Outdoor Photographer Colors of Nature Photo Contest

I was reading my Outdoor Photographers magazine when I flipped a page and noticed an article for Natures Colors Photo Contest, YEA!! Right up my alley....

Prize money and cameras are to be given away...I can handle that!

Below are my submissions...I had a really hard time deciding what photos to enter...

I am posting these to get all my friends opinions on what they think?

Bluebonnet with morning dew.
Sulpher butterfly on a wild mum.

Argiope spider near the San Antonio River.

Those 3 were my first choices...Below are the runners up!

So what do you all think? Be honest...critique is what I want to hear...

If you would also like a chance to win click below.

Natures Colors Photo Contest by Outdoor Photographer magazine

Argh.......

Congratulations to the Democrats they did well...

I was asked this morning if I wanted to move to Mexico...Nope I think I'll just sit back and watch the clown show....lets see what the smooth talking car salesman can do...he's already fed us a line of crap....

Honestly what really bothers me is the people over in Iraq...I honestly feel sorry for them! They are the ones who will be hurt...just as their oppression is being lifted they are once again going to be slammed back into Hell!

My prayers are with everyone...May God Bless the U.S.A. and all their allies!

An Everyday's JOY is to see you SMILE ~ Digital

I was over at Scrapstreet.com this weekend browsing as it was Digital Scrapbooking Day Saturday and I found this little jewel of a quickpage by Jopke for free...I knew the minute I saw it what photos I wanted to add to it...

I love it and have the 8.5X11 page up on my computer screen and even Fred laughed when he saw it...Thank you Jopke!

This boy definitely brings me JOY when I see his smile!

It's always better when we are together ~ Hybrid layout

I was double dog dared to do a Hybrid layout by Ms. Karin M......and here it is!!!

See I ain't no wussy butt...I CAN DO IT!! LOL....

Now if I only had a better scanner, ugh!! The photo was edited, turned to Sepia coloring and a grunge frame added to it. I then found the antique digi frame and framed the photo..printed it all out and cut it out...Some of the words on the quote were done on transparency and then cut out...Others were stamped and I also used a template for one or two...The sparkly jewels are "say it in crystals" and I love them...

The journaling reads: When this photo was taken Dawn and I had known each other approx. 6 yrs. We both love horses and working with horses but had never rode together.

October 2007 El Dorado~Sonora Texas.

The Quote is a song by Jim Jackson...I had no clue what to use for a title or quote and then while riding in the truck listening to this song it hit me..."We are always better together"...it's a perfect description of Dawn and I...We Are Better Together...sigh...I miss you Dawn!!

Photo Challenge #23 ~ Makeover

Our Challenge this week was presented by Jorinde and what type of Make-overs we can do on our photos...another words get out that photo editing program and go to work...

I honestly don't edit very much but I do a lot of cropping most of the time...below are my entries for the photo challenge!

A South Texas Sunset Straight out of the camera...(before)

After...
edited using PSE 7
This is what I did:
Lighten shadows 15%
Darken Highlights 10%
Midtone Contrast 50%
Saturation + 10


Giant Swallowtail Straight out of the camera....(Before)

After...

Edited using PSE 7
This is what I did:

Lighten shadows 15%

Darken Highlights 10%

Saturation - 10

Unsharp Mask 30% (Radius 1% ~ Threshold 10)

As you can see I don't do much editing if I do any...

If you would like to check out the other participants and the Photo Challenge Blog

Click HERE!