Raspberry Macros

I’ve been keeping to my word about practicing with my Lensbaby every day.  I thought a major part of my practice would involve getting the Edge 80 off the Composer (so tight for these weak hands!), but so far, so good! Maybe it’s loosening up- or I’m getting stronger! I hadn’t done much with macro using the Edge 80 until recently, and I’m having fun with it. Raspberries were on my breakfast menu on Easter, so I took a few moments to take some macro shots.  I’m finding the Edge 80 to be nice and sharp- similar to my 85mm macro.

Edits:
1- edited in onOne Perfect Effects (tonal contrast)- and then Photoshop, adding kk_chill to soften what I did in Perfect Effects!
2- kk_lettherebelight preset
3- kk_eve preset

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Edits:
1- onOne’s Perfect Effects
2- my basic edit
3- kk_lightairypastel preset

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Getting back in the groove and linking up with Texture Tuesday today!

Melinda8 Comments

Backyard Blur

My photography goal for April is to practice with my Lensbaby every day.  We’ve been out in the backyard the last couple days, so the Lensbaby came out with me yesterday.

The fountain is up and running again.  Is it just me, or does this look like a lady juggling?

20150331-MMA_2349_melinda_andersonHere is a macro of photinia leaves- with some added texture.

20150330-MMA_2285_melinda_anderson-EditAnd here is the same basic shot, edited with a black and white preset.  Notice how the lensbaby blur shows up in the black and white- interesting!

20150330-MMA_2285_melinda_andersonThese were all taken with the Sweet 50 optic, macro converters added in the last two.

Melinda1 Comment

BLUR

I love the soft and dreamy Lensbaby look for flowers. I was missing my Lensbaby this week, so I spent a few hours playing with some flower macros I took when my Nikon was still functioning.

I love black and white- even for flowers- so had some fun editing this image 3 ways.  I created a preset a few months after I started with Lightroom. It’s kind of a dramatic, over the top black and white with some tones applied that I first used on a photo of the Clocktower in Benicia.  Although it doesn’t work well with most images, I still find uses for it occasionally. For this daisy photo, I first applied the preset at 87% (using the Fader plug-in). The second shot has the same preset applied, but its effect is reduced way down.  The third photo is edited the same as the second, but has a texture added at low opacity.

fadingOne of the things I love about Lensbaby macro images is that they have that soft, painterly look without adding texture.

20150208-DSC_2303_melinda_anderson-EditBut, often I feel that a texture adds to the look I want, as in the image below.

20150103-DSC_0045_melinda_anderson-EditHave a great weekend!

 

Melinda2 Comments

Just Having Fun

Last week I showed some friends how to add textures to their photos, which inspired me to play around with this Lensbaby photo I took last month with my Nikon. I added several textures, one being a freebie I downloaded from a Photoshop Elements website- fun!

20150208-DSC_2308_melinda_anderson-Edit-5

Melinda1 Comment

Snow Drops

We had an unexpected snowstorm yesterday morning! We woke up to snow falling and snow on the ground.  It continued to snow until 9:00 or so, while we were at my husband’s eye appointment, but by the time we got home the sun was out and the melt had begun.  I raced outside with my Lensbaby Edge 80 with macro converters and managed to capture sunshine on the melting snow on trees and plants before it was all gone.

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I’m also posting another snow shot from a week or so ago, before the New Year’s snow melted away.  This is one of our more quaint downtown establishments- I’ve never been inside, but it looks cute. It was shot with my iPhone and edited with Snapseed (an HDR treatment) and Mextures.

Photo Jan 13- 2 16 35 PMLinking up with Barb’s app-happy Wednesday at Keeping With the Times.

Melinda10 Comments

Hydrangea!

I felt like I hit the jackpot at Trader Joe’s yesterday when I found they had hydrangeas! I’m always on the lookout for them and even ask for them, but I always hear “Oh we just had them” or “I think we should have some next week.”  So despite being a bit under the weather, I headed out to my garage “studio” and played with my macro lens.

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Melinda5 Comments

The Essence of Shells

I love my abstract photography class! I am finding that the kind of photography I love to do the most (besides grand-boy photography, of course)- macros and closeups with a shallow depth of field- fall into the abstract photography realm. I had no idea! This week I’ve been photographing some of my shells with the intention of exploring their essence- and also their un-seashellness!

The un-seashellness of seashells (more of a pure abstract): 20141117-shell_abstracts-2_melinda_andersonThe essence of seashells:

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Melinda6 Comments