I helped my friend Agata create her blog today.  Please take a look at Agata's Art blog.

Tomato Photo Recipe

Here are the steps, (not in order) that I did to create the finished photo.

Before:  As shot with my Sony A 200, underexposed by one f-stop.

After:

• Straighten
• Crop
• Adjust levels and color
• Adjust sharpness
• Apply Corel's "Early Color" photo effect
• Reduce saturation of parts of the background and foreground
• Fill bottom right corner using clone tool
• Apply Corel's "Albumen Photo Frame" effect
• Clean up a few distracting spots

It's not a lot of steps but it took a fairly long time because I try out several degrees of adjustment each step of the way.  

I'm planning on creating some cards from some of my shots.  This one is a candidate, no doubt.  I'm very pleased with how it turned out, and will post it on my Flickr page in the Corel group as well.

Worldwide Pinhole Day 2013

Each year, the last Sunday in April is Worldwide Pinhole Day.  This year I built a body cap pinhole for my Sony Alpha 200.  Here is my entry for 2013.  More can be seen at http://www.pinholeday.org/

My driveway thought it had the better of me.

Oh cunning driveway,
How you vex me with ice and snow.
This February winter woe!

You sought to clothe yourself
With sheets slippery and smooth.
Now, look what I've done to you.

A pinch  of salt,

A warmer breeze and sun,

With my chopper, I'm nearly done.