Beware the Cyborg
Fact #1
Okay, so I’m a total novice/newbie/amateur/moron when it comes to photography. Right? We all know that, am I correct? 90% of the pictures on my flickr account are taken on the “AUTO” setting of my camera. The other 10% are on the “P” setting which is essentially almost “AUTO” allowing you small power to control things like white balance. Which I sometimes try to control but in reality? I have no clue what I’m doing. Whatever good photos you see are purely to blame on the camera. And maybe luck.
However, I have the desire to be totally rockin’ awesome at taking pictures. But I am dumb and don’t know a lot of the lingo so every time I read a site or a manual trying to teach me, I get lost after the first use of “f-stop”. WHAT THE HELL IS F-STOP?
Fact #2
I love me some Pioneer Woman. I read her stories and look at her recipes and think, Damn. I am so inadequate. She makes me almost wish I liked to cook.
Almost.
However, I almost always read her in my feed reader. And have never cruised around her awesome webpage. I’ve just read the basic entries as they pop up in the manner I’ve subscribed. I never comment or anything. I just read and wish I were more like her.
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So, imagine my surprise when I found her photography section. OMG. There seems like so much to learn! And to know! But she makes me want to learn/know it! And somehow I ended up here and thought, Hmm. I actually have Photoshop. Maybe I could try this excercise.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t really find any pictures that were awesome straight-on “EYE” shots to use to play around with. I mean, her “before” picture is a million times more amazing than any of mine. But still – I really wanted to give it a try so I found one that was the most suitable.
First, I lightened it using a technique taught to me many moons ago. I just opened the original photo, clicked “CTRL + L” to pull up the “Levels” graph and drug the levels to the lighter end. The end. I’m sure there is a fancier way to describe it – but that’s what I did. THEN – I did everything she told me to. Of course – I definitely drifted to what she calls “CYBORG” with the edit on the eyes but I wanted to go extreme to prove it actually works. EVEN ON A CRAPPY PHOTO!
Here is the Before/After. I think it’s too extreme to really do any good, but still – SO COOL. I’m going to keep this in mind and actually try to take some good “EYE” shots in the next few weeks to practice this on. I just wanted to show you to prove that even a moron can sometimes learn new tricks!
That looks really good!
I love me some Pioneer Woman too. After making two of her recipes on Saturday, my teenager declared that I must have a girl-crush on PW. Um, duh!
I have read some of her photography tips, but I haven’t put any into action yet. I need to sit down with my camera manual and have a really good read of it. Then I need to kick the kids off the main computer at home so I can try those Photoshop tips.
I love the photography blog! I just found it a little while ago, and can’t wait to try some of it out. I don’t really have photoshop though
(I just have an old bootleg copy on my desktop) Still it’s fun reading and it’s fun to look forward to the stuff I may just be able to do one day heh! Oh, and NikkiZ’s adorable, even as a cyborg 
I love PW – and love her photography tutorials! Even as an experienced photographer, it doesn’t mean much if you can’t clean up & slightly enhance your photographs with PSP! She makes me laugh … but I still don’t want to cook like her … I’d weigh 400 pounds!
I love her photoshop tutorials. She makes everything so easy to understand!
I have total photography envy because of PW. I keep trying to find several thousand dollars lying around so that I can buy a camera like hers and all the lenses.
I also collect her recipes but haven’t actually attempted to try cooking any of them. Baby steps…
Photoshop is a beautiful, beautiful thing.
Whoa. Veddy nice.
You’re not a moron. You did an awesome job with it.
I read PW religiously.
wow … now I know 2 people who can make those sliders in photoshop work! great job – those eyes are killer!
I just downloaded PW’s Actions set and I AM IN LOVE!! I HIGHLY recommend it. I just took a bunch of photos of my friend’s wedding and I “actioned” the hell out of them- it makes me look like I actually take good photos!
Nice! I always love a good Photoshop tutorial!
Awesome! I’m like you, love taking pictures, wish I was better– and I love reading things like this! I’m totally subscribing in my Reader.
Yeah I also love me some Pioneer Woman, she has such a great site and I’m loving the new Photo Tutorials. Until I was reading that I nevere really noticed the “grey film” on photos which you and she have managed to rid the world of. The new photo looks great!
That is amazing! I would love to be better at photography. Just wish I had the time to practice. That darn school thing keeps getting in the way. I also need a new laptop so I can put Photoshop on it, my current laptop is only suited to school work and some gaming. The main computer has Photoshop, but my fiance uses it almost every day for his projects, I need my own. I love PW as well, everything about her site is beautiful.
I love her photoshop tutorial. Have you read the book Skin by Lee Varis? Lots of tips on how to use sharpening and layers. It’s been a huge help in portrait photography.
Sweet! I’ve had Photoshop on my MacBook for a few months now, and haven’t even opened up the application because I’m so lazy. At least I can justify it by saying it’s a work computer and not mine so I’m not wasting MY money.
Hi! I’ve been reading your blog for about a month. Your photos are pretty amazing also! Nice touch with the editing! I can never get the eyes to look right when I edit. I use Macromedia Fireworks though, wish I had Photoshop!
I am so with you on the photography thing! I guess I should check her site out, huh?
Wow, that’s awesome! It’s a huge difference, and I LOVE IT!
I don’t even know if my camera has an f-stop setting. It’s just a point & shoot type cheaper digital camera. Nor do I have photoshop. I don’t even have Paint Shop Pro anymore, but I am doing my best to learn how to enhance photos with GIMP. I wanna rock on the camera, too!
Zoot: This is completed unrelated. If memory serves, you asked about go to pot luck dishes in December. http://thepioneerwoman.com has an easy go to appetizer in her cooking section. Also, if you have time, read the comments for other easy ideas.
I would have never flagged you as a newbie. Newbie = me.
I am with you on Fact #2. You got me hooked on her (and her recipes!)