Life list Archives - Page 3 of 4 -

Photo Editing: Romantic Red Barns

September 8, 2011 by Farewell Stranger ·

I love driving along highways and seeing old barns. Farms are hard work, I know, but there’s something romantic about seeing a red barn standing strong in the middle of a field. Even – perhaps especially – if it’s run down. For that reason, this week’s photo for the edit me challenge really appeals to me.

Here’s the original:

Here’s my edit:

I didn’t do a whole lot to this. Using Pixelmator, I:

Cropped it.
Adjusted the exposure slightly.
Increased saturation just a little.
Did a colour balance – adjusted the colour towards red/green/blue to remove the hint of cyan/magenta hue that appeared once I’d increased the saturation.

I was tempted to make it sepia-coloured or black & white (see above re: romantic) but really wanted to show the weathering in the paint on the barn and the detail in the silo so I left it at that!

This post brought to you by my life list, #19: Really learn how to use a graphics editing program.

Filed Under: Photos · Tagged With: Life list, photos

Edit Me: Striped Socks

August 27, 2011 by Farewell Stranger ·

One of the things on my life list is learning how to use a graphics editing program properly. I also want to take more pictures in general, but (a) I don’t really seem to be doing that and (b) when I do take pictures they seem to stay on my camera (just ask my husband). When (a) and (b) are combined, it makes it sort of difficult to do much editing. Resourceful little me, however, has found a solution!

I came across the Edit Me Challenge a while ago, and I love love love this concept. The host provides a photo and those participating edit it as they see fit and submit their edits for judging. Fab idea, no?

When I first looked I noticed that a lot of people who participate are photographers or photo bloggers, which I am not. (So if you’re visiting from the challenge, hi! I’m not a photographer, but I’d love it if you’d offer your best tips or suggestions for resources or links to stuff of your own that you’re proud of. I would love to browse!)

I saw the photo for this week and decided it was time to work up the nerve to participate. This photo provided by Jamie from Mommy’s Camera, this week’s guest judge, is just so great:

I’m using Pixelmator, and I played around with a whole bunch of different effects. Because of the colours in this photo, some of the filter tools create really artsy looks.

With all of these edits, I adjusted the contrast, colour and exposure just a little bit. Then this one was done using the pointillize tool:

This one is just a simple click in the spot colour tool, with the levels adjusted to define the stripes:

I like those and actually think the first, especially, would look good framed. But for the judging (ha ha, please don’t laugh at me) I’m going to submit this one:

I cropped this one, and focused on sharpening the details in the dresses, socks and in the rocks. I adjusted the colour map, then did a gamma adjust on it and sharpened it to bring it really into focus. That left it just slightly dark and I really wanted the sunlight to show, so I adjusted the contrast just a bit to bring that back.

I was pretty happy with that in the end – it gives just enough of the dresses for interest, but really focuses on the striped socks, which I love.

Whaddya think?

Filed Under: Photos · Tagged With: firsts, Life list, living life

Blue Hair & Other Things: Life List Update

August 22, 2011 by Farewell Stranger ·

My life list has been on my mind a lot lately. And, weirdly, not crossing my mind at all at other times when it would be logical for it to do so.

Conferences and Flash Mobs

I wrote that list in January, the same month I started blogging. I realized the potential here after very quickly meeting some totally inspiring women. So I put “attend a bloggers’ conference for strong women” on the list (#4). I figured it would be a while before I actually did it, but funny things happen when you put something on your life list. BlogHer was always there, in the back of my mind. I’d like to go one year, I thought. And that became “I’d like to go this year,” which then evolved into “I think I have to go. I’m going to go.” So I did.

It was awesome.

Clockwise: @canbeafunnygirl, @galitbreen, @mamatrack, me, @mytimeasmom, @madwomandiary

(Yes, that’s a glow stick on my head.) (Yes, I stole the picture from Lizz.)

With my beautiful friend Cristi (@MotherUnadorned)

BlogHer also led to the addition of #57 on my list: participate in a flash mob. Here’s why:

Ooh, still gives me goosebumps. I want to do that one day.

Short hair

In the second photo above you can also see my new short hair, the result of #14 on my life list. Cutting my hair really short is something I’ve wanted to do for years but was always too chicken. Then a few weeks ago I went to get my hair cut and as I sat in the chair discussing options, I knew it was time. She took a chunk of my hair, cut several inches off the back, and inside I did a little happy dance. I love it! Should have done this years ago.

Blue hair

Speaking of hair, #54 on my list is to get a colourful streak put in my hair. This is just a whimsical wish and I almost did it while I was on leave from work, figuring I’d likely never do it at another time. Then last week my friend Cristi (from the photo above) committed to dyeing her hair blue if she raises an additional $1000 for suicide prevention by Sept. 9 (for a total of $1,500). See?

