Tones on Tuesday #61 1.15.13

I am so glad to see so many new participants and those who continue to link up each week. I am hoping to see this link up continue to grow!

Also, I am doing a Reverse 365 this year. If you are doing a 365, Reverse 365 or Project 52 I would love to follow along. Share your link on the Facebook Page.

Now on to the showcases...

Linda at Linda Makiej Photography

The softness of the tones is lovely in the photo and I love the vintage feel. It was also taken with a camera phone, impressive! Thank you for sharing Linda. 

Sarah at Faith, Family and F-Stops

The leading lines of the railroad tracks pull you in and I love the timeless feel of the whole scene. The composition is stunning. Thank you for sharing Sarah!

Jessica at Jessica st. Lewis

Such a fun photo! I love how Jessica took a blurry photo and changed it into something amazing, it looks like it could be a print you pay a lot of money for. What a great edit Jessica!

Linda, Sarah and Jessica 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.

I haven't been shooting as much macro as I have hoped, but when I went to Ebey's Landing last weekend the rocky beach provided a few opportunities. There were so many great textures and patterns in the rocks, sand and driftwood. This rock was sitting on a log just begging to be photographed. I happily obliged!

Settings: ISO 800, 100mm, ss1/320, f/2.8

"A rock pile ceases to be a rock pile the moment a single man contemplates it, bearing within him the image of a cathedral." - Antoine de Saint-Exupery

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: Earthly Teacher - Day 14/365 1.14.13

Settings: ISO 200, 18mm, ss1/30, f/11

Date: March 8th, 2013

Location: Clark Lake Park in Kent, WA

Day 14/365 - January 14th, 2013

"Earth teach me to forget myself as melted snow forgets its life. Earth teach me resignation as the leaves which die in the fall. Earth teach me courage as the tree which stands all alone. Earth teach me regeneration as the seed which rises in the spring." - William Alexander 

Reverse 365: Still Small Voice - Day 13/365 1.13.13

Settings: ISO 200, 100mm, ss1/125, f/22

Date: March 8, 2012

Location: Clark Lake Park in Kent, WA

13/365 - January 13th, 2012

“Whenever there is stillness there is the still small voice, God's speaking from the whirlwind, nature's old song, and dance...” - Annie Dillard

Reverse 365: Pure Light - Day 12/365 1.12.13

Settings: ISO 200, 45mm, ss1/125, f/29

Date: March 3rd, 2012

Location: Kirkland Marina in Kirkland, WA

12/365 - January 12th, 2013

"A great ring of pure & endless light / Dazzles the darkness in my heart / And breaks apart the dusky clouds of night. / The end of all is hinted in the start." - Madeleine L'Engle

Project 52 - Week 2/52

One of my goals this year is to make a list of places I want to photograph. I am still working on the list, but I know that the final one will include the Palouse area in Eastern Washington with its colored, rolling hills. I went to Ebey's Landing on Whidbey Island in Western Washington and I was reminded of the Palouse, but this was a little closer to home. 

Ebey's Landing is also the nation's first Historical Reserve. For more information on the history of this amazing place you can check out the National Park Service site. It is a place full of the history of the past and the beauty of nature. After a ferry ride we headed to Ebey's Landing beach but took a wrong road and ended up at a sort of overlook above the prairie. Despite the stormy weather, I could not help but be touched by the pure natural beauty. I am determined to go back again and explore more, especially the wildlife of which we saw 2 hawks and 1 eagle on our short visit. What shall I see next time? 

Settings: ISO 3200, 50mm, ss1/160, f/13

"What is past is prologue." - William Shakespeare

          

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

Reverse 365: Natural Characteristic - 9/365 1.9.13

I feel extremely blessed to have such an amazing family who even on an outing for a birthday breakfast they support the indulgence of my photography passion. 

