very beautiful. I just watched a program from BBC UK called "all aboard the sleigh ride" it is about two Norwegen girls 200k above the arctic circle who are leading (walking) reindeer sleighs across what looks to me like wilderness but they are following an ancient road and carry lighted torches to light the way. It fascinates me and is something on my 'bucket list'
Joan, I have just started as well and have spent lots of time on our Christmas break practicing! You have done a great job on this one! Did you purchase any presets?
@vignouse Hi Richard, Thanks for your fav & kind comments. The class I signed up for is called Creative Black & White Photo Artistry by Sebastian Michaels, but I'm probably in over my head! I was really just looking for something that would help me learn how to process my photos more effectively and teach me how to use Lightroom and Elements. This course is about making ART. Not sure I'm ready for that level yet, but hey...I need to be pushed, so I'll give it a shot. @lsanderson55 Leigh Anne, I did purchase some of his presets, specifically for BW, but honestly, I don't even know how to go back & pull up the name of this particular preset! (I have a LOT to learn!!) Wish me luck! For what it's worth, this photo looked as sharp as the one on the 2nd, but I liked the soft, dreamy effect of this one. I want to learn how to preserve the definition along the mountain tops, while softening the foreground. I have NO idea what "layers" are!! One step at a time...!
@cruiser Hi Chris - I looked up this program and I see there are segments on YouTube. I have terrible internet at home, but I plan to check it out when I get to school! Sounds fascinating.
@jetr I suspected that might be the course which is why I asked the question, I've also signed up for that and I wouldn't be surprised if quite a few more 365ers have too. It hasn't started very well as I've been trying for a week to get an invitation to join the private Flickr group so that I can post my work. I finally got a reply to my third mail saying that they hadn't received the first two but not to worry as I would receive my invitation within the next hour, two at the most... that was three days ago!
If you want easy to follow but very comprehensive (and free!) tutorials on Lightroom, do a search on You Tube for Serge Ramelli Tutorials - there are 221 at the moment. I cut my teeth on these and can thoroughly recommend them.
By the way, you can easily get the localized soft-focus effect you want in LR by using either a graduated filter or a targeted adjust brush and reduce the clarity and/or the sharpness in your chosen area.
Good luck and let me know how you get on with the B&W course.
@vignouse Wow Richard-thanks for all the great advice! It did take a couple of days for my invitation to come, but I figured it was because of the holidays. I'm in and good to go. There are some amazing photos already posted. I will look for the YouTubes - thanks for that tip. :-) I appreciate it.
@jetr You're welcome Joan... after I smiled them again today, I finally got my invitation. I intend to add some photos to the album tonight or tomorrow - for reference, my Flickr user name is also Vignouse.
@jetr@vignouse I am doing that course too! Though I am relatively confident working in b&w in lightroom I am not sure about my artistic abilities. I will be stepping out of my comfort zone in that respect!
If you want easy to follow but very comprehensive (and free!) tutorials on Lightroom, do a search on You Tube for Serge Ramelli Tutorials - there are 221 at the moment. I cut my teeth on these and can thoroughly recommend them.
By the way, you can easily get the localized soft-focus effect you want in LR by using either a graduated filter or a targeted adjust brush and reduce the clarity and/or the sharpness in your chosen area.
Good luck and let me know how you get on with the B&W course.