My little Rock Star

I am so pleased with this photo that I will definitely have to do a scrapbook layout for it. I haven't really played about with the filters in PSE before but I had a go this week and they are so cool. You can get some amazing effects. It's not often that DD1 is a willing model but I think the electric guitar helped a bit and even she had to admit that she loved this pic. I am much more confident in trying out different things in PSE now and at least if it all goes horribly wrong I can always do ctrl Z.

Pictures of the past

We have this old camera that sits on top of the piano and gets ignored most of the time but when I was trying to get some pics for my photography workshop I saw it in a new light. There I was snapping away with my lovely Canon Powershot S5 IS and I suddenly remembered that this time last year I thought I would never be able to get off the auto setting and I was scared stiff of fiddling with any of the settings in case I broke it. Now I never use auto, I'm a manual girl these days. It made me look at the old camera in a different way because even though it is old and less technologically advanced than what is available to us now, I still wouldn't have the first clue how it works.

Places we never go.

I'm really motivated to get out and about with my camera this week because I have just started a new photography workshop with CJ at Feel Good Photos. Yesterday I went to Stormont estate, the home of the Northern Ireland Assembly. It is a very large, picturesque estate with grounds that the public can walk through. The main drive leads up to Parliament Buildings which are enormous and very grand. It struck me that I don't really come here often and yet it is only 20 mins from my house and is a major tourist attraction. The last time I was here was back in 2001 to see the Eagles in concert.

Anyway I got to thinking about all the other tourist hotspots in Northern Ireland that I don't visit. I suppose that is the same for many of us because we tend to overlook what is right on our doorstep. I will make a real effort to get out and visit some of our most popular and scenic locations this summer and photograph them. I might even compile my top ten places to see in Northern Ireland and post it on here for anyone who might be thinking of paying a visit to our beautiful little corner of the UK.

Here is a picture of Stormont from yesterday. What do you think?

How observant are you?

I've decided that I am not really very observant and miss alot of what is around me - not a very good way to be if you want to get good photos! I was walking through Lagan Valley Regional Park last week and suddenly came across this old Borough marker.




I must have walked past it dozens and dozens of times in the last few years and yet I never noticed it before. It's a lovely old piece of local history and I enjoyed getting some shots of it. It made me wonder though what else I've missed, so I am making a determined effort to look around me when I'm out and about now. Who knows what I might find!

Your mission for the week, if you choose to accept it, is to take a fresh look around you when you are on the way to work, on the way home, out at the shops etc and try to find something that you have never noticed before. I would love it if you came back and left me a comment to tell me what you find. Happy hunting!

Daredevils

Just in case you were wondering.....here are some of the kayakers showing off their tricks.
My OH, my son and my best friend are amongst this lot, so I am never short of action shots.

Messing about in boats

I just love the colours in this photo. The kayaks look so inviting, like they're just waiting for someone to jump in and set off on an adventure. It's not often everyone is out of their boat at the same time and they are all lined up like this and I knew it wouldn't last long so I had to grab a quick shot while I could. It's not the perfect angle but I didn't have time to jump onto the rocks and get to the middle of the river so that I could get them from head on. But never mind, I got the colours and that was what I wanted most.

Does it make you wonder......

Whose boat is it?
Why are they sitting there?
Is that the edge of a waterfall they are on?
What is over the drop?
Where are the kayakers?

Don't you just love actions!

I have been playing around with some of the free actions at the Coffee Shop and look at the difference it has made to the eyes on this shot. WOW! I LOVE it.

Here is the before shot



And here it is after




That is amazing. I didn't even do it too carefully cos I was just playing, not really trying to do it for real. Oh My Goodness, actions are soooo cool. I am definitely going to spend more time on this shot now and do it more carefully. If you haven't had a peek over at the Coffee Shop then go there NOW.

OK so here it is again after I spent a bit more time and did it more carefully. Isn't it awesome.