Lake Crescent NWR

It has been quite awhile since I have undated my blog, seems like IG has been where I have landed with my photos but I miss the journaling about them, it is like a photo dairy of the trips, the learning curve, equip used and just overall fun with Dan.  We went out to western Nebraska for a long weekend to explore this NWR and were blessed to see burrowing owls plus numerous other birds.  There is nothing like the wide open spaces of the sandhills, blue skies and green grasses for miles.

Burrowing Owl

This little guy has been on my photography bucket list ever since I saw Michael Forsberg's image of one.  While not the quality of his by any means at least I finally was able to photograph them in their natural habitat not in a zoo.  We went this last weekend to the Sandhills of western Nebraska, specifically to Crescent Lake NWR and were blessed to see many, many burrows with the amazing little darlings.

Timeless Transportation

  This is a photo from a couple years ago taken on Mackinaw Island.  I thought it would make a nice classic painterly type photo.  I used Topaz Simplify, Impression and Detail on this one.

Street Characters

Revisiting some old files and thought both of these images would lend themselves well to a black and white treatment.  I watched a tutorial using a faux Ansel Adams zone system technique and have been using it, I would love to understand and learn how to implement all 19 zones but for now this will have to suffice. 

Lavender Farm

We visited a lavender farm a few weeks ago in Iowa just outside of Missouri Valley.  It was a sweltering day but definitely plan on returning later in the season when it is a little cooler.

Wildlife at the Smokeys

 It was a fantastic spring for black bears in the Smokey's, that doesn't mean I was successful getting great images but sure did enjoy seeing them with their cubs and sometimes that just has to be enough.  We also saw an abundance of coyotes and they sure weren't as straggly looking as the ones I usually see around here.

This guy almost ended up in our truck, the windows were down and he could

smell the popcorn, we have a photo of his nose print on the side of the door,

poor Dan was getting a little nervous!

Oakland Cemetery in Downtown Atlanta, Georgia

This garden cemetery, founded in 1850, is the final resting place of many of Atlanta’s settlers, builders, and noted citizens like Bobby Jones, Margaret Mitchell, and Maynard Jackson. It is also a showplace of sculpture and architecture, and a botanical preserve with ancient oaks and magnolias.

I love the juxtapose of the old tombstone with the cityscape 

Old Car City USA

  Our vacation a couple of weeks ago included going to Old Car City USA in White, Georgia.  Their claim was to have 34 acres of rusty, crusty, patina covered cars, trucks and other modes of transportation, predominately American made.  We were a little disappointed in it once we got there, I think they need to measure their property again and a lot of the vehicles were really stripped of features we wanted to photograph.  We still had an enjoyable day but I do have to say I will never, the Lord willing be moving south with all that humidity!

Boring Bird on a Fence

  This started as a boring image of a cute little bird on a fence but I decided to try a composite with texture to see what I could do with it.  I started in On1 and layered the bird image on top of the background and masked the background through at 100% opacity, then I painted in and out at about 20% the edges until I was happy with it.  Moved into effects and applied a texture, back into layers where I applied my background on top this time, using the lighten blending mode.  Now into LR where I did some basic adjustment, radial filter and vignette.  Not perfect but for my first composite type image I am happy with the outcome.  Now for more YouTube videos to learn some more techniques.

Bird on fence image

 

Background

Finished composite
 



The Baker Hotel

  We happened upon this grand old hotel on our way home and wish so badly that we could of gotten inside.  The hotel was put on the historical registry and there are plans for restoring it.  We will definitely book a room when and of they get it done! http://www.thebakerhotel.com/

 

 

 

Filming an Episode of Fixer Upper

  The last day we were there they were filming for an upcoming episode of Fixer Upper.  This is were their bakery, The Flour Shop, will be.  Chip was just as friendly and personable as you see on tv. 

 

Magnolia - The Store

First day there the crowd was so large we said forget it!

 

Joanna's signature Magnolia wreath

We closed the place down!