When she said if she doesn’t make it to her goal she’ll do blue streaks instead, I figured, hey, I can get on board with that. I wasn’t even thinking of my life list, just that it would be fun and in support of a good cause. Then Lizz got in on the conversation and she agreed to some blue as well. It was after that discussion that I remembered my life list, so this is perfect – blue streaks + fundraiser = checking off an item on my life list and having a good reason for it.

All together, Cristi has four of us on board now – Tara is going for streaks too, and Brian Perry, a singer/songwriter from New Orleans, is going full blue (but he doesn’t have a lot of hair…). Anyone else want in? If you’re not up for blue hair (or even if you are) I’d love it if you’d donate to Cristi. You can do that on her American Society for Suicide Prevention fundraising page or through PayPal on her site. Every dollar helps!

Other Things

I’ve been making progress on a few other items from my list:

#5: Speak at a blog conference. I haven’t done it yet, but in case you missed it, I got asked to speak at a Bloggy Boot Camp in 2012! I’m really looking forward to that. SITS Girls have also opened up pre-sale registration so you can guarantee your spot. (Not sure which location I’ll be at – I get to choose, but it will probably depend on timing. Any input? Out of the four choices I’ve only been to Vegas.)

#6: Attend a TED talk. This is similar but different, and I’m possibly even more excited about this one. I’ve been invited to speak at TEDx MileZero! SO excited. (Did I mention I’m excited?) Better get my presentation done. (I just got informed of my selection last week, so time is short. Very short, as you can see from the countdown clock on the site, which, as of today, reads 18 DAYS until the event. Eep!)

#55: Give blood 5 more times. This is a relatively easy one, if you discount my fear of needles. I donated on July 5th – my 3rd time – and the experiences are getting progressively better each time. The first time I donated one of the nurses evidently thought I looked a little pale and started pouring juice down my throat, which kind of freaked me out because, you know, I had a big needle in my arm. Even with that experience I’m much less nervous now. My sole remaining complaint is that the only spot that seems to work for giving blood – whether donating or having a blood test – is inside my left elbow. And each time I do it I get a big bruise and a permanent hole in my arm. Pretty soon they’re not going to let me donate because I’m going to look like a heroin addict.

#58 & #59 – I have also added two more items to my list. Get a tattoo to commemorate beating PPD (WOOT!) and help someone else with their life list (inspired by the story behind this).

And that’s it. Life is good.

Filed Under: Better world, Happy things · Tagged With: firsts, Life list, living life, spreading the love

Making It Happen – I’m a Speaker Finalist For Bloggy Boot Camp!

July 27, 2011 by Farewell Stranger ·

Last week I tortured myself making a video for something I really want. It paid off! I’m a finalist for a speaker spot at a SITS Bloggy Boot Camp.

I’m DYING of excitement. (You can see my video submission below.)

I really want to do this – not so much to talk about postpartum depression (though that would obviously be part of my story) but to talk to other bloggers about how blogging, to me, is so much more than words on a page. It’s about sharing what is unique to you – whatever that is, and each one of us has something – and using that to give others something. A laugh. Support. A new idea. A bit of hope. A connection to someone they’d otherwise not have met. And how doing that makes their life, and yours in return, something more.

I know I’d be a good speaker (and I promise not to tell the gorilla joke). Help me get there? Visit the site and vote for me (which you can do once per day – please, please – until Aug. 3).

Did I mention I will love you forever if you do?

Filed Under: Happy things · Tagged With: blogging, Life list, living life

Life List #7: Photography Course

June 22, 2011 by Farewell Stranger ·

Early this year I wrote my life list and taking a photography course was #7. Item checked off! On Monday I took a course for beginners and learned a ton – basics of settings, more about composition, etc. and now I feel like I understand enough to keep playing with photography.

These are some of the photos I took – though I’m having colour management issues so I don’t love how they appear here – but I’ve included a few captions indicating what I was aiming for with the shot.

(Incidentally, this same company offers photo tours to places like Africa. Since a safari was on my list already I’ve updated it to be a photo tour, because how cool would that be? A safari with photography help – sign me up! When I win the lottery maybe…)

Playing with leading lines

More lines with focus on foreground

The effect of the rule of thirds

Roy. Focus on statue details.

Just because I like pictures of paths.

Didn't quite get the detail in the flowers I wanted, but aren't these cool?

Love these spikes.

Lines of the fence with flowers in the foreground.

White in a sea of green.

This poor bear, lying there waiting to be played with again.
Stark white. I wonder if he had grass stains?
Blue smile conveys no concern, knowing his playmates are nearby.
He knows they’ll come back when hide and seek is done.

(Tormenting you with a wee bit of poetry while I play along with Mama Kat.)

Also linked up with: