Saturday, October 23, 2010

Unplugged, Watermarking and A Winner


Thanks everyone for all of the lovely comments you left about the house I posted yesterday, it truly is a very special house!

This weekend, I plan to be unplugged, no blogging or computers, and just enjoy some beautiful fall weather and get some things done around here.  I've been so busy working on stories that I haven't had time to come up for air lately so I need a break.  But I promise I'll be back and I will reply to the great comments you left, at least those that will allow me to...sadly for some of you I still get the dreaded no-reply thing when I try and email you back so I have no way to respond.. :-(




I was recently asked to explain how I watermark my photos.  I use Photoshop Elements 9 currently but have used PS Elements 8, and PS Elements 2 (yes I was a little behind the times) prior to that.  In each of them you are able to click on "File" then click "Process Multiple Files" and a screen will come up that will allow you to pick a font, the opacity of that font, the size, what color you want it to be, and where on the photo you want it to appear.  There will also be a blank box on the right side which will allow you to type in what you want your watermark to say...ie. mine is Low Tide High Style.




I import fonts by downloading them from free sites such as 1001 Free Fonts, and several other sites.  If you do a Google search, you will find lots of free fonts on the web to use.  Once you download them and install them, they will automatically appear in Photoshop Elements (PSE) the next time you start it up.  If you download them while the program is running you will have to shut down PSE before they will show up in your fonts list.  

Because PSE lists the fonts alphabetically, it's good to try and remember the names of the fonts you've downloaded so that you can easily find them when you want them.  There are other ways to create really cool watermarks, or place them in different areas on a photo, but I'm still learning that technique...so I'll have to get back to you that one, maybe in a few years! ;-)




I was pretty proud of myself today though.  I actually learned how to download and install a few free actions from The Pioneer Woman's site!




Actions are things that allow you to do lots of photo editing techniques in one fell swoop.  Like sharpen, soften, boost color, you name it.  There are plenty of actions on the web, some are free and some cost money.  The two sets from The Pioneer Woman were free, so I thought what the heck!




I have to say that I'm an old dog who doesn't really like new tricks sometimes, so I'm not sure if I love this idea or if I will actually use them a lot.

The first photo of the old pier piling has several actions applied to soften it and to give it that vintage 70's feel.  I think it turned out nicely, so maybe I would use it on certain types of photos.

The water photos above show the differences between a photo with nothing applied and one which uses actions.  The top one is straight out of the camera at dusk, the one below of almost the same thing, just a little tighter shot also has several actions applied.  I used Boost, Slight Sharp, and Edge Burn.  I also like the way this one turned out.




I think I will need a lot more practice using actions, and maybe I'll even go crazy and try a few textures just for fun.  I know lots of other bloggers use these tools with great success.  Kate from Chronicles of a Country Girl always wows me with the photos she applies actions and textures to, so there is hope for me!  And Maria from Dreamy Whites showed us how beautiful her photos can be with Flora Bella Actions today on her blog...click here to see more.

For me the jury is still out.  I will have to see if I like actions or if I just enjoy tweaking each and every photo I take on my own.  Sometimes I'm weird like that!

And now on to the winner of the wonderful towel Giveaway from Lyla at Old Spool Embroidery!


It was lucky #124, Carolyn from Fab Shabby Roses!  Congrats Carolyn, just drop me a line and send me your mailing address and I'll pop them in the mail to you!

I hope each of you have a wonderful weekend and find your own way to unwind and unplug for a few days!

20 comments:

  1. Enjoy your weekend. I use Florabella actions and I have PW's too. I love actions. All your photos are beautiful so I say play around with them and see which ones you like.

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  2. Have a great day unwired! I am going to do the same; go horseback riding with a friend. Your photos always intrique me. Thank you for sharing your watermark knowledge and the sites for font downloads. I am heading there...later. Got to head to the barn! blessings, carrell

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  3. I am in LOVE with the thrid photo, the one that you made vintage. It is beautiful!! All your photos are beautiful and I like seeing the differences that you are doing to them. I really like your font for the watermark, it seems to 'fit'. I hope you have a wonderful weekend and enjoy your time relaxing and just breathing in life!!
    Oh and about the noreply thing, haha, I just realized that I had been responding to all those people who have that. I never really paid attention to where it was going!! So, sadly I have been writing away thanking everyone and they are lost out there in cyberspace! :) Oops!

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  4. Wonderful photos! I love the ones you take up close...so crystal clear and in focus! Congrats to the winner! ♥

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  5. GReat info and beautiful pics. Have a super weekend and enjoy. Hugs, Marty

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  6. I give you a lot of credit for turning the computer off today. Seems I sit down every morning and don't come up for air until my fingers ache! Do I hear a 'National No Gadgets Day' in the future?!!

    Your pictures are beautiful, as always!

    XO,
    Jane

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  7. Thanks for the info, love all of your picts, but I always do. I just got home this week from a 3 wk vacation so I am trying to catch up on life right now. Good to be home, Kathysue

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  8. I think your photos are amazing -what type camra do you use ?

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  9. Hi all, shhh don't tell anyone I am on here, I'm supposed to be unplugged today!

    Kathy, I use a Canon Rebel XTI 10.1 Megapixel camera...and I love it!

    Ok, unplugging right now! BYE!

    Kat :)

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  10. Congrats to Carolyn for winning my stuff. he he
    I have been using Picasa to work on my photos. I have had trouble downloading photoshop for some reason. Of course a Canon Rebel would be nice to have.

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  11. Congrats to Carolyn! Lovely photos, Kat...enjoy your day!

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  12. Enjoy! I am working on editing photos and will try actions but it might go on the two year list! Thanks bunches for the tips. ♥O

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  13. I keep on telling myself that 'someday, when I have time' I'll play with all the interesting tools out there - someday!

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  14. Thanks for the tutorial. Enjoy your unplugged weekend.

    Congrats, Carolyn!

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  15. Hi and thanks so very much for including the information on how to add a watermark to photos! I really appreciate it, and congratulations to your winner! Ciao, bella!

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  16. Those are really some wonderful skills to have to further enhance your images, I love how you incorporated that vintage feel into that first shot. Because of you and Kate at least I have learned what actions and textures even are! Congrats to Carolyn. Hope you enjoyed your unplugged day! ~Lili

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  17. A huge congrats to Carolyn!

    Doing a search on Google for free fonts will bring up lots of goodies for people to download and choose from. There's some really fun ones out there!

    Di

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  18. Your photos are always spectacular! I'm out too on whether I want to fool around much with the photos. I love it when I see them, but for some reason I feel this hesitance. And I don't know why. I want to straddle the fence!
    Brenda

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  19. Thanks for the info on watermarking and "actions". My photos are so bad that no one would want to steal them! Maybe I'll give actions a try. I've been thinking about taking a photography course.
    xo, Sherry

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  20. Thanks for all the congrats! I was absolutely thrilled to find at the end of a long busy day that I'd won them! I'm so excited and can't wait to see them in person! Thank you so much Kim for creating them and Kat for offering the chance to win them! I'm thrilled to have them be mine! Happy Sunday everyone! Carolyn

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