New Year's Evening Sunset - Gareen Needle Dr., GSO, NC 12/31/2015

The iPhone 365 Challenge has been met!!

I was walking in my neighborhood tonite for exercise when I happened to see trees that had a bright pink and blue sky at sunset.  What a way to end the week/year after all the rain and dreary skies we have had. I don't think the camera really did the scene justice as the colors were more brilliant.to my eye.  This is a case where the saying,"the best image may be behind you".  So, this is image 365 of the 365 day iPhone challenge, i.e. taking a photo and posting on my blog.  In some cases there were additional images of the subject that allowed me to try different apps in camera like Instagram or Camera+ to take the image. Since the iPhone screen small, most of my post editing was done on the computer with Photoshop Elements 11. It did take more time than I had imagined.to complete this goal/committment.  I will probably start another blog for 2016 but it is my hope that I can complete Bob Weils course that takes digital imaging to the next level in the digital darkroom.    

Foggy Night - Puddle Reflection

This image should have been posted on Wed., Dec. 30th.  There was some fog in our neighborhood from all the rainy and humid weather we have been having.  I was never able to find a safe place to pull over during the day to capture a foggy scene as it was sporadic patches around the city.  But I noticed the reflection of the street light in a puddle in my driveway and tried to capture this eerie atmosphere. Did not use a tripod as too difficult to even get this angle of composition. I even waited to see if my neighbor's Christmas lights on her house would be out after midnight...but that didn't happen.  So, this was the best I could do.   iPhone 6  native app, edit in PSE 11   More practice with night photography needed.  

Beech Tree Leaves Still Hanging on in Winter

One of the trees that retains a lot of their leaves in the winter time is the beech tree.. The image on the right I took a of some leaves with the dull sky as a background which the camera read as white. You can see the leaf vein patterns. In the fall when they first have color they are a medium yellow but now various shades of tan. I did increase the saturation a bit  in post processing to make the veins more prominant agains the sky.  Then I saw a stand of trees that looked interesting on a street I drive a lot. The roadway in the picture I did make straight.   Still it is a better picture with the gulch than just a straight shot of a stand of beech trees.  Of course it would have been nice if a person with a red jacket happened to be walking in the gulch with a black dog.  Well, you can't have everything.  iPhone 6, Camera +,  edit PSE 11.

Christmas Lighting @ Dusk on Rankin - Neighborhood

Tried to capture some Christmas outdoor lighting display at dusk the other night. This one was a little late for ambient light, but it also hid some of the house and other yard structures. I need more practice with taking photos at night or low lighting situations. This is definitely out of my comfort zone. I was walking in my neighborhood with the iPhonein my pociket.  No, I did not have a tripod or a stabilizing object.  iPhone 6, native camera, edit: PSE 11 which included some healing brush and cloning to a bench and other yard artifacts.

Purple Ornamental Kale - Ruffled Center CU - Neighborhood

Found a nice purple ornamental Kale when I was walking in the neighborhood.  Thought the center would look good as a close up. Camera+, iPhone 6.  Edit in PSE 11.  Sharpened to the Max to show more detail in the ruffled edges if you zoom in close can see the purple veins.   .  

Varigated Viola - Nannette's Garden

Took a close up of one of my varigated viola with some raindrops on the petals. We have had extremely warm weather for December in NC. The actual size of this bloom maybe 5/8 inch.  Square Mode,  iPhone 6, Camera+, Edited in PSE 11. Did some cloning and use of healing tool to blur out more of the background and applied vignette. The viola flowers are edible and can be used to decorate food plates, used in salads or crystalized to put on cakes and pastries. For more info:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viola_(plant)

Merry Christmas 2015 - Dinner: Chicken Cordon Bleu, Rice Pilaf, Green Beans. Roll

It was a rainy day. I could not use my outdoor lighting to capture the image of my dinner plate of food for Christmas Dinner. I cooked Chicken Cordon Blue, Rice Pilaf, Gravy, Green Beans, & a Roll.  I used the black cooktop of my stove with overhead Halogen lighting which there is a spotlight effect in the upper portion of the plate.  From previous experience I have found it best to use a white paper plate to avoid glare if using China dinnerware. Had to clone out light flare and use healing brush to get the backround really black all around the plate and then added text for "Merry Christmas". . For dessert we had Peppermint Ice Cream which was not included in the image.  I was the "Galloping Gourmet" sipping Chardonnay wine while I was preparing the meal.  Bon Appe'tit!!
 iPhone 6, Native camera. Edited with PSE 11.
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