Nathalie Santos - Dayo Photography

Putting Patterns Inside a Water Droplet

2012-02-21T02:51:00.010+08:00

The Original Photo

The First Edit

And An Attempt to Put a Pattern Inside the Edit

It's been about a week since I last posted on this blog. As much as I love writing, blogging, learning and sharing the things that I have learned over the course of my blogging, there are times that the real world just needs to take precedence.

I want to say sorry, but then again, we can't apologize for things that are beyond our control.

Anyway this Tuesday's tip was about photographing a pattern formed inside a droplet.

1st edit: I just cleaned the original photo to show more of the natural patterns that were reflected in it.

2nd edit: I tried to put a texture inside the droplet. What I did was I took a texture from my collection, resized it to fit inside the droplet, erased the excess and blended it at Hard Light blending mode, opacity set at 75%.

Which pattern do you like better? I still would personally vote for the natural pattern.

Thanks for stopping by.

Brightest Blessings!

White Roses, My Favorite!

2012-02-16T23:51:00.005+08:00

Following the tips that I learned from the lovely Ashley Sisk, I decided to change the background of the rose given to me by hubby last Valentine's Day.

The original background was drab and plain so I decided to use a texture called Grandma's Pie Pan. I applied the texture using Multiply blending mode. I then masked the rose and erased the texture from it. Flattened and saved the image.

Brightest Blessings!

Edit Me | Photo by Rosie

2012-02-15T12:05:00.000+08:00

Rosie's SOOC

And My Edit

I love the serenity of the photo. It reminded me of a painting that I saw when I watched the TV series Charmed on DVD. The painting was of a castle with a somewhat similar backdrop. That set off the inspiration for this week's edit.

What I did:

> Copied the original photo 4 times to give me a total of 5 layers including the background.

> Used the invert function in Photoshop and blended that layer (1st layer) at soft light, opacity 100%

> 2nd layer, I used the dry brush filter and blended that layer at darken

> Used the watercolor filter and blended that layer at soft light

> Used the underpainting filter and blended that layer at soft light as well

> All of the layer's opacity was set at 100%

> Flattened and saved the image

Brightest Blessings!

Happiness in Textures!

2012-02-14T22:41:00.000+08:00

The SOOC

And the Happy Edit!

This Tuesday, my happiness came from learning some new trick when it comes to applying a new background for photos.

To make the photo more interesting, here's what I did:

> I followed the steps that Ashley Sisk shared over at her blog: Ramblings and Photos

> For the background, I used Kim Klassen's "The Wall" texture

> To give it a more interesting vintage feel, I decided to bring the photo in GIMP and apply the Old Paper filter.

I do love the way it turned out! Thanks for visiting!

Brightest Blessings!

Love!

2012-02-13T22:34:00.000+08:00

The greatest feeling that one can ever experience is to love and be loved. Although, there are times that love can hurt and we can hurt those whom we love the most.

Love is not love when it is perfect, because no one is perfect. The only thing that we can do is to experience both the light and shadows of this emotion that we just can't explain.

To get the shot:

I chanced upon a bud hiding beneath the shadows of some leaves.

Processing/Editing:

I used The Coffee Shop Blog's Autumn Glow Action

Brightest Blessings!

Scavenger Hunt Sunday

2012-02-12T14:52:00.001+08:00

1. Facial Feature

I just love that reflection shot which showed my friend's facial features.

2. Shadow

This might be a bit of stretch, but the flower was under the shadows of some the leaves of the plant and it kinda made a dramatic set up for that white bud.

3. Spicy

Can you beat the natural spicy-ness of finely ground black pepper on a dish that you love? This is hubby's favorite dish and he loves it spicy!

4. Gold

A photo from the archives from one of hubby and I's afternoon walks.

5. Fabric

The texture of these petals comes close to the texture of velvet. A fabric that I really like especially when made into curtains or even table runners.

Brightest Blessings!

Foodtography

2012-02-11T22:58:00.000+08:00

I've been busy the last couple of days and I wasn't able to post my entry for tutorial Tuesday last February 7th. Anyway, here's my post....

Aside from having this photo-blog, I also have a food blog where I document my food trips, recipes and even some food photography tips every now and then.

The photo above was taken in a restaurant where the lighting gave me quite a difficult time. If you want to read up on the food photography tips that I followed, please visit my food blog, Halie's Kitchen. Thanks!

Brightest Blessings!

Seeing Red

2012-02-06T23:28:00.001+08:00

There's nothing wrong with being positive, but we should all learn how to balance things in life.

I pray that I take caution in the things that I do, but not too much to the point that I stop at the corners even if there's no threat of any kind present. I also pray that I would not keep going forward even if there are "visible" signs of danger as I travel the road that is before me.

Learning how to find balance can be quite difficult, but with the proper guidance from above, I know that I would not be led astray.

Happy Monday!

Brightest Blessings!

Hunting for | 05 February 2012

2012-02-05T23:18:00.001+08:00

Another late entry for Scavenger Hunt Sunday

1. Strike a Pose

A good friend of mine posed gamely for me when we met for coffee. She's one cool impromptu model when even I need one!

2. Footwear

My feet on the left and my friend's on the right. By sheer coincidence we were wearing black footwear that day.

3. Hobby

Another hobby of mine, sit down in a coffee shop, grab a cup of coffee, talk with a good friend, laugh, discuss some important things and then, people watch!

I just love looking at different people and observing the things that are going on around me while I enjoy good coffee.

4. Shiny

Can you tell that the utensils are quite squeaky, shiny clean?

5. Color Me Green

Am not a cat person, but I definitely love those green eyes!

Brightest Blessings!

Hand Story

2012-02-03T13:22:00.000+08:00

The SOOC

And The Edit

Turning life's pages by the hand.

I'm the type of person who doesn't like writing diary posts. You may have noticed it by now that I don't write much about the photos that I post.

This year, I wasn't able to buy a planner for myself so I decided to make one! I found a cool black notebook and I thought that nobody would nose inside it because it would be quite difficult to read. I would say that it's true. To write on the notebook, I need to use a metallic inked pen (I chose sky blue) and from the 1st of January, I started writing all my thoughts inside it.

The photo was edited using Photoshop and I decided to give it a little pencil drawing/sketch look. This edit I was able to achieve by

> Copying the background twice

> Then I went to Filters > Artistic > Cut Out (using the supplied values). Set your blending mode to your choice and the opacity.

> For the other layer I went to Filters > Artistic > Dry Brush. Set the blending mode and opacity to values of your choice

> Flattened and saved the image

Brightest Blessings!

Strawberry on a Chain

2012-02-02T23:58:00.000+08:00

I love, love, LOVE strawberries!

I think my friend knew about this so she gave me a key chain of the said fruit.

Some details about the photo:

The background was off-white (cream) and to achieve the blacked-out background here are the things that I did:

> Set the camera to Aperture priority mode

> Popped the built-in flash

> Set the exposure compensation to -0.3

> Focused and clicked!

To make sure that I had a sharp photo, I edited the image just a bit by adjusting the levels and contrast of the photo and running a pass of the Unsharp Mask tool.

Added the watermarked, flattened it before saving the image.

Brightest Blessings!

Edit Me W5 | Photo by Linda

2012-02-01T23:18:00.000+08:00

Linda of Coach House Crafting shared this breathtaking photo for this week's Edit Me Challenge

My Edit

Lovely Ashley Sisk of Ramblings and Photos shared a wonderful tip on how to make your digital photos look like watercolor paintings. She posted this as a challenge on their (hers and Brandon's of My Reflection of Something) Tutorial Tuesday.

Following the steps that I posted HERE, I decided to apply the same concept to this week's photo. I tried to duplicate the editing steps in GIMP, however, the results were not as desirable as the one produced when I used Photoshop.

Brightest Blessings!

Watercolor Effect

2012-01-31T23:29:00.041+08:00

The SOOC

The Watercolor Edit

With Kim's Simplicity Texture

On this week's Tutorial Tuesday, Ashley Sisk of Ramblings and Photos shared some editing tips to make your digital photos look like they were watercolor paintings. She shared the steps HERE and the original steps were shared by k*handtke clicks and keys.

The original image was shot last January 23rd when hubby and I celebrated our 9th year wedding anniversary. We went out for a walk and decided to watch the sun set from afar and of course I didn't let the opportunity of taking his photo pass.

