The Manufactured Image

Follow me as I research, develop and create my ideas upon my latest module at university, entitled The Manufactured Image...

Making the most of your abilities...

The Olympic Park
Zoe Bull

Viewing the world on a television screen or even a camera screen is never quite the same as actually seeing the world for yourself. I spoke lightly on the subject on Monday, when I visited Buckingham Palace. I again, visited London yesterday to another iconic place that has been all over the television channels - The Olympic Park. It was fantastic.

I never imagined to be involved in watching the Olympics or Paralympics for that matter but the whole situation of it being in your own country (well, for us Brits) has made it so much more significant. I'd never heard of any of the athletes before August and now they have become like family names and you find yourself cheering after them, even if they don't belong to your country. How bizarre is that?! Brilliant though...

Those who have been to a Disney park in Paris, Hong-Kong, Florida or California may have felt the same feeling that my family and I did when we entered The Olympic Park; the family feel and the vibrant atmosphere of different cultures and the buzzing excitement of all the attractions. Maybe it represented the other kind of buzz...of Rugby and Football and entering their parks for those more masculine hardcore sporty types? Whatever feeling was present, it was certainly a positive one. 

Through a sea of people we queued to the nearest water fountains to fill our bottles and passed the cheery volunteers pepping us up in some (how I imagine) American style Pep Rally. They had that charisma! The one that some us Britons lack in polite yet cold reservation. 

It was exciting to wave the flags and clap until your hands went fizzy and your grin was about to take off once the biggest Mexican Wave I'd even seen filled the stadium with such a cheer. The athletes were phenomenal and as it was an Athletics session in the stadium, they weren't just running with sheer strength like the Olympians, they were turning the wheels on their custom made racing wheelchairs and running with prosthetic legs, throwing javelins at 3ft tall with sheer strength. It was incredible. Not to mention the Long Jump heats with some completely blind athletes who ran towards the sound of their Guide's clapping, jumping incredible lengths. It was out of the world. I feel a bit guilty to have missed it all in previous years because ALL the athletes in the whole London 2012 games have put so much effort into this. They get on with their lives despite being born without legs and losing an arm or being visually impaired and make us think "Why can't we be that strong?" and we can be. I feel that these people have motivated me to be a stronger person and that all these problems we think we have, are really nothing in comparison to what they could be.  

The Olympic View
Zoe Bull

Imagine not having any arms at all...   One swimmer didn't. And swam amazingly, just using her legs. 

Imagine we never know what it's like never to have been able walk, because you have been wheelchair  all your life or never been able to see the rich colours of life, to see your friends of families because your vision is darkness.

We take so much for granted, and when the fire from the Paralympic torch will be snuffed out like it was for the Olympics tomorrow, we may very well forget the strength and power of the disabled and focus selfishly on ourselves, our problems which we deem more important. 

I wouldn't have been able to write this post or take these photos if I hadn't the arms, hands and fingers to do so. You wouldn't have been able to read this post without the ability to see.  

Think About It.

The Classic Tourist and Their Camera...

Hipstamatic
Buckingham Palace
England, UK

It's funny being a tourist in your own country. Many people all over the world come and visit Britain and during the Summer, Buckingham Palace is a popular destination. My family and I have always wanted to go on this 'Royal Day Out' stated on our tickets. It was absolutely delightful and positively British in most the respectful sense. We then rounded off the day drinking tea out of paper cups which couldn't be more of a contrast; quirky though.

Hipstamatic 
Buckingham Palace Garden Cafe
England, UK

Onto more of a photography note now that was the spark that inspired me to write this post...

Hipstamatic
Royal Crown
England, UK

I had a home-bought picnic lunch and ate it in St James' Park just around the corner from the palace and watched foreign tourists take pictures of this immaculate trimmed bush of a royal crown...

