Macro photography

Macro photograph of honeybee

    Macro photography can be some of the most difficult work to do, but it is also the most rewarding and most interesting. Photos of this type can be difficult because the insects or other lifeforms only stay still for a few seconds. I know I don't have the best equipment for doing such a thing but I still love doing it, and as an old professor once told me it's not the equipment that makes a great photo, it is the artisan photographer.
    Unfortunately in this photo I have also had to add watermarks, which sometimes can detract from the photo. But in this day and age of cyber theft, and ignorant people who think anything that's on the Internet is free for the taking, I and many other artisans have had to resort to drastic measures.In some cases distorting the web copy to the point that nobody can use it without having to do major restoration. What makes it even more difficult is that many countries such as China do not recognize such work as something that the artisan has the right to own or protect. Until international laws are changed a great many creative people will be restricted in what they can create and who they can share it with, and the world with suffer for it.

Fairies, I believe do you?

Fairies, I believe do you?

At first glance this hole in a tree would not appear to be anything out of the ordinary. But after I got home and enlarge the photo to my surprise I saw several sets of eyes staring out of the hole. I do not know what they are but it makes me wish I had inspected the tree more closely as there had been reports of people seeing fairies in this area around Mount Shasta.

    The image has not been altered or Photoshop in any way. All that I've done here is to enlarge the photo so you can see the eyes more clearly. The eyes do not appear to be that of animals and have almost a human quality. The whole is about 3 to 4 inches wide and about 6 to 8 inches tall. 

This is a good example of why it's important to enlarge your photos after you've taken them. Not only to determine if they are in focus and how much clarity you have, but you also may find things in the photo that he did not see before.

Antique Photo restoration

Antique photo restoration has long been one of my passions.

Not only restoring the color but also making digital alterations to the photo that I could not have done when the photo was originally taken. Removing a post from the middle of my head, to removing a partially seen dog in the background are just some of the things that digital restoration is now capable of. If I need to I can literally move or remove people and things. Make people look younger or older, heavier or skinnier. Even in some older photos replacing damaged or missing areas in the photo. The real trick is to make the restoration without altering the photo anymore the necessary. When done the photo should appear as close to the original as possible without making major alterations that would change the historical value. Repairing sun damage, cracks and tears are the usual repairs made to heirloom photos.