To edit, here are the steps that I followed:

Open your original image in Photoshop or Photoshop Elements.
Duplicate your layer three times by pressing (Ctrl+J). Turn off the top two layers by clicking on the eye icon beside the layer.
Click on Layer 1. Go to your Filters > Artistic > Cut Out. Use the following settings: Number of Levels to 4, Edge Simplicity to 4, and Edge Fidelity to 2. Click OK.
Change blending mode to Luminosity. Do not adjust the opacity.
Turn on the layer above Layer 1 (it may read Layer 1 Copy).
Go back to your Filters Menu (at the top of the screen). Select Artistic, then Dry Brush. When the dialog box appears, set the Brush Size to 10, the Brush Detail to 10, and the Texture option to 3.
Change the blending mode of this layer to Screen. The original tutorial tells you to leave the opacity at 100%. Adjust the layer's opacity to your liking. My opacity was around 50%.
Now turn on the layer above Layer 1 Copy (this should be the top layer).
Go to your Filters Menu and Select Noise>Median. When the dialog box comes, adjust the radius to 12 pixels.
Adjust the blending mode to soft light. You may either choose to leave the opacity at 100% or you can adjust it to your preference. Mine was set at 50%.
If you want to add in a little bit of the detail, you may also choose to go back to your background layer...click CTRL+J to create a new background copy layer and apply a high pass filter and a soft light blending mode. This will add just a little bit of pop.
To link this to Kim's Texture Tuesday meme, I decided to use Kim's Simplicity Texture, set the blending mode at Soft Light, opacity at 100%
Flattened and saved the image.
I may try duplicating this effect using GIMP and maybe post it sometime this week.

Brightest Blessings!

Wildlife

2012-01-30T21:58:00.000+08:00

This is a shot that I have been treasuring for so long.

The only editing done to this photo was to clean the image, sharpen it a bit and add the quote.

Have a great week!

Brightest Blessings!

High Up In The Air

2012-01-27T16:27:00.001+08:00

Here's the SOOC

And the Edit

Before anything else, I'd like to say THANKS to Lori for this

She featured my photo for last week's theme "What's in your purse or wallet?" It's an honor to be chosen. Now, onto my post:

I rarely step in front of the camera, much less pose or even try to jump while taking a shot. It's a brand new year and a brand new start when it comes to photography. So here's my shot for this week's prompt "Up in the air."

Looking at that new photo, I realized that I did lose quite some weight and it made me smile a lot, especially when there's this fact that the camera does add some pounds.

To edit the photo:

> Made a new layer of the image to adjust brightness, contrast and level. Blended the new layer using lighten blending mode.

> Made another layer to apply the radial blur effect to emulate wind. Blending mode for this layer was lighten as well. Erased the area of my portrait to show the sharper background.

> Added the watermark, flattened and saved the image

Brightest Blessings!

A Lovely Textured Afternoon

2012-01-26T15:14:00.000+08:00

Hubby and I decided to celebrate our 9th wedding anniversary 2 days earlier. Last Monday, he and I walked to the neighboring subdivision with some of our friends and decided to watch the sunset from afar.

As we were walking to the highest spot in the subdivision, I saw an opportunity to take a good looking landscape photo. The natural textures of the trees, the contrast of colors and the warm glow of the sun made it so, well, picture perfect.

That's the blessing that we saw that day, the rays of the afternoon sun bathing us in a warm glow not just from outside but also within.

Brightest Blessings!

The Light Box Story

2012-01-24T13:13:00.000+08:00

Here's the SOOC

And the edit

This week I'm posting photos for Ashley and Brandon's new photo challenge : Tutorial Tuesday. The tip that was shared was from Rosie of Leavesnblooms Studio, making a cardboard lightbox.

I tried to follow all of the tips but I made some few tweaks. Instead of using a cardboard box, I used three illustration boards and made them stand edge against each other to form the sides. For the bottom part of the box, I used a translucent plastic (ELA) board. For the lighting, I used an LED lamp with the lights coming off from the left bottom part of the photo.

Editing:

> Cleaned and re-sized the photo

> Added Kim's Annabelle texture setting the blending mode at multiply 100%

> Added the watermark, flattened and saved the image

Brightest Blessings!

Sadness

2012-01-23T21:25:00.001+08:00

The Original Photo

And the edit

Sometimes when I watch the sun setting, there's this certain sadness that I feel. Then again, there are things that I should be keeping to myself and rejoice that no matter what the sadness is, there's always a better tomorrow waiting.

Brightest Blessings!

New Philippine Bills

2012-01-20T14:05:00.000+08:00

What's in my wallet these days?

I don't usually carry a wallet with me, just a purse. This week I decided to check my wallet's contents and found three new Philippine Peso bills.

So far, those are the only contents of my wallet along with a photo of hubby and I.

Brightest Blessings!

Walking the Extra Mile

2012-01-19T13:47:00.000+08:00

During one of my morning walks with a friend, we saw this dog sitting comfortably in the middle of the street. When I first saw the dog, my initial reaction was to not go near it since it might bite.

We walked around the cute furry thing and before we ever passed it, it started walking towards us. I thought, it would be best if we sat down so as not to startle the poor thing. Was it startled? NO! When we sat down, it sat down beside us. In my head I thought, it's greeting us, "Good morning! It's so nice to see you!"

Once we were comfortably settled, I took out my camera, called the dog and "asked" it to pose for me. It turned its head, smiled and I got a priceless shot!

Brightest Blessings!

Edit Me W3 | Photo by Marilyn

2012-01-18T15:31:00.000+08:00

Marilyn from the ArtsyGirl Connection shared this week's SOOC

And here's my vintage edit

And the process was quite simple.

> Re-sized the image in Photoshop
> Copied the background to make 2 additional layers
> First Background copy I blended at darken
> Second copy blended at lighten
> Ran a pass of the ToffeeNut Latte Action from The CoffeeShop Blog
> Added a heavy paper texture and blended it at darken, opacity at 50%
> Flattened and saved the image

Brightest Blessings!

The Open Edition

2012-01-17T15:12:00.000+08:00

The SOOC

And the Edit with Kim Klassen's Serious Magic Texture

By the way, I'd like to post this invite from Ashley Sisk of Ramblings and Photos and Branson of My Reflection of Something

Tutorial Tuesday would open next week. The new link up party will kick off with a shooting tutorial from Rosie of Leavesnblooms Studio and the tip is all about how to build a lightbox. The photo tip can be found HERE. For more details, please click on the links or the button.

Now, onto my photo of the day.

The theme for Texture Tuesday is Open and I was able to find an open flower as a subject.

To edit the photo:

> Cleaned and re-sized the photo in Photoshop

> Converted it to B&W

> Used my favorite action called Soulful B&W Tints, then chose the ethereal tint, blending it at soft light

> Applied Kim's Serious Magic texture, set the blending mode at soft light as well

> Flattened the image, added the watermark, flattened the layer and saved the image

Brightest Blessings!

An Approximation of Winter

2012-01-16T13:31:00.001+08:00

The SOOC

And The Edit

With only two seasons (three if we call it summer, rainy and cold seasons), I had to get a little creative when it comes to any shot that might say winter in its theme.

To get the darker clouds and the white "wintery" foreground, I had to make another layer of the background photo, invert its colors and blend it at exclusion before flattening it and saving the image.

Brightest Blessings!

Scavenger Hunt Sunday | 15 January 2012

2012-01-15T23:56:00.000+08:00

I'm late in posting my entry, again. I thought I wasn't going to be able to since there's no winter here in the Philippines. Anyhoo, here are are my photos:

1. Stacked Up

These rocks were stacked up by nature to form a natural barricade along the banks of the river.

2. Winter Wonderland

Since we don't have winter here in the Philippines, I just imagined that this is how the area along Wawa Dam would look like should there be snow here.

3. Sweet

This was a sweet moment for me and hubs. For me being able to trek going down some steep and slippery rocks just to ride a bamboo raft then trek going up some more slippery rocks to reach a cave is sweet victory. Hubby told me that it was sweet victory for him, too. To see me move around confidently climbing without the need for someone to assist me is more than enough for him to pose for my camera.

4. Hole

Yup, that's the hole in the wall (cave) that we went to. Unfortunately, because of asthma I had to content myself with taking a photo of the entrance of the cave.

