Everybody is 'shoppin'

To shop or not to shop... No It's not Carrie Bradshaw contemplating a purchase of a new pair of shoes.. To Shop is now one of the new verbs in our popular culture meaning To Photoshop. Just about every picture you see in the media, from the cover of magazines, to photo journalism and now down to lowly little ole me.., that picture has made it's way through Photoshop. It dawned on me in high school, that if my photography was ever going to look "different", I better learn dark room techniques and procedures. And I knew that wasn't going to happen, so I pretty much put down the camera. Then I purchased my first digital camera about 7 years ago, realized the darkroom had gone digital and the internet was chock full of help for photographers from lighting and composition to digital darkroom instruction. My interest was rekindled. I've not spent much time shooting pictures this last year. I have spent a lot of time viewing excellent (and mediocre) photographs and digital manipulation examples trying to learn and to figure out "my style". How I want my pictures to look.. my "different" desire. I still haven't figured it out. Maybe I just don't have any talent and the best I can hope for is to make my snaps look the best they can.


The above is pretty much a classic Photoshop retouch with a little secret ingredient thrown in.. I likey.. especially the subject...



The above photo is a Photoshop retouch, taking out the offending line, and increasing color saturations and blowing out the highlights - which seems to be favy amongst the wedding photographer crowd these days. I likey - but it really just enables a blah photo to be a "wow" photo... not sure I really want to see something like this blown up and looked at for years too come.. Don't look too close - I didn't spend much time taking out the line...

BTW - for those interested.. these were taken with my little P&S; a Canon SD800..
a sweet little thing that is fun for snaps.. I haven't become comfortable enough on the boat yet to bring out the DSLR, but I will soon and will enjoy using the 10-20 ultra wide in this challenging space of the GullyWhumperII.

Blue Skies

These last few days have been what I term, "Chamber of Commerce" weather. Lukewarm (mid 70's), abundant sunshine and mild breezes. Florida markets this stuff like it used to market a glass of Florida Orange Juice. We watch the weather like a hawk now, looking for just the right mix to go for a sail. And yesterday was it. It was perfect. I had to pinch myself a couple of times. A little work in the morning, a quick trip to the Chiropractor (a quack??), take the puppies out, and out the door at 12:30 and launch at 1:10. Hard to beat that, unless of course you had money coming out your ears and other openings.. and could afford that home on the beach and walk across the street to where you keep your boat on an inland canal... maybe my next life..But for right now this is pretty darn good.