Pink Orchids - from Grocery Store Display GSO

I saw these orchids at a grocery store and had to take this shot with the iPhone 5s HDR mode.. This was the only one that had a lot of blossoms stacked together and did not compete with other cultivars on display. Lighting was fairly good from the big storefront window.. Minimal editing in PSE 11. Happy Valentine's Day tomorrow!


I have been to the Triad Orchid Society Show.  Lighting on the orchid cultivars and the presentation by the vendors or?? makes the background include the stakes or prize winning bows etc.  Love the Orchid Conservatory at Daniel B. Stowe Gardens, Belmont, NC.  They also have air plants  archway.  Most orchids bloom Dec - Feb.  I have no plans to grow them. .  

NZ and Australian Desserts H.S.A. Culinary 2/9/2015

On Tuesday the Herb Society of America - NC Unit had a luncheon. Members brought foods commonly served in Australia & New Zealand. One of the members attending was originally from New Zealand. She made several desserts. I took a picture of what was on my dessert plate but I think I skipped a few. I cropped and had to rotate the photo due to the position of the plate on a granite counter. This worked because the plate was round. Overhead kitchen lighting was used - HDR mode. I added some highlights and sharpened the image to show more texture. Then I added numbers to help with identification in PSE 11.

The meringe shell with the whipped cream, topped with various fruits is Pavlova (#6). It is served at special holidays and celebrations. Anzac(#3) was a (biscuit - not cookie) served to soldiers during the World Wars. It contains oatmeal, but requires Golden Syrup as do the Ginger Fingers (#4). This is available at Whole Foods. I bought the last one on Wed. at the Friendly Center store. There is a partial scone (#2), kumara pie (#1) It contains a root vegetable like sweet potato), and there is another Herb and Cheese biscuit (4). Bon Appe'tit!!

Tree Brances - Altered "Fake Snow" Post Processing

I love looking for textures. I thought the original image was just too blah. I liked the patterns and texture of the branches that had a plain wall on the building behind it. I guess this is more "creations of nature".  I changed the color to red in MegaPhoto app, I played with numerous fillters and effects in PSE 11. That is not a moon but some highlights from some object behind me. The final effect I called "fake snow" because i played with highlights and then brightness & contrast to almost look like there is some snow on some of the branches/leaves. I have no idea how I might use this??  Perhaps enter in an altered art photograph contest.

Jack's Father's Pocket Watch - Still life

Today I am trying a still life object for my image. I used daylight window lighting. My husband has a pocket watch that belonged to his father. Because of the convex glass covering the face I knew it would be difficult to avoid glare. I still have some shadow on the clock hands but I feel it is minimal. Original photo taken in color with square format. The object was lying on a dark green piece of cloth that I use for backgrounds. I cropped and converted to Noir in native camera app. I did add some shadows, cloned out dog hair and lint, and sharpened using PSE 11. Did not want to use an special apps.  I think ti avoid lightness at the top edge I could have applied a vignette.  May try later with a macro lens just to see if I get more clarity with the numbers on the watch face. It definitely would not have worked using the overhead lighting from the stove light.   

Hellebores - Libby's Yard

Today I was at my friend's house for a meeting. Her Hellebores (Lenton Rose) had just started to bloom. She has white , purple , and pink ones.  I took a few images but may go back with other camera or lenses.  These were shot in HDR with iPhone 5s. These flowers are normally drooping and a challenge to photograph on a windy day.  Be prepared to use pipe cleaners to position upward.or lie on the ground and shot up.  This is not an easy feat with an iPhone - takes 2 hands unless you use tripod to stabilize the iPhone.The image to the left was shot in square format and would be good to send on Instagram.  The one on the right was cropped to almost square...also added vignette. Both images were sharpened in PSE 11.

Rankin School Gym

I have been driving by this building a lot. It is the gymnasium at Rankin School and where I vote. I took in HDR mode. I only cropped, increased the shadows because it was a bright sunny day, and sharpened. One of the disadvantages of an iPhone is distortion with architectural structures if you get too close. I really did not want to crop that much. I don't know an app that easily fixes this. I know it can be done in Photoshop but that would require reading how to do it. Maybe later I will do it for a more interesting or famous building.

Solar Light Rays after Dark

I missed yesterday's post. solar light and just had to take an image.  I converted to B & W in the native app and the straightened the light vertically as in a friend's yard after dark. It looks like a spider with legs outstretched.  Then I tried using a solarize app, vignette, and created some "pop art" in PSE 11.

                                              I do need to spend more time with low light and night photography .