Reverse 365: February 2013 Wrap-Up

Another month, another wrap up of my Reverse 365 Project for February 2013. I am still amazed that I am keeping up with and enjoying this process so much. I am looking forward to Month #3. 

Number of photos: 28
Locations: Tolmie State Park near Olympia, WA / Around my house / Semiahmoo, WA / Birch Bay, WA / Lincoln City, OR / Siletz Bay, Lincoln City, OR
Editing Techniques Focus: Gradient Tool in Lightroom and HDR Process in Photoshop
Tutorials Used: HDR Process for Photoshop and Creating a Collage Template in Lightroom 

What I Learned: There will always be people who don't like your work or who don't see your photographs the way that you do. And that is ok! I am beginning to discover through this process that photography is truly an art form. Especially when it comes to the editing process. I know there are people out there who don't believe that but art is expression of vision and that is what I try to do with my photography. Express what I see. I have also learned this month that editing is a valuable part of the process. I love getting it right straight out of camera and I always will, but I am starting to value editing more and more and not see it as a scary thing that might "ruin" what I trying to express. Instead it can and does often enhance and better portray my vision. 

Project 52 - Week 9/52

This is my breathing space. 

Settings: ISO 800, 50mm, ss1/4000, f/16

Settings: ISO 800, 50mm, ss1/2000, f/16

Settings: ISO 800, 50mm, ss1/500, f/16

Settings: ISO 800, 50mm, ss1/320, f/16

Settings: ISO 800, 50mm, ss1/800, f/16

Settings: ISO 100, 50mm, ss5.0secs, f/22

(trying a long exposure)

"The soul of a journey is liberty, perfect liberty to think, feel, do just as one pleases. We go on a journey chiefly to be free of all impediments and of all inconveniences; to leave ourselves behind, much more to get rid of others. It is because I want a little breathing space to muse on different matters †that I absent myself from the town for a while." - Morris Marples

          

Reverse 365: Where Dirt Used to Be - Day 59/365 2.28.13

Settings: ISO 200, 55mm, ss1/30, f/5.6

Date: May 13th, 2012

Location: Around my house

Day 59/365 - February 28th, 2013

“I won't regret, because you can grow flowers where dirt used to be.”  - Kate Nash

Reverse 365: Magical Palace - Day 58/365 2.27.13

Settings: ISO 200, 55mm, ss1/500, f/5.6

Date: May 13th, 2012

Location: Downtown Kent, WA

Day 58/365 - February 27th, 2013

“Flowers have the greatest talent in converting an ordinary place into a magical palace!” - Mehmet Murat ildan

Reverse 365: Its Own Joy - Day 57/365 2.26.13

Settings: ISO 200, 55mm, ss1/2000, f/5.6

Date: May 13th, 2012

Location: Downtown Kent, WA

Day 57/365 - February 26th, 2013

“A flower blossoms for its own joy.” - Oscar Wilde

Tones on Tuesday #67 2.26.13

Michaela at Mila's World of Color

There is something magical about the sun setting behind the branches. The colors are stunning! Thank you for sharing Michaela.

Rebecca at The Dusty Cellar

I love the depth of field and the way this looks like a Tilt and Shift photo. Thank you for sharing Rebecca!

Meghana at My Little World of Fantasy

Amazing light, beautiful composition and the bird make a gorgeous photo! Thank you for linking up Meghana!

Michaela, Rebecca and Meghana please go HERE to grab your showcase button.

Now it's your turn to share your photo with altered tones. Here are the guidelines for Tones on Tuesday:

• The basic idea is to share one photo where you have altered the tones. Such as a black and white, sepia toned, selective coloring or colored photo. Feel free to share the original and edit, or just the edit.
• Please share a photo that you have taken and edited yourself.
• One photo per photographer please. If you have more than one photo in your post please indicate which one is for Tones on Tuesday. If you link up more than once only the first photo will be considered for showcasing.
• Please link up with your permalink and not your blog address.
• Attach the Tones on Tuesday button or a link back here to your post.
• Leave comments for at least 3 other participants, share the love :o)!
• Have fun!

<center> <a href="http://scatteredhorizons.blogspot.com" target="_self"><img border="0" alt="Scattered Horizons" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH_U2oqLh1UmXZMxfX_WPVaPVWJYh_HuiqvmOJi2frJOmTvsFe8rQPCPuzZfqD9Rm5Lz1E9ijR7i5_09GjPNDZeIcGNOwpU1VlkboGqGPGHxc0q-s28fzb99utdKzU6TvONWyodJtseQ/s1600/tonesontuesday2.jpg"></a> </center>

Disclaimer - By participating you give Scattered Horizons permission to share your photo on this blog. Photographers will be given credit for their work.

I had a break from teaching and spent some of it in my most favorite place on earth - the Oregon Coast. I mention it over and over here on the blog, my love for the beach is something that has become a part of who I am. If I could spend every day on the beach I would. Instead I soak up all of it I can get whenever I am lucky enough to be there. I was editing photos on Sunday while watching Super Soul Sunday on OWN. Oprah was interviewing Nate Berkus about his experiences with the tsunami in Thailand. At the end, he mentioned that the beach is still his sacred space even with his experiences. The beach and ocean are my sacred spaces as well. The photo below was taken from an overlook on Highway 101 looking at the Heceta Head Lighthouse. I can hear the waves crashing as I look at this photo and remember the feeling of being there. I could not agree more with the quote below...I really do find myself again and again when I go to the ocean. Where is your sacred space?

