Pink Tulip

I love this pastel pink tulip that has surprised me by returning this spring!  Processed in Photoshop Elements 6.  I used the lasso tool to choose just the blossom and ran a pale pink gradient on it to punch it up ever so slightly.   Then I ran a layer of Topaz Simplify cartoon (custom setting) and layered it on top with a Screen blending mode at 35% Opacity.   Some slight burning was done and the outline added.  Have a great day!

Camera settings: Canon EOS Rebel T1i, F/8, 1/400 sec., ISO 100, focal length 100 mm.  No flash.

Read Full Post »

Bottle Bush

Shooting in late afternoon light (about 4:00 pm), I captured this bottle bush blossom for today’s photo.   Processed in Photoshop Elements 6 with levels adjustment, desaturated and several kinds of brushes added.   Just a touch of whimsy for the day after Thanksgiving!  Hope you all had a great day.

Camera settings: Canon EOS Rebel T1i, F/4.5, 1/50 sec., ISO 100, focal length 37 mm.  No flash.

Read Full Post »

Dusk – Light

Taken again about 8:00 pm.  This is a pink butterfly bush blossom.  On this photo I did a little something different in post processing.  This was processed in Photoshop Elements by adjusting levels, applying Topaz Simplify Harsh Painting adjusted and applied as Overlay over original.  I then burned the result.  I love evening light.

Camera settings: Canon T1i, F/6.3, 1/50 sec., ISO 400, focal length 53 mm.  No flash.

Read Full Post »

Pomegranate Blossom

Our little pomegranate tree has lots of blossoms this year.  They are so bright and cheery!  This was processed in Photoshop Elements by adjusting levels, burning and using a high pass filter.Camera settings: Canon T1i, F/5.6, 1/100 sec., ISO 400, focal length 250 mm.  No flash.

Read Full Post »

Hibiscus

First hibiscus blossom of the year!  Found it hiding amongst the lemon balm.  Processing in Photoshop Elements by adjusting levels, burning, and adding a 50% opacity layer of Topaz cartoon adjusted.  Thanks to everyone who stopped by Tammy’s Blogger of the Month article on the Virtual Photowalk 2010 home page.  I really appreciate all of you!!

Camera settings: Canon T1i, F/5, 1/30 sec., ISO 200, focal length 41 mm.  No flash.

Read Full Post »

Complex

Nothing can be as complex or simple as nature.  Here is the center of an amaryllis blossom.  Complex in structure but simple in design.  Processed in Photoshop Elements by sharpening, adjusting levels and using a High Pass filter.  Finally, I ran it through Topaz DeNoise.    Have a great weekend everyone!

Camera settings: Fujifilm S700, F/3.5, 1/70 sec., ISO 200, focal length 6.3 mm.   No flash.

Read Full Post »

Blossom

Single rose blossom taken from the underside.  Cloned out some branches, dodged and burned, used some Topaz Detail and Adjust.  Adjusted some blending modes.  All done in Photoshop Elements.

Camera settings: F/8, 1/200 sec., ISO 400,  focal length 49 mm.  No flash.

Fixed holes. . . my bad!!

Read Full Post »

Violet

This is one of my first irises to bloom this year.  I processed this by adjusting levels, highlights and burning.  Vignette was formed with the lasso tool with a 40 pixel feather.  I then ran it through Topaz Simplify buz sim and adjusted the settings there as well.  It was finished with a violet stroke outline.  Happy Easter everyone!

Camera settings: F/10, 1/800 sec., ISO 800, focal length 36 mm.  No flash.

Read Full Post »

Five

This little filaree blossom is no more than 1/2 ” in diameter.  I love this pastureland plant because of its sweet, five-petaled lavender blossoms. When green it is excellent fodder for horses and cattle.  When dry, the blossoms form into nasty little stickers that really stick to your socks!.  The stickers are in the shape of a seed on the end of a corkscrew.  When they get wet the corkscrew unwinds; thereby planting the seed in the ground.  Cool, huh?   Only processing here is crop, levels, high pass filter and burning.

Camera settings: F/3.5, 1/105 sec., ISO 64 and focal length 6.3 mm.

Read Full Post »

Open Up Already!!

This honey bee is impatient for this daffodil to open!  Soon he will have plenty to work with as the fruit trees here in the valley will be blooming in the next few weeks.  Almonds are generally first, along with plums, nectarines and apricots.  We have a Blossom Trail here that I will try to travel down once things really start blooming.  But for now, enjoy this little guy and his hunt for pollen.  I cropped, adjusted levels and dodged and burned.

Camera settings: F/5.6, 1/320 sec., ISO 200, focal length 250 mm.

Read Full Post »