Archive for the ‘I *Heart* Faces’ Category

I ♥ Faces - Yellow

May 23, 2010

I was so excited to see this weeks theme for I Heart Faces pop up on Facebook tonight! I knew the perfect picture. Last month I was running typical Mommy errands and found a beautiful field of yellow wild flowers. That weekend, after nap time, I snatched up my daughter and headed to the field. She was less-than-thrilled,  but I snapped anyways. Turns out, it was a good thing that I did as just 3 days later the city mowed the fields down. I literally had tears in my eyes. I was angry that they could do that. You see, this dress that my daughter has on will never fit again. It’s not just any yellow dress. It belonged to her GiGi (my Mom) and it was made my my Mom’s Aunt Sarah, my namesake. So, the dress is roughly 57 years old. (My mother keeps EVERYTHING!) The doll that is hidden is also special. It is made from a pillow case that my Dad’s grandmother hand tatted - so it’s easily 80 - 90 years old. I was just sick that this is the only shot I got. At the same time, I love it. It is truly priceless to me. I really need to get on the ball and have it printed and hung, just need to figure out where! So, here’s my entry for week #21!

Madeline
 

Be sure to check out other great photos by clicking on the camera below!!

Share and Enjoy:

Robyn: Oh my goodness, I loveee this!! Super cute! : )

sophie crew: Oh so sweet! I love the summer sun feeling in this!! Lovely!

corrie: soooo precious!!!!

Jennifer: Such a sweet shot!

Vissarah: Wow! Love you photo! It's absolutely beautiful!

Pam D: That is beautiful! So glad for you that you got the shot; no matter what, you have a great capture for a lifetime. What lovely memories are wrapped up in the dress and doll... so sweet!

Megan: It is so darn sweet!

melissa d.: this is absolutely precious!

Kristi Mangan: Wow! Absolute Perfection! LOVE this!!!

Dawn Howeth: Very nice picture. Isn't it wonderful that you have captured THAT moment in time? Very sweet and I'm sure that your family will treasure this picture forever!

Tara: Just precious, great pic

Evelyn: Such a classic picture! So glad you were able to capture this. You'll treasure it forever.

brianna: So Sweet! I love it. What a beauty. You really captured the moment and enhanced it with your processing. Beautiful.

Susie L: What a beautiful picture - so much meaning behind it. Sorry to hear that gorgeous field was mowed down.

Kristy: Beautiful! What a priceless picture!

casandra heeren: priceless... and so beautiful!!

Angie: This so precious! I love the colors :)

Denise: Beautiful!

Mandy: This picture is so beautiful! Although this yellow field may be gone now, perhaps this can be a new tradition for you and your daughter. Each year take a shot in a golden field. Best of luck!

Candy Howard: Oh my goodness! Oh my goodness! This just fabulous!

Faith: WOW! This is such a great capture for the i heart faces challenge! LOVE it!

Jocelyn: What a beautiful picture!! Precious, precious, precious!

heather jones: what a gorgeous photo!

Ashley: AWW what a sweet photo. She is so precious and I love the picture, especially the editing! Great job!

Sandra: beautiful capture!

melody: I love this photograph. It's so soft and old fashioned. It's really striking.

Katie Lou: SUPER love this! Awesome!

Rosemary Hayes: Perfection. What a perfect little scene. Great job.

Andrea: What a little cutie! I LOVE the yellow dress and flowers! Good job!

Lisa: Wow...beautiful everything! And I like the story behind the dress.

Lisa Kryschuk: Oh that is GORGEOUS!

Tina Prainito: Oh wow! Touching photo and story! Making the top 10 makes it even more special! Congratulations!!!! :)

laurel: I love this one. So beautiful and peaceful feeling. Congratulations!

life with kaishon: Oh my goodness. I love your picture and I LOVE the sweet memories that go along with it. Precious.

Jill: Luv it! You do awesome work girl!

It’s been a while since I was able to participate in an IHF Challenge! This little girl was adorable and I just couldn’t resist putting down the books and playing in Light Room! You see, I’m a new lightroom convert. I’ve been using it about 3 weeks now and I’m slowing catching on. Sure, I have my moments where I kick and scream and threaten to beat my computer, but honestly??? It’s soo much easier! (Thanks for teaching me Andrea Joki!) The only thing I used photoshop for was to dodge the eyes and resize for web!

