project 366 - another dose of highlights

I finally got caught up on my 366 project again. I'd been taking photos, and even processing most of them, but without actually putting them on my flickr, it didn't feel like I'd been keeping up on my goal. I even felt like calling it quits again. But now that I have them all up, I feel better about this project. So here are my favorites since the last update (going to be a long post, since it's been a while):

I think I may have overprocessed this one, but oh well. I love it when the conditions line up just right to get this effect in my backyard.

Less for the photo than for the creativity involved--I've been shooting so many sunsets lately that I was happy to find a new way to look at one.

The photo itself was nice, but what I really love about this is the 'after' shot: the processing I applied. When I first started in photography, I prided myself on the tag SOOC (straight out of camera), but since playing with Picnik and getting Lightroom, I've come to find the fun in processing shots, both subtly and in a completely over the top way. Mainly I just work with the colors, so the actual shot itself--from focus to subject--still needs to be strong; I think that's a good balance between photographer and photomanipulator.

Another shot where I like the processing and the tones I created, though I liked this shot even in full color. The split-tone tool in Lightroom is my very favorite thing to play with right now.

This one has more subtle processing, and I love the way it turned out. The rotation is what really makes this shot.

I blame winter for the abundance of dark shots, silhouettes, and sunsets. If this project is anything like last year, my photography will become increasingly bright and cheerful as the months go on.


I told you this would be long! Let's take a break for a moment. Breathe in, breathe out. Good? Good!

Finally, another self portrait! They've only accounted for 1/5th of my photos so far, a percentage I aim to change. It was cold enough this morning to see my breath, so I tried to incorporate that into the shot.

I always love playing with photos to make them look aged. In this one, I pulled out all the reds and purples (since the cats harnesses were both), and found that it made the cats basically gray-scale, while the rest of the photo was left in color. Add in a light red tint and some heavy vignette, and it reminds me of one of those  old photos where the color is painted on.

I love how the tones make my skin look so pale. Also, my hair looks very red. I guess I just like how the tones worked out in this one, and how it feels more like a captured moment than a lot of my very posed stuff. Also, I've been experimenting with square crops lately, and liking them.


Almost done! Maybe I should remind you you're here of your own free will? No, maybe that's the wrong thing to remind readers of at this point! :D

I'm proud of how this one worked out. The sun only came out for a moment, and it was just enough to get that shimmer in the background. See, spring and brighter pictures are coming!

One last picture where I love the tones. And how can you go wrong with bird and tree silhouettes?


I obviously need to update more often; this was a long post! Though because I'm bad at picking and choosing, this was almost a majority of the pictures I've taken since the last update. Either I have really low standards, or I'm taking/processing better photos now! I think it might be that first one. :D

So, in an attempt to get some reader interaction, how has this winter been for your goals? Have you been enjoying the unseasonably warm weather, or missing the snow? Is spring being sprung yet in your yard, or in your head?


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Listening to: Untitled 27 by Polly Scattergood. Sometimes you find a song that you swear was written for you. This is one that really hits me like that.