Lemonade

My get pushed challenge this week from @brett101 was "to take a photograph and turn it into a cover for a favorite book".

This shot got to the challenge in a strange way. I was having lunch at the restaurant Lemonade in the Abbot Kinney neighborhood near Santa Monica when I spotted this striking woman posed perfectly under the sign. Hence the creation of the book "Lemonade" (perhaps the young woman's nickname??) by the author "Abbot Kinney."

I want to emphasize (as I do in any "street' photography) that this is in no way designed to objectify, ridicule, or denigrate this woman because of her unusual appearance. Much the opposite, I was pleasantly drawn to this innocent scene and her beautiful and confident expression of individuality -- her bright hair, tattoos, and poise -- as she stood in line with some ineffable thought on her mind.

"Embrace your uniqueness. Time is much too short to be living someone else's life." -- Kobi Yamada

[Jay Butterfield]

@brett101 for get pushed challenge

[Nadiya Bilovodenko]

beautifully caught

[M. Brutus]

NIce shot. I know the spot exactly. How did you get the cinderblock wall shaded that way? Was it post processing? Or was it just that time of day?

[Brett]

This is very well accomplished Jay, it looks fantastic! Apologies for the delayed response but I really just needed a break as daily photographs over the course of the past four years has made it a grind and a little break was in order to let the muse rest.

[Jay Butterfield]

@brett101 Thanks Brett. Iappreciate your challenge and comments. I've been there and hope to see you back soon.

@olenadole Thank you!

@mbrutus A vignette filter and selective dodge to lighten the center all in PS.

[M. Brutus]

@jaybutterfield I've got to get on top of photoshop someday. But I'm too busy taking the photos and writing the poems or stories. But the way you finished it was really great. Really made it what it is, though your subject choice was quite interesting as well.

[Jay Butterfield]

@mbrutus Thanks. I try to keep PS to a minimum as I think the art is really in the photography, but sometimes a crop, lightening shadows, or sharpening up a little helps.

[M. Brutus]

I do crop occasionally. But try to keep it things mostly to the original image. I use the much simpler, Picasa, which is no longer even available to do most of my image editing.

[Wendy]

This works so well for the challenge. She looks fantastic and your capture is perfect.
Really well done as a book cover.

[Jay Butterfield]

@farmreporter Thanks and thanks for including me as a finalist