Here’s the image I started with….

4463354463_0c14705184_b-12

And here’s what I got after about 6 minutes of editing….

4463354463_0c14705184_b-1-edit1

And what I did…

In Lightroom…
1. Adjusted white balance using her sclera for a neutral starting point.
2. Adjusted exposure to +87, it just needed to be bright!
3. Cropped to 5×7
4. Exported to CS4

In Photoshop…
5. Used small brush at 10% to dodge eyes
6. Resized for web
7. USM

Share and Enjoy:

mary: Beautiful edits! Love those catchlights. :)

Melanie: Wow. Beautiful edit in six minutes! Just gorgeous eyes.

Kimberly Marie: Wow! Great edit :) The color is beautiful... and I agree about those eyes! gorgeous!

Nepal: Amaizing photography....! I found it full of informative and useful for every photography lovers. Nepal

I Heart Faces - Textures!

January 25, 2010

I’m excited to be able to participate in the I Heart Faces challenge this week. I’ve only starting playing with textures and I can already tell that I have a new-found love!! This sweet baby boy belongs to my bestfriend and as I was proofing her gallery, it just spoke to me. It screamed out for special texture. Honestly, it’s the first time I’ve done something like this on a client’s image - and I think I’m hooked! I hope you all enjoy!

-Sarah-

baby texture

 

There are some amazing entries. Click on this to check some of them out for yourself!!

Share and Enjoy:

Kristi: Oh my heavens, I could just kiss those little cheeks. I love that age. Makes me want to have another one... Gorgeous!

EBPitcher: Lovely!

Elizabeth: Great shot..I so want to kiss those lips!!! Wonderful!

RhondaD: What an adorable baby boy. I do love the subtle texture! Oh- and those lips- beautiful!

Katherine: What a stunning baby! And I love what you've done with the textures and colors; very pretty!

serline: Beautiful image and texture.

Rose: Hello This photograph is very cute photograph.Baby looks very nice and peaceful.I must say that its a great shot.Thank you..

Amanda: This is such a beautiful shot. Almost gives me baby fever.

seo: Hey, I just wanted to say what a excellent website. I certainly enjoyed it and found it interesting reading. Anticipating your next post!

Jen Parker: Beautiful texture, nice soft light. He looks so peaceful! Great capture...

Kaitlynn: Everything about this is beautiful - the baby, the lighting, the texture. Did you use Florabella on this??

Caysee: Ohhh, my poor ovaries. LOVE it!

Debrah: Perfection.

Jacqueline: Awww, I love this. Beautifully done.

Kerry: Absolutely adorable photo.

Krissy Allori: Ooooh, I LOVE the texture. What a perfect photo!

Sophie Crew: Gorgeous! I love the use of texture in this image - it's perfection!!!

Anya Coleman: So cute!!!

It’s been a while since I was able to participate in the weekly challenges at I ♥ Faces. School has kept me very busy. But, when I saw this week’s theme my heart skipped a beat! I took this picture of my daughter a few weeks ago while visiting my Nannie (her great-grandmother) She had fallen asleep on the living room floor - so peaceful. I adore having a daughter and even her big brother is quick to tell you that she’s a Princess. I think the truth is that I love it when she’s sleeping because it’s quiet :)

I have received a few emails asking about my settings: d300   sb800 (1/4 power bounced 45 degree angle behind me) 
   ISO 1600     90mm      f5    0.1 sec. (I was resting the camera/lens on the floor)

sleeping-blog

 

 

i_heart_faces_hm 

Share and Enjoy:

Angie from The Arthur Clan: This is just absolutely precious! So glad to have you back entering the challenges. :) ~Angie co-founder of I Heart Faces

JSELEP: Wonderful lighting and color.

Angie: Photography is a science, I am learning. It appears as if you have mastered it!! Just a perfect picture...in every way.

mindy: So clear, as if I could reach out and touch her. Well done! mindy

karen: oh i love that time of the day too, beautiful photo

Trina: awww, adorable! Her eyelashes are sooo sharp!

PicsbyMic: I love the close up pic! The angle is perfect!

misty: Perfection!