 It was extremely interesting because they would walk round all angles of it, finding their place and perfect composition of this...well bush. I wrote a little about Tourist Photography on my trips to York and Venice back in Summer months and it is fascinating how we want to take a picture of the same view a million other people have taken. It could be easy enough to type into Google and search for this sight. After all we all know what the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco and the Hollywood sign in LA looks like, even if we may have never seen them in person. After thinking about this a little, I have come to the conclusion that we want to put our personal mark on things. We go somewhere like the Grand Canyon and we have had the memory of it but we want a picture to be taken to validate what we saw. This crown, this Buckingham Palace, no matter where you live, this picture is a reminder of what you did on a certain day which enhances other thoughts and feelings that were part of this day. I guess that is why Photography is so great. We just want to remember. 

People. Places. The World. Life.

Hipstamatic 
Leaf
England, UK

New Changes...

In My Depth of Field has had a makeover. I am now using the Dynamic View template. It's downfall is that it limits the amount of text on the posted once it has been published. I really like to make the make the most of my posts so if you are intrigued about reading more, please click on the post and for more excitement, knowledge and images shall be revealed. Thanks and enjoy the following post

 It's about time I had a bit of a change. Autumn is just around the corner and that word 'September' is just enough to put a chill on your chest and kick through the rusty reds and golden yellows inhaling that oddly refreshing decaying smell.

I have had my blog for a while now...
 Throughout that time I have entered magazine competitions, assisted over fifteen weddings including traditional British and Hindu ceremonies and completed my first year at university. Like all things, change happens and this is what I love about Autumn. We are oddly excited to go back to school, college or university and the excitement of the Summer has just worn off and drizzled in boredom, that couldn't be more grey or dull. I feel September is a crucial month to let go of all the things that are keeping you down or stressing you out. You can do this anytime of year but the symbolism of September to me seems like the strongest influence to make a new start, even more so in a way than New Year and it's resolutions.

It felt it was a time for a change of my blog. I'm growing up now and feel more at one with myself and mature with my thoughts and approaches to life. My blog needed to reflect that. It's like painting or wall papering your bedroom. How often are you going to have it with cute little rainbows and furry bunnies? As you grow you need change.


Visit my new phrase of photography on Flickr and my portfolio here.

Brownsea Island...

Red Squirrel 
Brownsea Island
Poole, England

Summer is always a time where day outings happen. Everyone wants to explore the sunshine covered country in it's rare moments. I went to Brownsea Island the other day. I wasn't expecting it to be much; National Trust and all. However once the clouds parted and a perfect combination of breeze and warmth came through, it was a lovely day in a picturesque set of woods and cute little beaches full of escapism and full blown wanderlust. Red squirrels are very rare in the UK, we don't have many, so it was great opportunity to see one and let alone capture one on camera. I must say, it wasn't easy and with a little clever focusing and a good deal of cropping, I'm quite impressed with my shot.

Dramatic Sky
Pool Harbour
Brownsea Island

Take a seat
Brownsea Island
Poole, England

Little Boat, Little Beach
Brownsea Island
Poole, England

Fairy woods
Brownsea Island
Poole, England

I feel I am really starting to get the hang of Lightroom. I can't get enough of those dramatic skies using the Graduation Tool and with a better understanding of the manual controls on my camera, I feel a great improvement from last year. 

Still moments can still be moving...

London 2012 Olympics
'Dressage'
Greenwich Park

As I watch the Men's Marathon on tv, I can't help but feel a slight pang of sadness that the London 2012 Olympics is coming to a close. Like many Britons, beforehand, we never imagined that we would  actually enjoy it that much and the only excitement was the opening ceremony, but even that exceeded expectations. I have personally really enjoyed the olympics as a whole. I have looked forward to watching it on the tv. I loved the Cycling and the Swimming, as well as people achieving their dreams; something they have put in years of effort and training, while the rest of us live our lives, oblivious that there is a sporting world out there too.

