{i heart faces} challenge - "Faces & Flowers"

It's been a hectic couple of weeks so I've had to skip my {i heart faces} competitions lately but I'm happy to be back!

This weeks challenge is about flowers and faces.   This is a simple shot but I've always loved the pop of color from that flower and, of course, the beautiful smile on this little sweeties face.  Nothing fancy but a shot I really like.

Check out more flowers and faces at:

It's Fix-It Friday!

It seems like ages since there's been a Fix-It Friday.   Maybe it's just because I enjoy them so much!  I was thinking that I really didn't have time for this today but then I saw the shot and knew it could be gorgeous so here I am with my fix.

And here is the original:

I did my fix in Photoshop CS2.  I first adjusted the curves and levels to get the brightness and contrast fixed and then ran the CoffeeShop Perfect Portrait action.  Within that action, I could brighten her eyes, smooth her skin, add color pop and a bit of "urban grit" to the background.  

I LOVE the composition of this shot and the background and of course the girl is beautiful so how it could not turn out well.  I expect a lot of great fixes to this one....I'm off to have a look now. 

You can check out other fixes at:

Fix-It Friday #6

It's Fix-It Friday at {i heart faces} again...

I was debating participating this week since I have plenty of my own editing to be working on but when I saw this cutie and an easy way to "fix-it", I decided to go for it.  I worked in Photoshop CS2 and just spent a few minutes doing a couple of easy steps...

I started by correcting a couple of the imperfections on her face.  Then I adjusted the levels to get the white's white.  This was the biggest problem with this image.   A common issue when shooting in Auto since the camera assumes the colors should average "gray".  In a scene with a lot of white, the camera gets confused and just converts it to gray.   Anyway, boosting the levels mad a big difference.

I then flattened the layers and then ran the Coffeeshop Perfect Portrait Action.  I turned off a lot of the options but I did run the skin smoothing and the eye defining since the girls eyes looked quite dark and flat.  Also I added a slight warming to her face.

That was it.  I liked the crop so I left it.  Nothing too exciting but that's how I like my end results...real, but better.  :-)

Check out some other fixes by going to:

{i heart faces} challenge - "Focusing On Angles"

I had a charity event yesterday at the local fire station so I got to have lots of fun with lots of kids using the fire truck as a really cool background.   The firemen and my friend/helper kept commenting on my funny positions I kept getting in to get a shot.  We're quite sure I'll be sore tomorrow.   All worth it for the awesome shots, though!   {You can check out more from the day HERE.}

This shot actually breaks the rules a bit, I think.   Textbooks would say that the boy, let's call him Langdon, should be on the left third line but I really like the way those lines go right towards him and then how his gaze takes me right back.  I also love the bokeh of the truck in the background.  

To see more fun angles, check out:

{i heart faces} challenge - All Bundled Up!

This weeks challenge wasn't one I could go out and shoot since we've FINALLY lost all our snow!  So, I dug through the archive of my winter.  Turns out, and I may have mentioned this before, I don't actually like being cold very much.  So...I don't actually take a lot of snowy pictures.  I like to forget those months occur once they're over.

Here's one of Corey bundled up....and it was a good thing!  After this face-first body sled down a hill in our yard, even he had to go inside.   Brrrrrrr.

To see other "bundled up" pics, be sure to check out:

Fix-It Friday #4

Ok, so technically it's only 11pm on Thursday night but I get kinda excited for my Fix-It Friday challenge (dorky, I know) and it seems someone at {i heart faces} gets excited too because the challenge was up early.   Yippee!!

Here is the Before shot:

The photographer commented that she was struggling with the blemishes and also the overexposure of the top of the boys head.
And here is my edit:

I'm really trying to improve my Lightroom skills so I stuck with LR this week even though it was a jpg that we had to work with.

I did some reduction of the exposure on the top of the head but it was pretty blown out which limited what I was able to recover.  Next I upped the overall exposure and the fill light to even out the overall face.   I used cloning on the facial scratches/blemishes and also ran a light skin smoothing over his entire face.  I also brightened and defined his eyes more, sharpened the overall image, and added some vibrance and green tones.

Be sure to check out some other edits or give it a try yourself at

{i heart faces} Hilarious Outtakes

This weeks contest at {i heart faces} is Hilarious Outtakes and we're allowed to submit several of our favorites.

The first photo I chose is from one of my earliest Modeling sessions with baby Nora.  I was going for the adorable feet shot, of course, but Mom got quite wet in the process!   (Note the drips.)  I particularly like how Nora is smiling away...quite proud of herself, I think.   :-)

This next shot is of my own little Emma.   It just makes me laugh.  I think she's saying "Well, I guess if you're not taking me to the zoo, this is just going to have to do."

And I have a ton of outtakes from a shoot I did with these boys last fall.   They were full of funny faces and well, just full of fun!  I like this one because to me it shows the love/hate relationship of siblings.   Kissing and choking at the same time.  Yeah....been there.

Check out more funny outtakes at:

I Wanna Dance - {i heart faces}

This week's contest at {i heart faces} is I Wanna Dance.  I have lots of pictures of kids dancing since it's a great way for some kids to really relax and let their guard down during a session.  This is a favorite photo though because it was unscripted.  Just this little girl, her little brother, and her Daddy having a good time together dancing!   Sheer joy (and speed)!   Love it!

To see more great dancing pictures, check out:

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YIPPEE!!!!