photo challenges

this week's subject for the paper mama and i heart faces are both fall related. REVISION:  this post is now for the best faces challenge on i heart faces - week of jan. 9th, 2012!

yesterday, i took holly on a mini-shoot with the intention of capturing ONE photo (of many) for her birthday invitation.  one of those is perfect for this week's challenges.

the setting:  4:30ish pm at a dehart botanical gardens (central NC), the sun was setting in the trees, holly was sitting on a rock, she had a big red maple to her side, the bright sky was peeking through the trees, the "lake" (really it is a pond) was reflecting light up at her face - it just couldn't have been more perfect.  processed with florabella's musette action. 

 this photo was entered into the i heart faces photo challenge – http://www.iheartfaces.com/ (twice!)

 and thepapermama's photo challenge - thepapermama.blogspot.com

photo challenge - black - iheartfaces

the subject of this challenge is black, and the focus of holly, and this photo, is holly's tap shoes.  toe - stomp is the move she's mastering here with the help of her instructor.    i think this is a perfect entry for "black"!

This photo was entered into the I Heart Faces photo challenge – www.iheartfaces.com

photochallenge - favorite from october - thepapermama

she's got her hands in her back pocket and she's out of focus but what IS in focus is what makes the photo rock:  an old barn and a bunch of four-wheelers.  she is a country girl in the making.  she's my holly.

the subject is "favorite from october" and if you want to see more, head on over to thepapermama's blog and take a peek!

black and white: photo challenge

this one is so hard for me.  i have such issues with converting a photo into black and white.  i have 3 actions that do it and hardly ever is it just right.  plus, my children look so good in color.  just a plain desaturation doesn't do it nor do any of the "convert to black and white" options that elements offers, and with all the adjustments in the world, i have a hard time getting just what i want.  guess it is one of those "everyone elses are better than mine" sort of deals...  and, i just need more practice.  that is why i rarely have black and white as a final product.  i'm never satisfied.

thepapermama has a rule with her photo challenges in which your child has to be in the picture:  any G-rated part of the child, it doesn't have to be the face.

for this picture, i am going to enter a picture of holly's hand.  i used one of MCP's actions for this black and white conversion - with a lot of tweeking - but i think the "jewels" are super shiny and holly's snow white skin doesn't appear to blown out. it was simply the best i could do...