Our friends from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources told us that the cave was used by Katipuneros (a group of Filipinos who fought against the Spaniards) to hold meetings in. Some of their writings are said to still be visible on the walls of the cave.

5. Frozen

Just a photo of the frozen delight called Halo-Halo (mix) which many if not all Filipinos love to eat.

Brightest Blessings!

Rosal Bud

2012-01-14T18:16:00.000+08:00

If there's one thing that I love photographing aside from food, that would be the different stages of flowers from bud to blossom.

A couple of days ago I was attracted to this white bud that was hiding under some leaves. The play of the light and shadows gave the white rosal (small rose) its greenish-yellowish tint.

To highlight the colors even more, I decided to clean and sharpen it a bit in Photoshop. I was awed with the pop of color!

Brightest Blessings!

Getting Cozy

2012-01-13T13:18:00.000+08:00

Here's the SOOC

The Edit

Getting cozy at home is one of the things that I love doing.

To give it that more cozy-homey atmosphere, here's what I did:

> Cropped, re-sized and cleaned the image

> Used the Dreamy Photo (Dream Suite) effect, setting the blur at 25% and choosing a more yellowish tint

> Added the watermark and saved the image

Brightest Blessings!

Our Dearest Furry Baby | Jazz

2012-01-12T13:29:00.000+08:00

This week I decided to go all natural with my textures. Instead of editing a photo and adding a texture, I got the opportunity to post something with less editing.

The photo is of our four legged-furry family member named Jazz. When we got him, we were lost for ideas on what name to call this little fur ball. Hubby and I debated, discussed, talked and pondered over a name. He suggested Optimus (Prime) from the movie Transformers, but this little sweet furry little thing was a long way from being prim and proper.

Okay, we thought about other names from the movie some more. We said he ain't a Ratchet and not a Bumblebee either. Then we remembered the car called Jazz, lively, friendly and very personable. I guess we were mistaken in picking the name. We should have named him Soundwave since his bark is quite loud and well, he's a sound machine!

Brightest Blessings!

Dream Little Child

2012-01-11T15:27:00.001+08:00

The SOOC was shared by Tara of Wild Ginger Photography and here's the very cute photo

My Edit

This week I decided to go with a simple edit.

> Cropped, cleaned, re-sized the photo and then converted it to black and white

> Used the Soulful B&W tint - blessing

> Added one layer of Kim Klassen's Dream texture blending mode set at soft light opacity at 100%, erased the textured area from the baby

> Added another layer of Kim's Dream texture, blending mode set at multiply, opacity at 50%, then erased the texture from the baby

> Flattened and saved the image

Brightest Blessings!

Embraced Softly

2012-01-10T23:03:00.000+08:00

The SOOC

The First Edit

With Kim Klassen's Embrace texture

A new bloom always makes me smile.

To edit the photo, I decided to convert the original RGB shot to black and white.

After the conversion, I cleaned the photo and used Kim's Embrace texture, one set at soft light and then another layer set at multiply.

Flattened the image, added a frame, added the watermark and saved the file

Brightest Blessings!

A New Year!

2012-01-09T23:21:00.000+08:00

The SOOC photos

And the Edited photo

My favorite holiday to celebrate is the welcoming of the New Year.

For the photo above, I decided to merge two of the things that I usually watch out for when the New Year comes - fireworks and time.

Brightest Blessings!

Late Entry of Sunday Shots

2012-01-08T23:19:00.011+08:00

I'm so late in posting these:

1. One Color

A photo of the newest plant in my collection of flowering plants. What really attracted me to it is this: When the flowers have not yet bloomed, they present themselves in one color - Green; but once they start to bloom they turn into red flowers with a yellow center.

2. Laundry

We don't wash clothes at home, so I decided to just take a photo of some of the mostly empty hangers in our laundry area.

3. Empty

I can't throw this empty perfume bottle just yet because it still smells good. A great air freshener!

4. One Dozen

My goddaughter celebrated her birthday last Saturday and here's a photo of a dozen of her friends who attended the event.

5. Soft

Soft pink colored blooms in my flower box, another great new addition to my collection.

Brightest Blessings!

Typography, Does This Fit?

2012-01-06T22:48:00.000+08:00

The SOOC

The Edit

This is the first time I've read/heard of typography. I apologize if the image does not fit the bill.

Brightest Blessings!

A Different Bird

2012-01-05T23:30:00.007+08:00

Original Photo

Textured with Kim Klassen's Storm texture

Brightest Blessings!

What's Up, Edit Me!

2012-01-04T13:59:00.000+08:00

Macro photography drew me in when I first took a shot of a bug about two years ago. Up to this day, I'm still using my old Nikon Coolpix P80 for my macro shots, so this year, I'm saving up for a great macro lens. Crossing my fingers that I'll be able to buy one before my birthday.

And how can I forget this week's Edit Me Challenge

This sweet photo was shared to us by Sarah from Naptime Momtog

And here's my Edit

Edited by Nathalie Santos - Dayo

To give it the vintage feel, I cropped the photo, applied The CoffeeShop Blog's Baby Powder Room action, turned it to monochrome and added one layer of a texture from Kim Klassen.

For the page curl effect, I brought the photo to GIMP, copied the photo to make a new layer, applied the page curl effect and set the opacity of the curl to about 30%. Flattened and saved the image.

Brightest Blessings!

Embracing a New Day

2012-01-03T14:11:00.004+08:00

The SOOC

The Edit

It's always great to see a new day start. It's the third day of the new year and when I saw this sight, I said to myself, I will embrace each day with a grateful heart and with a smile on my face.

To give the photo its tone, here's what I did:

> Re-sized and cleaned the photo

> Added one layer of Kim Klassen's Embrace texture, blended it at soft light 100%

> Added another layer of Embrace, blended it at Multiply 100%

> Flattened and saved the image

Brightest Blessings!

Seasons and a Quote

2012-01-02T20:32:00.001+08:00

The Original Photo

And with the quote

As we don't have fall here in the Philippines, I got surprised that my favorite plant shed its leaves and flowers last December.

Above is my favorite photo of my plant's last leaf hanging by a thread. As of the 1st of January, my plant is showing signs of new life - fresh leaves and buds! Kinda symbolic as the years changed...

Brightest Blessings!

Memories, Dreams and Reflections 2011

2012-01-01T12:39:00.003+08:00

Before going to the photos, I'd like to greet you guys a Happy New Year!

1. Me! (Self portrait and what you're proud of accomplishing)

Yup, it's so not the best self-portrait ever, but I personally like it.

It reminds me of the rewards that I got through hard work and self discipline. That photo was taken after I lost a total of 15lbs in 2 months! More than the excess pounds lost, I am most proud of being able to control myself when it comes to food, discipline when it comes to exercise and all those efforts translating into a healthier new me.

2. I Love You

Just looking into those eyes makes melt.

3. Still Laughing

O yeah, that's the time that Jazzy and I were playing. Still makes me laugh especially when I see how much he has changed when it comes to playing with that ball. Before, he would really run, pick up the ball and play fetch until hubby or I felt tired. Today though, Jazzy would pick up the ball, fetch about 3 or 4 times and then the next time we throw the ball, he would look at us as if asking, "Are you nuts?! I'm tired." Then he goes to his alcove to get some ~~needed~~ zzzzz's.

4. Winter Wonderland

There's no winter here, but these Polar Bears really reminded me of winter or at least the cold arctic. To get the desired "wintery" effect, I decided to copy the original photo to make a new layer, inverted the layer, used exclusion blending mode, erased the parts of the faces which I wanted to keep the original colors, flattened and saved the image before applying the vintage effect.

5. Birthday

Healthier meals during my birthday. Loved it!

6. Friends

Are there any words to describe the smiles on the faces of these children, aside from having a great time with friends?

7. I Was Inspired

We went to a charcoal making community January of last year. I was inspired by these people who were working hard under less than desirable conditions, but they were still able to manage to smile for all of us who visited them.

8. Spring Fever

My favorite plant almost died. I was surprised one day to find that there were no leaves on its branches, no flowers, JUST twigs. I was already planning to cut down the plant and replace it with a new one when I saw this: The sign of a new life - new and fresh leaves. I imagine that's what spring is all about.

9. Travel or Vacation

Another photo from our day at the charcoal factory.

