Contrariwise ramblings

If you sell things on the internet, you know that good photos are essential. To improve your digital photos there are programs that you can buy like Photoshop (which I have but really don't know how to use) and programs that you can download for free. For example, I use Photofiltre which is relatively easy to use. (Read: 'idiot proof'". ) But even with these programs, pretty much all I can do is lighten up an image that's too dark, crop it, or make it sharper.

While manipulating photos has become relatively easy, to do it well is not easy and not that many people have that talent. Therefore, I am pretty much in awe of people who are great at it.

If you want to see some really great photoshop work, go to Worth1000 . People display their photoshopping skills in contests with different themes. Examples of contests are on Woorth1000:

Supersize it! <---Really huge food portions You Are What You Eat 3 <---turning people into food Surreal stories <---Putting a Salvador Dali slant on the world Here's one more great link on photoshopped animals .

The people who participate in these contests are really good. I mean really good. Either they're professionals or they have an awful lot of free time on their hands. I mean, most of us can barely take a reasonable photo let alone touch it up.

There are a number of people on the internet that can create photo montages for you. One person that creates custom collage portraits is 6timemomma. (That name comes from the fact that she has SIX KIDS all under the age of 11!)

She can take an already cute picture of your child

And create it into a fantasy image a la Anne Geddes:

<--I guess this is where babies come from.



And what little girl wouldn't love to have a photo of her as a fairy!?

I can just see this hanging my my daughter's room and her getting ooohs and ahhhs from all her friends.










Here's another one of her works; I love the composition with the mushrooms.

6timemomma also does serious photography. She's exhibited her photos, they've been published, and one of them was even selected as a Betterphoto First Place winner out of more than 23,000 images!




You can find 6timemomma's online shop at http://www.6timemomma.etsy.com/