I took some photos of my niece for my sister this weekend so they could send them out with Christmas cards and while there are many that show her scrumptious little self, this one is my favorite:
This is the shot as I took it. I don’t know why it’s my favorite but there’s just something about it that makes me feel good when I see it. Maybe it’s the angelic halo around her when I know she’s quite spunky. I don’t know, it’s just my favorite. Call me crazy.
After reading at Pioneer Woman’s site today, she showed how she uses different actions in Photoshop to achieve some of the looks she gets in her photos so I decided to play around with this one because I’m a copycat and I bought the same actions she has. Because I’m silly like that. Take a look at these and tell me which one you like best. Bear with me. I know at least two of you enjoy photography as much as I do. Everyone’s eyes may be crossed at the end of this and if that’s the case, please accept my deepest apologies upfront.
First up – Warm up and Intensify:
Next is Over Expose Vintagey WOW:
Third is Cool Down and Intensify:
Fourth is Dark B&W (this series I don’t see too much difference in):
Fifth is Dark B&W plus a Peach action:
Sixth is the Vintage Crack action:
So take a gander at these and let me know what you think. At any rate, it was fun to play around with these actions and see how they can change the mood of the photo with a click of the mouse. Many thanks to the Pioneer Woman for turning me on to photography. I’m having the time of my life!
This Is How We Do It 
Love that photo, so cute. Isn’t Pioneer Woman so inspiring?
All your pics are so colorful, wonderful!
By: kelli on December 12, 2007
at 4:06 am
Hey Kelli! Thanks so much! Yes, Pioneer Woman is inspiring and I have s much affection for her. She really puts herself out there and it’s so wonderful to read her blog every day.
Thanks so much for coming by mine!
Evie
By: whimsigal on December 12, 2007
at 4:28 am
These are so cool Evie!
Photoshop is something I really want to learn. I’ve been inspired by some blogs too & want to learn how to take better pics.
Will be watching your experiments with interest!
Cheers,
Cate
By: Cate on December 12, 2007
at 5:21 am
Great Pic..I like the vintagy one in color the best..
By: Alison on December 12, 2007
at 6:45 am
Wow Evie! I lurve them all!
By: carri on December 12, 2007
at 12:34 pm
I love the warm up and intensify. I love photography. Mt daughter and I have been very inot taking pics lately. I will have to check out her site.
danette
I have enjoyed looking at your photos.
By: Life With Us on December 12, 2007
at 12:34 pm
Cate, I’m still learning Photoshop, too. It’s so freaking expensive! My copy is from the year 2000, I think. Add to that I’m on a Mac and I still don’t get it yet and you have a big puddle of confusion sitting here a lot of the time. For most of my photos I use Photoshop Elements which has many of Photoshop’s features, minus the most advanced ones. The actions I used on these pictures are just things I select and click play and the rest is automated. The actions are predesigned to make all these changes themselves. In otherwords, I still don’t get Photoshop but I can at least use the actions.
Alison and Danette, I like those two also. The warm up makes the photo really pop and vintagey just looks neato.
Carri! Have you watched Saturday Night Live when they do the skit of the chick who runs the register at Target? Your comment reminds me of her! LOL
By: whimsigal on December 12, 2007
at 12:43 pm
I haven’t watched SNL in like forever. Now I have to make a point of it.
By: carri on December 12, 2007
at 1:20 pm
I like Warm up and Intensify and the Vintagey Over Expose in color and the dark B&W.
You know I love photography and I still don’t feel comfortable with my (SLR) camera or Photoshop. I guess I really need to do more research to track down the manual!
By: Rinnyboo on December 12, 2007
at 4:18 pm
Carri, I emailed you a link to a video…
Marin, I can’t remember which version of photoshop you have but Scott Kelby makes some great hot-to books for Photoshop. They are very easy to understand, don’t have a lot of technical mumbo-jumbo. I haven’t had as much time as I would like to go through it but maybe in February I’ll become an expert. LOL If it weren’t for these automated actions, I wouldn’t be able to play with photoshop well.
By: whimsigal on December 12, 2007
at 4:34 pm
Was this picture taken in May???
heehee!
xxoo
By: Stephanie on December 12, 2007
at 4:41 pm
Ha ha Miss Snowy Pants. I can’t help it that the high here yesterday was friggin 80 degrees!!! Just rub it in that you have snow and we still have leaves on the trees and green grass.
My sister actually had to turn on her A/C…in December!!!
LOL
By: whimsigal on December 12, 2007
at 5:43 pm
Evie, thanks for the tip you left on my blog about PW. Looks like you’ve got a great blog going here as well.
my blog: http://akhmmm.wordpress.com
By: Elaine on December 12, 2007
at 9:26 pm
Elaine, it was my pleasure! Thanks for coming by!
By: whimsigal on December 12, 2007
at 9:33 pm
I am totally addicted to PW thanks to your blog, Evie! And PWC (is that an approp. abrev.?? LOL). I made peach cobbler from it the other night and sometime this weekend we’ll be having Malboro Man’s favorite sandwich. Now if I could only get my DH to eat your brussel sprouts!
By: VanderbiltWife on December 13, 2007
at 9:23 pm
V-dub (vanderbiltwife) Ha! It’s easy to get addicted to either one of her sites! Isn’t the Peach thing to DIE for???? Have mercy. When your husband eats that sandwich, he’ll give you anything you want. LOL
On the brussel sprouts, so many people don’t like them! Just fix them and eat them yourself. That’s what I do with the foods my DH doesn’t like!
By: whimsigal on December 13, 2007
at 11:00 pm
You’ve been tagged!!
By: Alison on December 14, 2007
at 5:37 am
nice job on the photos.
By: MarlaQuack on December 15, 2007
at 12:05 am
This is AWESOME, Evie!
I LOVE it! 🙂
By: kalurah on December 19, 2007
at 10:35 am
Kalurah,
I’m so glad you came by and left that comment. I had sent it to my mom, telling her it was my favorite and when I asked her what she thought she said,”Well, she’s just standing in the yard.” Made me feel like an idiot!
I’m glad to know that you liked it!
Evie
By: whimsigal on December 19, 2007
at 12:27 pm
“Well, she’s just standing in the yard.”
Wait…. I didn’t know we were sisters *g* I’ve totally heard comments like that from my mom too.
We must put those comments out our heads…we don’t want them commin’ ’round here! 🙂
And those black and white ones of the boys are amazing~
By: kelli on December 19, 2007
at 1:16 pm
Oh, some just cannot understand us “artistic geniuses”!! 😉
By: kalurah on December 19, 2007
at 9:49 pm
I totally see why you love this photo! It’s not posed, she looks so sweet in that dress, and it seems to capture the innocence and dreaminess of our wee ones. It’s lovely! I love seeing the different effects. I’ve been dabbling with Picasa, Google’s free photo editing program. There aren’t that many effects to choose from, but I’m hooked nonetheless.
By: piscesgrrl on December 22, 2007
at 10:22 pm
Great photos. On the topic of costly photoshop you should try out flauntr.com
By: Anonymous on January 25, 2008
at 5:22 pm