It’s time for the September installment of {In the Picture}! This month’s theme (optional as always) is “New Perspective,” a suggestion to try something new, shake things up a little. I decided I’d try putting my camera down low and myself up high. The result is . . .
Second Childhood
You’re never too old to play!
This next image happened almost by accident. I was fresh from the shower, wet hair clipped up on top of my head, mascara and lipstick in place, when I suddenly noticed myself in the mirror. Do you ever do that? You’re just going through your routine, catch a glimpse of your reflection, and that oh-so-familiar reflection seems like a stranger, just for an instant. So of course I had to grab my camera and record the moment. I mean, doesn’t everybody? Here’s the “first draft,” just cropped and the exposure adjusted a bit.
Just Me
But for even more “new perspective,” I decided to play with it a bit. For the past few weeks, I’ve been taking some online Photoshop and Lightroom classes from Kim Klassen (see sidebar). This seemed like a good opportunity to practice. So I fiddled with various things in Lightroom, then went to Photoshop Elements to fiddle some more — added a texture layer, a layer of lace curtain shadows from another image, and various other tweaks. Here’s the result:
Me 2.0 – New and Improved?
So now you know what I’ve been doing instead of blogging lately. It will take a lot more practice before I’m good at it, but I’ve sure learned a lot.
Once again, thanks to Christy at Urban Muser for her continuing inspiration for this project. We’re three-quarters through the year now — hurray for all of us who have stuck with it! Speaking for myself, it’s definitely been a growing experience.
Check out the {In the Picture} September linky party here.
Sea Blue Lens 
September 28, 2012 at 10:32 pm
Well done!…I’m a bit partial to climbing trees myself…and I LOVE the softness of your ‘in the mirror’ portrait.
September 29, 2012 at 8:49 am
You’re so cute. How long did it take the firemen to get you down? đ
September 29, 2012 at 10:30 am
Love these all – you playing kid in the trees! And I really like your experiments with layering – the softness of the image gives it an ethereal and dreamy quality which works so well.
September 29, 2012 at 10:40 am
The only thing missing with your “mirror shot” ~ especially the high key one with the overlay is your beautiful smile. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you without it! You look very comfortable up in that tree…
September 29, 2012 at 11:36 am
What fun seeing you up in the tree! I have to say those are my favorite shots:) Amazing to see the mirror background change from real to photoshopped.
September 29, 2012 at 1:09 pm
Super photos of your take on perspective….Love them!!! I really like the effect you did with the mirror photo also!
September 29, 2012 at 4:04 pm
Where did our smiling Mainer go? Good Job with your photo project, but I miss that gorgeous smile and laughing eyes, my dear friend. Love you!
Sent from my iPhone
On Sep 28, 2012, at 8:06 PM, Sea Blue Lens wrote:
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September 29, 2012 at 8:56 pm
Nina, don’t worry, the lack of expression wasn’t a reflection of how I feel. It’s actually hard to take a photo and NOT be smiling! xo
September 29, 2012 at 5:13 pm
I love you up in the tree, Fun!
September 29, 2012 at 9:58 pm
those shots of you in the tree are fantastic!! thanks for sticking with the project, and for linking up this month đ
September 30, 2012 at 3:11 pm
Wow! Who IS that woman in the tree? Tree climbing? Really? I ‘m almost speechless aside from the fact that CA and retirement is certainly agreeing with you. Lace curtain texture….me thinks your becoming enchanted with textures and I’ll be the only turnip that’s off the truck. boo-hoo.
Missing you my friend.
October 1, 2012 at 5:32 am
Love your tree-woman shots which show your sense of fun and innovation!
October 1, 2012 at 5:36 pm
These are amazing and so fun! What a clever idea on perspective! You look very natural up in that tree!!
October 3, 2012 at 1:56 am
Fabulous! I love the shots of you climbing the tree especially and the layout of them with the colour blocks, so appealing and fun. Love the layering experiments too – I’ve been having a play with this too, such fun and the possibilities are endless.
October 3, 2012 at 5:38 am
I love how you climbed the tree – very fun! Great perspectives this month!
October 31, 2012 at 12:01 am
You can fell the youthfull spirit in the tree shots, contentment in life. Compared to them the mirrow shots are so solemn. Also you have a beautiful blog here and a have a lovely home. It was a pleasure to visit.