Photos of the Week - Week 31

Critique Group Challenge: 

Week 31, Cliche

Photo by Mary degreef

Click to view a larger image 

Mary says:

I'm sure we've all fallen for something this way before.

52-Week Photo Challenge Class
Week 31 - Macro

Week 52 Photo Challenge:

Week 31, Macro

Photo by Lois Bennett

Click to view a larger image.

Lois says: 

Using my macro lens, I found this very difficult to get a clear image. I had to try many many times, because there was always a light breeze outside and thus the tiniest movement caused blur in the image. Finally, last night after a rain, these leaves were very still when I captured this image. I did standard LR edits and then added a slight dreanscape for color enhancement.

Smart Phone Photo Challenges
Week 31 - Say Cheese

Smart Phone Challenge:

Week 31, Say Cheese

Photo by Diane McCue

Click to view a larger image.

Diane says:

I attended a wedding reception and they had beautiful cheese trays with lemons.

Smart Phone Challenge:

Week 31, Say Cheese

Photo by Ricky Tims

Click to view a larger image.

Ricky says:

\

Critique Group Challenge:

Week 31, Cliche

Photo by Ricky Tims
from the 2022 Critique Group

Click to view a larger image.

Ricky says:

Pretty easy to guess - but I had fun. I used my iPhone because of the cumbersome location - in the middle of the kitchen island looking onto the stove. But the fun really began in editing. I removed plenty of specks that were unsightely - I used a slight topaz filter and blended it - erased some of it - and then added a vignette. Then I did a BnW-Color Dreamscape to give it more mystery and mood. I did other things - but can't recall them all. Kudos to Hugo for being a good sport and model for me

Photos of the Week - Week 30

Critique Group Challenge: 

Week 30, Water

Photo by Judy Mitschelen

Click to view a larger image 

Judy says:

Again…

Seeing WATER as our challenge reminded me it was time to wash the car. But my favorite car wash has been closed all week.

My backup plan was to play with refraction, but I spent so much time chasing the tufts of milkweeds around and learning how much spray is too little and how much is too much, that deciding on the proper angle to place the flowers I wanted to sparkle in the bubbles was deleted from the week’s goals.

Again…

Another week has passed with less brought out of the shadows of my photography learning than I had set out to do.

Again…

Mom said. I had just just finished a set of music and Mom was smiling broadly. And of course, #1 fan John was also grinning, partly from the music but I think also because he was pleased for me that Mom had said an intelligible word. John is the resident most tuned into others, often supplying names of his fellow dementia care residents and insights to help the volunteers. I mourn watching his decline as much as any family member or long-time friend.

Mom has a form of white matter disease that stole her words and mobility several years ago. Like the droplets on the milkweed, her synapses just don’t seem to connect anymore though there are days I can look into her eyes and imagine them scurrying around hither and yon… just not able to reach a desired goal.

Again…

Falling short of a goal, yet another week that I am content with what I can get.

52-Week Photo Challenge Class
Week 30 - The Story

Week 52 Photo Challenge:

Week 30, The Story

Photo by ChuckHoneycutt

Click to view a larger image.

Francisco says: 

Late Afternoon - Early Evening ... Monument Valley, AZ ... Thunderstorm Approaching ... with its columns of rain in the distance.

Smart Phone Photo Challenges
Week 30 - From the Pantry

Smart Phone Challenge:

Week 30, From the Pantry 

Photo by Star Carpenter

Click to view a larger image.

Star says:

Vacationing on the Oregon coast where the condo pantry only had turquoise pots and pans! Edited in Prisma with Melody.

Smart Phone Challenge:

Week 30, From the Pantry

Photo by Ricky Tims

Click to view a larger image.

Ricky says:

\

Critique Group Challenge:

Week 30, Water

Photo by Ricky Tims
from the 2022 Critique Group

Click to view a larger image.

Ricky says:

Doing landscaping around the house, Hugo and I wanted a pond and waterfall - so this is it. I did a long exposure to blur the water, added a Topaz filter than I then blended with the original. I erased some of the Topaz layer and left the rest. Flattened the image. After that - basic adjustments. Now to deal with the hair algae that is already starting to grow.

click on quilt for full size view

TRY THE JIGSAW PUZZLE

Choose your own difficulty. Click the 9-patch grid to change number of pieces. Click the circle arrow to make the puzzle pieces rotating instead of stable orientation. Also, there are tips under the "?" on the upper right of the puzzle. If you'd like a full screen version, click the button below. Have fun!

Photos of the Week - Week 29

Critique Group Challenge: 

Week 29, Hats

Photo by Jeff Aleman

Click to view a larger image 

Jeff says:

This is my friend who models for me. She had a great hat that I wanted to use for the photoshoot. Lighting from two softboxes.

52-Week Photo Challenge Class
Week 29 - B&W Color Dreamscape

Week 52 Photo Challenge:

Week 29, B&W Color Dreamscape

Photo by Francisco Valladares

Click to view a larger image.

Francisco says: 

For this assignment I decided to visit a small town in the vicinity of Austin called Wimberley, it’s a small touristy town with handcraft and antique shops and a variety of restaurants. The Cypress Creek runs through the town which is where I took my photo. The area along the creek was mostly shaded but there were some spots where the sun shone through and made photographing a little more challenging. Originally, I was going to take a photo of the tree stump but then this little girl climbed on it and just sat there so I took the opportunity. I did the necessary edits on Lightroom and after the B&W dreamscape process I did the necessary exposure adjustments, while I was doing this I noticed the tree stump and the little girl was still a little too dark, I decided to isolate the area and lighten it a little bit more than the rest of the photo. I like this shot because it gives me a feeling of an enchanted forest with these two little girls playing in it.

Smart Phone Photo Challenges
Week 29 - Books

Smart Phone Challenge:

Week 29, Books 

Photo by Karen Raforth

Click to view a larger image.

Karen says:

After daddy made scrumptious pizza to order for everyone, there was no bedtime book that could have worked but the famous Pizza Pig book. Simple iPhone edits and a tiny crop to keep the focus and set the context.

Smart Phone Challenge:

Week 29,Books

Photo by Ricky Tims

Click to view a larger image.

Ricky says:

\

Critique Group Challenge:

Week 29, Hats

Photo by Ricky Tims
from the 2022 Critique Group

Click to view a larger image.

Ricky says:

I opted this week to shoot my straw cowboy hat (my ourdoor work/garden hat), and then was curious about doing a double exposure. The lines were simple and clean and I thought they wouldn't compete. The natural shadows were blue (from outdoor lighting), and I ennanced those blues a bit t keep the blue/orange color combo. The upper layer was reduced in size which created the border and the upper layer had a stroke with an Overlay blending mode for the fine line.

Lotus Biscoff Cheesecake

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE!

• It is a no-bake, no gelatine, and no egg recipe so it is super easy to make and requires only a few ingredients.
• It is light and creamy unlike baked cheesecake so everyone will love it.

 The history of the Biscoff or Speculoos

Speculoos was developed in the 20th century around the area of Verviers and made as an alternative for people who couldn't afford the real Dutch speculaas. The origins of speculaas are much older. In the 2020s the names speculaas and speculoos are sometimes used interchangeably in Flanders(Belgium).

In fact, it is believed that the name speculoos derives from the Latin word speculum or mirror since the cookie is the mirror image of the wooden mold in which it's been made.

 (ingredients include cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, cloves, and ginger)

Now back to the recipe...

INGREDIENTS