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Thursday, February 24, 2011

Breathe

So far, Inspiration Avenue's challenges often were a real challenge for me or at least quite a stretch. This week I thought "I can't do it".

The theme is "Breathe". Oh jeez. No idea, my mind went blank, and I already thought that I'll miss this challenge. But somehow my subconscious wouldn't let go, and I remembered a picture of my daughter I had taken when she was only two and we were visiting the Garden Exhibition in Graz, Austria. Fortunately I had scanned all those slides and it didn't take long until I found it.

However, the picture was crap. Real honest crap.

But... hadn't I just taken an excellent Photoshop class with Kim Klassen? Hello?? Now was the time to see what I could do with that crappy photo.

The first day was just frustrating and I decided to give up. Did I mention my subconscious? That little bugger was not in any mood close to giving up but kept haunting me at night. When I remembered that Kim had talked about vignettes... So today I grabbed my notes and started anew, played with hue and saturation and those fantastic blending modes and finally added my vignette - of course it took forever, but I was so so happy when I was done, and also a little bit proud.


Please note the young lady's pinky.

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18 comments:

  1. I don't know how bad the original was, Carola, but the final result is charming. The words fit so well and the pinky is perfect.
    I've just got to mention, after seeing the name of your Photoshop instructor, I have a dear friend named Carola (since school days) and her maiden name was Klassen. She's also a fabulous photographer but says she is too busy to blog.
    -- K

    Kay, Alberta, Canada
    An Unfittie's Guide to Adventurous Travel

    Kay, Alberta, Canada
    An Unfittie's Guide to Adventurous Travel

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  2. Your photo here is gorgeous. The end result is well worth the time taken.
    I would love to learn to use Photoshop ...I have so many bad photos that I may be able to do something with ;-)

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  3. I think you created something really special here. Thanks for stopping by my blog today. Have a wonderful Friday!

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  4. How precious Carola. This would make a beautiful greeting card.,.or print it and frame it for her room. Your daughter is so sweet. I love her pinky.

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  5. Oh Carol...this is fabulous! I hope someday to be able to use all of these techniques like you do. Wonderful, wonderful. a real winner.

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  6. Love this. I'm so glad your tackling Photoshop. Drives me crazy, too. I have a picture of my daughter, Dana, smelling tulips. Funny how we think alike.

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  7. Wow! What a beautiful moment captured forever. Gorgeous. :)

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  8. Love thet little pinky sticking out. Already a little lady :-)

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  9. I agree with Rhonda, Carola!! You could print this because it turned out great !!! My compliments. It's such a charming photo !!
    YEAHH for photoshop :)

    Rian

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  10. Your little lovely, a breath of fresh air with her little pinky pose.

    Sue x

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  11. Yours is fantastic. I was stuck like you. But at least you made a REAL effort with art. I shot a photo and stuck it in a folder. Yours is worthy of praise. And a real tribute to your daughter, too. I love this. I would be mighty proud, too.

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  12. Your photo is gorgeous, I agree with the above to print and frame it. I need to learn to use photoshop, whenever I open it's all so overwhelming and I close right a way!

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  13. the picture is so lovely and delicate and then I went back and read the love you put into to make this come together and it added a beautiful depth to it. Way to NOT GIVE UP; such a metaphor for life eh?

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  14. Really nice edit/save! I have learned so much from Kim's class. Hoping to use more in the future too, but you're right, it is time consuming in the begining.

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  15. Wow this is beautiful! It sounds like your efforts to create have been very rewarding, that is great. I sure love the touches of color, it makes the piece look even more magical. Wonderful!

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  16. This is wonderful- I love the way intensified the yellows- you really caught that "glowy" feeling and it's perfect! I've been wanting to learn photoshop for a while, maybe I should go find a class like you did....;)

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  17. And PROUD you should be, it's wonderful!
    We should all take the time to stop and smell the flowers more! Great job!

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  18. It turned out wonderfully! Makes me want to take a photoshop class to be able to do such a cool image!

    And the words are perfect! (And no need for foam stamps or anything!! ;)

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