Color

Spring has sprung in Nebraska, and I am a happy camper!

After a long winter in Nebraska I am more than ready for Spring and it can’t come fast enough. My daffodils are blooming, the buds on the trees are opening and the sun is shining.

With the first blooming flowers of spring I start taking my camera with me everywhere. There is something about the sun and new life rising from the ground that inspires me.

Enjoy my flowers this year and Spring Quotes

Spring has sprung with the first daffodils of the year

Spring is nature’s way of saying, “Let’s party!” ~Robin Williams

It’s spring fever. That is what the name of it is. And when you’ve got it, you want – oh, you don’t quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so! ~Mark Twain

Mark Twain had it right, I have SPRING FEVER!

Daffodil garden at Arbor Day Lodge in Nebraska City

Awake, thou wintry earth –
Fling off thy sadness!
Fair vernal flowers, laugh forth
Your ancient gladness!
~Thomas Blackburn, “An Easter Hymn”

Apple blossoms at Arbor Day Lodge in Nebraska City

I love spring anywhere, but if I could choose I would always greet it in a garden. ~Ruth Stout

So true, I love the flower gardens in the spring and it’s to them that I flock when the warm spring breezes blow. Always with my camera of course.

If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant; if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome. ~Anne Bradstreet

I guess the spring quote by Anne Bradstreet is true, if we didn’t have winter, and very cold winters, we would never appreciate spring. The same is the same with joy. If we never experience sadness we would relish and appreciate joy and happiness.

The naked earth is warm with Spring,
And with green grass and bursting trees
Leans to the sun’s kiss glorying,
And quivers in the sunny breeze.
~Julian Grenfell

So now that Spring has sprung, can summer be far behind? I am a sun worshipper, nothing makes me happier than sitting with my face to the sun on the first warm day of spring. I love the warmth, and can’t wait for an 80 degree day so I can sit on the deck and soak in the rays.

What do you like about spring? Do you have a favorite spring tradition?

Photoshop is a powerful photography tool when used properly. My goal for most photo editing is to create an image that doesn’t look like it’s been edited. So let’s render an image of a tulip into something that pops just a little, but doesn’t take it over the edge.

See how subtle editing can improve a photograph without going over the top, as I have a tendency to do sometimes, according to my daughter.

This edit first involved adding a levels adjustment layer and darkening the whole image. I selected the pink color in Image/Adjustment/Selective Color and added more magenta, which brightened the color in the petals.

The white portion of the petals seemed washed out so I then used the Burn tool and stroked over the creases in the bottom of the petal, which brought out the fine streaks. I then used the sponge tool and desaturated the background.

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