10. Summer Days

These peeps are like ducks! They don't want to get out of the pool even when the water turned cold because of the winds.

11. A Day In My Life

It was late September of 2011 when I realized that I was so unfit physically. Being overweight was NOT cool! When October came, I welcomed the challenge of making myself fit and of course trimming down a bit to help reduce the risk of diseases connected to being overweight.

As of October 2011, a day in my life would not be complete with either walking or exercising using my exercise videos DVD.

12. All Smiles

Real smiles from the heart.

13. Autumn Harvest

That's how my plant looked like during its worst. There was only a leaf hanging on to the branch by a thread.

14. Family/Home

To most this structure would be called a shanty, but to this boy, it is where he lives with his family - HOME.

15. Celebrate

A blogging event sponsored by Thermos Philippines. One of the few ones that I attended last year.

16. Let's Do It Again

If there's one thing that I would love to do again, that would be to go back to the charcoal factory, not as a photographer, but as someone who cares.

17. I Miss You

It's over a year since mom left for the U.S. and when I found this photo of her with a baby bump, I missed her more.

18. Beautiful

Our model from the first workshop that I attended January 2010.

19. Dress Up

This girl who was dressed up as Luigi of the famous computer game Mario Brothers made me smile a lot. I can't believe that it's been years since I held a nintendo game controller in my hands to play "save the princess."

20. Macro

Hello! Smile for the camera!

21. Holidays/Holiday of Your Choice

My favorite holiday - New Year's Eve. Although I don't like the smoke that comes from fake firecrackers (you know the dangerous kind), I appreciate seeing the lights and colors coming from the fountains and other really cool fireworks display thingies.

22. My 2011 Favorite

I lost communication with this lady and I found her again late last year. Goofing around in a mall with her was a refreshing thing to do.

23. Don't Ever Change

24. Just Because, So There!

25. Hopes and Dreams

Brightest Blessings!

Christmas and an Edit

2011-12-23T14:40:00.000+08:00

My SOOC

The Edit

I will be closing my other Photo-Blog, so starting this week, I will be posting all my entries for all the photo memes here.

The first photo was taken in a mall when my friend and I decided to meet up. It has been a long time since I last saw her. Spending the time with her, having fun like kids is something I truly enjoyed. And like what she said, "Shhh! She's going to take one of those gifts from Santa." Naughty!

Photo number 2. Another kitty shot.

I like taking photos in monochrome from camera.

The editing was quite simple. Straightened and cropped the photo. Adjusted the levels, brightness, contrast and sharpness a little. Copied the background to add a new layer, masked the kitty - erased the section of the cat, selected the inverse and then applied the gaussian blur on the background. Flattened and saved the image.

Brightest Blessings!

Look Here Kitty!

2011-12-22T19:06:00.000+08:00

I've been seeing a lot of kitties around our street lately. Yesterday was no exception. Taking my handy point and shoot camera I decided to quietly approach this little circle of kitties. Some of them ran away from me, but this little one decided to look around and see what the others are running away from.

When it turned its head, I prayed that I would be able to capture that look. Glad that all efforts were not in vain.

Brightest Blessings!

Winter Wonderland

2011-12-21T12:36:00.000+08:00

We don't have Winter here in the Philippines, so please allow me to post a photo of the next best thing that I was able to find - a photo of some toys that represented Winter Wonderland from a mall.

Water that turned to ice, snowy caves and other stuff that says that the holidays are near! It's the 21st of December and Christmas is just around the corner. From my family to yours, We Wish you the all the Best and Brightest Blessings for this season and the year to come! Happy Holidays!

Brightest Blessings!

Making Sweet Music

2011-12-19T15:45:00.000+08:00

I always had the passion for music. When I was a kid, I remember that my aunt told my mother once to encourage me with singing, dancing and all that. My mom did. It was in high school that I first learned how to play the guitar. Christmas time, my mother allowed me to buy my very first guitar from the money that I saved. I loved it to bits and I learned how to play a few songs.

Unfortunately, when I went to college, I learned how to grow my nails long, paint them and be vain about them. The guitar and making music took a back seat. This love for music was replaced by singing. I sang in a choir for years, but the guitar had to wait.

This year, I said to myself that I can have both the cute nails and making sweet music. Hubby went with me to one of the malls and he bought me my new guitar. My fingertips are so not used to holding the strings and they feel a little painful and numb at the same time.

Behind all the pain, a surprise waited for me. My fingers are not stiff and I still have some memory of the right placement of the fingers for certain chords. I may fumble a little when I play the guitar, but me and it - we're a perfect match! Time to make sweet music and add a new chapter to my ever growing book of hobbies and love of things.

Happy Holidays!

Brightest Blessings!

Peek-A-Boo Kitty

2011-12-08T17:07:00.000+08:00

I watched this cat for a long time. It looked adorable!

The cat was scavenging for something to eat in that big container and when I called it, I saw the cat peek then hide again, then peek again. On and on it went before I realized that I didn't have my camera in my hand. I hurriedly went inside the house to get the camera and lucky for me, the cat kept playing hide and seek with me until I was able to get a shot.

Brightest Blessings!

Windows to the Soul

2011-12-06T23:40:00.000+08:00

I was infront of the mirror when I decided to snap a quick shot of myself. There's something about that this photo that made me want to share it here.

Different thoughts crossing in my mind. Different feelings inside this heart of mine. And there's something about those windows to the soul that really caught my fancy...

Brightest Blessings!

Music and Moods

2011-12-05T15:03:00.000+08:00

They say that you should never let your emotions control you. That you should always be in control of them.

According to Mark Twain - "Any emotion, if it is sincere, is involuntary."

Today I find that music comforts me, calms me down and makes me see things clearly using my head instead of my heart.

Brightest Blessings!

Sunday Photos

2011-12-04T15:55:00.000+08:00

Here are my interpretations for this week's hunt

1. Portrait

Although not really a portrait as we know it, this profile photo just stuck to me that I decided to use it today. Hubby does look good when I take a photo of him sideways. (Shhh, that's our little secret)

2. Nostalgic

It's been raining hard since last night. There are times that a rainy day makes me so nostalgic. Remembering all the fun that I had when I was a child. Carefree, laughing, singing, dancing and playing out in the rain.

3. Time

The best indicator of time - the sun setting. Reminding everyone that there's a time for everything. A time to work, play, eat and rest.

4. Full of Light

I never thought that my point and shoot camera can take a photo such as this one. I used the macro mode of the camera, placed my finger in front of the lens to get this photo of the Christmas lights of one of our neighbors.

5. Motion

Flying high! Fireworks shows are now the in thing, signalling that Christmas is just around the corner!

Brightest Blessings!

Celebrating My Week In Pixels | November 28 to Dec. 03

2011-12-04T01:28:00.001+08:00

The story behind the photos:

11-28: I've been wanting to take a photo of a hibiscus' pistils and I was given a chance that day. Thankfully my camera battery was fully charged that time.

11-29: Walking around the neighborhood I decided to take a photo of the gate of our subdivision.

11-30: Weighing myself on the last day of November to check on how much weight I've lost. Unfortunately my scale wasn't on zero so it showed 171lbs. When I checked it the following day, I decided to reweigh myself and found out my correct weight - 170lbs. I lost 10lbs last November which makes my total weight loss at 15lbs!

12-01: I decided to take a selfie to document how much weight I've lost. There were some differences, including a very loose pair of size 14 shorts!

12-02: A macro photo of a bud which was on the branch of a tree.

12-03: My lunch today, grilled chicken breast with 1 cup of rice. Deliciously healthy!

Announcement: Before I forget, to open up this meme, I am giving away a copy of the My Memories Suite Scrapbooking software to the first participant on the link.

This weekly meme is held every Saturdays and it's so easy to join!

Basic Rules

> Photos must be taken by you
> Creativity is encouraged! You can post a collage or even a scrapbook-like photo on your blog which documents your week.
> Copy the code of the button then link up every Saturdays (12MN Manila Time), 12 NN Eastern Daylight Time (11AM EST)
> Have fun and visit other participants.

I hope you join me as I celebrate life.moments.and memories documented in pixels. As an opening giveaway, I would give a copy of the My Memories Suite to the first participant who would link up today.