I managed to get tickets, second time round and even then I was excited about the atmosphere. I wanted to see the horse riding Cross-country but I got to see the Dressage and it was such a thrill to see horses dancing away gracefully, even hidden behind a roof of umbrella's in the pouring rain. It really was fantastic; the world coming together before your eyes upon row upon row of flags and universal cheers. Perhaps this is the closest to world peace that we have actually got to. It shouldn't have to happen every four years, this peace, it should be constant.

I loved the photography that was mentioned on the BBC this morning. Though I have searched on YouTube, to share it with you, I haven't been able to find it, but what message contained was about about still moments captured on a camera of these athletes can be as moving as the as the watching them on film. I think that really just makes you think, how fantastic photography is. Even if the world is filmed, a simply camera can still take a moment in time and just record and so much. It is truly fascinating.

I thought it was probably a wise choice not to take my DSLR to the crowded games but I kind of wished that I did. My pang of regret is healed slightly by that I had my trusty Hipstamatic camera on my iPod, so I guess I captured it in some way.

London 2012 Olympics
'Dressage'
Greenwich Park

London 2012 Olympics
'Dressage'
Greenwich Park

London 2012 Olympics
'Dressage'
Greenwich Park

London 2012 Olympics
'Dressage'
Greenwich Park

Celebration..

Celebration 'First Anniversary'
Summer Project
Zoë Bull

Celebration is a word that can be many things. 2012 is a perfect year for celebration, particularly for us Brits. It was simply fate that the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and the London Olympics were to fall this year. If you set those large scale celebrations aside, there will always be someone out in the world celebrating something. Everyday there is a birthday to celebrate or an achievement, like passing your exams and getting into University or passing your driving test or getting a promotion in your dream career. As people we take for granted what we have and focus all our energy on the negative because thats what we want to improve on. Perhaps it is time we celebrate that we are living and that this is the greatest gift of all, no matter what our emotions are telling us.

It was hard to find something that would represent celebration that didn't seem so cliche. I wonder how many people would have taken pictures of fireworks or the Union Jack bunting for their celebration piece for the Summer Project for Uni. My sister got married a year ago, and since I didn't have a present for them, I did a double whammy and took this for her and her husband.





Visit my second phase of of Flickr here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/zoebull/

Hipstamatic Summer...

I do love Summer and after much trying and pushing to keep up with my Hipstamatic 365 project, it simply wasn't working. I have, however taken a few pictures here and there to capture the summer of 2012 and rather bit them in a slideshow I decided to keep the text short overall for this post and let the pictures do the talking. 

Absorb and observe...Hindu Wedding

It's almost every girls dream to put on that white dress, feel like a princess for the day and walk an aisle to be re-united with the man that has chosen her to marry. That is how Christian weddings go but over this last weekend, I saw two weddings with a completely different arrangement and culture and that was simply fascinating. 

I have stepped up my work experience to assist some Hindu weddings over the next few weekends. Going back 3500 years, many marriages were arranged and the groom would not meet his bride until they were about to be wed. The tradition follows in the same line but with a more relaxed approach where the couple can choose each other, but will be separated by a white sheet until the bride reaches the groom under the Mandap. This is a small covered area held up by pillars where the ceremony takes place (image below taken before the ceremony) It is considered very holy and therefore people under Mandap must not wear shoes, showing their respect to Lord Vishnu. The ceremony is spoken in Sanskrit 'the world's most ancient surviving language' (according to the wedding programme given out on the Sunday ceremony.)

Mandap

Not only is this arrangement different but rather than taking half an hour going straight to the vows and 'I do's', there can up be to thirteen different stages that consist over two hour period.  

Var Agaman (welcoming of the groom)

Stage 1: Var Agaman

The ceremony begins with the welcoming of the groom. In the image above you will be able to see a wooden arch way which is known as the Marriage Pavilion, where the groom is surrounded by his family and friends. The grooms mother then welcomes him by lightly dusting him with red power called kum-kum and rice, which symbolises luck. The groom is the then led to the Mandap for the main ceremony to begin. 

