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I went to Photography class today and learned how to "catch" water! Fun! I can see a kitchen littered with half made Gin and Tonics, just so I can be dropping lemons into the glass.
I still can't help but edit the pictures in Camera Raw and then Photoshop.... hehe!
Oh and I've posted the "before" pictures below.
When I am teaching my Online Photoshop Class there are not too many moments for creating simply just for pleasure. I am totally focused, producing 10 - 12 videos per week in CS and PSE formats with Win and Mac instructions, monitoring the class site, viewing the student's work and answering questions for about 18hrs a day.
Why would I do that? Well because it's a standard that I have set for myself.
Having seen how many online photoshop classes that are offered that fall short of student's expectations or where they are supposed to read "supplemental" instructions to make stuff work with their Operating System or Version of the program, I decided that I wanted to do it differently.
Admittedly it does not leave much time for "life" while I conduct a class, but DH is very good a making Stir Fry dinners and the cats have all realised that when I am "teaching" my lap is not so comfy!
Having said that, ONCE a WEEK , after class files are posted for the upcoming week, there is about a 12 hour window where I don't have to be "en pointe" and can take a little time to make some of my own magic.
Ergo "Paper Angel". She is the product of this week's "stolen moment"....
I must say though, to all my Students, a big Thank You! I love seeing you blossom and grow in my Digital World!
Our house is sporting a new decorative edge - hundreds upon hundreds of icicles that seem to be growing by the minute.
Even though they look quite pretty, I think tomorrow I will have to go and clear some of them off as they are getting to be absolutely HUGE - 12 inches and more.... I am terrified that one will snap off and spear a cat or something.
Well it's now the 28th and I am officially Five Oh!
It's been the oddest day - I awoke to 16 inches of new snow dumped on top of the already (not melted) lot we have had over the past weeks. I was spared shoveling duty thanks to the plethora of Skype calls, messages and phone calls that poured through the house this morning and then throughout the day.
I did not escape the chore of helping DH fix an almightily broken garage door which required four hands to fix and then due to a computer glitch yesterday I was WAAAY behind in my class prep for next week.
So, given the lousy state of the roads and mounds of work to do at the desk I pretty well spent the day with my nose to the grind stone. In lieu of a fancy dinner out we dined on Pizza New York style before I headed back to my desk and well, I am just getting done at 3am!
I'm not too fussed. Large celebrations can be saved for a later date - when we don't need to wear spike boots to get across the road and when, well, I have less on my mind.
My thanks to all my lovely friends and family - both near and far who have sent birthday wishes and gifts, one way or another.
And credits for the image above belong to #2 son - the budding Photographer and Photoshop guru - taking a leaf or two out of his Mum's book and making her very proud (as they both do)!!
xooxxox
Despite the fact that I am the humble owner of several rather nice cameras, what I know about how to use them in anything but Auto mode could easily be written on a very small scrap of paper.
With the advent of my new Canon 5D MkII into the family I decided that it was high time I learned to do a little more than point and shoot. To that end I signed up to take a class a the local Art League and am into week 2 of the course.
It's turning out to be an interesting adventure. The teacher is, primarily, very good at marketing her own camera shop. Thankfully she also knows where all the bells and buttons are on each person's camera. She says she teaches Photoshop classes, but I have caught her out in a number of small "porkie pies" on that subject and so far have restrained myself from pointing out that what she is saying is not "quite correct" - ahem!
She also wants us to email her our weekly images so that she can check them out and has stressed that we cannot modify the images - and, according to her, she will know if we do as she can see if the metadata has been changed. Little does she know that you CAN strip the metadata from an image (and many professional photographers do just that - especially when sending out proofs).
I think that was "porkie pie #44".
Anyway, I have successfully managed to shoot these with varying degrees of aperture setting, shutter speed and altered the ISO here and there, but still, old habits die hard and I have resorted to changing the White Balance in Camera Raw and applying the odd Levels Adjustment in Photoshop.
So, "Shoot me" - heck, I can live in BOTH worlds :-)
Not sure that I have ever been this cold in my whole life!!
When the high temp for the day is 17F...... you gotta wonder about lifestyle changes!!
Even the critters are tired of staying inside!
And then when they get to be outdoors, they are NOT happy! How often do you see a snow stomping cat???
I rather feel that the poor blog is being neglected lately .... but what can I say? I am away teaching my new Journal Magic Class and busy producing videos and class material.