And for all those who would be participating, I would like to share this code with you: STMMMS44495 (Copy and paste this code when you make your purchase). Using this code will give you a $10.00 discount when you purchase the My Memories Suite Scrapbooking Software and as an added bonus, you will also get a $10.00 discount for your download purchases. The great thing about it, you can also share this code to your friends and family!

If you want to see a sample of what this software can do, you may want to click HERE.

Copy this code to your website to display this banner!

Please enter your links below:

Brightest Blessings!

Exploring Holiday Lights

2011-12-03T00:29:00.000+08:00

Here are some photos of a neighbor's holiday lights (I haven't put mine up yet)

Photo # 1: Holiday lights taken in focus

Photo # 2: Out of focus for bokeh! What I did was to put my finger in front of the lens so that the camera focuses on it. I then removed my finger before pressing the shutter button all the way down!.

Photos # 3 & 4 : The photo was taken from behind some branches and leaves of my plant. The lights were awfully low and the camera wasn't able to focus on anything in particular. What I loved most was that the camera was still able to capture some silhouettes which added little interesting patterns on the bokeh.

Brightest Blessings!

Fabulous Macro

2011-12-02T15:10:00.003+08:00

I am really out of words today.

Here are the thoughts that are going through my head though:

> I've been blessed in more ways than one

> Happiness is a state of mind and that's where I want my mind to be

> Problems come and sometimes they do come in waves, but there's always a solution if only people talk

> Life is filled with all the marvelous blooms, beautiful colors and small things that are sometimes overlooked. In order to see more of the world, all you have to do is open your eyes to its wonders.

> Live life to the fullest, create wonderful moments and capture special memories the best way you know how.

Brightest Blessings!

New Skin Art - A Reminder of My Journey

2011-12-01T23:02:00.001+08:00

And here is my journey in photos

I have to say that it doesn't look appealing at all, but I can't help but be proud of the newest skin art that I have.

This figure of an angel is so personal to me, a reminder of everything that this life holds, the light and the darkness. It also signifies a very sweet victory for me this month - losing weight. As of December 01, 2011 when I stepped on the scale to reweigh myself, I found out that I lost a total of 15lbs (5lbs last October and 10lbs this November).

There are just so many things to celebrate for me and this sweet victory is only one of them.

Brightest Blessings!

Cat Portrait

2011-11-29T13:30:00.000+08:00

I'm not a cat person, let's just say that I'm more in love with dogs. But, I couldn't help but take a photo of this cat when I saw it by the poolside.

Is it just me or is it looking at the camera? I wish it smiled a bit . =)

Announcement: Before I forget, to open up this meme, I am giving away a copy of the My Memories Suite Scrapbooking software to the first participant on the link. You can link up with me until Friday! If you want a chance to win the My Memories Suite Scrapbooking software, all you need to do it join!

To Link Up with me, please visit this post

This weekly meme is held every Saturdays and it's so easy to join!

Basic Rules

> Photos must be taken by you
> Creativity is encouraged! You can post a collage or even a scrapbook-like photo on your blog which documents your week.
> Copy the code of the button then link up every Saturdays (12MN Manila Time), 12 NN Eastern Daylight Time (11AM EST)
> Have fun and visit other participants.

I hope you join me as I celebrate life.moments.and memories documented in pixels. As an opening giveaway, I would give a copy of the My Memories Suite to the first participant who would link up today.

And for all those who would be participating, I would like to share this code with you: STMMMS44495 (Copy and paste this code when you make your purchase). Using this code will give you a $10.00 discount when you purchase the My Memories Suite Scrapbooking Software and as an added bonus, you will also get a $10.00 discount for your download purchases. The great thing about it, you can also share this code to your friends and family!

Brightest Blessings!

Celebrating My Week In Pixels

2011-11-26T00:00:00.000+08:00

Here is how my week went:

21st of November - I started on my new job. While passing time, I decided to take a photo of the surroundings.

22nd of November - I was given some time to research on the company's home country.

23rd of November - I was given access to my PC.

24th of November - was the first time I wore my new flat sneakers to work. No rains!

25th of November - I was tasked to study the materials that I would be teaching. I also had some time to talk with future students.

26th of November - After a very long week, I was finally able to get my tattoo. One on the back and another on the left forearm! My artist changed though...

27th of November - A new dish that I created on a whim.

If you want to see a sample of what this software can do, you may want to click HERE.

Copy this code to your website to display this banner!

Brightest Blessings!

This or That Leaf Bug

2011-11-24T22:29:00.000+08:00

I saw this intriguing bug on my screen door one day. The first time I saw it, I thought it was just a dried up leaf, but then I saw the legs and the green eyes! It was a bug! When I finally I realized what it was, I couldn't help but get my camera and snap away.

Macro shots + my Nikon Coolpix camera = a great leaf bug photo!

Announcement: Before I forget, this coming 26th of November, I would be opening up a new photo meme called: Celebrating My Week in Pixels.

This weekly meme is held every Saturdays and it's so easy to join!

Basic Rules

> Photos must be taken by you
> Creativity is encouraged! You can post a collage or even a scrapbook-like photo on your blog which documents your week.
> Copy the code of the button then link up every Saturdays (12MN Manila Time), 12 NN Eastern Daylight Time (11AM EST)
> Have fun and visit other participants.

I hope you join me as I celebrate life.moments.and memories documented in pixels. As an opening giveaway, I would give a copy of the My Memories Suite to the first participant who would link up on the 26th of November.

If you want to see a sample of what this software can do, you may want to click HERE.

Copy this code to your website to display this banner!

Brightest Blessings!

Why I Can't Give Up My Point and Shoot Camera

2011-11-23T22:42:00.000+08:00

I have never thought of calling myself a photographer - amateur or hobbyist. It was so far from my mind that I was contented with a compact digital camera until I saw an ad for a Nikon Coolpix P80 camera on the web.

After I got my hands on it, I understood macro photography more and fell in love with it.

My first real taste of bokeh, great macro shots and a whole new experience in photography that's why I can't give up this cute camera which I now have for over a year and a half.

Brightest Blessings!

Grateful for the Gift of Creativity

2011-11-21T21:39:00.000+08:00

One great thing that photography has taught me again and again is the fact that there's so much beauty everywhere and that there are so many different interpretations of that beauty.

My only prayer is that with sharing this beauty I can contribute to the growth of others in a way that their work inspires my creativity.

And I'd like to take this opportunity to say Thank You everyone! For your inspirations, lessons and your unselfish sharing of your talents. I am honored to share my small space on the internet with you. Happy Thanksgiving!

Brightest Blessings!

Sunday Shots

2011-11-20T12:36:00.000+08:00

1. Mainly One Color

I love how the greens set off the lone red flower. This flowering tree is a personal favorite of mine because my mom gave it to me almost nine years ago. When I first saw it, I would say that it only stood about two feet tall, planted in a small black plastic pot. Today, it's planted in front of my house in the ground, its height, more than 8 feet tall! It grew so much over the years and I know my mom would be happy if she gets to see this today.

2. Around the Home

Another reason for me to show of this little furry darling. He was just there lounging around the house waiting for me to take the ball and play with him.

3. Reflection

The invert and desaturate functions of Photoshop never ceases to amaze me! Combining both effects gave me a much clearer reflection on hubby's sunglasses.

4. Writing

Starting tomorrow I'll be seeing more pen and paper as I will start working again. Time flies so fast, I can't believe that it's just one more day till I go back to the world of working for a company again.

5. Water

Could anyone resist taking a photo of water droplets after the rain?

Brightest Blessings!

Silhouette

2011-11-18T14:40:00.000+08:00

It's not a real crisp silhouette, it was quite accidental actually.

I was trying to get a photo for another meme and when I set up my camera I didn't realize that I was standing against the light. When I checked the photos, I saw this one and remembered this week's challenge. Playing with the sliders during editing, I came up with a soft silhouette of me while working out at home.

Brightest Blessings!

This or That Raindrops

2011-11-17T00:00:00.001+08:00

I love the smell of freshness that the rain brings, but more than the smell and the cleansing feeling I get, I most especially love moments like the one I was able to capture above.

Those wonderful reflections in those tiny drops of waters just makes me wish that every time it rains, there would always be a water droplet waiting for me, smiling with all its contents.

Before I forget, this coming 26th of November, I would be opening up a new photo meme called: Celebrating My Week in Pixels.

This weekly meme is held every Saturdays and it's so easy to join!

