Great Blue Heron - High Contrast Version

A friend and I went out this morning to see if we could find a Great Blue Heron that had been hanging around at a local park. At first I didn't see him, but when I looked again, there he was. We watched and photographed him for a few minutes and than there were two herons, and then 3 and then four. They flew in and out, so we couldn't photograph all four at the same time, but it was a pleasure to see four of these magnificent birds at one location. Due to my recent injury, I could only use my Canon sx200 point and shoot camera, but I kind of liked this picture. I cropped the original somewhat and used a couple of PhotoShop tricks to get this effect. I hope you enjoy it.

Arkansas Sunrise

My friends and I had to dress quickly to get pics like this of the sun rising over the Arkansas hills. It was worth the effort, though. Hope you enjoy it.

Lunch

When my friends and I were in Arkansas last month we stopped in a nice little local restaurant to eat lunch. Of course, being photographers, we had to document the occasion, so we took pictures of each others' food, much to the dismay of our waitress. There wasn't a lot of space and, at one point, we almost caused a collision. The lighting was not perfect, but sometimes, when you're taking pictures, you just have to take what you can get. Anyway, it was a fun lunch and I didn't think the picture came out too bad.

The Railing

As most of you probably know, my right wrist and left collar bone are both broken due to a bad fall while I was on a photo outing, so I haven't been able to use the computer much. I was able to edit a few pictures today, though, and thought I'd share this one. It's a different subect for me, but I enjoyed working with it.

What do you think of when you see this picture? It makes me wonder about the people who stayed in the room next to the railing, what they were like, what their dreams were and what they saw when they looked out the window. I can't do much else right now, so I'd enjoy reading your comments. Please share them with me and with the other readers.

Thanks.

Possibilities

"What has happened is not nearly as important as what can happen. Look to the possibilities of your future for direction, forsaking the burdensome limitations of your past." Keith D. Harrell

As we go through life, we often think about things that have happened and regret that we didn't act differently, say kinder words, etc. If we stay in that frame of mind, however, we're preventing the possibilities that are ahead of us from occurring. It's important to move beyond the regrets and the guilt that is tied up with the past. We can't change what has already happened, but our attitudes can have a tremendous impact on our future. So, keep your head up and look towards the future, not the past.

Arkansas in the Spring

This was taken in Eureka Springs, Arkansas when my friends and I were on our way to Harrison, Ar. for a photo outing. We stopped at a historic hotel and I took this shot from the back porch. I liked how the Redbud trees were mixed among the other trees, creating a mozaic of beauty.

Photo Tip: On a sunny day, if you're not using a polarizer, try putting your white balance on cloudy. It darkens the photo just a little and helps to pop the colors.

Meditation

"Meditation is a time of quiet, when the mind is freed from the hysterical ravings of a world gone mad. It is a silence in which the spirit of God can enter us and work His divine alchemy upon us." Marianne Williamson

Photo Tip: I used Topaz Simplify - Buzz to get the painterly effect on this picture. This beautiful scene from the Arkansas Ozarks seemed to lend itself to this type of treatment. When you get ready to apply a filter or plug-in, make sure it fits the picture. A harsh filter might have ruined the sense if serenity this picture conveys. Of course, photography is subjective and perhaps you think a different filter would have been more appropriate. If so, just let me know and perhaps I'll try it next time. I welcome your comments.