Tuesday Tips & Pics - on Thursday

Well friends, the Christmas rush is over & the New Year has finally begun.  Things will slow down here for a bit as the colder months are upon us.  I'll use this time to do a little catching up on personal photos, things around the house, some reading, special projects, & some plain ol' soul searching.  I love new beginnings & the new year.  It's like it gives opportunity for a fresh start, every single year.  For me...this is the start of my 2nd year being at home full-time.  I am so so so thankful for that time.  I realize that not everyone is afforded such an opportunity, so from the bottom of my heart, Thank you Lord...I am truly grateful!  

With the new year, comes the opportunity for me to strive to hone my photography skills.  I enjoy taking photos themselves, but for me the true joy comes in the editing process.  I LOVE taking a photo & trying to make it what I "see" in my head.  Some people view it differently ... some feel that too much editing looses the truth of the photo.  And I could understand this point of view b/c it changes what was originally captured.  But I also think that the truth of the photo is in the mind of the one who captured it.  What is their purpose behind capturing this image, what is the point-of-view they're trying to expose?  So, I thought it might be fun to show some before & after pictures.  In doing this, I thought it might encourage you to think on the editing process & what it means to you.  By showing the pictures below, I'm not asking the question, "Which is better?"  I'm asking, "Do you experience the difference?"  I'm trying to set a different mood in the edited photo.  The first, SOOC (straight out of camera) displays exactly what I saw.  The second, my edited images, that express how I "felt" or what I "wanted to see" at the time.  They're a little less harsh, a little more dreamy.    See if you can detect the difference.   I would love your thoughts.

Here are the images.  Keep in mind they're not perfect...they were shot in a moving car, through the windows.

 Thoughts anyone?  I'm linking this up to Tuesday Tips & Pics - on Thursday, lol.   Excited to join in the fun!!