Sottoportego

Taken in Florence, I've added Square 87-Aged Wood and Square 103 from Shadowhouse Creations.

Cote d'Azur

While in Nice, Travel Partner and I decided to visit the Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild on the Cote d'Azur. My plan was to take the bus from Nice to Beaulieu-sur-Mer and then walk along Cap Ferrat to the villa. It sounded like a good idea in theory, but the walk (mostly uphill and in full sun on an extremely warm day) was somewhat more than we'd bargained for. On the plus side, we did get to stop along the way and enjoy beautiful views like this one across the bay towards Villefranche-sur-Mer. We eventually made it to the villa and enjoyed a quick visit of the gardens and lunch before an unexpected thunderstorm rolled in.

I've added a Shadowhouse Creations texture called Rustic Charm.

Napa Ivy

This image is based on a photo taken during a fall trip to Napa. I loved the vibrancy and variation in the color of the leaves on the wall at one of the wineries we visited. I replaced the background with a dried leaf texture.

Seeing Red in Roussillon

When I arrived in Roussillon, I felt a sort of deja vu. Although I'd never been there before, I've spent a lot of time in Sedona, Arizona, another unique place well known for it red-hued geology. Both towns are extremely popular with tourists and artists alike. But there the similarities end, because Roussillon has a medieval feel and flavor. Wandering down narrow streets and peeking through doorways, I chanced upon this small inner courtyard with its inviting rock stairway.

I've added a texture to enhance the effect of the natural ochre coloring.

Girl with Pink Parasol

This image is a composite of several different photos. I had extracted the girl dressed in pink from a photo taken at the Chinese New Year's celebration. I liked the way she was dressed, but the rest of the photo was so busy that she got lost. I combined the photos of the beach and sunset and then added the girl. I've included an image showing the original photos used. No textures were added.

Warwick Castle and Peacock

This photo was taken from the grounds of Warwick Castle in Warwick, England. The castle dates from the time of William the Conqueror and has undergone multiple reconstructions over the years. Although adjacent to the town of Warwick, the castle overlooks some beautiful countryside. I could have easily spent the better part of a day here because there is so much to see. After viewing the castle interior, I had a picnic lunch on the grounds where peacocks such as this one are plentiful.

I added a texture called Genesis by Shadowhouse Creations. 

Tower Flowers

This is a photo of the Torre del Mangia (Tower of the Eater) in Siena, Italy. It sits at the edge of the Piazza del Campo where the famous Palio horse races have been run each summer since 1656. A number of restaurants line the Piazza and it's a fine place to enjoy a meal with a view.

I added a flower texture which I would love to credit, but I don't recall who created it.

Arizona Wildflowers

Spring wildflowers in abundance after a wet winter. This photograph was taken at the Desert Botanical Gardens in Phoenix.

Chinese Dolls

These dolls were on display at the Chinese New Year's celebration. We took several photos because they were in a highly reflective plastic case and it became necessary to combine different parts of the photos to remove all the reflections. After trying and rejecting various backgrounds, I created a background from our photos of Thai parasols that were being sold nearby. No additional textures were added.

Pagoda Night

This is another photo taken during our recent visit to the Chinese Cultural Center.  I really liked this structure's dramatic architecture, but the modern building beside it seemed too distracting, so I decided to experiment and see what it might look like as a night shot.. To get the desired effect, I added a moon and a texture called cana1 by joes sistah.

Dancing Dragons

This photo of dragon dancing costumes was taken at the Chinese Cultural Center in Phoenix during the Chinese New Year's celebration. While 2011 is the year of the rabbit, 2012 will be the year of the dragon and several persons will don the large costume and make it "come alive."

I added a texture called Lost by Shadowhouse Creations.

Surrendering Saguaro

This saguaro seems to be surrendering its very life to the elements. Whether it has suffered from drought or been damaged by humans or wildlife, it will soon be nothing more than a saguaro skeleton. Fortunately, most saguaros in the nearby mountain park are healthy and robust.

Heart's Desire

Another project for the Digital Layers class, I thought of this image when I was considering what to use for a Valentine's post. This was one of my first attempts at creating a metaphorical image. Click below to see the source images that were used, along with quite a few textures.

