Birthday Girl

This week's Sunday Still's challenge was to take any photo and do something with it in Photoshop or similar software.  Since it was Emma's third birthday today she had to be the subject.  I decided to make her a birthday card.

This was the original photo, which I liked OK, but was disappointed in as the lighting just isn't right.

I fumbled around with the effects in Picassa and came up with these, I'm not sure which I like better.

It is hard to believe that Emma is just now turning three, she often seems ageless to me.  A visual contradiction with her greying coat and her young eyes.  It goes beyond that though to who she is.  Perhaps it is a donkey thing, perhaps because she is already a mother, probably a bit of both, but she is both old as the hills and young as a butterfly.  I love her dearly.

Happy Birthday my sweet Emma-Girl.

Sunday Stills - Animals in Black & White

I almost skipped this again, but I needed a break from worrying about Ramsey and the horrible howling wind, snow and arctic temperatures that roared in this morning.  So much for our lovely Fall weather, it was short, but very sweet.  We miss it already.

I ventured into my Photoshop program for this, which I am only barely getting the hang of.  I guess it will take more then the five minutes per month I have devoted to it to actually figure it out.  It's on the list......Meanwhile, I actually found this to be surprisingly easy and kind of interesting.  These are all from my recent archives, most of you will probably recognize the shots.

Time now to go medicate and walk the donkey one last time before bed.  Enjoy and let me know what you think...   

For more Sunday Stills visit:  http://sundaystills.wordpress.com/

Sunday Stills - Light

This week's challenge was "rays of sunlight".  We've certainly had a lot of those this summer.  The light is changing though, we can all feel it.  It is still hot, but the sun is just a bit less intense and the angle is noticeably different.  This is very easy to track here since the front of the house faces due west, this place is a bit like living inside a giant sun dial.  It's not here yet, but Fall is coming.

My favorite time of the day is just before sunset and these days, the sun washes over my entire property as it sets.  It floods everything, but can be difficult to capture with the camera.  A few days ago, it was the equines (as usual) who trapped the sun beams for me...

And Tanner, who is himself a ray of light and does not want to be left out...

A beautiful donkey

Some friends of mine sent me this photo of a mammoth donkey that belongs to some friends of theirs (was that convoluted enough for you?).  She is so beautiful, I thought everybody should get a chance to "meet" her.  And no, she is NOT for sale (dang it).