Under the Boardwalk...

Cheers Martin!
And yup, the likeness is haunting…
Has ahunted her every day of her life!!

Too late dude, I’ve been back for a couple of weeks… but I’ll keep Savanna in mind for next time!

... and you sure about that Charlie? You obviously ain’t seen me in a bikini…

Wow, that’s the first Holly Macarronies I EVA got!!!
Thanks for that Lorena, and for the fav!!!
♥

Thanks Tama. The pier shot’s def more dramatic.
Unless you’re mel & Art on the beach!
xo

Lisa, you got such a sweet way of telling me what you like.
And yeah, that patch on her head was the one place Art missed!♥
XOX

Wow you faved it!
You are SUCH a crystal!!!
xox♥

Cheers Juju!

Kriss, it’s only the frist 4 lines of the description that are of any importance in the fullness of time. Thanks for recognizing that and bringing me down to earth mate…
HDR. Harley Davidson Rules!!

That coming from the HDR Queen of the farken World absolutely gives me a buzz. It’s true, I’ve seen lots of OTT results that don’t do it for me. I think another important thing is using the right program… CS2 to 4 has an on-board HDR feature, but it’s not amazing compared to Photomatix. Haven’t tried the Photmatix plug-in yet but will get to that eventually.
Thanx for stopping by!!

Thank you Ade!
I`m dating a white witch tonite.
Any tips??
xo

That`s way interesting Mel… can you send me a link or something? Don`t know if mine can see the diff either but it`ll at tleast make a good read…
♥♪

ALIVENESS… That`s the word I was trying to think of!!
Cheers TOTSie, and thanks for stopping in!
xo

Hey Louise!
Was def enjoyed, and fun there was. Mel and Art being there with us at my mom`s place was just amazing.
More shots coming, so watch this space!!!
xo

She`ll thank you for that… thinks she looks too young for her age. Like she needs to show her driver`s licence when she watches PG flicks!
As for me… whatcha doin fer dinner??
♥xo

Thanks Hans, that`s a nice compliment.
But truthfully, it`s pretty hard NOT to take a great pic of those two!

Cool. Yankee Stadium in HD.
Gimme a heads up when you get a result!
And yes, already hooked. Gotta feeling there`s gonna be lots more…
Thanks for digging my first attempt!!

You might have to wait on that a bit… I`m kinda shy…

Hey Robyn!
That setting was so magical… sort of like your avatar (PLEASE don`t ever change that… feel like framing it every time you visit!)... the pics just took themselves.
Thanks so much for feeling the love!
xo♥

Cheers Lina!
Think I`ve found something to keep me off the streets… for a few days. Maybe…
And thanks so much for the fav!
xo

Tracey, you are total angelic today… in fact, trying to think of any day you aren`t… nope, doesn`t compute.
Mwah!! right back atcha!!!
♥xoxox♪♫

SHIT… forgot to thank you for the fav…
THANKS FOR THE FAV!!!!! ♥

Cheers Steve!
Just hopped over to look at some of your HDR stuff… WOW!
Thanks for the compliment!!

Thanks Anne, cool of you to stop by!!

Thanks for that… I can just hear the line…
Billy, is that garlic in yer pocket or are you just happy to see me?
I`ll def keep that tip under my pillow…
and I`ll let you know how it all turns out!!

OK. White sage or garlic… ??
One of you guys is gonna get me into serious trouble!
Think I might just ask Jeeves… just to be safe…
xox!

Cheers Amanda… :-x

Nope… don`t care cause it`s gonna be hot down there anyway!
And you KNOW I don`t date white witches without my camera…
OK, I lie. It`s my first white witch date. Butterflies in my tummy like you wouldn`t believe!!!! ♥

Cool. Something for both of us then…
xo

Ade, you know very well I`m a vampire…
But I got no prob with vamps. The darker the better. Don`t even have to speak english…

Btw, I`ll BM you my real age…
xo

wow. I`m so having a double…
You can BM me back re the really good stuff!!!
♥

Will do… if I`m in any fit state to tell the tale.
You`ll be the third to know…♥

Cheers Rita!
Love it when you awesome my stuff!!
xo

Used Photmatix Dave. You can download a demo version that leaves a watermak on your image, but it lets you evaluate and you can test the tone mapping options.
Full version is about 100 USD, or 20 more for the version with Photoshop plug-in, which I haven`t tried yet.

