Thursday, June 6, 2013

Garden Bouquet

Flowers From My Garden and Mom's Tea Cup

You know, sometimes snapping the shot and trying to 'get it right in the camera', is just not enough for me.  Don't get me wrong, I love taking pretty pictures and I try to improve my 'in camera' skills, but sometimes that just doesn't satisfy my creative side.  I'm one of those photographers who love the artistic possibilities that technology has given us, and sometimes I find great satisfaction in using a photo as a starting point, and then creating my interpretation of the image.  

I was enjoying my garden this morning and decided I wanted to remember my peonies and yellow roses before they disappeared.  As I snipped a few and stuck them in a green plastic glass and set them on the counter, I remembered how much my mother loved flowers and gardening, which she did until about 6 months before her death at age 96.  Growing up in California where we had flowers year round, she would always have a camellia or two floating in a bowl of water, or a single hibiscus or gardenia, or a couple of roses in a bud vase, adorning our kitchen table.  But only a few at a time, because she would really rather enjoy them outdoors in their natural setting.  As I looked at my bouquet, I remembered a tea cup of my mom's, that complimented the colors of my flowers.  (She collected tea cups and was a china painter.)  I added the cup and saucer to my composition and took my photo.  When I downloaded it to the computer, it just begged me to add some editing pizazz, and the above photo is the result.  Below is the shot SOOTC (straight out of the camera). 

(In addition to the dust specks and light switch detracting from this composition, it is also under exposed.)

9 comments:

Ruth Hiebert said...

SOOC is lovely but the added glow makes the picture pop.

diane b said...

The light does make it pop!

DeniseinVA said...

A wonderful photo! You took a pretty picture and made it even more beautiful.
Denise
An English Girl Rambles

MadSnapper said...

this is what i love about software and edits, a photo with no pizzazz is breathtaking with a little tweaking of light and shadow and adding sparkles. I LOVE IT... the composition is super, it just needed the touch of the masters hand.not that the one THE Master made was not beautiful...

What Karen Sees said...

I think I know what you mean Sandra....the flowers made by THE Master's hand are indeed beautiful, but the photo I took of them are less than beautiful! The editing helped a bit.

Don said...

Now I feel all sunshiny!

janc@mac.com said...

The tea cup reminds me of your sweet mother. She saw beauty in everything. I love the picture too.

Rick said...

I like what you did with that, Karen - outstanding !

Here I Am Carrie said...

wow I can't believe how the added effects really made it a very special photo. I love the sun flares and background. I should try some composition of putting things together. The lighting is so important then. Thanks for giving me so more ideas.