Settings: ISO 200, 250mm, ss1/320, f/7.1

Date: March 3rd, 2012

Location: Alki looking across to Seattle, WA

9/365 - January 9th, 2013

"Just as the bird sings or the butterfly soars, because it is his natural characteristic, so the artist works." - Alma Gluck 

Reverse 365: The Song in the Stream - 8/365 1.8.13

Settings: ISO 200, 50mm, ss1/40, f/6.3

Date: February 19th, 2012

Location: Beverly Beach, Oregon

8/365 - January 8th, 2013

"If it weren't for the rocks in its bed, the stream would have no song." - Carl Perkins

Tones on Tuesday #60 1.8.13

Bi Ti at Ready to...Waltz

The shapes are gorgeous and the colors are beautifully soft. Thank you for sharing Bi Ti!

Huldra's Life and Liveliness

The vintage feel of this photo work so well with the composition. Thank you for sharing with us!

Jenny at The Jenny Evolution

The light and color here is stunning! I love the shapes and lines as well. Thank you for sharing Jenny!

Bi Ti, Huldra and Jenny 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.

I am throughly enjoying the Reverse 365 Project I am tackling this year, posting a photo a day but the photos were taken previously and never edited until now. I am discovering a great deal about editing. My focus this month is the adjustment brush in Lightroom and a soft glow effect in Photoshop (as can be seen in the photo below). At the same time though, I want to continue to shoot on a regular basis so I am trying for at least once a week. This week I headed on a ferry to Ebey's Landing on Whidbey Island. What a gorgeous place! It was stormy and windy, yet beautiful. I will be sharing more photos from the outing this week so be sure to come back! I would also love to know what you think. Thank you for looking!

Settings: ISO 2000, 50mm, ss1/250, f/13

"Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul." - John Muir

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: Embracing Solitude - Day 7/365 1.7.13

Siletz Bay is one of my favorite places because it feels like such a different world in the midst of our own. No matter when I go there I feel like I am the only one and yet I am a part of everything. 

Settings: ISO 200, 20mm, ss1/320, f/22

Date: February 19th, 2012

Location: Siletz Bay in Lincoln City, Oregon

7/365 - January 7th, 2013

"To go out with the setting sun on an empty beach is to truly embrace your solitude." - Jeanne Moreau

Reverse 365: Lighting the Sky - Day 6/365 1.6.13

Settings: ISO 200, 18mm, ss1/1600, f/7.1

Date: February 5th, 2012

Location: Long Beach, WA

6/365 - January 6th, 2013

"Even after all this time the sun never says to the earth, “you owe me.” Look what happens with a love like that. It lights the whole sky." - Hafiz

Reverse 365: Unrestrained - Day 5/365 1.5.13

Settings: ISO 200, 50mm, ss1/3200, f/9.0

Date: February 5th, 2012

Location: Long Beach, WA

5/365 - January 5th, 2013

“The sea does not like to be restrained. ” - Rick Riordan

Project 52 - Week 1/52

This year I am tackling two photography projects, a Reverse 365 and a Project 52. My first entry for the year for my Project 52 is from one of my favorite places in the world at one of my favorite times of the day. It was taken at sunset overlooking the Fort Stevens State Park in Hammond, Oregon with Tillamook Head in the distance. I truly feel that when I watch a sunset I can see the possibilities of the future laid out before me.

Settings: ISO 500, 50mm, ss1/60, f/16 (on tripod)

"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." - Eleanor Roosevelt

          

Reverse 365: A Different Horizon - Day 4/365 1.4.13

Settings: ISO 200, 50mm, ss1/1250, f/7.1

Date: February 5th, 2012

Location: Tokeland, WA

4/365 - January 4th, 2013

"We all live under the same sky, but we don't all have the same horizon." - Konrad Adenauer

Reverse 365: Parchment Sky - Day 3/365 1.3.13

Settings: ISO 200, 50mm, 1/2000, f/7.1

Date: February 5th, 2012

Location: Tokeland, WA

3/365 - January 3rd, 2013

"The sky is that beautiful old parchment in which the sun and the moon keep their diary." - Alfred Kreymborg

Reverse 365: Dancing on the Ice - Day 2/365 1.2.13

Settings: ISO 200, 50mm, ss1/125, f/2.8

Date: January 18th, 2012

Location: Outside my house during the epic Ice Storm last year

2/365 - January 2nd, 2013

“If you are going to walk on thin ice, you might as well dance” - Unknown

Don't know what a Reverse 365 is? Go here for more information!

