Panoramic Images Made Easy

I just wanted to quickly share some Panoramic images that I put together from some pictures I took last summer. When I took these, I wasn't planning on putting them together because that can be a daunting task. PhotoShop has a tool for doing this and the one attempt I made, I didn't like.

Anyhow, a past co-worker got in touch with me yesterday and it so happens he is in to photography now as well. He had some awesome panoramic from a trip he took to Arizona so I had to ask how he did them.

He pointed me to a free tool from Microsoft called ICE. It is totally easy; no brainer; feed it pictures and it does the rest. I had to share these images I/it created.

For those of you who have gone through the pain-staking process of "stitching" pictures, you will be amazed at what this tool can do. Usually to take panoramic pictures, you want to make sure that your camera is in the same horizontal position with an overlap of each shot. Well, I followed no rules for creating a panoramic when I took these --pretty much they were random shots. I'll let you be the judge of the results!

All of these were taken June 30, 2008 from overlooks along the Blue Ridge Parkway. you can click on the photo to go to my FLICKR page with a better view of the image.

This is my favorite view. In the distance is the Smoky Mountains. Here's the sign that shows the points of interests.





As the sign says, this is Pounding Mill Overlook, ELEV 4700. In the distance, about the middle is Stone Mountain (I think that's what it is called). Not to be confused with Stone Mountain GA.


The sign here tells about the Qualla Indian Reservation. Don't remember exactly where this is. I really need to get a GPS for my camera...someone drop a hint to my hubby for my birthday.

Family Picture: Plays with PhotoShop

Well since Mr. Williams gave me photo credit on his blog, I will do the same for him now.



Because I am the behind the camera, there are not many pictures of my family which includes me or even all of us. Bill got this shot of us after the birthday party a few Sunday's ago.


He sent me the picture and I was so pleased that everyone was looking happy. With his permission, I worked some PhotoShop magic and came up with a few variations.
The first one is basic enhancements on color, contrasts and sharpening, etc.
The others are a few plays with some free actions from Pioneer Woman. I love her PS Actions.





PW Heritage Action



PW Seventies Action

Mrs. Lula Celebrates 98 Years!

Spring is here and I haven't been posting much. Seems I haven't had much time to get on the computer and write. I think it has something to do with I moved my computer from the family room to the Toy room/Office. In some ways this is good, but I can't do two things at once from my office like watch TV and be on the computer. :

Thought I would share a few things I have been up to photography-wise. Our family attended a friend's 98th birthday party a few weekends ago and I had a chance to photograph 5 generations!

Mr. Bill Williams (retired Gaston Gazette editor and writer of Bill's World) featured my picture on his BLOG! Thanks Bill. I will be sure to pay you later ;)

Mrs. Lula Bolick is seated in the "now famous" picture below. She is 98 years young. When we first met her about 12 years ago, she was still playing golf once a week. Additionally, she is also my daughter's prayer partner at our church. I couldn't think of anyone else I would rather have praying for and with my daughter for the last 4 years. She is a precious person and I am so happy that we have the privilege of knowing her.



Mrs. Lula seated. L-R daughter, Libby, granddaughter Carol, great granddaughter Mary and great-great grandson Aiden

Here's a close up on that precious baby boy, Aiden.

(I forgot to mention that I used Catherine Keene's Chocloate Action on this one).

Hopefully, I will do better now that I am getting spring fever and will try to post more this week.

A New Year

Well I have been quite hermit during these past few weeks. Guess it's the after Christmas blah's. Haven't done a lot of fun photography. I have taken a few of Jessica's basketball games and of course the family gathering pictures during Christmas.
I got a few new "toys" related to photography. My family got me a new camera bag and my DH got me a BAMBOO pad for my computer. It's amazing how much easier it is to edit pictures espcially since there's a bit of a long lost artist hiding inside.

Here Comes Santa Claus

The family enjoyed the annual Gastonia Christmas Parade yesterday along with many other memebers of our church. My DH brings Hot Chocolate and everyone else brings snacks to share. It's kind of like a tailgate party! Here's a few pictures.

Spectators...


The boys guarding the snacks...yea, right.


We had a great time; Santa even said HI to me! :)

Totally jealous of his hair

Here's another first for me. This is a friend's son who is the same age as Jessica and they have gone to church and school together. Last weekend I was honored to do a photo shoot with him. His mom wasn't happy with the pictures from school and needed some pictures to send to friends and family. These were all taken around his house
Also he is getting ready to get his gorgeous red hair cut to donate it to Locks of Love. So his mom wanted some pictures of his hair before the "hair cut."

I create this collage of some of the pictures that I have edit so far. It was super easy with Picasa.

Thanks Jake and Deb for this opportunity and hope you enjoy the pictures!

Burning down the house

This was a view from my front yard as a house was burned down. I didn't get back home till near the end of the burn, but here's some pictures.

I thought the Christmas decor with the fire in the background was interesting.

Firemen from several local departments were there to train.

One of the last walls standing.

High School Senior

A few weeks ago I got a chance to take pictures of a friend's son who is graduating this year. It seems like yesterday he was 7 years old; he will be 18 soon. My how time flies. We had a lot of fun with these and it was great being able to work with someone I know. Karen, his mom and my dear friend, was my assistant holding the reflector and equipment. Jessica (DD) was also my assistant as well as light stand.

Here's the ones inside with more of studio look. All I had was my off camera flash and reflector.




These were some fun ones outside and around downtown Dallas (NC).

Fun in the Leaves

I love fall, but it seems it came and went really fast this year. I remember the maple in our front yard was so orange last year and seemed to keep it's leaves a really long time. It was just about a pretty this year, but the leaves fell off really fast it seems.

Nonetheless, the boys got to play in the piles of leaves their dad created for them while cleaning the yard. Here's some pictures from the fun they had.




A bird's nest still rested in the branches of the dogwood that is in Mrs. Ruby's yard.


Joseph found some berries on a bush...he didn't try to eat them but did throw them at Zachary.


Check out my picasa web album for more "fun" pictures

Fall08

Confirmation

We did not grow up Lutheran or in a denomination that had confirmation, so this has been a new experience for Bruce (DH) and I. Our oldest, Jessica, was confirmed a few Sunday's ago. This is part of her public confession of her faith in Jesus. She also had to go through two years of study on the bible, church history, and theology.

The night before there is a rehearsal of the service and a dinner for the kids and families.

Here's some pictures from this special event.

Jessica was the only girl confirmed this year.
She has grow up all these young gentlemen.

This lady is a very special saint. Miss Lula is 96 years young and has been Jessica's prayer partner for several years now.

Jessica expresses her excitement during the rehersal.

Welcome

This is my first atttempt at blogging. Just wanted a place to share what's going on with my newest passion...photography.

Here's a picture of my daughter and me from a few weeks ago.

Thanks to my dear friend Debbie who offered to take our picture with my camera. I set it up and she pressed the button... One bad (or in my case good thing) about being behind the camera is that I don't have many pictures of myself. One day my kids may like to have some pictures of me. Thanks Debbie for reminding me. :)