Tones on Tuesday Announcement

I have been putting off this post for a while now, not wanting to write it. However, it has been so many weeks since I posted Tones on Tuesday that I thought some of you might be wondering what happened. So here goes...

Unfortunately, I have had to make the decision to put Tones on Tuesday on hold for a bit. I am a teacher, so this time of year is very busy for me as I ready myself for another year. I am sure many of you can relate as you get ready to send your children back to school. This year is a bit different though as I have decided to pursue advanced certification in an extremely rigorous process. I went to a workshop about getting this started and realized that the amount of time I will need to devote to the process will be more than I was anticipating.

I love hosting Tones on Tuesday each week and I LOVE seeing your photos and getting to know you through them. However, I am also trying to make sure I don't have too much on my plate and feel stressed about honoring all the commitments I make for myself. So, Tones on Tuesday will be taking a little break. I hope to be able to find a way to balance it all and will resume the weekly link up when I feel I can do that successfully.

I hope to still post in some other link ups and still have some time to spend with this passion of mine. I hope that you will do that same and that I will see your photos around! I am really going to miss Tones on Tuesday and all of you!

If you are looking for some other places to link up on Tuesday, see below! Also, if you would like to be notified when Tones on Tuesday is back up and running simply link up below. And of course I could not leave this post without a photo...

Settings: ISO 100, 32mm, ss2.5sec, f/16, polarizer, on tripod

"No sensible decision can be made any longer without taking into account not only the world as it is, but the world as it will be." - Isaac Asimov

   

Tones on Tuesday #73 4.16.13

Dina at 4 Lettre Words

Such beautiful softness here, in the tones, the depth of field and the subject. Thank you for sharing Dina!

Ruthie at Journey with Joy

I love the feel of this photo. I always feel small when I stand next to the ocean and I get that same sense from this photo. Beautiful colors and well. Thank you for linking up Ruthie!

Yolanda at Peanut Butter and Jelly

The dramatic tones and the lovely texture create for a moody, stunning photo. Thank you for sharing Yolanda!

Dina, Ruthie and Yolanda 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="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oheKkR_BFoQ/ToqWTprynwI/AAAAAAAAAJE/eQ5mj0lgqx4/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.

This weekend as I ended my Spring Break I headed down to Woodburn, Oregon to see the tulip festival there. I am lucky where I live to have a tulip festival to the north, in the Skagit Valley, and to the south. I had never been to the Oregon one so I was excited to go. While the Oregon festival is smaller with only one field, there was no shortage of beauty to capture and I enjoyed experiencing a new event. There were a ton of photographers there and many people asked me to take there picture, one of the hazards of looking like you know what you are doing I guess :o). However, even with the many people there were times when I felt like it was just me and my passion trying to create something. I plan on sharing tulip photos on Thursday, but for today I thought I would share a photo I took as we were leaving. The rain had miraculously held off all day, but just after this photo it began to come down. I could not resist the strong shape of the tree and the ominous clouds. I used an HDR technique here. I love when things come together for a spectacular day of shooting!

Settings: ISO 800, 50mm, ss1/125, f/11

"Faith is not simply a patience that passively suffers until the storm is past. Rather, it is a spirit that bears things - with resignations, yes, but above all, with blazing, serene hope." - Corazon Aquino

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: Wind - Day 11/365 1.11.13

Another attempt at the soft glow technique (also a bit of the adjustment brush as well) I am trying this month based on this tutorial. I have never been sailing, but it looks very enjoyable. 

Settings: ISO 200, 55mm, 1/2500, f/8.0

Date: March 3rd, 2012

Location: Kirkland Marina in Kirkland, WA

11/365 - January 11th, 2012

"A sailor is an artist whose medium is the wind." - Webb Chiles

Reverse 365: Sit Awhile - 10/365 1.10.13

I am truly enjoying the Reverse 365 process. I like looking back at moments and experiences from the past and remembering. In terms of editing, I have decided to focus on two tools for the month and see how it goes. I find that I am enjoying the editing process immensely, but in order to further my skills I need to practice a technique a few times. For the month of January I am working on using the adjustment brush in Lightroom and on adding a soft glow using Photoshop. This is my first successful attempt at the soft glow. I would love to know what you think, constructive criticism is always welcome!

If you want to give the soft glow a try, here is the tutorial I used. I found that I had to adjust the values to get the look I was going for, but I followed all the same steps. 

Settings: ISO 200, 23mm, ss1/1250, f/8.0

Date: March 3rd, 2012

Location: Kirkland Marina in Kirkland, WA

10/365 - January 10th, 2013

"Never be afraid to sit awhile and think." - Lorraine Hansberry

Fourth of July 2012!

My favorite holiday just happens to be Fourth of July. I connect with the sense of patriotism and the ideals of freedom, sacrifice and bravery. And then there are the fireworks! There is just something about a fireworks display that makes me happy. The color, the sense of wonder and the sheer beauty is such a wonderful way to celebrate this country that I live in and those who have made and continue to make it possible for me to live free.