Becca: I LOVE this shot - the soft processing and colors are just perfect!

Mollie Kendall: oh those lashes!! Gorgeous Shot :)

Amy: Beautiful Girl.. Just precious..

Vika: So sweet! What a precious little girl. Nice capture.

Tara.: Oh, that's just so sweet. The color and lighting is terrific!

Christine: Beautiful! Just beautiful!

Alicia: hehe i love your comment. Their curiosity and energy is endearing but sometimes quiet is very necessary! I love the innocence, she's beautiful.

yan palmer: most precious shot ever! i don't use the p word lightly!

Lori: What a great year in review! I especially love the baby on the little bed, but it's so hard to choose!

Fix-It Friday #16

June 6, 2009

Alright, so I’m a day late on this, but I love playing so better-late-than-never here!!!

1.  Ran a Defog - USM @ 20, 60, 0
2.  S curve using curves layer
3.   Skin Casts Blast by MCP. Used bye bye shrek & blueberry. Both at 100%
4.   Dodge around eyes @ 50%. USM
5.  Warm up by Child’s Play
6.  Cindy’s Periwinkle Haze
7.  Burned midtones @ 80%
8.  Crop

 

fix it friday

See more great “fixes” by clicking here!

Share and Enjoy:

I was so excited to see this weeks theme! It couldn’t have come at a better time as my little girl turns one on Thursday! I’ve been planning to do these pictures for a couple of weeks now! I had originally planned to show them when I did her Happy Birthday post, but here’s a sneak peak just for this week’s I Heart Faces entry! Keep an eye out on my blog for more to come!!

 friendswood child photographer

Want to see more? Click Here!

 

Special Thanks to Misty @ MG Studios! I used her lights, paper & cake! It’s awesome to have a friend who is so willing to help you learn! She’s awesome in the studio and a great friend! Thanks MG!

Share and Enjoy:

Hana: awesome! How fun!! Great shot!

meghan poort: Oh I love this! I have some one year old sessions coming up and this totally inspired me!

April: These cake shots are so adorable. You really captured her personality!

josie: This is a great picture love the lightening, and what you captured in her eyes. Very nice.

Denise in MN: CUTE!!!

casandra heeren: this is just too cute! what a great expression you captured!

Race: very cute baby! you've got a great shot there!

Kathy: OMGosh!! Adorable! LOVE it!!!

erica: oh my this is so much fun! what a precious picture!

Andrea: I love how pink is the theme here as much as birthday is. What an absolutely fun photo!

Life with Kaishon: Oh my gosh! Too sweet for words. I LOVE this picture. Love it to pieces. Congratulations on being a winner! You take lovely pictures.

Carebear: Congrats on your top ten finish this week! How very exciting. Such a cute photo - I can see why it was chosen!!!

Becca: This picture is AMAZING! I love the pink and brown and that little cutie! :-) great entry! and congrats!

This weeks fix was fun to play with, especially since the little girl was adorable!!! Here’s the original image….

3574028268_a21ba1232a_f

The steps I took in cs3…..

1. exposure fixer-upper (Childs Play) at 74%
2. skin cast blasts (MCP Actions) blueberry @ 41%,  shrek @ 37%, mellow yellow @ 100%
3.  Phaunt’s eye pop & sharpen @ 60%
4.  MCP powder your nose to mask some of the noise in the shadows of her face
5.  Slight burn around the edges
6.  Resize/Sharpen for web

 fif-15-edits
 
This picture was too adorable not to play around with some more. For my black and white, I used the medium black and white from Simple by Sarah Actions. For the third image, I used a freebie action I picked up somewhere - Cindy’s Periwinkle. When I use that one, I do a slight burn around the entire picture to bring back the shadows and give the face depth.

Share and Enjoy:

Becca: What great fixes! :-) I love learning from everyone's work!

alice: thanks for the step-by-step, i really want to learn from this. all 3 of your edits are gorgeous. i wouldn't know which one to pick if i was her mom - lol! they are all beautiful! i don't really know what i'm doing, but please feel free to check my edit out and give me some pointers - i want to learn from this :O), thanks!

Confessions of a Working Mom: This is my photo, so thanks so much for participating in Fix It Friday this week! Your edits are beautiful! The b&w is my favorite :) Happy Friday!