Basic Rules

> Photos must be taken by you
> Creativity is encouraged! You can post a collage or even a scrapbook-like photo on your blog which documents your week.
> Copy the code of the button then link up every Saturdays (12MN Manila Time), 12 NN Eastern Daylight Time (11AM EST)
> Have fun and visit other participants.

I hope you join me as I celebrate life.moments.and memories documented in pixels. As an opening giveaway, I would give a copy of the My Memories Suite to the first participant who would link up on the 26th of November.

If you want to see a sample of what this software can do, you may want to click HERE.

Copy this code to your website to display this banner!

Brightest Blessings!

After The Rain

2011-11-16T17:33:00.000+08:00

It's been raining hard here for the last couple of days, today I think I may have seen the last of heaven's tears for the time being.

I love capturing water droplets and I am more than thankful that I was given the chance to capture this. Happy Wednesday!

Brightest Blessings!

Sweet Little Bud

2011-11-15T13:28:00.000+08:00

This is part of the set of my favorite photos for this week.

My Zinnia plant is teeming with buds and blooms, quite a sweet reminder from nature that no matter what happens, there will always be a fresh start as long as you don't close yourself to the possibilities.

Brightest Blessings!

Quotography | Black and White

2011-11-14T15:24:00.000+08:00

If there's one thing that I love to do when it comes to photographing people it would be photographing them in black and white from camera.

My personal preference may stem from the fact that I do not want the colors of the person's clothes to take the eyes of the viewers away from their faces, their expressions and everything else that you can see in one's face. Yes, I think I believe in the fact that one can capture another person's true self when one photographs another in black and white.

Have a great week!

Brightest Blessings!

Scavenger Hunt Sunday - The Point and Shoot Edition

2011-11-13T21:05:00.000+08:00

Here are my interpretations for this week's hunt

1. Before and After

Please Mouse Over to See the Before Image

Aside from photography, my other hobby would be spending a day in front of my house and tending to my plants. Today, I saw this cute little bud that just said, HI! Can you take my photo?

2. Opposing Lines

I guess the opposing lines here are the pistils, is that what they're called? Anyway, some of them are shooting upward while the others are bowing down.

3. Custom Bokeh

To achieve this look, I bought black art paper, cut out the shape and held the paper in front of the lens of my point and shoot camera. I'm just so happy that it was able to produce this not so clear but at least some custom bokeh of our Christmas lights.

4. Which Pair of Shoes Should I Wear?

Really can't decide if it's the open-toed sandals or the close pointed shoes.

5. Little Features

Just sharing this sweet little shot.

Brightest Blessings!

Morning Sky

2011-11-12T16:04:00.000+08:00

A great view of the morning sky from the back of our house.

I have read this tip from a website a long time ago, if you're using a point and shoot camera and you don't have a filter, try using your polarized sunglasses as a filter, they work well.

That photo was shot using my Nikon Coolpix P80 with my Spyder shades as my filter. Great thing that the sunglasses matched the diameter of the lens.

Brightest Blessings!

This or That Pink Edged Bloom

2011-11-10T16:09:00.000+08:00

I don't know what kind of flower these are, but one time when I was a little sad, hubby bought flowers with me when we went to the supermarket.

Typically, I wouldn't like anything pink at home, but these blooms made me smile so I welcomed them inside my home.

Brightest Blessings!

Sweet Still Life

2011-11-08T14:57:00.001+08:00

I love capturing beauty especially when there's a lot of natural lighting around.

This photo was taken indoors by the side of the door. I set up two black illustration boards placed the glass with the flower and our wedding rings at the area where the light was strongest.

Brightest Blessings!

October Favorite Photo

2011-11-07T21:38:00.000+08:00

Why is this my favorite photo?

There are actually several reasons. One of which is that I am on the road to wellness and I get inspiration from nature. This is my inspiration - a sunset that says, another day done, another bump in the road overcome, time to rest, tomorrow is a brand new day, a brand new start.

It is said that it is the person behind the camera that really makes a good photograph, however on this instance, I say, "No it's not the photographer who made the photo, it is nature and the creator which gave the chance to the photographer to capture the closing of another day."

Brightest Blessings!

KK Textured Hunt

2011-11-07T20:57:00.000+08:00

I am so late for Scavenger Hunt Sunday this week. Without any long introductions, here are my photos:

1. Food

Hubby and I recently talked and decided that we are going to take on the Php500 challenge (roughly USD15). It means that whenever we go out, we will go to a restaurant that serves healthy but good food without spending too much. First try was a success and we're planning to keep doing this until December, wish us luck!

2. Purple

Isn't she just so adorable in purple?

3. In Disguise

Don't be scared, that's just hubby trying on different masks for his office's Halloween party.

4. Shapes

What better way to look for shapes than staring at different Lego pieces?

5. Photographer's Choice

Sorry, I always try to find an excuse to show off my little furry baby.

Brightest Blessings!

Thai Ice Tea

2011-11-04T15:21:00.000+08:00

Hosted by Cecily and Lolli

If there's one drink that I love as much as water, that would be Thai Ice Tea. I love the different tastes that it offers - sour like tamarind, sweet, milky and of course let's not forget the natural taste of tea. The best part, it's always served with a LOT of ice.

This photo was taken at one of the restaurants that hubby and I went to. Good thing that our "dates" always fall on my cheat day.

Brightest Blessings!

Blooming in Black and White

2011-11-03T15:09:00.000+08:00

My life is blooming. I have stopped and started my journey to wellness for a couple of times already and this time I pray that it becomes a habit, not a routine, but a habit.

My life is just now starting to bloom, would you believe that I'm that much of a late bloomer? But looking at that small, fragile flower I realized that I too like that flower should blossom, spread my petals, opening up to the world and enjoy it.

Brightest Blessings!

Blooper

2011-11-01T17:09:00.000+08:00

I just love this shot. Everyone didn't know that I was trying to get a shot of my friends at the table. While some tried to look cool, well the others, I'll just let the photo speak for itself.

Brightest Blessings!

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T16:33:00.000+08:00

Brightest Blessings!

A Black and White Sunday

2011-10-30T15:23:00.000+08:00

Here are my interpretations for this week's Scavenger Hunt Sunday

1. Macro/Close-Up

I haven't tried to photograph flowers in black and white because I thought they would not look pretty. However when I tried to convert this photo to B&W it looked so much awesome! Love it!

2. Found Texture

Texture is everywhere! But this little flower and its contrasting little spikes caught my eyes. I guess it's the contrast of the soft and delicate petals against the menacing little spikes are what really caught my attention.

3. Home

Welcome to my home.

4. Cover

Can't think much of a subject regarding cover so I decided to take a photo of my lens cover/cap.

5. Tree

Tall dark trees silhouetted against dark clouds - foreboding, just in time for Halloween! Happy weekend!

* All photos were taken in color then were brought to GIMP. Turned it into black and white using Gimp's Black and White Film Filter - Agfapan 100

Brightest Blessings!

Faraway Sunset

2011-10-27T23:20:00.000+08:00

Day 8:A Bad Habit

A bad habit that I'm trying to kick especially now that I am trekking the road towards health and fitness.

Day 9: Someone You Love

I just find this shot so cute and adorable!

Day 10: Childhood Memory

This white bud reminds me of the times that my mother and I used to go to church every Wednesday. Outside of the church there were several vendors of jasmines strung on threads waiting to be bought, taken home then put on the altar.

Day 11: Something Blue

My morning walks take me to this place. A spot where I can just look at the city and enjoy the view high a top my perch.

Day 12: Sunset

Today I together with a couple of neighbors decided to go to the neighboring subdivision to watch the sun set behind the tall buildings of the Central Business District. It was a cloudy afternoon but I was still blessed to capture this photo before the sun completely hid behind the clouds as it set.

Brightest Blessings!

Natural Beauty

2011-10-25T15:00:00.000+08:00

Another flower from the same plant. A new day, another step closer to my goal.

Brightest Blessings!

Seeing Realness

2011-10-24T14:57:00.002+08:00

The blue tinge was added using the Sweet Bakery Glaze action from the CoffeeShop Blog. - Blueberry glaze applied and blended at color.

I have taken a photo of different flowers from the same plant for a number of days now. I must say, I can't get enough of it.