Stage 2: Var Puja

The honouring of the groom - before the bride arrives, her parents honour the groom with offerings of Panchamrit (yoghurt and honey) These ingredients represent purity. 

Stage 3: Ganesh Puja

All Hindu ceremonies begin calling upon Lord Ganesha. This is done through a prayer to rid of any obstacles that may occur during the ceremony or later in married life. 

Stage 4: Mangalashtak 

In English this term translates into 'Request for blessings' that includes a eight versed prayer which requests all the gods, goddesses and planets to bless the couple with a harmonious married life. 

Stage 5: Kanya Agamanand Puja 

The bride now arrives, being escorted to the Mandap. 

Stage 6: Jayamala

The white sheet is removed and the bride and groom exchange garlands of flowers. 

Stage 7: Hasta Melap

Also known as the 'Joining of the hands', the bride is now given away. The brides father places her right hand on to the groom's right hand which symbolise the respect, responsibility and the love that he has towards her. The brides parents then ask the groom if he accepts their daughter's hand in marriage. In the Hindu culture, this is the greatest gift a person can give. 

Stage 8: Vermala

The 'Sacred Thread' is made up of threads of cotton that are placed around the shoulders of the bride and groom. This symbolises the sacred bond of marriage, blessing their happy lives together. 

Stage 9: Mangal Fera

'Circling of the sacred  Fire' symbolises  illumination of the mind, happiness and knowledge. The circuit  includes four rotations:

Dharma/Duty

Artha/ Prosperity 

Kama/ Love and Family

Mosksha/ Engligtenment

The first three rotations are lead by the groom symbolising his lead to achieve the first three goals. The fourth rotation lead by the bride, shows willingness to achieve the last goal. Once the final round is complete they couple are officially man and wife. 

Stage 10: Satapadi

The couple now takes 'Seven Steps' to begin their life together. Each step is a vow:

- To achieve prosperity and help one another fulfil their dreams

- To be lifelong partners and walk through life's obstacles together, to grow in strength

- To preserve each other's wealth

- To share a lifetime of fun and laughter, sorrow and happiness

- To raise a family, to be strong and healthy in mind, body and soul

- To always be honest and faithful to each other

- To be loyal and true to each other, and remain the closest of friends

Stage 11: Mangal Sutra and Sindoor Daan

The groom gives the bride black beaded necklace that symbolises their sacred love union. He now places stindoor (red powder) onto the parting of the brides hair which signifies that they are now married. 

Stage 12: Akhanda Saubhagawati

Married women from both sides of the family whisper blessing into the brides right ear, before the rest of the immediate family and friends.

Stage 13: Vidai Ceremony 

Family and friends bid a farewell to the bride as she embarks on her new life with her husband. This is also known as the "Crying line"

If I have made any errors, please do let me know and I shall change them.  

This was a perfect opportunity to explore a different culture. 

Motivation...

Hipstamatic 365

Starting a post with some positivity is much more exciting and interesting compared to a moan. I find a lot of people including myself can be quite negative. We don't want to see ourselves fail and we complain about it because we think that we will get some sympathy. On some scale, that is ok but if we do it all the time and complain about the same things, it then gets boring.

I can drift on a tangent quite often but I believe that you can have transferable thoughts that can relate to any kind of interest and body of work. It's life. Everyone loses motivation sometimes, particularly if a project we are working on is falling behind, it can be easy to give up, sometimes we just lose interest and want to work on a new project.

