This was one of those weeks that I wasn’t exactly jazzed about any of my pictures. They were all just…meh. Well, except for one.
week 3. escort.
This photo was one of those that I just snapped, there was no set up or begging the children to cooperate. I love it when it’s easy.
I wish I would have saved a copy of this photo SOOC (straight out of the camera) to show how great a few simple edits in Photoshop changed this okay picture into a pretty darn good one.
Speaking of Photoshop, one of the reasons I’m doing this whole 365 project is because I need to actually learn how to use the version of Photoshop that’s been on my computer for over 2 years (Elements 6). I’ve found Photoshop to be incredibly frustrating, but I refuse to buy any books about how to use it because reading something like that sounds about as fun as a root canal. I just want to magically know how to use it.
I did find a FANTASTIC, LIFE CHANGING tutorial on Pioneer Woman’s site. It was so simple to follow and basically I’ve done a version of this very thing to every single picture I’ve taken the past three weeks. This tutorial covered the whole “layers” thing, which is PIVOTAL to Photoshop success and explains why I never could get it to do anything for me before.
Of course, I still have a looooooong way to go with learning Photoshop. For example, I need to start using some of the actions I’ve downloaded from Coffee Shop Photography. It’s sorta kinda complicated to get the actions to work, so I just need about a month of uninterrupted time on the computer to work on it. (See also: Things that will never happen.)
Just for giggles, please note the picture below. I decided to do some experimenting in Photoshop. The color? Is atrocious. In my defense, you shoulda seen it before I did anything to it. It looked even worse. I was sick of photo editing by the time it got to this point, so this was the final result. GEEZ. I’m LEARNING, okay??
For anybody who is still reading and decides to comment on this terribly boring photography babble post, I just want to say that you are a true friend. For those of you who think Photoshop is sooooo easy, I’ve got my fingers in my ears saying, “La, la, la, la. I CAN’T HEAR YOU.”
You can see my entire set of photos for my project 365 {2010} on Flickr.
Oh, I really want to learn Photoshop. I’m taking a class in March and hoping that will kick me in the tail to get me started. So, I, for one, love reading about what you’re learning!
.-= Mary @ Giving Up on Perfect´s last blog ..A Woman Inspired ticket winner =-.
A class is a great idea! I should look around here and see if I can find one.
That rain shot is just wonderful. I am imagining all the secret conversations the two of them are having under that dinosaur umbrella.
.-= Stacia´s last blog ..My Balance is Green. Isn’t Yours? =-.
My 3 yr old son was here as I was reading and now, because of that last picture, he won’t stop saying “Elmo!”.
.-= C @ Kid Things´s last blog ..Another First =-.
Well, you won’t hear it from me. I am not even sure how long Photoshop has been on one of my computers and Elements on the other. sigh. Every time I try, I get flustered. And yeah, I try to fuss with it and read over stuff, and life happens, and I get up from the computer…and my photos all still look the same. Maybe sometime.
When Photoshop had that crazy deal going where upgrading from PSE to CS4 was <$200, I upgraded to CS4. SO GLAD I did because then I could install the Pioneer Woman Actions and the Coffeshop Actions. That is what is really helping me to learn Photoshop because I now have example actions with tons of layers that I can play around with to understand what specific layer types do to photos.
My focus right now is getting better shots out of the camera so I love using the Actions for a quick edit. For example, I used PW Boost and PW Light Sharpen for this photo. Two minute edit and it's my favorite I took last week:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/99098514@N00/4291515777/
I also like checking out PW's B&W and Rita's B&W to compare different conversion types.
.-= LauraC´s last blog ..Changes =-.
What a deal! I’ll need to watch for something like that. I know that right now, there is no way on EARTH that my husband would “let” me upgrade without ever having attempted in the past two years to even learn the version I have.
I have several actions saved and downloaded from Rita that I just need to install. Many of hers don’t work for my fairly old version of PSE, but I found a few that are supposed to work…now to find the time to get them installed and time to play around with them.
I’ve had a couple of root canals and I assure you they hurt me less than trying to learn Photoshop would. Kudos to you for your efforts. I’ve been enjoying your photos oodles.
