More Flip n Blend, Abstract Wonderfulness.

So I have been spending a lot of time photographing lately, but most has been for 'competition' so I haven't been blogging as much as I would like.  A team event is starting on DPChallenge and I am on a team, so I've been getting to know my team and working really hard on submitting better photos.  (Now by the end of this blog post, you'll wonder what I'm talking about "better photos".  Haha.  I have had a couple of duds recently.  But I am putting in extra effort and I assume it will show any day now.)

I am feeling the pressure of this team thing since I'm a novice, I don't want to lose it all for my team.  But everyone seems very nice, and teams are made up of folks with all different skill levels.  I have noticed that I'm trying a little harder.  Plus the team is able to review images and make comments. So there is more trying something, then going out later and trying again.  

Bonus - I've already learned new settings on my camera.

We have had a number of 'expert' editing challenges, and you're shocked, I'm sure, to learn that I am not an expert at Photoshop.  But I did, however, try.  One exception to my lack of skill involves "Flip n Blend".  You've seen a few of my flip n blend's before, and it's quite a bit of fun to play around with.  My entry even did quite well - another personal best unless some 'mean voters' show up in the next hour.  

Here is my newest 'winner'.

I also entered the 'winged' challenge.  I had a fabulous opportunity to shoot butterflies at a Butterfly House, but my focus was off just a bit.  (I suspect I was just too close for most shots.)  I had one shot I really liked, and in hindsight I should have entered this:

But instead I took on the challenge of doing some 'expert editing'.  I took a neat gargoyle my mother has and shot him at dusk.  

And then it all went horribly wrong.  

In my defense, there were folks on the site saying they really wanted to see effort at the 'expert editing' and that they would vote lower any "regular" photo.  Well, I suspect they were exaggerating - but I also figured it was high time I try inserting an object from one photo into another photo.  I really do not know how I decided that blue and fluorescent green were the best idea.  I think it just happened.  I was mentally tired from all the work getting one gargoyle into a different photo that apparently I lost all sense.

But what's done is done.  (And I didn't even get last place, so there's that.)

The bonus is that I did learn a new photoshop task - I'll have to work on it - but I did it!

See on,

Julee