I came to writing this post wanting to be more true to myself and to be more positive but in the back of my mind I was writing about how I was going to give up my Hipstamatic 365 project, just because I had hit a few stumble blocks. I have missed about a week in total and I thought to myself that it wouldn't be a 365 project if I hadn't got 365 photos. So what?! I have been trying to tell myself that every photo won't be fantastic and a work of art but what I want to create at the end, won't matter if they are in such a state. The fact is that I would have been more determined and carried on through the rough moments that simply reflect life itself. Challenges are difficult, they are not supposed to be easy and they acquire effort. For too long I have been trying to skip round the effort pole just so I achieve things the easy way when really I would feel like I would have achieved something more if I spent more time on it. I need to get out there and take more photos rather than sitting around hoping that these pictures will find me.

At the beginning of the year, my aims were take photos everyday of the year and select the twelve best ones to present in a slideshow. I may still do that, however I thought a large collage would be more exciting instead. This project is about the bigger picture rather than the individual pictures that I am living through.

Once you have achieved then you can celebrate.

And what a better way with my latest Hipstamatic photos and indulgences from the week before last.

Hipstamatic 365

Hipstamatic 365

Hipstamatic 365

Venice, Coloured Film and Tourist to Professional Holiday Photos...

colour film
Venice (2012)

colour film
Venice (2012)

colour film
(Venice 2012)

Venice is beautiful. I'm a lover of Italy and I have travelled to various famous cities that include Rome and Florence.  There is something about the reddish hue in the landscape and the buildings, that really fascinates me and that it would look stunning through the slight enhancement of coloured film. I use a pretty standard coloured film of 36 exposures with an ISO varying from 200-400 that you can get from somewhere like Jessops or other photography shops. The problem with film is that it is running out, the is less and less of it these days and comes at a price. I think it is important that have a purpose for it. Earlier this year I remember thinking how I was going to take a single roll of film on my next holiday and to try and capture subjects that were not so tourist and were more unique and professional. However I think every person with a camera wants to make their shots interesting and professional as possible, whether they want to get involved with the industry or not.  As I have mentioned before: Everything has been done before and ideas have been created before. 

The fact that I made conscious effort of deciding what I wanted to capture rather than just going 'Oh that looks nice' was what differs the amateur to the professional. The first photo I took is of the water's wake frothing in an almost solid form which I thought looked rather beautiful. I also liked that I was at a lower angle compared to be high up on a cruise ship, looking down at the 'V' . I then found that once I had taken that picture, it gathered interest from my family and they started taking pictures of this scene too. That had selfishly frustrated me a little because I didn't think they were really thinking about what they were taking and they had merely imitated my ideas. The amateur photographer is at lust with their scene. They look into the camera and feeling instantly attracted to this sight, ignoring all else in the frame apart from their chosen subject. Once they press the button, the scene is captured, they move onto another, before being re-aquainted with that scene on their home computer screen, giving it a blank look, feeling forgetful that they took that picture in the first place. 

It doesn't mean to say that enthusiasts and professionals don't have this problem too. It just means that they can handle the situation better, probably capturing more what they want too then what they don't. 

I have tried my best and some of my photos, yes do have those tourist qualities but I was a tourist as well as a photographer. Afterall, we are always learning. 

Midsummers day thinking

Burano, Venice
2012

It felt like I was writing one of my early posts, when I wrote this one. There weren't many of my pictures, but only the thoughts of photography that were going through my mind. I have plenty planned for this blog as I continue to upload 35mm work and discuss the difference of snap shots and real works of art. I also have a few weeks worth of my Hipstamatic 365 project to upload and justify why I haven't been keeping up with it as much as I should have done and how I have been trying to promote my blog to the industry and realising that this blog is more of a personal documentation of my photographic journey rather than a showcase of my work. This blog is a mixture of things of photographs and words that I want to share with the world and I'm grateful for all the views that I get. Thank you. 

It's usually the big things that we like to put off and sometimes that is because it may scare us. Many people have finished their exams this week or perhaps left school, or like me, finished university for the year. If we are not working, then we have a summer holiday. I remember back in the day six weeks would go on forever and the colours of these summer memories were highly saturated with echoes of laughter and pretend games in the garden with a the water sprinkler. As a got into my teenage years I realised that I didn't do those things as much anymore and I would sit around watching TV, which then moved onto sitting around at my computer all day. Looking back, it kind of feels like I wasted that time, those few summers but I wanted to relax, chill and do nothing for change.