.-= Rebecca at Toothwhale´s last blog ..Gastroenteritis took down the weekend =-.
I too have photoshop elemetns, and it also boggles my mind. But I love looking at *other* people’s photography. Also, I actually love that last photo and can’t see anything wrong with the color.
.-= Marie Green´s last blog ..(More) Family Douchebaggery =-.
Really? You don’t think it’s too orange? Well, thank you for not agreeing with me!
I’ve just upgraded from Photoshop Elements (which I only halfway know how to use) to Photoshop CS4 for my Mac. Apple offers a free two hour workshop on CS4 so I’m going to take it this week. I NEED to learn photoshop. I get so frustrated with my minimal knowledge. I’ll go check out the Pioneer Woman link right now. Maybe it will help so I don’t look quite as stupid at my class this week?
.-= Twenty Four At Heart´s last blog ..Clear Skies =-.
I’d love to upgrade to the Mack daddy PS, but until I learn to use the cheap version, my husband would divorce me if I tried to buy yet another version!
I love the picture!! It is great.
my husband is an expert in photoshop (like, really, he does it for a living)… and it drives me crazy that he can fix pictures in a matter of seconds when i struggle for hours only to get an ‘eh’ result.
.-= MommyNamedApril´s last blog ..Sunday Citar =-.
First…I think your pictures are great
Second…if autofix (on my non-photoshop editing software) does not make my photos look better I give up. If I try to do it automatically, they look horrible.
.-= Shannon @ Shany’s Point´s last blog ..Is it wrong??? =-.
I was just wondering how much of a slacker I am that I don’t give a shit if my pictures have terrible lighting or layers or any of that fancy stuff you talked about. I mean, I didn’t even do a baby book for my only kid, so I think the fact that I’m even taking pics at all is a great improvement.
I do, however, enjoy looking at your photos.
.-= Shelly´s last blog ..Book Club =-.
I don’t think you’re a slacker at all. I don’t edit every single photo I take. Most pictures I take are just for the sake if having a visual reminder of the event. I edit the phitos that I think are pretty good shots.
Of course with this 365 project, I’m editing a lot more than I used to.
i’m dying to get my hands on photoshop. soon. well. after maternity leave. which is bound to kick my wallet’s you know what.
love your pictures … must remember to befriend you in flickr. if i don’t? i’m jenniferlivolson on there …
let’s be photofriends.
.-= jen´s last blog ..sun / son … =-.
That first photo is great. It totally captures a moment.
.-= Stimey´s last blog ..Birth of a Scientist? =-.
Thank you for the Photoshop link! Every time I open PS I poke around for a while and then I crack my laptop in half over my knee. I hope this will help.
You’re a stronger woman than me, Jennifer! After a year I (mostly) gave up on Photoshop Elements and switched to Lightroom. Even though it killed him to plunk down more money on photo editing software, my husband couldn’t stand one more session of me swearing at the computer. I never could figure out the layers thing (even with an 800 page manual) – and you’re so right. Figuring out layers is essential to being able to do the cool things you want to do in Photoshop.
PW’s tutorials are really good, though. Have you tried Darren Rowse’s (the Pro Blogger guy) Digital Photography School? I’ve found tons of useful tutorials there, too. I can only imagine how useful they’d be for someone who actually figured out layers!
I have hears nothing but great things about Lightroom. My husband would be so tucked off if I bought even more software without even trying to learn what I have. Hmmm….maybe now that I’m trying to learn PSE, maybe I CAN go ahead and get Lightroom!
Love the pictures! Keep persevering with photoshop! Don’t buy a book, just keep looking things up online and you’ll be able to do most of what you want, maybe not the fastest, but at least a work-around.
.-= rabbi’s wife´s last blog ..Because I don’t really want to abandon my blog… =-.
I’ve always thought your pictures were amazing, photoshop or not.
But you’ll get it. It’s really easy. *snort*
.-= sam {temptingmama}´s last blog ..Clouded =-.
La, la, la. I can’t hear you! Well except for the part about my pictures being great. Thank you!
I love the photos…especially the first!