I'm definitely NOT made for Hollywood as I find producing and editing videos to be akin to having my teeth pulled! Nevertheless, I am a perfectionist and for each 10 minute segment there is 2 hours of editing work that goes along with it and considering each week I am making 10 to 12 videos, one set for CS users and another complete set for PSE users - I have my work cut out for me.
It would probably be fun to share one of the "pre" videos sometime - one with all the horrendous out-takes included where you have stomping husbands, cats snoring on your lap or the telephone and doorbell tinkling in the background? Perhaps not!
Anyway, this is one of "my" journal pages which includes some digi scrap, various clipped masks of my own stuff and bits of ephemera and altered photos.
I am thrilled with all the wonderful images the students are creating. Here are a few that you can find out and about in Google Land:
Miles Beyond The Moon
Miz Carla
Stamping Art
I daresay you can find a few more if you hunt them down on Flickr!
As for now, I am off to bed. There is MORE snow falling and I daresay I will need the energy for shovelling when I wake up!
Eversince I have lived in New York and complained so of the cold in the Winter, my lovely mother has taken upon herself to knit me lots of socks!
And the gig goes like this, several years ago, when the US dollar had some value against the Aussie one, I would head to Michaels (craft store) and load up on what was then, inexpensive wool and other crafty goodness, tote it down to Australia and then by the time I was due to come home, a pair or two of wonderfully handknit socks would need space in the suitcase for the trip back.
Even though the dollar has changed it's shape, balls of wool still seem to find their way into my luggage and speed themselves down to Manjimup and jump onto poised needles.
I think I now have about five or six pairs of these fabulous socks. None of which would be suitable for the faint colour hearted or those afraid of stripes!
However you will NOT hear me complain about these puppies. They (along with my trusty UGG boots - of proper Australian authenticity) adorn my feet for about 3 months of the year. And I am so humbly grateful to have such warm toes!
And, I'll close on a fabulous note ..... after all the exam trauma of November and December, #1 Son has gained his first preference for college entrance - wooo hoooooo.... way to go my Darling Boy!
This is going to be and exciting and wonderous time!
Today DH and I went to the Whitney Museum today to see the Hopper exhibition. I have long been an admirer of his painting and it was a great pleasure to see his watercolors and sketches - which I had not seen before. Sadly some of his greater works were absent from the collection. Obviously could not be slung across a few streets from the Met!
Gas Station and a few other notables where there, so that was nice.
Despite having lived in these parts for some years now, it was the first time I had been to the Whitney and I can't say I was impressed. It's building design is reminiscent of cheap construction blocks and it's not really a very warm place at all.
I did enjoy their display by Charles Ledray. His sculpture works in miniature were fascinating to say the least and THAT more than Hopper, was worth the visit.
From there we crossed to Central Park to "take the air". Covered in snow, it's almost as if the paths of Summer and sunnier days to not exist. The boat pond is empty, save for inches of snow and grassy knolls have become toboggan slopes for scoop sledders and tube riders.
The hush is also different. Everything muted by the layers of snow.
By the time we'd walked our stomachs grumbled. DH offered a place to snack that he'd found via UrbanSpoon or something else likely. So we decided to experiment and crossed to E.73rd St, found the designated spot and squeezed in. Squeeze being the operative word, with tables the size of postage stamps and lots of other guest who apparently seemed quite unable to use their "indoor" voices - which by the way is a term I have garnered since I have lived HERE!
Anyway, about 40 minutes later we exited the restaurant, being about $48 lighter in the pockets for two sandwiches and two cups of coffee PLUS the damned TIP (for what I am not sure - brownie points for me being able to fit into the seat??)...... I don't know, call it parsimonious me, but when did a basic sandwich, sans plate, sans garnish, sans anything? start costing $13+?
By the time we'd got our coats and got moving again the conversation went like this....
"Since when did a sandwich and a coffee cost that much?"
DH goes...."well it's New York"....
I go ..."well it's daylight robbery"..
DH goes..."well it was a nice sandwich"...
I go ...."yes it was, but two slices of procuitto and a dollop of mozarella do not $13 make"...
DH..."the coffee was good"
I go...."yes it was"...
So far, in the interests of conjugal harmony, we have decided not to discuss the matter further!
Across the bridge we went....
to a cold and chilly place, even though the sun was out...
and we just about froze to death...
some people thought it was just a nice day for a walk....
and we just decided to hold hands and be a bit silly
before we cut the long walk short and RAN back to the warmth of the car!!
Does it surprise you to know that beaches and snow are somewhat oxymoronic (in my view).