With the 'Freshman' year over, the reality of what summer is until you are getting on sixty-five, is that you have to work. As a growing photographer, work experience is extremely important. It gives you an idea of where you want to go and what you want to achieve. I have an Industry Experience module next year which can begin at any time from now. I've been gathering my ideas and looking at possible opportunities and writing that all important CV. There is so much to do, as well as organising yourself and planning your work placement independently and that feels really grown up.

I have been on my summer holiday abroad this year already and there was definitely that sense of relaxation and freedom from life back home, but I always find that I am a home bird. There comes a time in a holiday where I am ready to get back because there are things that I need to do and people that I care about, and all that builds up as a stress and anxiety. It drizzles away once I work through each to-do but this is what life is going to be like. It is going to be busy and it's going to be full of decision-making and working through summer. I get more time off being a student than I ever did a school-student but somehow with much more work, the less time I really have off.

The future is unknown and that is probably the scary part. If you believe in yourself, you will go where you need to go. It's not always so straightforward and sometimes you will have to double-back on yourself and re-think your options but it's much better to say you have achieved something than sitting around wasting your time.

Most people have a dream, some people may have not recognised this yet but if you want something, you should go and get it. Go with that dream as far as it may take you. It won't be a waste of time.

Jubilation, June 2012

Best of British
Zoë Bull

I hope everyone had a fantastic Jubilee Weekend.
It is not often that a monach will reign for 60 years and I felt that celebrating the Queen bought everyone together. Many villages, towns and cities all over the country had street parties and tea parties with bunting hanging from building to building and even on homes. My family had a discussion about this said and agreed that it was like a massive Christmas, New Year, Village Fete, Last Night of the Proms celebration that was all about being British and feeling proud to have a monarch like the Queen. I particularly enjoyed the concert, though I know others may have enjoyed the boat pageant or when the red arrows zoomed across Buckingham Palace as the Queen smiled.  There was something for pretty much everyone to enjoy.

I took some pictures over the weekend that signify what being British means to me, in addition to developing my Lightroom Skills.

Best of British
Zoë Bull

Best of British
Zoë Bull

Want to visit my Flickr photostream with the featured photos in my blog and more then click the following link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/brown_eyed_dreamer/

My Introduction to Lightroom (the 30 day trial)

Pre-Regatta: Henley-on-Thames

Lightroom.
I am currently on a 30 day trial for Lightroom 4. I have heard a great deal about this alternate processor from photographers and lecturers. They say it is better than Photoshop. I can't make a judgement to that yet, seeing as I am only on day 2, however I know it is complimentary to RAW processing and great for creating an effective workflow. I have also been intrigued by the dramatic skies and tones, particularly found in Landscape. I find that these effects, add some dimension to average photo of some hills and some sky.

It is all about experimenting really.



This is what I shall be working on for the next month, dipping in and out of the features and hope to find some light and some purpose that could help me delve deep into the photographic industry. I'm sure everyone wants to try this but I think you can still create unique images, even if this is a popular piece of software. Every Photoshop image isn't identical. I am going to strive to make my images different or at least add my own touch to them.

I am quite pleased with my first edit, but it is not until you use the Before/After mode that you can see what a difference is really made. And that is another thing that Photoshop doesn't have, unless you do it manually and as a plus, the original photo is left untouched, meaning you could create as many edits as you so wish without destroying the image.

Lightroom certainly has a promising start.

Want to visit my Flickr photostream with the featured photos in my blog and more then click the following link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/brown_eyed_dreamer/

York on film...

