Picture of the Day (Dial-up internet users enter at own risk!)

[Timeshare Von]

My photo in print by the musher, Egil Ellis.

 

[dmharris]

This is AWESOME, Yvonne! You go girl! Congratulations!

 

[susieq]

PRETTY IMPRESSIVE YVONNE!!!
WAY TO GO!! ​

 

[missmarie]

so not techie

puerto morales feb 2007

 

[KristinB]

My photo in print by the musher, Egil Ellis.

Yvonne,

That is absolutely fabulous!

 

[KristinB]

Hey - I recognize that place!!!

Looks as if you were there on a VOG-free day.

Well, yes, but I had to go back a second time to do so, LOL! A lot of places I visited over our three week visit were too VOG-gy the first time I saw them, so I just watched the weather forecasts and made plans to visit them on another occasion when I thought the weather would be better... If all I was doing was photography, it would have been a lot easier, that's for sure! But I had to balance my photography desires with the plans that my hubby and our friends and family were making to see the various sights, as well as my desire to hike and snorkel. I only went off on my own twice in the three weeks just for photography -- once for a half day, and once for a few hours in the morning. So I think I did pretty well, considering that I worked it all in around everyone else's schedule!

 

[TUGBrian]

Really glad to hear your hubby is doing well after the incident Kristen!!!

every time I come back to this thread I am completely entertained by the new photos...has to be one of the best thread ideas ever!

 

[Brett]

didn't travel far for this shot (almost in my backyard), just a little bit "photoshopped"

 

[Zac495]

My precious Zoe in Florida.

 

[Zac495]

Many photoshop type programs have a similar feature now. Also any camera that has manual, aperture, or shutter speed priority settings can be used to create shallow depth of field. Since most digital cameras except the very cheapest ones have M-A-S options, you don't need a DSLR camera to work with depth of field.

++++++

A big limitation of the depth of field software tools is that you have to identify a specific oval or circle shape that is the area to remain in focus while the rest of the photo is blurred. If that oval contains background details, those details remain sharp and in focus instead of blurring as they would if the photo had been shot with a large aperture. For example, in the photo you selected the carved-wood duck and the candlestick holder in the background next to the lamp are in sharp focus. But the adjacent lamp, which is the same focal distance, is half in focus and half out of focus because the blurring selection passed through the middle of the lamp. There are some similar conditions at the base of the bowl.

Another way to do the same thing (and get some added photo enhancement benefits) is to make a feathered selection of the area you want blurred, then apply a blur to that selected area.

I had similar issues creating a suitable blurred area with this photo of my nephew, his wife, and their daughter.

With the range of objects in the photo I couldn't use the blurring tool to get everything to come out right. The objects in the background directly behind the sofa are a particular problem. The snowman figure and the chimes naturally draw attention, but using the blurring tool I couldn't blur them without also including peoples heads in the blurred area. To get around that, I selected the areas I wanted to blur using the selection tool (including both the near field portions of the blanket close to my camera and the far field objects and wall behind the sofa). I then applied a blur to that selected area. I did some additional work on the photo to remove red eye and flash reflection, and adjust color balance and skin tones. Here's the final result:

++++++++++++

When you do the selection technique it allows you to do some other manipulations of the background that can further minimize distracting photo elements.

In this photo of another one of my nephews I thought the greenish wall behind him made an unattractive background and I found my attention sometimes being drawn to the color clash and the foliage behind his head instead of to my nephew's face.

So after selecting the background area, not only did I blur the background, but I changed the background to a less obtrusive and more harmonious tone.

Nice looking family!

 

[geoand]

Correct photo
Kids parading in July 4 parade in McCarthy, Alaska

 

[DeniseM]

If you can't access your Photobucket pictures -

See the info posted here - http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=74041

 

[KristinB]

didn't travel far for this shot (almost in my backyard), just a little bit "photoshopped"

Brett,

Love the mama duck and ducklings!

My precious Zoe in Florida.

Ellen,

What a wonderful, exuberant image! You should submit it into a photo contest.

 

[geoand]

anything on wheels gets into parade

 

[geoand]

 

[Timeshare Von]

How I spent my Saturday!

She drives . . . she scores!

 

[KristinB]

She drives . . . she scores!

So you're really a soccer mom? LOL!

Way to go, Yvonne!

 

[Timeshare Von]

LOL - nope I'm actually the executive director of the Wisc Youth Soccer Assoc. We have 17 teams in the Midwest Regional Championships - - playing for the right to go to Nationals next month.

 

[geoand]

 

[KristinB]

I'll veer off my Big Island subject matter for a bit, as I met some friends to shoot some butterflies yesterday...

 

[geoand]

Kristin,
Never a dull moment when viewing your photos!

 

[susieq]

Kristen,
Those Butterflies are just beautiful!!! And the patience you must posses to get those photos!Great job!!:whoopie:

 

[Timeshare Von]

Love the up close photos of the butterflies . . . they are beautiful!

 

[geoand]

Eagles on the Skagit River

 

[RonB]

OBX pics

I've been avoiding this thread because not having anything to post makes me jealous. Anyway, we just got back from BIS - Duck. We took our kayaks and paddled in Corolla, Duck, And Pea Island NWR. I also shot some from shore. Here are a few, but the whole set is here with descriptions.

Thanx for looking ~ Ron