Learning PSE, CS5.1, LR3

I have all these Adobe, PSE 8, CS5 and LR3 tutorial videos on my desktop. I get books from the local library and have gone to one seminar on Photoshop at the library. I bought the For Dummies on PSE8 and marked it up like I was going to be given a test at the end of the quarter. A neighbor has it now and I'll bet she is trying to dodge my markings as well as read through them.

I like to set the laptop up on the desk next to the desktop and play the video on one and open one of the programs on the other to just work along. I'm a hands on learner. You can't just tell me 2+2=4, I have to see it and sometimes ask why. That was always a good one in school. It's called stump the teacher.

I did this picture several times but I was trying to learn the process on one computer, stopping and starting the individual programs.  There are only three layers outside of the background with a handful of sub steps. I got it but I had to substitute a paint step for the yellow when it was suppose to be a "fill" step of the foreground color that had been picked. It all came out but it took me way too long to get it. I can say that since it took so many times that I probably won't forget it.

This is a picture on my daughter and son-in-law about 10 years ago at the Mid-Ohio race course in Lexington, OH. It was my fathers day present.

A Blog I Follow

I follow Brattcat from Brattleboro, VT and must wish them well. I just saw a news reel of their community and it wasn't good. Raging waters from flooded streams. Cars floating away.

Hang in there Brattleboro. Check out Bratcat's blog....http://brattleborobrief.blogspot.com/

What Can I Say

I have nothing to say about this picture except that this is more like what one would have seen in the late 50's through the 60's. All the fancy hardware came later. No airbrushing, just a can of spray paint.

Morning Fog

It's that time of year around here, somewhere between central Ohio and southern Ohio. Maybe it we should be considered mid-central/southern Ohio. Since Columbus is pretty much in the center of the state and we are to the west of that on I-75 and below I-70 but not down on the Ohio river I like mid-central/southern.

I degress....in late August and through much of September we can get ground fog. You can time it with school starts. The 2 hour delays are inevitable, especially in the areas outside the major city limits where the tempertures cool more.

I got these pics of the fog hanging on the ground over a soy bean field and rising from a pond.

Mid August Posting

As you can see, the sun light is still coming from the left side of the picture but it is slowly drifting back to the right. Another month or so and I will be looking at it straight on.

I took this on the 15th but am just getting around to posting it. We've had roofers here along with downspout and gutter installers and facia and siding people for the last few days. Hail damage at the end of May an just now getting it done.

Today the builder of our home had a contractor in to dig along the footer to tie into the curtain drain. They then made what is called a daylight drain. This is to relieve my sump pump from its continious running when we get days of wet weather, like in the spring and sometimes in the fall. They also have to replace or repair the crock (sump pit) as it fills with water from below the curtain drain connection. Sometimes this connection never does put water into the pit but the pump runs almost continously. Once the pipe feeds the pits it is 24/7 with no shutting down. Even my backup system is strained. I took pictures today, will try to post tomorrow. Now they have lots of yard work to do to get me back to normal.

Meal Time

Caught in the act.

Sunbeams Open Up

Today was the annual British Car Show that is held at Eastwood Park. Somewhere in the neighborhood of 350 cars are shown with other cars of their manufacturer and models. Very organized. Jags are staged together and Triumph's have their own area but they are broken down to TR3's, TR4's, Spitfires, and 7's. Even the new Mini Cooper is allowed in even though it is German now. There aren't that many models in the Mini series, Morris', Austins, Coopers, Cooper S's but none the less, the British lineage is strong and respected.

Here, the Sunbeam's are letting their light out into the world. There were this many more behind be but a tent was setup in the middle so the effect would have been lost. There were Alpines, Tigers and one Le Mans.

This is the right turn signal on the fender if an MG. Look closely at the lens, for some reason it has lines going everywhere. Make it larger, I can see a duck in a set of lines....just like looking at clouds. Whoa, do I need help.



Two Days Late But Not Forgotten

This is my August first monthly posting of the same shot I have been taking since November of 2010. Suns up, you can see the haze in the air which means IT'S GOING TO BE HUMID AGAIN!

I have been trying to get the rails on on my deck replaced from our hail damage. Not doing too bad except for the heat. At 80+ around 9 AM with the humidity factored in, all one does is sweat. I am not a heavy sweater but within 30 minutes or so my back is soaked. On top of that the heat from the sun feels like someone is holding a torch close to your skin. Very unusual hot feeling, especially in the early morning or late afternoon when the sun has more of an angle.

I took this shot on Monday and almost immediately went out to work on the deck. I have driven deck nails in and had them work back out but not these nails. Some took a pry bar and rubber mallet to persuade them to let go. The new boards went back with screws so if any need replacing in the future they won't need as much persuasion.

My Humble Tribute

Two volunteers that tested and flew the Wright B Flyer aircraft died over the weekend checking out the latest craft that was hand built. The plane only had 25 flight hrs. on it but they had hundreds between them. This is my tribute, as minuscule as it is, to them and their endeavors. Totally volunteers, they assisted in the building and the flying of these crafts for all to see at various events, even down to Texas.