York, United Kingdom (2012)

Would you have perhaps imagined that I took this picture using coloured film? It sure wasn't that long ago that cameras used film and you had a limit of 36 exposures. Technology has certainly developed over the years. I remember my childhood was captured on various film cameras and from time to time, selecting a wallet from the draw with a random date kind of just takes you back. I find coloured film nostalgic.

I never imagined York to be an old place, the photo above, says it all really, but even the roads were cobbled and mainly untouched by the modern man. It was a coincidence that I wanted to try out coloured film here. I had been using black and white HP5 film during my first two semesters at University, but other than the odd disposable camera, I had never used a proper coloured film with a proper film camera.

Black and white is one thing. It is very classic, very vintage and the grainy quality is one of a kind. I wondered if I would get such an effect with colour but I have found that once a print has been scanned, there is almost a clear-film like texture overlaying the image and I quite like it. It is what a photograph is supposed to look like, in my eyes anyway. I have learned over this year that photography is about truth and capturing what the eye can see, unlike in painting. However my style and my interest in photography is making the photographs a little different from what you see and I like this because it is almost like an escape to from the real world. You can take bits you like from them and make them richer or desaturate them and I guess from saying this that the digital world suits me very much, however I still love using film.

What I have found, also, when scanning in a film print is that if you don't deselect auto-exposure then that is how you get a more saturated image. In addition, by comparing the images below is that the auto-exposure image is more like the digital cameras of today. There is certainly more definition and more truthful to reality but it is the fact that anyone these days can take an image like that and it is the quality of the film that makes it unique.

scanned - straight from print
   (no alterations)

scanned - (+ auto exposure)

Not much of a difference?

foggy - natural

auto exposure - more definition

There is a subtlety but it depends on what you are looking for and how fussed you are. 

The great thing about photography, these days is that you can experiment to your hearts content. However new cameras and the progress of technology wouldn't have happened without experimentation in the first place. I believe it can get you far. 

Want to visit my Flickr photostream with the featured photos in my blog and more then click the following link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/brown_eyed_dreamer/

Painting by colour, posting by numbers...

Adding colour to black and white
Final Edit

This is post 100.
I had never really thought about such a milestone before. I began my blog on 10th August 2009, a few months after my dream of photography had been conceived, feeling fresh and inspired as an enthusiastic, yet curious new born child. At that time, the memory and awareness of the future is simply unknown and I suppose I felt this way about my blog. I took each post in its stride and helped it grow and age and develop. I have developed by writing it and showing my pictures and expressing my thoughts. But now reaching such a milestone, I can reflect on my progress so far and what I have learned and what I want to continue to learn. This post will be the many of hundreds in years to come, but for now, I am celebrating my passion and determination through photography.

At the beginning I mentioned a lot about collecting photography magazines and entering competitions and about six months ago I had a look through the years-worth that I had collected and cut out some photoshop tutorials and inspiring photographs for me to go back one day and perhaps have a go at developing my editing skills. I would say I am quite confident with photoshop, with some bells and whistles yet to be discovered. I purchased another photography magazine today Digital SLR Photography and noticed some tutorials that I took interest in. I got home and had a go.

The writer of the tutorial explains how many of us and transform a colour photograph into black and white, almost instantly, but how many of us can turn a monochrome image into colour? This was the task and this was the challenge.

I began with a colour image that I transformed to black and white, then removed the original colour image from photoshop, as not to cheat. I then followed the step-by-steps and created some of my own. The final image is above, but how did I do it?

Let's take a look.

Original Image

Converted to black and white

Paint brush tool with a skin colour
covering the whole face

Go to the Blend Mode in the Layers palette and
change to colour

Lasso Tool and erase the skin colour
unwanted around the eyes

Select suitable hair colour
and repeat Blend Mode
(step 4)

This Blend Mode and colour selection is then repeated, for the eyes, lips, clothes and background until you are happy with your result. 

Simples.

I completed this tutorial using Photoshop CS4.

Want to visit my Flickr photostream with the featured photos in my blog and more then click the following link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/brown_eyed_dreamer/