Settings: ISO 800, 100mm, ss1/5000, f/7.1

"Your sacred space is where you can find yourself again and again." - Joseph Campbell

Joining the link ups below. Be sure to check out the beautiful shots and join the Tones on Tuesday link up found further down!

  

Reverse 365: Constant Friends - Day 56/365 2.25.13

A little flower beauty from last year...

Settings: ISO 200, 55mm, ss1/80, f/36

Date: May 13th, 2012

Location: Downtown Kent, WA

Day 56/365 - February 25th, 2013

“In joy or sadness flowers are our constant friends.” - Kakuzō Okakura

Reverse 365: Understand Better - Day 55/365 2.24.13

Trying to play up the sun dogs on either side of the sun. The one on the left is still very faint but you can see it if you look closely. I love the idea that I was able to witness this phenomena while visiting one of my favorite places. There is such a beauty to the unpredictability of nature and I feel truly blessed to see the places and things I get to see. Like the sunlight passing through ice crystals at just the right angle to produce this beautiful show!

Settings: ISO 200, 18mm, ss1/250, f/11

Date: April 14th, 2012

Location: Lincoln City, OR - Siletz Bay

Day 55/365 - February 24th, 2013

"Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better." - Albert Einstein

Reverse 365: Touching Eternity - Day 54/365 2.23.13

I have mentioned more than once that Siletz Bay is one of my favorite places to go. I love the expanse of the bay, the way the tides change the landscape and the tranquility of the space. It is amazing how every time I go there it is different and yet the same.

And on a side note... the faint rainbow color on the side of the sun is called a sun dog.

Settings: ISO 200, 18mm, ss1/125, f/22

Date: April 14th, 2012

Location: Lincoln City, OT - Siletz Bay

Day 54/365 - February 23rd, 2013

“‎I have always been fascinated by the ocean, to dip a limb beneath its surface and know that I’m touching eternity, that it goes on forever until it begins here again.” – Lauren DeStefano

Reverse 365: Refuses to Stop - Day 53/365 2.22.13

I found on Facebook a photography magazine that was offering 5 free issues for iPad called Photography Week. I decided to give it a try and sign up. I was pleasantly surprised! The magazine is full of tips, tutorials and videos for both landscape and portrait photography. I was inspired to try the reducing noise in backlit photos. I am loving the result and the magazine!

Settings: ISO 200, 18mm, ss1/125, f/22

Date: April 14th, 2012

Location: Lincoln City, OR - Siletz Bay

Day 53/365 - February 22nd, 2013

“Because there’s nothing more beautiful than the way the ocean refuses to stop kissing the shoreline, no matter how many times it’s sent away.” - Sarah Kay

Project 52 - Week 8/52

I mentioned on Tuesday that my family and I went snowshoeing last weekend. We headed up to Blewett Pass and onto the Wenatchee Crest Trail. It is a fairly easy trail, but does have a few inclines both ways. I found this article about snowshoeing and what a workout it is. I could not agree more! It is a great form of exercise that gets you out in the snow, what could be better? It was also a great opportunity to take photos of some beautiful views that I would not have had the pleasure to see otherwise. There is something magical about the majestic views from the ridge line and about the sense of accomplishment I had from a long hike to see the views. I will definitely go snowshoeing again and of course my camera will come along with me!

Settings: ISO 800, 50mm, ss1/1000, f/16

Settings: ISO 800, 50mm, ss1/1000, f/16

Settings: ISO 800, 50mm, ss1/3200, f/16

Settings: ISO 800, 50mm, ss1/500, f/9.0
(on the way back after the adventure)

"Behind all the fun of being out on the trail, I get to reboot my mind. And one finds their favorite area, and there is a point where those endorphins kick in, and the most amazing solutions come to you. You find your inspiration hill." – Phillip Gary Smith 

          

Reverse 365: The Right Light - Day 52/365 2.21.13

Settings: ISO 200, 250mm, ss1/320, f/22

Date: April 14th, 2012

Location: Lincoln City, OR - Siletz Bay

Day 52/365 - February 21st, 2013

"In the right light, at the right time, everything is extraordinary."  - Aaron Rose

Reverse 365: A Cool, Quieting Thought - Day 51/365 2.20.13

Settings: ISO 200 18mm, ss1/500, f/22

Date: April 14th, 2012

Location: Lincoln City, OR - Roads End

Editing: HDR process in Photoshop

Day 51/365 - February 20th, 2013

“I could never stay long enough on the shore; the tang of the untainted, fresh, and free sea air was like a cool, quieting thought.” – Helen Keller

Reverse 365: Stirs, Inspires, Brings - Day 50/365 2.19.13

Settings: ISO 200, 24mm, ss1/100, f/11

Date: April 14th, 2012

Location: Lincoln City, OR - Siletz Bay

Day 50/365 - February 19th, 2013

“The ocean stirs the heart, inspires the imagination and brings eternal joy to the soul.” – Wyland