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Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Beautiful Milkweed Buds


I've discovered that looking at the world through a photographer's eyes has me noticing things I have never really seen before.  For example, I had never noticed how beautiful milkweed blossoms are.  Before they actually open, they have the most wonderful cluster of buds and then when they do open, each individual blossom on the cluster is quite amazing.  
I had also never noticed the incredible colour, including the burgundy vein that runs through the leaves.
And so, the first digitally altered photo for today is the milkweed blossom.  I followed a tutorial that Kim gave us in Beyond Layers to add the text band with gradient colour. I used a variation on a well known quote to remind you to, "take time to smell the roses" or as I said above, notice things you might be overlooking.  I played with a variety of filters and textures to create a painterly effect on this one.


These photos are being linked to Photo Show OffTexture TuesdaySweet Shot TuesdayOur World TuesdayThis or That ThursdaysPhoto Art FridayShoot, Edit, SubmitFabulous Friday,Flower Art Friday and Photo Friday Link Party.

57 comments:

  1. Beautiful images! I really like the painterly effect you created on the milkweed blossom.

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  2. Admission, I've never seen milkweed blossoms and you've taken some wonderful shots!I love the texture of the leaf in detail! Thanks for calling by Twistedvines. Yx

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    1. Thank you Yvette. Glad you got to see some milkweed. They grow wild all over around here (Ontario, Canada).

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  3. Beautiful images! :) I especially love the poppies, they are so vibrant and cheerful. You are right about noticing more details through a photographer's eyes. Happy day!

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    1. Thank you Kia. I was out with a friend today and we saw some more beautiful poppies. Some were pink and the others were double or full poppies. I'll probably post photos of them in the future.

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  4. Beautiful flowers, Linda! Enjoy your week!

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    1. Thanks Emille. I hope you have a wonderful week too!

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  5. Love the textured milkweed. The fragrance from these plants is wonderful too. Valerie

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    1. Thank you. I quite like how that image turned out too.

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  6. you processed the pictures wonderfully!!

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  7. Milkweed has incredible flowers!! Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.

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    1. Thank you Gary. Hope you and Boom have a great week of hiking and taking photos.

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  8. I like the painterly effect you achieved - wonderful!

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    1. Thanks. I'm really please with how it turned out.

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  9. Isn't a close-up view enlightening, though? Lovely!

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    1. Yes, Evelyn, I love taking close up shots. Thanks so much.

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  10. fabulous captures and rendering!

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  11. I'm really drawn to the "painterly effect". It's beautiful.

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    1. Thank you Marilyn. I love how that image turned out too.

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  12. Both flowers are beautiful. Milkweed also attracts butterflies, so it's definitely one of my faves! :-)

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    1. Yes Misty, in fact, it's the only thing that the Monarch caterpillar feeds on. Thanks for visiting.

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  13. Lovely shots and great to see seeing as I'm in the middle of a thunderstorm. Lovely to find your blog!

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  14. Yes, isn't it amazing how looking at life through a lens changes what we see. So much beauty we often miss just because we haven't taken the time to really look. Lovely capture and processing here. Thanks so much for sharing with Flower Art Friday!

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  15. a camera lens can really slow us down so we appreciate the world's beauty in a new way. your photos are lovely.

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    1. Thank you Laura and yes, you are so right about cameras slowing us down. I really do look at everything differently now.

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  16. Love what you did with the milkweed. Wild flowers have such interesting surprises in store when we stop to look properly.

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    1. Thank you Carol and welcome to my blog. Have a great weekend.

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  17. Your work on the milkweed is just lovely, Linda! It is perfect for the painterly effect, but I especially like the text band and the frame on it, which really set it off! Have a wonderful day.

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  18. Beautiful picture and so lovely flowers.

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  19. I just love poppies, so bright and cheerful. I understand your photographic eye I feel exactly the same.
    http://flic.kr/p/codgLA

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    1. Thanks Miriam. I recently saw some absolutely stunning pink poppies. They were incredible.

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  20. Your photo art looks like a lovely postcard, Linda. Love those poppies, too! Thank you for sharing your talents with Photo Art Friday.

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  21. I do love milkweeds. I have some growing in my flowerbed, but they aren't blooming yet. Your pictures are wonderful!

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    1. Thanks. I never thought to have them in my garden but that's a great idea.

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  22. I love the poppies !!!

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    1. Yes, poppies are beautiful. I love the pink poppies too.

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  23. Think your processing here is awesome. Love the graphics from the beyond layers classes. I also love macro in that it has opened up a world that I have never before seen! Lovely work!

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  24. Gorgeous photos! What a wonderful example of God's creation!

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  25. Very pretty. I'm not familiar with this type of a flower on a Milkweed plant. Loved the textured version and also the lovely poppies.

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  26. You are right Before they actually open, they have the most wonderful cluster of buds and then when they do open, each individual blossom on the cluster is quite amazing, and all the images you have added in this have great look, i just want to say thanks for sharing this post.

    Better Canvas Art Development Service

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    1. Thank you Andrea. I'm glad you found me and stopped by for a visit.

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Linda

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