So, there I was – the new year started with a bang and I was on fire.  I was finding subjects in good light and making great images.  I was in a good groove editing pictures like mad.  Every new technique I tried was working.  And then, I had to take care of something and wasn’t planning to take pictures.  I took my cameras anyway, and it happened.  I got an awesome shot.

I was very excited.  It looked great in the camera.  It looked great on the computer at home.  I applied my newfound editing skill and made what I thought was a great image.  Chest puffed and very proud of myself, I took my image to get it printed.  When I showed it to my friends at the printer, I asked what they thought.  They answered and, thankfully, told me the truth about my image.  They agreed that it was a great image with tremendous potential.  I learned about the potential in great detail.  Not crushed but somewhat deflated, I tried to absorb every detail.  I had a few other images, and we went through them, too.  I found myself drinking from the proverbial fire hose of photo editing information (nice segue, right?).

I know I didn’t absorb it all, and I’m not going to try to recite everything I learned here, with one major exception:  pictures showing motion are supposed to go left to right.  Motion ‘right to left’ is unsettling.  (Of course, this explains a lot about Mustang people – the running horse logo in the grill of my car is running right to left.  Go figure.)  I went home and tried again, starting with rotating the image, and I came up with this image.

I have received further feedback on this image – all of it positive and all of it aimed at helping me make a better image.  And that brings me to the Overdrive (another nice segue, eh?) portion of this post.  I am kicking my study of Photoshop and Photoshop Elements into overdrive to improve my editing skills sooner.  I found a couple great books so I don’t have to bother my friends with questions all the time, and I’m going places in these software packages that I’ve never been.  Time will tell if I am making progress.

Meanwhile, my photo challenge this week is ‘Find a Line.’  At first glance, that sounds very easy.  Lines are all around us – sometimes in places we don’t always recognize.  The challenge is further complicated by the caveat that the image be very simple.  No lines with extra stuff – just a line.  I have an image – not quite ready, and I’m keeping my eyes open for other lines.  I’ll share my image next week.

But, here’s a few more of my successes from this week.  It’s a mix between Eagles and Hawks, with one ‘guest shot’ of a Goose.  Please also take a look in the Birds page.  I’ve added a few pictures there.  Enjoy – Photorogr

I don’t normally take pictures of Geese, but I missed the Coots that were there when I stopped the car. The Goose was walking by, begging me to make the image.

I think this is a Golden Eagle, but the jury is still out. My friends are almost evenly divided between Golden Eagle or juvenile Bald Eagle. The tie-breaker would be legs and feet, but they are not visible. It really doesn’t matter, however, as this Eagle is up to no good. None at all! Just check the posture and look on his face.

I was trying to get this juvenile Bald Eagle (I know because of a different picture) when this Magpie came into the shot. Oh yeah, I don’t normally take pictures of Magpies, either.