There's just a definite beauty and delicateness on this bloom that reminds me of purity, innocence, and while it does not have feelings, the joy that it gives me is more than enough for me to stare at it and take a photo of it every single day I pass by it.

Brightest Blessings!

The Sweet Bakery Glaze Edit

2011-10-23T14:16:00.000+08:00

I call this the sweet bakery glaze edition because I have used The CoffeeShop Blog's Sweet Bakery Glaze Action to edit the following photos:

1. Words

Edited using the Green Apple Glaze, blending mode set at luminosity

I have owned this game since, oh, forever. If it wasn't just too noisy to play, I would really love to hunt words using this game for hours.

If there's one thing that I remember so clearly is how my sister encouraged me to play word games like scrabble and word factory compared to other board games. Word hunt that's the term that she used to use A LOT.

2. Under

Edited using Vanilla Glaze, blending mode set at lighten

Just another photo of our furry baby resting under the stairs, his favorite spot in the house.

3. Orange

Edited using Strawberry Glaze, blending mode set at color

Hubby and I went out to the mall yesterday. That orange-pumpkin-lookin' hat was just way too small for me. I would have bought it if not for that small glitch.

4. Fly

Edited using Honey Glaze, blending mode set to lighten

Halloween is just around the corner, time to get the broomstick out of the closet and fly high on it. Witches, do they really fly?

5. Always Look on the Bright Side

Edited using the Blueberry Glaze, blending mode set at darken

I've been doing my best to stay on the road towards health and fitness. If there's one thing that really keeps me going is this - the bright side of waking up early in the morning. Seeing flowers with fresh morning dew on their petals and the wonderful sunrise that says - another day, a brand new start and a day closer to my goal.

Brightest Blessings!

Attempt at Digital Art

2011-10-21T14:00:00.001+08:00

Hosted by Cecily and Lolli

I found this challenge and I decided to give it a try.

The flower was a great find during one of my morning walks.

To edit:

I brought the photo to GIMP and cleaned it there.
Added a texture which I received from Kim Klassen
Sliced the original photo into 6 different parts and gave each part a drop shadow effect
Finally applied the HDR script
Flattened and saved the image

Brightest Blessings!

Fresh Morning Dew

2011-10-20T11:55:00.000+08:00

I have never thought of myself as a morning person. When I was a kid going to school was always a big challenge since I wasn't a fan of waking up early. This carried on all the way to adulthood. I chose to work in an industry that allowed me to go work at night and sleep the whole day, weird, I know.

Since I really opened my eyes to the ugly truth that I am overweight and that I need to do something about it I set some goals for myself which included walking on almost a daily basis. Aside from being helpful to my overall health, one thing that inspired me to wake up early in the morning to explore are the photos of the flower above.

Freshness, morning dew, the smell of clean air and a fresh view on my health, I guess at this point I couldn't ask for anything else.

Brightest Blessings!

Good Morning!

2011-10-19T13:35:00.001+08:00

The road to fitness is long and hard but if one gets disheartened then it will only lead to nowhere and all the efforts that one puts in will be all for none.

This beautiful scenery is another way to motivate myself to wake up early and say Good Morning to the world , walking along the hard road but looking at the benefits that this simple routine can do.

The time of day is unimportant as of now all I want to do is say Good Morning to all of you!

The original photo was in color and then converted to black and white using Gimp with only one simple step. I went to colors>Black and White film>Kodak TriX>flattened and saved the image.

Brightest Blessings!

Laughing Out Loud

2011-10-18T21:52:00.000+08:00

It's my first time to join this challenge and I'm excited to share this photo with you.

What makes me laugh out loud? The simple things in life can actually make me laugh. Like the photo above, my furry baby makes me holler with laughter even when I'm at my lowest. His antics like lying down on is back beside me and hubby waiting for us to scratch his belly. They way he tries to snuggle up when hubs and I embrace before he goes to work. Then of course there's my personal favorite, the way he *kisses* his dada when he hears the alarm clock chime and dada still covers his face up with a pillow.

Simple joys, simple things, simple life.

Brightest Blessings!

Scavenger Hunt Sunday | 10162011

2011-10-16T17:10:00.001+08:00

Welcome to the new home of my Scavenger Hunt Sunday Posts. Without going around the bush any further, here are my photos for this week's hunt

1. Abstract

I have recently taken to walking as a form of exercise and I'm so happy I did because I realized that it has a lot of health benefits. If you're curious about the benefits of walking, you can read it here. Anyway, it was during yesterday's walk that I saw an interesting thing which I took a photo of. The effect was done using another free filter that I downloaded from the web called artisoft for PhotoShop.

2. Round

Please Mouse Over to See the Photo Before Editing

This is another fabulous find during yesterday's walk. The blooms were like dandelions, they were round but instead of them being white, they're pink. The editing on this one was inspired by one of Ashley's edits, I thought to give it a try and hey, it kinda worked!

3. Fire

Please Mouse Over to See the Before Photo

This is not fire literally, but when I saw the skies this morning, I thought I saw fire!

4. Seeing Faces in Weird Places

It does kinda look like a face, doesn't it?

5. Stars

Colorful paper stars are perfect for this prompt! For editing, I decided to use The CoffeeShop Blog's Sweet Bakery Glaze action and then chose the Strawberry Glaze which I then tweaked a little to make it look like a dreamy, starry photo.

Also Linking Up With The Creative Exchange

Brightest Blessings!

Restaurant Festival

2011-10-14T13:24:00.000+08:00

I received an invitation for an event sometime this week and I was happy to dig in to join the fun.

The event was scheduled yesterday the 13th of October and was held at one of the upscale malls in the Metro Manila area.

I arrived early at the venue which gave me more than enough time to take photos of the preparation and the registration of the guests.

We were given press kits after the registration and it contained a brief explanation of what the event was all about.

At the registration desk, we were also given a small booklet which was called a "Passport." This passport was for all the delicious meals served by all the different restaurants which participated in the event.

I'm currently on a strict diet in order to get my weight back to my normal range. Yesterday though, I felt that my diet went south of the border because of all the food that was laid out on every table.

Reflecting on it though I would say that no my diet is intact. I only had breakfast, then some snack at 5PM then ate a piece of almost everything that was served. My choices - chicken, chicken, chicken, veggies, chicken and no dessert!

Dieting and the road to fitness should not be a burden nor a challenge. Food should never be an enemy, everything in moderation will always be the best road to curb cravings and allow you to enjoy life and everything that it has to offer.

Hosted by Cecily and Lolli

Brightest Blessings!

30 Day Photo Challenge | Days 1 to 7

2011-10-12T13:29:00.001+08:00

I have to admit that I have been experiencing some form of a low point in my photography. There are days that the camera just stays inside its bag and there are days that even editing seems to be a chore.

It's a blessing that I when I read Courtney's post on here blog, Click It Up A Notch I saw that she posted this challenge:

And here's my entry for Day 1: Self Portrait

I am still so not comfortable posing in front of the camera, I still rather have my eye stuck on the view finder and click the shutter to take a photo of something else.

Self portraits are hard, especially when you don't have a tripod and have to settle for the next best thing. For this photo I decided to go down low and take the photo from a low angle shooting upward. I have to say, it worked out quite well.

Day 2: Something You Wore Today

I have a weight problem and it's sooooo hard to lose all those excess pounds. Looking at myself I see that I do need to lose all the extra baggage. No it's not to fit better in those shorts and tank, but more on I need to lose the excess weight because I don't think it's healthy.

Day 3: Clouds

My Day 4 Photo for the 30 Day Photo Challenge: Something Green

I love how the leaf fell on the ground, its shadow and reflection.

Day 5: From a High Angle

This was taken while I was standing over the fallen leaf which I found on our front steps.

Day 6: From a Low Angle

Last night while I was lying on the couch I realized I still didn't have a photo for the 30 day challenge. I set up my camera on the floor, put it on timer and click!

Day 7: Fruit

A healthy serving of fresh fruits when I went out with hubby last Saturday. I took this in advance since we don't have fruits at home.

These photos are also posted over at Shutterscapes. I decided to put all my personal photos here because the address of this blog says lifemomentsmemories. I guess it just kinda fits better. The title of this blog was Shutterscapes, but I changed it to Psychemage Photography. Psyche in Greek means soul, mage from the word IMAGE. Psychemage literally means Soul Images.