I could have written this post, except insert Elements 8 for elements 6! I just started the 365 thing because I NEED to learn to use this whole photoshop thing too!
i just found that PW tutorial LAST NIGHT and was planning to get started on it today!
TWINSIES!
.-= ali´s last blog ..Arch. Enemies. =-.
First of all, I love, love, LOVE that first picture. It is perfection on so many levels. Secondly, I would love to know how to use Photoshop. I don’t even own the program, but the one I sometimes use at work, I always seem to do too much, and make it all unnatural.
.-= ~ifer´s last blog ..Voices in My Head =-.
I made up my mind about a year ago that I would rather work on taking better SOOC photos than spend my time learning Photoshop. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.
.-= Burgh Baby´s last blog ..Finding Her Purpose =-.
Hey, excellent shots. Though sometimes, I have to say, the best shots are those that aren’t edited by photoshop. I guess you can say that being all-natural is true beauty. But I guess it’s cool too.
I agree that sometimes, an all-natural photo is best. I often like to add some brightness, though a lot of the time that gets lost somehow.
My goal with using Photoshop is usually not to completely change an image from the original, but to make it brighter and have the colors pop a bit more.
I love both of those shots. Sometimes it’s the simple pictures that turn out the best.
Hey, a random question for you…where’d you get that umbrella? My best friends son would adore it.
.-= Issa´s last blog ..I’d like to be this strong one day =-.
I saw your comment today on Twitter about not commenting on blogs, I’m glad you commented here today!
I will ask my mom where she got the umbrella. It came as a set with a raincoat and rain boots.
I have been wanting to learn Photoshop for a while now but am scared of it. I think a class IS a good idea and I am going to look for one in my area right now! Wish you were still here and we could be Photoshop nerds together. Oh well…
The umbrella picture looks like it should be on a greeting card. SO cute.
.-= Natalie´s last blog ..Mmmm Monday: Spicy White Castle Dip =-.
since I kept reading all the way to the end…WITH UNDERSTANDING…I am a friend! Woot!!!
In other news…I have the same version, and love the same sites…Plus, am a total smart ass so the book by Scott Kelby for PSE6 is FAB. He’s a total smart ass and even says things like “but since I’m too lazy to do that, let me show you the fast way”…not a direct quote, but you get me.
you’ll have to google it or amazon it or something because I am too damn lazy to do so…or to get up and go look at mine…that, might I add has TONS of sticky notes poking out of it at every angle. 
also…I like to use … today. Apparently. A lot. lol
now, if YOU are still reading…you’re MY friend.
heehee
Dana
.-= Dana´s last blog ..Remembering the Dream =-.
Hmmm, that actually seems like a good book. Not as root canal-y as I imagined. Maybe I can find it used on Amazon.
PS. I am a HUGE fan of ellipses…
I would love to try photoshop, but it scares me!
Great pics!
.-= Natalia Burleson´s last blog ..Goals wk 4 and a recipe and a tip! =-.
I think the picture of the kids in the rain, is fantastic!
If you want a primer on Photoshop the best tutorial I’ve come across was “Classroom in a Book”
$30 on Amazon and you’re all set
Photography is one of my favourite hobby other then music….Hence it was quiet obvious for me to be a part of this discussion….The first picture got to remind me of our childhood days when we use to share in a single umbrella and get to have lots for fun partially playing in rain…..
.-= Mio Navman Spirit S300´s last blog ..Kay Gilderdale has ‘no regrets’ over helping her daughter die =-.
Photoshop scares the pants off me. I should have paid better attention in school. (Although I think that was version DARK AGES.) Also, husband would divorce me for even thinking of purchasing.
.-= Brigid´s last blog ..lesson learned =-.
I actually think that grocery cart photo is pretty cool. So descriptive of a mom’s day-to-day life with a toddler/preschooler. I especially like that she is holding Curious George fruit snacks (my 3-year-old loves those).
And that picture of the two kids under the umbrella? Gorgeous.
.-= Stephanie´s last blog ..Finding My Bliss (right here) (right now) =-.
both of these shots are amazing. Some day I’ve got to scrape together enough money to get photoshop I so want to play around with those tools.
.-= coffeejitters (Judy Haley)´s last blog ..Why I can’t ever blink. =-.