Adventures in Photoshop

So now that I have access to Photoshop and feel more comfortable with my color correction skills and eye, I have gone back and updated some old photos. I love photoshop. All these pictures were taken on my point and shoot, which has terrible color balance and doesn't do well adjusting shadows and highlights, and photoshop has made them so much better. Anyway, below I've put the color corrected versions and links to the originals. You can also see them in my photostream on my flickr page.

Click on "read more" to read more :)

Lagoon

I haven't posted anything in just over 10 months, but I was photoshopping pictures to give as Christmas gifts and decided I'd upload some to the website. A lot has happened over the last 10 months - my arm is fully healed, my thumb gets tired and I have a few limitations here and there, but it's at about 98% of what it was which is good enough for me. I also got moved on to a new project team at work which is the other reason I haven't really posted - my life is infinitely busier. Anyway, I think my winter despression has set in, so I thought I'd take the negative energies and focus them elsewhere.

I took this with an old Canon EOS that my brother so graciously gave me. This was one of the first few pictures I took with a DSLR and it was the first time I had used an SLR of any type in a while. I don't remember the f-stop or shutter speed, but it was about sunset at my step-family's beach house in September. I love the view. I love the light. I took the photo into photoshop to boost brightness and contrast a bit and to straighten it out. I am pleased with the final product. I put a few copies in frames and gave it out a Christmas present because the house may be sold soon. We may not always have the house and the view, but we will always have the memories.

ruminations

"A photo is inherently a moment one never sees. It is stagnant. I have explored these moments at times when no one is looking. Let's open our eyes to the world we see everyday, but look at in a different view or light." - Harry Callahan

A few weeks ago, when I was out of work, I went to the MFA. I saw a photo show by Harry Callahan and above is one of the quotes I wrote down while I was there. It makes me want to find a specific path and/or project for my photos, but when I think about it the quote is exactly what I am doing. I'm documenting my everyday life... the things I see and the things I notice, but with a photo it's seen in a different view. I can capture a moment of a day, something I saw that inspired me for just a moment and share that view with all of you. Since it's my everyday life it's somewhat personal, but for me it's like that old saying "write what you know" ... so I photograph what I know: my life.

I just wish I was a little more focused. Or had a better camera. Or a better technique.

Anyway, where are few more pictures:

02.17.10

02.16.10

02.15.10

02.14.10

What a sweet Valentine to myself: tying my shoes for the first time in 6 weeks.

Happy Valentine's Day

I spent Valentine's Day on the couch with ice cream and girly movies. I went to a wedding yesterday so between that and the chic flicks I've definitely gotten in the Valentine's Spirit. And today I got a lot of phone calls and texts from my friends and family, so it's been a pretty good day.

This past week's photos (after the break)

Out of Order

I forgot that I had taken a few pictures with my cell phone that I wanted to post on here. Sometimes, when my camera battery is dead or I don't have it with me, I take pictures with this blog in mind on my cell phone. Anyway, check them out:

02.07.10

I made these from scratch for superbowl sunday. It was really easy and cheap and fun! I got a german cookbook for christmas so I got the recipe from there. It was just flour, sugar, yeast, water, vegetable oil, and salt. Served with mustard, they ended up being really tasty!

02.05.10

I went to the MFA Friday and had lunch with one my friends who works there. Then I walked around and saw a few temporary exhibitions as well as some of the permanent ones. I especially liked this when I walked in and saw the scene.

Another Week in Recovery

So most of these pictures were taken around the house. I have been staying in mostly. Being out of work is really taking its financial toll, so I am trying my best to keep my costs down until I go back to work. I'm actually starting back next Tuesday. I am getting a little nervous about my return. Monday, when I decided that I'd definitely go back next week, I had made leaps and bounds in physical therapy. Today I woke up in a lot of pain, my wrist swelled up again, and my wrist movement went back to being awful. I guess I pushed it a little too hard the last few days and so I have taken a few steps backwards in recovery. It's beyond frustrating. I try to stay positive, but days like today make it hard.

Anyway, enjoy some photos of another week on the 'road to recovery' with me:

More updates

So I'm still working on the story of my arm... it's becoming a real little essay. I haven't written an essay in a very long time, so I'm working hard to write something nice. It's hard though, because my arm gets tired typing for long periods of time, I have trouble writing with a pen or pencil do to lost strength and mobility in my thumb, and using my left hand is tiring and messy. Eventually, I'll get it up here.

In the meantime I'll keep you entertained with photos.

Remember that time I broke my arm... The Pictures.

So an update... Finally. I've decided to write a narrative of my broken arm. It will be good for several reasons. It will serve as documentation. It will be informative. And it will be a bit therapeutic to write it all down and get it out there. I've been working on the story for a day now, but I don't want to hold up the photo portion with the story, too, so I'm posting pictures. I'll try to get some new pictures up today or tomorrow and post the story by the end of the week. The story is proving to be rather long so that will be it's own entry.

For now, enjoy the pictures and their descriptions (after the break)

Update!

So I have finally uploaded some more photos... this whole arm business has been a big nuisance. I meant to get these up sooner with all my time off, but using the computer with one left hand gets really, really, really frustrating really, really fast. Actually, everything gets frustrating when you have one left hand and you're a righty.

That being said I'll write a real blog entry tomorrow with explanations for all the pictures (I clearly didn't take them all myself as I am the subject of some of them). I know some people get unnerved when I post pictures of myself, but for the sake of documenting my journey through this broken arm nonsense I have chosen to post them. Anyway, you can look at the photos HERE and, like I said, I'll write a real blog entry with the pictures in the blog this weekend.

If the link above doesn't work, copy and paste this into the browser address line: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lisascho/

-L

Programming

I fractured my forearm and had to have surgery this week, and of course it's my right hand so I'm a little handicapped right now... I'm going to try and get christmas stuff up next week, but there will definitely be some delays in posts for a while.