Brightest Blessings!

Texture Tuesday | The Red Edition

2011-10-11T16:03:00.001+08:00

Original Photo

Textured Photo using Kim's Serendipity Texture

Another simple recipe:

> Cropped, resized and cleaned the photo

> Used 2 layers of Kim's Serendipity Texture. One set at darken and the other at soft light

> Ran a pass of the brighten edge filter

> Added the name stamp, flattened and saved the image

* Just a small announcement: Starting tomorrow, Wednesday I will be putting more personal posts here and the learning part will be transferred over to another address. I hope to see you guys there!

Brightest Blessings!

Shoot and Edit | Leaves SOOC

2011-10-10T17:21:00.000+08:00

I just took a random snapshot for this prompt when I saw these leaves before I dipped into the pool. Kinda looks like hearts or even a clover.

Brightest Blessings!

Edit Me | Photo by Amy

2011-10-05T16:21:00.000+08:00

Before I forget, the My Memories Suite giveaway has been extended until the 15th of this month. If you want to get a chance to receive a copy of this awesome software for free, you can check out the details HERE and a sample of what you can do HERE.

The SOOC photo was shared by Amy from Artistically Amy

And here's my edit

To get the vintage postcard effect:

> Cleaned the photo
> Went to GIMP to add the page curl effect
> Used the Old Paper effect
> Added the heavy paper texture at darken, then set it at 50% opacity

Brightest Blessings!

Shoot and Edit | Fall Edited

2011-09-29T14:17:00.000+08:00

And it's time once again to share our edited photos this week.

For this week's prompt, I posted this SOOC

As we don't have fall in the Philippines, I had to look for something that might represent fall best. And what I decided on was to share a photo of that plant which looks as if it is in perpetual fall due to its colors.

Here's how it looks like after the edit:

I just tried to show off the brown some more by doing the following:

> Cleaned the photo
> Adjusted levels
> Copied the background and set it at soft light
> Used the Dreamy Suite Photoshop plug-in and set it at soft blend
> Rendered some lighting effects to focus more on the plant
> Flattened and saved the image

Brightest Blessings!

Edit Me | Photo by Kala

2011-09-28T15:43:00.000+08:00

This week an adorable photo was shared by Kala from The Wishful Lamb for editing.

And here's my edit

What I did:

I tried to edit it too much since it was already so adorable to begin with.

> Cropped and cleaned the photo
> Converted it to monochrome
> Ran the Baby Powder Room action from The CoffeeShop blog
> Ran the Bring on the Eyes action from the Pioneer Woman
> Gave it a light haze using the Soft White Tint (Dreamy Suite - plugin for PS)
> Flattened and saved the image

Brightest Blessings!

Texture Tuesday | The Love Edition

2011-09-28T15:25:00.000+08:00

Mouse Over to See the Before Photo

Taken last August 2010 when my friend contracted me to be their wedding photographer.

The recipe:

> Cleaned the photo
> Turned it into Black and White
> Added a layer of Kim's Love texture set it at soft light
> Added a layer of Kim's Portrait texture set at soft light as well
> Flattened and saved the image

Brightest Blessings!

Shoot and Edit | Fall SOOC

2011-09-28T15:02:00.000+08:00

I'm late for this week's Shoot and Edit because for one I really didn't know what photo to use since we don't have fall here in the Philippines.

Anyway, here's a shot of a plant that looks as if it's perpetually experiencing fall due to its colors.

Another great lesson I learned from this challenge, learn to look at things from a different perspective.

Brightest Blessings!

My Memories | A Sample

2011-09-23T13:26:00.001+08:00

Before I go on about how amazing the My Memories Suite is, I'd just like to remind you to join my Giveaway.

Again, this giveaway is sponsored by My Memories, a great resource for all your wonderful works of art for your print out needs, blogs, photo books and everything else that your creative mind can think of. If you are into designing wedding invitations, you can visit My Memories website and purchase the My Memories Wedding Studio Software. If you like creating photo books, you can choose to purchase the My Memories Photobook Studio Software.

But if you're like me and have recently tried to make a scrapbook, the My Memories Suite can help you just like it helped me to save my scrapbook from disaster. Aside from being a great tool to make collages and holiday cards, you can also create some amazing templates using this software. Don't take my word for it, Amazon and TopTen Reviews have rated this software #1.

The software is easy to use and aside from having templates that are ready for use, you can also opt to download some templates from the My Memories website, just like the one above to create great looking pages for your scrapbook or blog.

There are so many themes to choose from! From those clean and simple templates to being able to download scrapbooking kits from the website which are compatible with the My Memories Suite software.

So if you want to get a chance to get a free copy of this wonderful tool, just follow these simple guidelines:

1. Join the Back to Basics Meme by the end of September (please put all your SOOC photos for this month on one post) and follow my blog. (5pts)

2. Like My Memories Suite on Facebook (5pts)

3. Follow them on Twitter (3pts)

4. Leave me a comment here to let me know that you are joining. (2pts)

And as a gift to all those who will participate in the giveaway, My Memories wanted me to give these as an initial gift to all of you: STMMMS44495 (Copy and paste this code when you make your purchase) a $10.00 discount coupon for the My Memories Suite and another $10.00 discount coupon for downloads. A total of $20.00 discount! By the way, the coupon code is free to share with your friends and family.

For the winner, My Memories will be giving you a free copy of the My Memories Suite (valued at $40.00). Drop me a line and let me know if you're participating.

Brightest Blessings!

My Memories | Giveaway Details

2011-09-23T12:24:00.001+08:00

Just one more reminder.The My Memories Giveaway closes by the end of September.

Please compile and post all your entries for this month and post it by September 30th. By the end of the month, I will be posting all my shots for the challenges slightly edited using the MY MEMORIES SUITE.

The winners will be announced by the 2nd of October (Sunday, 12NN Philippine Time).

Here are the challenges for this month:

> Heads in the Street

> Birds in Flight

> Leaves

> Fallen Trees or Objects

> Body of Water

*NOTE: All the photos on this post were from the book The Art of Composition by Bert Krages.

The Rules

1. Join the Back to Basics Meme by the end of September (please put all your SOOC photos for this month on one post) and follow my blog. (5pts)

2. Like My Memories Suite on Facebook (5pts)

3. Follow them on Twitter (3pts)

4. Leave me a comment here to let me know that you are joining. (2pts)

What's in store for the overall winner?

1. The top winner for the month of September (voted as the best SOOC and with higher points) gets a copy of the My Memories Suite absolutely FREE!

And I will be giving these as an initial gift to all those who participate: STMMMS44495 (Copy and paste this code when you make your purchase)

2. All participants (except for the winner) will receive a $10.00 discount coupon for the My Memories Suite and another $10.00 discount coupon for downloads. A total of $20.00 discount! By the way, the coupon code that you will get is free to share with your friends and family.

Brightest Blessings!

Shoot and Edit | Portrait Edited

2011-09-22T13:06:00.002+08:00

I've been late posting my SOOC entries for the last couple of weeks. For the curious, here's my SOOC again:

At first I decided to just do a clean edit, but something was inside my brain that I can't get out, so I decided to re-edit the photo to make it look like this:

What I did:

> Cleaned the photo
> Copied the background, desaturated it
> Erased the part of the model
> Flattened the image
> Used The Coffee Shop Blog's Baby Powder Room Action
> Used Pioneer Woman's Bring on the Eyes Action
> Added the vignette

Brightest Blessings!

Edit Me | Photo by Deb

2011-09-21T14:00:00.000+08:00

The guest judge for this week's Edit Me is Deb from Deb Duty. She also shared this photo for participants to edit:

And here's my edit:

For the edit, I decided to follow some simple steps.

> In GIMP, resized and cleaned the photo
> Added a touch of a warming filter
> In Photoshop 7, I used the Soft White Tint from the Dreamy Bonus filter
> Added a vignette that was built in to the actions palette of PS7

Brightest Blessings!

Shoot and Edit | Teen or Adult Portrait SOOC

2011-09-19T14:14:00.000+08:00

If there's one area in photography that I would like to improve a lot in, without batting an eyelash, I would say that portraiture is my weakest spot.

I can't wait to see what the other participants have come up with! I know that I'll learn tons from this week's tips.

*Photo was taken sometime January when I joined my first photography workshop.

Brightest Blessings!