I know all about moving photos from within Lightroom and have never had an issue with it until NOW. I could see the photos on my drive and could open them from Photoshop, but they were invisible to Lightroom. There were several attempts over period of days- but then I abandoned the project once more. I sat down one last time to try again yesterday- and there they were! Right there in the Lightroom catalog- not grayed out- not missing, just THERE! I may or may not print them. I’m a bit sick of them right now- so much for the obsession!
So I decided that they will at least appear on the blog as a slideshow before they disappear again. Many of these photos have already appeared on this blog- but here they are again- all together!
Editing notes: to bring some cohesiveness to the project I re-edited all the images and added textures (usually scratchy ones).
More Punkins
I never get tired of taking photos of pumpkins. Expect a few more over the coming weeks!
The Three
Apple Overload
Our Fuji apples are all picked, and they have taken over the kitchen! I’ve made several batches of unsweetened applesauce, which I pair with a dollop of Greek yogurt for a treat. I have frozen much of it, but I still plan on making more. Unfortunately, I seem to be the only one eating it. 😦 I try to remember to eat at least one raw apple a day also-and I have made a dent in our supply.
Yesterday I made a special treat- a healthy, no-bake apple tart, using my friend, Carol’s recipe. It isn’t very low carb, but it is delicious! It has a walnut and date crust and cooked apples inside (with a bit of honey and spices). Yum!
Just folks. . .
Saturday we went to the Prescott Folk Music Festival. It has been going on for 37 years, but this was our first time- actually our first time at ANY folk music festival. We loved it!
Picture a small, rustic venue with small stages, inside and out (the Sharlot Hall Museum). Then picture musicians and some ordinary folks like us walking through the grounds on their way to hear groups or perform on stage- the acts changing about every half hour. There were also workshops for musicians, food of course, and small groups jamming here and there. There was folk music of all kinds- and most of it really, really good! Oh- and most of the performers we saw were at least in their sixties. Lots of men with gray pony tails and beards! I hope there are a lot of young folk singers out there somewhere- we didn’t see any in Prescott!
She looks like Mary Travers, doesn’t she? And yes, they sang Peter, Paul, and Mary songs- and sounded like them too! This is MacDougal Street West.
I LOVED this guy! He is part of a bluegrass group from Phoenix. What a musician! His group was called Jason Donne and the Open Graves!
The two ladies above were a part of a group that sang Southwest cowboy music; we almost didn’t stay to hear them- and they were fabulous! They are called IQ Minus One- and I can’t remember what IQ stands for. . .
One of the highlights of the day was hearing an amazing group from Tucson which included Bobby Kimmel, the founder of the Stone Poneys, and members of the Ronstadt family- Linda’s cousin and wife. I don’t have any great photos of their performance, because it was inside and all I have are iPhone shots, but I had to mention them, because they were sooo good! I Hear Voices is the group.
At the end of the day, many musicians gathered on stage and led the crowd through This Land is Your Land.
We discovered that this two-day folk festival is held the first weekend in October every year- put it on your calendar!
Gated
Happy Fence Friday!
The Porch
I’ve always loved front porches. We had a good sized one in the house I grew up in, but we never sat on it. I finally have a front porch in our current house (just a slab, but it does the trick), where we sit and watch lightning storms and … sometimes … snowflakes!
This front porch caught my eye when we were picnicking at a Sonoma County winery with our friends, Georgia and Jerry in August. I loved the blue bench as background for the yellow flowers- and then there was just something about the watering can by the screen door! I played with these images a bit using Topaz Simplify and some textures.
Trailing
Super Moon Eclipse
Sunday night we brought our folding chairs out to the driveway and watched the super “blood” moon eclipse. Besides being in awe of the beauty of this amazing phenomenon, we felt a great sense of connection with all the people everywhere who were also watching.
The moon looked so huge as it crept up over the hill across from us. The eclipse had begun a few minutes before we were able to see it rise.
The moon started disappearing as it rose.
And then it was almost gone.
Last night the moon was beautiful too. Moonrise was well after sunset (it was dark!), and we thought at first that there was a fire on the horizon- seriously! You would think we would have realized it was the moon rising since we had been watching it the night before- but it was so orange and so bright against the night sky! We were only clueless for less than a minute, however, and then I was dashing into the house for my camera.
Golden Girl
It’s often hard to capture a portrait of a puppy who is in constant motion. In this case, I waited until she was tired and had her sit by the kitchen door. She fell asleep within 3 minutes of this photo being taken.
It’s Fall!
I got in the spirit of autumn this week after a couple days recuperating from my Yellowstone adventures. I put the fall wreath on the door, bought some mini pumpkins, and made applesauce from the zillions of Fuji apples on our trees. Fall is my favorite season, and I can’t wait for the leaves to change!
Elk Life
Ahoy, Mateys!
I’m back in Arizona and missing my little guys! The photo below is from the treasure hunt I set up for them last Saturday. Treasure hunts are a tradition in our family that started in my own childhood, when my father created a treasure hunt for one of my birthday parties. I continued the tradition with my own children and later on with my first graders as the culmination to a mapping unit every year. And now it’s Miles and Henry’s turn!
melinda anderson photography 