Reverse 365: Day 1/365 1.1.13

This year I am going to be doing a Reverse 365. A traditional Project 365 is when you take a photo every day for the whole year. With my work schedule I have just found this almost impossible and when I am able to do it I am not pushing myself...I am just taking a picture to take a picture. Don't get me wrong, I would love to be able to do a traditional 365 and have great admiration and respect for those that can do it. They are amazing photographers who go on a beautiful journey to become more amazing :o). It just doesn't work for me.

So when I saw in the Photojojo Newsletter that someone had done a reverse 365 I was intrigued. The concept is to use photos you have already taken to edit and post one per day. I have become complacent this year and have only been editing and posting one or two photos from each "shoot" I do. This means there are thousands of photos I have not edited or really looked at on my hard drive. I love the idea that I now have a reason to go back through them. I also have a reason to focus on my editing skills and see the potential in a photo I may have overlooked before.

As I set out on this journey I am using one rule for myself - it has to be a photo I have not posted on the blog before. This is in hopes of really pushing myself to learn and grow. I want it to be easier for me than a traditional 365, but not too easy :o).

So here goes, photo number 1!

Settings: ISO 200, 50mm, ss1/125, f/3.2

Date: January 18th, 2012

Location: Outside my house during the epic Ice Storm last year

1/365 - January 1st, 2013

If you are doing a traditional or reverse 365 I would love to follow along with you! Please feel free to leave a link in the comments. Thank you for visiting!

Photography Goals 1.1.13

The new year for me is a chance to reflect, review and renew. One part of that is writing photography goals for the year. I did this last year and it was a great way to start the year. Thank you again to Courtney at Click it Up a Notch for the inspiration to keep up with my goals!

My goals from last year can be found here - Photography Goals for 2012. I feel like I made a good effort or accomplished 4 of the 12. I wish it would have been more, but time and budget got in the way.  I do think that there is a lot for me to learn from the goals that I didn't accomplish and why. With that in mind, here is what I am working on this year...

1. Complete a Reverse 365 - A traditional 365, even with my phone as I tried last year is just not possible for me. I came across the idea of a reverse 365 in a Photojojo Newsletter. The concept is to post a photo a day but to use photos from the past. With my schedule this seems the most doable and will be a chance to work on my editing skills and to rescue more photos from my hard drive. 

2. Complete a Project 52 - For the past year I have been shooting about once a week and posting at least once a week. Therefore, a Project 52 seems like something I can accomplish and still pushes me to be out and shooting on a regular basis. 

3. Print more Photos - Last year I set a goal to print my photos monthly and was unable to do so. I am trying this goal again in a less specific form. I have a nice collection of canvases, but I want to start either a photo album or board of my work. 

4. Photography Locations List - I wanted to do this last year, to make a list of places I want to photograph and go to 5 of them. I am going to try again!

5. Wide-Angle Lens - I became familiar with my 50mm lens this year and bought and fell in love with a 100mm macro. Next up, I want a wide angle lens for my passion of shooting vistas. 

6. Do a better job of Blog Connecting - In doing Tones on Tuesday every week I have "met" some amazing photographers. I want to do a better job of visiting blogs, commenting on photos and connecting to other people who share this amazing passion. 

7. Continue to take a "Photoshoot Time-Out" - I set the goal in 2012 of taking a 10 minute time out during each photography experience to just be in the moment. I have to admit that I don't always do this, but when I do it is a powerful exercise. The other day I was shooting a sunset at Fort Stevens State Park and I intentionally put my camera away and just took it all in. The sound of the waves, the color of the sky and feeling I get on the beach. When I look at the photo below it means that much more to me because I stopped for a small moment in time to just be.

Settings: ISO 500, 50mm, ss1/125, f/16

8. Continue to Share on My Blog - This year I did 4 posts on things I have learned on my photography journey in my Tips and Tricks posts. I hope to do more of them this year! 

"If you want to reach a goal, you must "see the reaching" in your own mind before you actually arrive at your goal." - Zig Ziglar