If you`re OK with the price, I doubt that there`s a better program for HDR, so why not give the demo a try?
Just Google Photomatix and go for it!

Thanks for the fav btw!!!

You done made my day SharonAHenson…
Just watch this space…!

Cheers Mel!
I am SO gonna get down and dirty with this!!
xox

I think it`s all in the tweaking… and being sure not to go too far with the effect. In fact, even when I`m done in Photomatix, I tweak areas of the pics with curves in CS, and even do a bit of color balance tweaking. I get pretty anal with levels and contrast and will mess with an image for hours till it`s just the way I want it. Never was much one for pushing buttons and applying algorythms…

I`d keep working at it Dave… keeping the effect at maximum, try to avoid maxing out in the other parameters. You should also be aware that some images just turn out better in HDR than others. Also make sure you cover the whole dynamic range with your bracketing… you need to go at least 2 full stops either way, plus middle. Sometimes 4 shots works better too!

Let me know how you get on, or if you`ve got any Q`s… hope I can help!

ps: You might also want to check out Mel`s link above…

Many thanks Lucinda!!
xo

Cheers Jannie!
Why not BM me and let me know what problems your having with photomatix… I might be able to help even though I’ve only just started using it.
Will probably upload the next over the weekend… so busy these days…
Massive hugs 2U!!

Cheers Jen!
And yup, you SO got dat right!!
:-♥

... and you REALLY LIKE THE BW !!!
I was SO hoping someone would say that. Thanks for makin my day!
xox

Katy, gorgeous coming from you is like way cool !
And OK, it wasn`t exactly a tripod… but I left a serious dent in one of the pier piles cause I pressed the camera so hard against it… and held my breath. Don`t know if a tripod would have actually done the trick :-)

Thanks so much for your compliments and support… and just for breezing in and making me smile!
xox

Cheers Varinia!
Often wondered if you did HDR on some of yours?
Naw, think your thing was more like waiting for perfect exposure conditions and just getting it totally right !
Can`t wait to see your new stuff!!
xo♥

Susi, some people like me, need HDR to bring the soul in their pictures up front. You do it by just clicking the shutter. That comes from just being so much in love with your world that your subjects reflect it back through your lens. Even the inanimate ones Can’t learn that stuff. Can’t buy it neither. You are one in a gazillion. Always were. Always will be…

But cheers for the compliment. Gorgeous coming from you works for me.
XO2U!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!♥
(count ‘em!)

Yup, an inch at a time… and make it count.
Sounds like you been there & back!
3 daughters? And you lived to tell the tale??
I am so in awe of your resolve!

Thanks for stopping by and passing on your wisdom!!

Thanks Scott!

Ana, I`m so glad you found this and recognized it for the special moment it was…
x2u!

Micklyn, you too are one of those artists whos work is consistantly amazing without HDR or any other processing effect. But if you got into it, you would make it sing for you… so yeah, I hope to see some rockin’ HDR from you soon. Yer gonna have so much fun!!
xo

and thanks for the compliment!!

♥

Jeeze. I staggered you.
That is SO cool.
xxbackatcha.
+♥.

Cathleen! Like I’m so happy you found this…
And yer sayin stuff that totally floats my boat. Kinda makes me wanna put up my Harley pic…
But I’m kinds shy… I dunno… should I?
Whaddya think?
No, better not…
OK then I’ll fo it.
Just a bit later…
OK, DEFINITELY tomorrow. Will you be around?
Right. I’m thinkin’ bout it, yeah…?
xo♥

I was just thinkin’...
WHERE is Birgitta? Like this place is just NOT cool without you comin’ in and doin’ yer lipstick…

OK. So you are gonna have a blast. Just make sure the camera’s rock steady and choose your subjects well. You’ll soon see which work the best. You didn’t have a DSLR?? So… then, how did you… OK, ferget it. You could blow us away with a pinhole camera!

Here’s the 3 shots so you can see what the bracketing produces. No post pro at all here… and shot in JPEG, not RAW. JPEG works fine….

