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Springtime in the Southern California Desert

  

Category:  Photography & Art

Via:  randy  •  7 years ago  •  26 comments

Springtime in the Southern California Desert

Still Learning.

For instance, I have no idea what kind of Hummingbird this is. The next two are of Bougainvilleas. If you look close you can see the white flower blooms coming out. Then there are two of Lantanas. Some gold, purple and white ones.

A Humingbird.jpg

 

Bougainvilla.JPG

 

Bougainvilla1.jpg

 

Lantana.jpg

 

Lantana1.jpg

 


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Randy
Sophomore Participates
link   seeder  Randy    7 years ago

Hope you enjoyed them.

Randy

 
 
 
Buzz of the Orient
Professor Expert
link   Buzz of the Orient  replied to  Randy   7 years ago

Way to go, Randy. You're getting better at photography every time. Those are excellent photos.  I'm particularly impressed by the Hummingbird one.

 
 
 
Randy
Sophomore Participates
link   seeder  Randy  replied to  Buzz of the Orient   7 years ago

Thanks! The success on that one was taking about 30 pictures and Photoshop Elements 7, which came with another computer I bought. I have been holding off on buying a new version of regular Photoshop until I learn more about a basic version.

 
 
 
Buzz of the Orient
Professor Expert
link   Buzz of the Orient  replied to  Randy   7 years ago

Open "picmonkey" and check it out.  It's free for most basic and a lot of more sophisticated photo modifications, and that is what I use.  If you want to be more advanced they charge something (I don't know how much but it probably isn't much different than photoshop) and it gives you multiple other possibilities such as framing, text insertion, touch-up,  collages, vintage/antique rendering, and a lot more.

 
 
 
Randy
Sophomore Participates
link   seeder  Randy  replied to  Buzz of the Orient   7 years ago

Thanks, I'll check it out!

 
 
 
Buzz of the Orient
Professor Expert
link   Buzz of the Orient  replied to  Randy   7 years ago

I have one very important question to ask you. Do you take off your sunglasses when you take photos?  LOL

 
 
 
Randy
Sophomore Participates
link   seeder  Randy  replied to  Buzz of the Orient   7 years ago

LOL! Actually I was wearing my regular clear lens ones.

 
 
 
Randy
Sophomore Participates
link   seeder  Randy  replied to  Randy   7 years ago

I looked at Picmonkey and I'm not certain I am comfortable with it only being an online program and not one that I can download completely down onto my computer and use independently. Makes me feel a little strange to upload my pictures to an online site.

 
 
 
Randy
Sophomore Participates
link   seeder  Randy  replied to  Randy   7 years ago

Except the finished product here of course.

 
 
 
Buzz of the Orient
Professor Expert
link   Buzz of the Orient  replied to  Randy   7 years ago

Okay, I understand. I don't know if my photos get stolen, but it matters little to me anyway because even if they are there isn't much I could do about it from here anyway.

 
 
 
pat wilson
Professor Participates
link   pat wilson    7 years ago

Very nice, Randy ! The third one down is very artistic !

 
 
 
Randy
Sophomore Participates
link   seeder  Randy  replied to  pat wilson   7 years ago

Thanks Pat! I was lucky on that. When we bought this house we had it and the walls around it painted a sort of desert sandstone and the flowers were hanging down in front of the wall, making it a perfect background. Of course when the wind blows the blasted red leafs get in the pool! Happy

 
 
 
Perrie Halpern R.A.
Professor Principal
link   Perrie Halpern R.A.    7 years ago

Well done Randy!! I'm so glad to see you getting out with the camera and coming back with some real beauties. 

 
 
 
Randy
Sophomore Participates
link   seeder  Randy  replied to  Perrie Halpern R.A.   7 years ago

Thanks! Playing around and learning. Mostly trying new things with the photo editor. The Hummingbird picture was originally a lot further away and darker. The 2nd picture was the only one I didn't do anything to.

 
 
 
sixpick
Professor Quiet
link   sixpick    7 years ago

Very nice Randy!!!

 
 
 
Randy
Sophomore Participates
link   seeder  Randy  replied to  sixpick   7 years ago

Thanks! Still have a lot to learn.

 
 
 
Kavika
Professor Principal
link   Kavika     7 years ago

Well done Randy...

Great photos.

 
 
 
Randy
Sophomore Participates
link   seeder  Randy  replied to  Kavika   7 years ago

Thanks! Now if my blasted dogs hadn't gone and scared the Hummingbird away! Laugh

 
 
 
A. Macarthur
Professor Guide
link   A. Macarthur    7 years ago

Good work here, Randy; the most difficult aspect of photography is composition, and, I can see your instincts towards that end is developing quickly.

Not sure if the Hummingbird is a Ruby-throated … hard to tell from the angle. Coincidentally, yesterday, I got some nice Hummingbird shots of that species.

Keep shooting … you're moving forward rapidly.

RE:Bougainvilleas

The magenta-colored parts of the plants are NOT FLOWERS, BUT LEAVES called "bracts" … the little white structures are the flowers!

 
 
 
Randy
Sophomore Participates
link   seeder  Randy  replied to  A. Macarthur   7 years ago

Thanks. Most of the composition is coming from the photo editing of course. I am not as happy with the third one the more I look at it as I think I should have cropped it down further at the top cutting out the dying purple ones on the upper left. Oh well, I'll nail those type of things next time. I know about the Bougainvilleas having both green and red leaves (though I didn't know the name of the red ones) and the red ones come off really easy as they are beautiful, but the guy who cleans my pool always has a struggle with keeping them out and they bunch up like large, red snowflakes in corners of the yard.

The Hummingbird maybe a Ruby-Throated, but it would be a female of whatever species as she was all brown. Of course I don't know much about Hummingbirds, except I assume that like most birds the females are generally not as colorful as the males.

 
 
 
Steve Ott
Professor Quiet
link   Steve Ott    7 years ago

Very nice! If this keeps up, you are going to make me want to start getting out of the house again with the camera.

 
 
 
Randy
Sophomore Participates
link   seeder  Randy  replied to  Steve Ott   7 years ago

Thanks! High praise coming from you.

 
 
 
A. Macarthur
Professor Guide
link   A. Macarthur  replied to  Steve Ott   7 years ago

Very nice! If this keeps up, you are going to make me want to start getting out of the house again with the camera.

Hopefully you will, Steve.

 
 
 
Randy
Sophomore Participates
link   seeder  Randy  replied to  A. Macarthur   7 years ago

I agree Steve. I would like to see more of your work also. It'll give me something to "shoot" for. Laugh

 
 
 
Nona62
Professor Silent
link   Nona62    7 years ago

Beautiful shots Randy !!!    Beautiful colored flowers.

 
 
 
Randy
Sophomore Participates
link   seeder  Randy  replied to  Nona62   7 years ago

Thank you, Nona! Personally I think the bottom one is my favorite. I love Lantana's because even here in the desert they need no care, no watering, nothing at all, except to be cut back a couple of times a year and they just grow and grow into a carpet or bushes.

 
 

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