Swans on the River Avon

Famous as Shakespeare's birthplace, Stratford-upon-Avon has a lovely setting beside the river Avon. Several million visit the town each year and enjoy its half-timbered buildings and the Royal Shakespeare Theatre.

To my photograph of the swans,  I've added several textures: nights by adamned art, tapioca pudding by LandofNod, grunge spooky 1 by Shadowhouse Creations and texture 194 by brenda starr.

Alstroemeria Abstract

There is something about alstroemeria, also known as a Peruvian lilies, that I absolutely adore. I love the vibrancy of color and the fact that they are so long lasting. Although they're a fairly common, inexpensive flower, they make me feel happy.
I did a series of photos awhile back and I decided to add some textures. The abstract results were so much fun that I spent the better part of an evening playing around. I added a writing texture called 'handwritten recipe' by muffin, among others.  Original photo below.

Bonaventure Angel

This image is a redo of a project I originally did last year for Susan Tuttle's Digital Layers class. My texture experimentation was just beginning and, although I liked the result, I felt the first attempt was a little "heavy handed."  This time I applied the same crackle texture with lighting effects.

I photographed this little angel at the Bonaventure Cemetery in Savannah, Georgia on a cold winter day. Her bowl is often adorned with freshly cut flowers.

Dresden Angel

This angel sits atop the University of Visual Arts in Dresden, Germany. Once the capital of the Kingdom of Saxony, Dresden was a cultural powerhouse until it was nearly destroyed by Allied bombing in February of 1945, just months before the end of the war. It has been beautifully restored and merits a visit of several days to experience all its treasures.

Textures used: In the Garden by Kirsten Frank and Paper with Vignette by borealnz

Lizard on Petroglyph Rock

I spied this lizard while hiking in Sabino Canyon in Tucson. I also had the rare opportunity to photograph a roadrunner during the same hike, although we're not sure whether it was Big Mac, their resident roadrunner. In the foothills of the Santa Catalina Mountains, Sabino Canyon has many wonderful hiking trails with spectacular viewpoints.

I've added a petroglyph texture to the photo.

Ornate Lamp Post

This image was taken along the Passeig de Gracia in Barcelona. The avenue is a popular shopping district in the Eixample section and contains many of Barcelona's finest examples of architecture. Some of the most notable buildings were designed by famous modernista architects, including Antoni Gaudi.

I've added one of my own textures, created from a photo of a rust pattern on the wheelbarrow in our back yard.

A Tale of Sant' Antimo

The Abbazia Sant'Antimo (St. Antimo Abbey) is a Benedictine abbey that lies just outside of Montalcino, Italy in the province of Siena. This image actually shows the hills and fields just above the abbey.

Sant'Antimo dates from the 12th century. A walk around the small abbey reveals some wonderful animal and grotesque decorations carved in the stone, such as the one below.

Aged Book textures by Shadowhouse Creations.

Alkmaar Windmill



Molen van Piet

 The town of Alkmaar is an easy daytrip from Amsterdam. I took the train there and walked around the town, enjoying the quiet lanes and quaint buildings. There are several windmills in the area, including this one known as Peter's Windmill, or Molen van Piet in Dutch.

I added textures by JoesSistah and boccacino.

Amsterdam Canal

I've visited Amsterdam several times now and my favorite areas are those along the canals which make this city so unique. Although biking seems to be the preferred mode of transportation here, I prefer to walk so that I can pause and enjoy scenes like this one. I've replaced the plain white sky of the original photo with a blue sky and clouds to give it more interest.

Flowers on Window Sill

This is another photo taken at Filoli estate in Woodside, California. On a warm, sunny day this part of the estate was shaded and deliciously cool. These flowers are an example of  the attention to detail that can be found at Filoli. I added a texture to give the photo a sketch effect.

Clock Tower

Years ago a friend of mine gave me a wonderful present of a box of handmade papers. She had made them all herself and each of them was beautiful and unique in color and texture. I decided to experiment using another photo from Venice to see what sort of effect I would get using one of her papers.