I was blown away that 2 stops either way made such a diff. You’ll probably also find out you need to do some tweaking of contrast and colors after the HDR is generated. But I’m sure you’ll make it rock. Like you do everything else you snap.

Thanks for the interest, and can’t wait to see what you can do with it!
xo♥

Thanks Antanas!

Rich, what you have just so eloquently written here goes straight to the core of what I too believe HDR is all about.
Thanks so much for putting your thoughts down and for faving this. Support like yours is what encourages us all to go deeper and expand on what we know.
Cheers mate, you made my day!

Just like you to reply to my complimenting you after your compliment… jeeze this is getting complicated…
And BTW I`ll pass your other compliment onto Mel & Art!

That`s cool you like the BW the best… I`m kind of leaning that way myself and I`m looking forward to getting more into HDR black & white.
Thanks so much for passing by and giving your take!!

Hey Rachel!
Thanks so much for that. For me the HDR effect is all about retaining the natural as so many images overdo it.
Nice of you to stop by!
xo

Thanks so much Rosie!
I`m just dabbling in it too, and you`re so right about the subtlety of the effect… depends on the subject. The Harley shop shot needed more to make it stand out of the ordinary, but this portrait… well, the love needed to come through…
Cheers for commenting!!

Cheers Millie!
And just think… this will be YOUR daughter in a scant couple of years… in the arms of some massive biker dude from Perth Amboy under the boardwalk at Point Pleasant!!!

Life is so amazing… so hope you do the October thing… and we are SO gonna need pics!!!!!
xox

Hey Kenny… your stuff`s kinda cool too!
Thanks for dropping by and digging the vibe!!

Maybe?? But you said, emphatically…
OK. Woman’s perogative to change her mind, right?
Don’t fergit to bring her to Daytona next year…
xo

Thanks RJ, that’s a massive compliment from someone who’s mastered HDR to your extent.
The eye contact? They’re both so amazingly natural in front of the camera… saves a lot on memory card space. One shot usually does it. Unless I’m doing HDR and then it’s three…
Cheers for the support mate!

Too true. So many HDR shots I’ve seen have been about the effect rather than the image. I’m hoping that I’ll get the hang of it well enough to concentrate on the stuff that makes the effect yield to the art. Thanks for advice!!

Many thanks Jeff… yer not so bad yerself!

Wow John, that’s an amazing pier shot…
Hey wait a sec… I know this place…!!
Yup, psychogonads for sure!

Wanda, blowing your mind has been my goal from the start…
Thanks for finally telling me it worked!!!
xo

Hey lois, thanks for passing by and fabulousing this!!!!
xo

Nice compliment… and cool idea!
Will do this and post here so you’ll get a heads-up!

Thanks Laurie… didn`t see this till now.
Brain cells slowly goin dead… too much R & R. More Rock & Roll than Rest & Relaxation…
But it`s OK cause even with low brain cell count, I still dig sweet comments…

Jason, nice to see you… and thanks for that!
In the past, I would have actually gotten round the exposure thing by taking the three shots and manually choosing the best parts of each to make a composite. But the cool thing about Photomatix is it delivers this cool effect which it allows you to tweak so it doesn`t overcook (unless of course you want it to). If you haven`t tried it yet, you should give the trial version a go. It`s the same thing, but you get a watermark on your work till you pay. I personally feel it`s worth every cent.

And cool you liked the pier shot. Probably should have made it a separate post. But the brain cells are slowly dying…
R&R,BB!!

Thanks Pam, yer such a doll to say that!

Cheers Jotham, that means a lot coming from you!!

Kellie, I so love it when you say such stoopid things as I’m a GENIOUS and you hope to be half as good as me someday. In fact anything you say is gonna sound sweet so all you really gotta do is just stick your finger on the K key and hold it down KKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKellie and I’m smiling like some mad farken smileyboy from Grinburg Idaho (you been there lady?)
And girl have I missed you too!!
Thanx so much for the sunshine…
Love ya back!!!
xoxo

Hey Tereza!
So cool to see you here, and cheers for the compliment!
And yeah, the comments… what would life be without ‘em?
xo

Thanks so much for digging this Paul, I always value your input and your compliments are gold!