A New Day, A Different Way The creative and photographic endeavours of a woman trying to add color and beauty to her world.

Today I am participating in Pixel Perfect's blog hop "Critique This".  Below is my photo for consideration.  I welcome all constructive criticism.

Based on the descriptions on Pixel Perfect I would be a beginner.  I edited this photo using Elements 9.  I slightly adjusted the levels and added a warming filter, that was all. 

UPDATE:


In the comments Tiffany wondered what the photo would look like in black and white so I quickly edited it and added a B & W version.  I would have to play with it a bit more if I was going with a black and white because the rushes in the middle kind of get lost but I just did a quick edit. 

I love railway photos, I'm really not sure what it is about them that appeals to me but I love to look at them and to take them.  I also like photos of industrial sites as well but that is foder for another day.  These are a few photos I took this weekend.  Everytime he sees my railway photos my husband reminds me that it can be a $10,000 fine for trespassing on the rail lines but I keep doing it, I just can't help it. 

My husband doesn't really like this one, he thinks the telephone pole detracts from the photo but I kind of the like the way the tree on one side and the pole on the other frame the car with all the graffiti.  I was tempted to crop some of the top off of this photo but I kind of like how the tree branches fill it in.  What do you think, crop or no crop and does the pole detract?

Today was a beautiful day.  Well above freezing, the sun was shinning and the snow was melting.  There was, perhaps, a hint of spring in the air.  As luck would have it I also found the most beautiful little spot to take photos, it is a little paradise right in the middle of town.  I stopped to photograph the trees along the road but then I noticed the grasses and rushes and so I found the path and wandered in to find a lovely treed area with a creek, a small bridge and hundreds of things to photograph.  I only stopped because my memory card was full.  I can see myself going back there often especially as spring hits.  I have a lot of shots to share but here are just a few, I will put more up later this week.  There were so many I loved.

We will start with the trees that drew me in the first place, all winter long I have admired how their yellow branches add such a nice pop of color to the dullness of winter.

This photo was taken during our Winter Carnival.  Every year they have a balloon fiesta and I always have to admire the people who are willing to get up in those balloons in mid February.  Seems like it would be way to cold for me.

The receipe for this edit was very simple and inexpensive.  I did the whole thing using Picnik.  Here is what I did:

I was lucky enough to have a day off during the week and I took advantage of it to go for a quiet, afternoon beach walk with my camera.  We are very lucky to live next to one of the most beautiful lakes in the world but unfortunately it doesn't show its beautiful colors as much in the winter.  But I was still able to get a few nice winter beach shots.  I'm still desperately hoping for spring but since it was -14 when I woke up this morning I would say that is still a few weeks away.