For this Fourth of July I am visiting my dad who lives in Astoria, Oregon where the Columbia River meets the Pacific Ocean. They have a fireworks display over the Columbia that is done from the East Mooring Basin. I had never been, but was excited to experience a new fireworks display with my dad. We got there a couple of hours before the fireworks were set to start which was perfect timing because we were able to park right across from where the fireworks were going to be set off before the parking lot got full. While we waited I spent some time scoping out the area and photographing the sunset.

Settings: ISO 100, 55mm, ss1/320, f/22 (sunlight wb)

Settings: ISO 100, 18mm, ss1/30, f/22 (sunlight wb)

Finally, the sun dipped below the horizon and that meant the second amazing show of the night was going to begin. I wasn't sure where would be the best vantage point to see the display, so I just found where the tripods and photographers were lining up :o). Last year I got a few good firework shots using auto mode. This year I was determined to shoot in manual and be more intentional about my shots. Prior to heading out I read a couple tutorials, one from The Organic Bloom and one from Digital Photography School. 

For my set up I used my tripod, my 18-55mm lens and my remote control. I set the ISO to 100 to prevent grainy images, my aperture to f/11 to get a wide depth of field, manual focused so that the whole scene was in focus and set my shutter speed to bulb (which leaves the shutter open from when you press the remote button until you press the it again). I had never tried this type of set up before so I really didn't know how it would work out, but once the fireworks started I got into a rhythm. With my remote and the timer on my camera I had two seconds before the shutter opened and then I left it open between 3-12 seconds depending on how many fireworks were going off and how many I wanted in the shot. After a while I found that the best timing was to hit the remote right when I heard the boom and to leave the shutter open until the firework(s) began to fizzle out. 

I LOVE the results. They are so different from what I captured last year and I feel like the preparation really paid off. The 3 shots below are from the beginning, middle and the finale of the show. I really like the trails of the firework reaching the sky, the colors and the framing around the fireworks. For editing I did basic settings in Lightroom on all and for the second shot a removal of distractions and the Fresh and Colorful action by Pioneer Woman in Photoshop. I think the first one is my favorite, but that could be due to the sunset :o). What do you think? 

I hope you had an amazing, safe and fun fourth!

Settings: ISO 100, 18mm, ss12secs, f/11 (on tripod, shutter on bulb)

Settings: ISO 100, 18mm, ss7secs, f/11 (on tripod, shutter on bulb)

Settings: ISO 100, 18mm, ss7secs, f/11 (on tripod, shutter on bulb)

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." -  The Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776

    

Also linking up for the Firework Challenge at Kent Weakley's Blog

Tones on Tuesday #29 4.3.12

I apologize for the lateness in visiting and commenting on your photos. I was not feeling well this past week and the worst of it was this weekend. Despite that, seeing your photos and have the privilege to host this link up is always a highlight of my week! Thank you for coming on this journey with me! Without further ado, the showcases from last week...

Lisa at With Words: Lisa Gordon Photography

Lisa hosted a fabulous link up called The Creative Exchange that she unfortunately had to put on hold for a while. I was sad to see the link up end, but excited to see that Lisa is still photographing and sharing her work with us. I love the timeless, soft feel of black and white and the glow of it. What a beautiful capture! Thank you for sharing with us Lisa.

Amy at Artistically Amy

The bright pink is stunning and I love how it contrasts with the soft processing and texture. There is also a nostalgic feel to the photo that conjures up images of a bouquet from the past. Beautiful job Amy, thank you for linking up!

Nancy at A Rural Journal

Creamy black and white tones, soft texture and a beautiful subject make for a great photo! A great story regarding this feline supervisor just add to the adorable photo. Thank you for sharing Nancy!

Lisa, Amy and Nancy 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 if for Tones on Tuesday.
• 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="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oheKkR_BFoQ/ToqWTprynwI/AAAAAAAAAJE/eQ5mj0lgqx4/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 am going to continue with my photos from two weekends ago as I have only posted one and I didn't get out to shoot this weekend due to feeling under the weather. I am still working to find that elusive balance between photography, work and my personal life. Instead of beating myself up about it, though, I am going to cut back on my posting and try to alleviate a bit of the pressure I have placed on myself. My goal with this blog as always been to become a better photographer and to learn from the many talented photographers I have the pleasure of interacting with through their blogs. With that in mind, I think keeping my joy and reducing my stress is important. 

Now, for the my photo this week...

For this photo I again used the zone system that I wrote about last week. In this case, I metered off the sky and then put it in Zone VI or overexposed by one stop. Again, this tutorial does a much better job of explaining it than I did. Here is the SOOC photo:

Settings: ISO 200, 50mm, ss1/1250, f/5.6 (cloudy wb)

Intent: The vastness of the field and the contrast between the yellow and blue

I liked the balance of colors, but they were sort of blah. So I did a clean edit in Lightroom with the basic settings and then moved to Photoshop to use the Content Aware fill feature to remove the houses in the background as I felt they were a bit distracting. I then ran Pioneer Woman's Lovely and Ethereal and Oh So Posh Actions I Dream in Color actions. What do you think? 

Edit - Lightroom and Photoshop

Intent: Make the colors pop and give it a bit of a vintage feel

“A host of golden daffodils; Beside the lake, beneath the trees, Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.” - William Wordsworth

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