Hello everyone,
I hope you all enjoyed your weekend. We enjoyed a lovely skating party on Friday night with some of our family and it was lots of fun for everyone. The moon was bright and we had a bonfire going with hot chocolate or Chai Tea and cookies. Lots of fun but sadly no pics of our moon light skate.
I have been having some fun playing with the Picnik program that is on Picasa-it is a mostly a free program- however there are a few features that you have to pay for.The photo above is after it was sharpened and brightened a little from the original below and a postage stamp frame was added to liven it up a little-it is a Picnik after all!
This was taken with my old point and shoot Canon sureshot a few years ago.
This photo was sharpened,and a layer added to it with a matte frame.I think it looks much better then the before shot staight out of the camera-don't you?
I didn't show the before on all of these as I didn't want to bore you .I think I should have faded the layer on this one a little more.
I love these little vintage skates! I was especially pleased with how this one turned out after I played with it.I added the first two layers to it(that is the part you have to pay for) and a frame plus some sharpening.
Olivia and I enjoying a Saturday morning skate-it is quickly becoming my favorite winter exercise.Some of our grandchildren enjoyed it so much on Friday night they came back Saturday and Sunday! I love to see their rosy pink cheeks and smiling faces.
Well,I am sure many of you are adept at using photoshop etc.but I thought there might be a few more timid souls like myself that are still just learning how to do these fun things that might want to start with an easy program like picnik. I do have a photoshop program but have yet to learn how to add layers on it but that will be my goal for this year. There are so many good tutorials free online to learn how to improve your photographs.Have you checked out the Pioneer Woman blog there is lots of great information there!
What about you-do you have any helpful sites or info you would like to share?
Thank you for visiting,
Carolyn
25 comments:
Carolyn,
These are fun to see...nice work! I just recommended Picnik to a fellow blogger yesterday. I find it really relaxing to work with photos like that! Have a good week and thanks for the inspiring photos!
dotsie
Hi Carolyn, These are fabulous. Great job. Jen.
Your images are wonderful! Love the skates. I use Picnik all the time, it's such a great site, Love it! Your skating party sounds like it was so fun, xo
I've been wanting to use one of these programs to enhance my own pictures, Carolyn. I should try Picnik and make this the year that I actually do fiddle around with it. All your pictures look wonderful and especially seeing the before and afters are a good reason to get me going.
Learning to do layers is on my to do list for this coming year too. There are several sites that have free actions and textures that you can add. I have been wanting to try them but I need to understand layers to do that.
One think that I have found most helpful is Pinterest. There are so many photography and Photoshop tutorials that you can find there.
I like Picnik! I had not thought to purchase more - but your pictures are amazing! Putting thought to it! I hope you have a great week!
Kathy
Oh Carolyn, if only it were picnic time! Alas it has been a fairly warm winter though so I really can't complain. My husband would love a cup of that Chai! He's a big fan!
I use photoshop all the time, but. I also have a subscription to Picnik. It's a wonderful site and my younger daughter just loves it. Every now and then i use Picasa to edit a photo but not very often. Mostly I use it to organize my pictures.
Oooh, Carolyn! I am IN LOOOVE!!! You have motivated me to get my --- in gear and working on my photos! Haha Thank you so much for this treasure of info.
You and Olivia look so sweet on your skates together. I can just sense the fun you all are having on your new pond. What a blessed life! Enjoy. Enjoy. Enjoy.
Hugs to you all,
Linda and Midge XO
You had me with the basket picture and then you had me again with the shoes. I especially was taken with the little shoe with what looks like sewing bobbins as wheels. Wow. I want to make one now. The editing is so fabulous.
Hi Carolyn, I love what you did with your images with Picnik. I use it some too but have never used the apps that cost as I wasn't sure how much they are. If you use an app do you pay every time? Just wondering. I need to experiment more with my photos too. It's fun! Have a great week.
hmmm...one day when I have some good pics with potential, i just may have to see what can be done with them in Picnik. In the meantime, I'll drool over you pictures! They are soooo lovely.
Oh Carolyn, all of your photos are exquisite, whether you do just aim and shoot or use other programs.
I'm totally ignorant of Picnik, etc. I'm strickly aim and shoot with my trusty little inexpensive camera. But I'm very happy with it.
Take care and have a nice Monday. So glad you and your sweet family had fun on the ice. You look great! Susan
I love Lunapic and Big Huge Labs. Very user friendly and since I'm Tech Challenged that's very important to me. I have always had trouble getting Picnik to load for some reason and most of the functions you have to upgrade to at a cost... I'm all about the freebies until I get good enough at it that investing in a program might make more sense. Your Images are always amazing, you do a great job and they're always picture postcard perfect IMO, which is a Natural Talent.
Happy New Year from the Arizona Desert... Dawn... The Bohemian
Thank you Carolyn for your advice on picnic. I'm a little timid to make use of all the info that claims to be enhancing these days. I am an old time user of Neopaint and I guess I should come out of my own darkroom. I'll make this year a year to enhance my photos. Your photos are lovely to look at.
I will check out Pioneer Women, thanks for the tip.
Let's see helpful sites to share..I like to visit Stephanie at http://rowanberrystudio.blogspot.com/ Hookin, Knittin & Livin, if she isn't knitting she is taking lovely photos.
These days I'm crafting and with my new blog over at Scrap'n and Wire Wrap'n http://scrapandwrap.ca/ I'm trying to stay away from work and just play for awhile and because it is such a new site I could use some visitors. I just finished a seaglass lamp.
Take care and have a great week.
XX
Once again you amaze me. I don't have Photoshop...hahaha but you already knew that, didn't you? My meager newbie photos depress me, but one day I hope to improve. My heart and mind are definately in the right direction towards that goal.
I absolutely positively love your photo talents, one of the absolute gems of Blogland, Carolyn!
I daresay, though, I think your before photos are awesome. It is easy to fall into the temptation of overdoing borders.....love the changes, but love the originals a great deal, too.
I *do* love the way it sharpens the photos. as if they needed improvement. who knew!??
Lovely post, really like that new program you are learning!
Lovely Images! Have a great week! Zazá
Hi Carolyn & Happy New Year!!!! I love the work you did with your photos. I TOO WANT TO MASTER PHOTOSHOP! But, it is so intimidating! I love what you did with the shoes/skates. I had no idea Picnik did that! I use it to do collages & nothing more. I need to check out more on this subject. I also need to start creating again... I have been in a slump. Your skating sounds wonderful. COLD but, wonderful! I just found you before the Holidays & put you on my sidebar so I can keep up with your wonderful blog. I look forward to getting to know you in 2012! Happy New Year! Charlene
Carolyn,
I haven't tried Picnik but want to after seeing your wonderful pictures.
Love the snowman.
Happy Monday,
Barb
Thanks for the photo advice. Have a wonderful day.
What fun. You created lovely photos. V
Beautiful posts! The green in the first few really pops and I adore green!
I really love read about you and dream with your pictures!
Love
Diana
I love picnik too Caroyln. When I first discovered it and started doing lots of fun things with it I found it stopped loading my blog posts if I had used things with the borders~so I am not sure if something has changed to allow them to load. I still use it, but I never add frames and borders anymore. Lots of cut and paste can stop a blog from loading too...
Darling Carolyn these little shoes are stunning!
What a tenderness...
And all your photos are always beautiful!
Silvia
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