Misty Sparks: Great plays, Sarah :) & I love Cindy's Periwinkle action & the b/w one that came with it, also!

valentina: i would love to learn this work so much....and i want learn how edit image like you...can you help me please?! thank you so much!!!

I was soo excited when I saw the theme for Week 20! I immediately had the perfect image ready to go! I took this of my little brother last year just before he graduated from High School. Our house faced the East and we were able to witness the most beautiful sunrises! I truly miss living in the panhandle! We were up bright and early to capture this shot, but it was worth the missed zzzz’s! Except for a slight crop and resize, this image is SOOC and one of my favorite pictures I’ve ever taken!

Cowboy Sunrise

Want to see more great silhouettes? Click this button!

Share and Enjoy:

Christina: WOW! Stunning! Truly stunning. I have no other words.

Carebear: Fantastic. A winner in my book! Love it. BTW, are you on flickr? There is a maddie that I "bump into" from time to time, wondering if its you?

Chocolate on my Cranium: AWESOME!!!! Especially because we live on a 2,500 acre ranch. :D

Tess: WOW! Wow! WOW! I love this one! The Cowboy hat got me but the light haloing just wowed me!

Shannon H: LOVE this shot!

Herb of Grace: Oh my. Truly stunning. The absolute classic Old West shot. Congratulations! My money's on you for the top ten this week :)

Julie: Absolutely stunning! I love the colors and everything else about the image.

alice: wow! makes me wonder why i even entered my photo - lol! yours is stunning - excellent work!

lisa Noel: love it!!! who can resist a cowboy http://www.lisanoel03.blogspot.com

Rosina: Oh my. For being SOOC, this image is absolutely stunning! It is a perfect silhouette. Well done!!!!!

Hana: WOW! Absolutely stunning image! This is a winner hands down! Hope to see this one on saturday! Great job!

Alyssa @ CrazyBusy: AWE.SOME. Wow. You even got rim lighting around his legs.

jennifer: this is all wow. and zer.

Ashlei: Sarah, this is one of my favorites that you have taken!!!

This one was a little more difficult for me - I would have preferred to have stared with the RAW file as under-exposed images are easier to correct in ACR. But I have what I have, so this is what I did! (I used some random actions I’ve acquired over the years, so I’m not exactly sure of some creators)

fif-12-compare1

1. Crop and stretch canvas using tutorial by MCP Actions
2. Lighten Darks Atn - Presto
3. Sunshine in your hands atn by Phaunt
4. Exposure Fixerupper by Childsplay
5. Eye pop & sharpen by Phaunt
6. Subtle color atn x2 by Indie Actions
7. Fixed hots spot on the cheek by using the patch tool
8. Magic Skin by MCP Actions @ 64%
9. JPG deblocking by alienware - 100%
10. Slight burn around edges
11. resize & sharpen for web

Want to see some more great fixes? Click the button below!

Share and Enjoy:

Allison Cook: http://s701.photobucket.com/albums/ww15/pixey03/?action=view&current=fif-12-compare1.jpg This is my version above. Here is what I did: *Used the Shadow/highlight feature under Adjustments *Adjusted the Curves *Adjusted the Levels manually *Patched the right cheek up a bit *Slight diffuse glow Tada :)

theArthurClan: I love the way you stretched the canvas. That technique works perfectly on this photo! Awesome job. :) ~Angie co-founder of iHeartFaces

Stephanie Roper: Very bright and colorful! great job

Becca: Yours looks so pretty! :-) I love it!

shae: very nice. i like the crop

Teresa: Beautiful bright color! I love your recipe for this fix!

Amanda J.: Very cool!

I typically hate self-portraits - see that triple chin? That is the BIGGEST reason! I was taking pictures tonight of our new “home” for the next several weeks and was letting Madeline depress the shutter. I chimped and realized that this would actually fit into this weeks theme. I didn’t participate last week - was feeling too sulky! So, here’s my self-portrait/reflection - that’s my ugly mug you see in the front of my 17-55mm - trust me, the lens is looking better today than me! If I had known this shot was happening, I would have at least put on some makeup :)

Click this button to check out the other great entries!!

Reflections

Share and Enjoy:

Becca: How cool! I love this :-)