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		<title>Escape the Ordinary: A Luxurious New Year’s Eve in the North Cotswolds</title>
		<link>https://loreleiwebdesign.com/escape-the-ordinary-a-luxurious-new-years-eve-in-the-north-cotswolds/</link>
					<comments>https://loreleiwebdesign.com/escape-the-ordinary-a-luxurious-new-years-eve-in-the-north-cotswolds/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Elizabeth Lorelei Sramek]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 02 Oct 2025 07:58:47 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Blog]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://loreleiwebdesign.com/?p=8474</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Welcoming the New Year, the Cotswold Way When it comes to ringing in the New Year, everyone has their own idea of the perfect celebration. Some crave the thrill of a lively countdown, while others prefer a peaceful evening surrounded by nature and good company. For those drawn to the quiet elegance of the English countryside, a New Year’s Eve getaway in the North Cotswolds offers the ultimate retreat. This is where time slows, the air feels fresher, and life’s simple pleasures take centre stage. The Cotswolds — with their golden-stone cottages, gentle hills and welcoming inns — are the embodiment of rural sophistication. It’s no wonder so many are choosing to trade city fireworks for the sparkle of frost on the fields. Why the Countryside Beats the City Every Time The idea of celebrating New Year’s Eve amid nature might sound understated, but it’s often the quietest experiences that leave the deepest impression. Instead of jostling for a view of the fireworks or waiting hours for a taxi, you can watch the final sunset of the year fade over open fields, a glass of champagne in hand, and no noise but the distant call of an owl. In the Cotswolds, the festivities take on a different rhythm — one that values good food, fine wine, and meaningful connection. Whether it’s a candlelit dinner, a walk through misty meadows, or simply sitting by the fire, it’s the kind of celebration that feels timeless. A Hidden Sanctuary: Feldon Valley Tucked away in the heart of the North Cotswolds lies a tranquil haven where modern design meets rustic charm — Feldon Valley. This serene destination is more than a place to stay; it’s an experience that captures the very essence of countryside luxury. From the moment you arrive, there’s a sense of calm that comes from being surrounded by nature. The architecture blends seamlessly with the landscape, using natural materials and earthy tones that reflect the spirit of the Cotswolds. It’s both contemporary and comforting — a place where you can breathe deeply and instantly feel at ease. A Feast for the Senses One of the highlights of a stay at Feldon Valley is the dining experience. Here, the focus is on quality ingredients and inspired craftsmanship. Each dish tells a story of local farms, seasonal produce, and thoughtful preparation. On New Year’s Eve, the restaurant transforms into a space of understated celebration — candles flickering, glasses clinking, and the comforting hum of conversation. Guests are treated to a menu that celebrates the best of British cuisine, elevated with creative flair. From rich winter flavours to delicate desserts, every course feels indulgent without excess. As midnight approaches, the atmosphere builds to a gentle crescendo — laughter, toasts, and perhaps a quiet moment on the terrace under the stars. There’s no rush, no chaos, just joy in its purest form. Rest, Reflect and Renew After the celebrations, retreat to your private lodge or room, where comfort reigns supreme. The interiors at Feldon Valley are designed with relaxation in mind — soft linens, warm lighting, and natural textures create a cocoon of serenity. When morning arrives, it’s not the sound of traffic that greets you, but birdsong. Step outside to a landscape washed in golden light, and you’ll understand why people return here year after year. A stroll through the nearby woodland or along the River Stour offers the perfect opportunity to reflect on the year gone by and welcome the one ahead with clarity and gratitude. Exploring the Beauty of the North Cotswolds While Feldon Valley feels wonderfully secluded, it’s ideally situated for exploring the surrounding area. The North Cotswolds are home to some of England’s most picturesque villages, each with its own charm and story. Spend an afternoon wandering through Broadway’s elegant high street, visit the art galleries in Chipping Campden, or discover the historic beauty of Snowshill. Local markets offer artisan crafts and seasonal treats, while traditional pubs invite you to linger over a pint by the fire. For those who love the outdoors, the Cotswold Way walking trail offers breathtaking views of rolling hills and ancient woodlands — an invigorating way to begin a new year with fresh energy. The Art of Slow Living One of the greatest gifts a New Year’s Eve getaway can offer is the chance to slow down. In a world that moves at an ever-increasing pace, the simple act of being still can feel revolutionary. At Feldon Valley, this philosophy is woven into every detail. There’s no pressure to plan every hour or tick off a list of activities. Instead, guests are encouraged to simply enjoy the moment — to linger over breakfast, watch the weather shift across the hills, and rediscover the pleasure of doing nothing at all. It’s this sense of mindfulness and balance that makes a countryside celebration so special. As one year ends and another begins, you’re reminded that the best moments in life aren’t always the loudest — they’re the ones filled with quiet contentment. A Sustainable Celebration In keeping with the Cotswolds’ close connection to nature, Feldon Valley embraces a sustainable approach to hospitality. From eco-conscious architecture to locally sourced food, every effort is made to protect the beauty of the surrounding landscape. Choosing a New Year escape here means supporting a place that values harmony between people and planet — a fitting way to step into the new year with purpose and awareness. The Perfect Start to a Promising Year A New Year’s Eve getaway at Feldon Valley is more than a short break — it’s an opportunity to begin the year as you mean to go on: rested, inspired, and connected. Whether you’re celebrating with a partner, a group of friends, or even treating yourself to a solo retreat, the experience promises to be both grounding and uplifting. Here, amidst the rolling North Cotswold hills, you can close one chapter and open another surrounded by warmth, comfort, and beauty. The combination of fine dining, luxurious accommodation, and the peaceful rhythm of the countryside ensures a New Year celebration you’ll never forget. Make This New Year Extraordinary If you’re ready to escape the ordinary and welcome the new year with meaning, plan your visit to Feldon Valley. Leave behind the noise, the queues, and the stress of the city, and step into a world where time moves gently and every detail has been considered for your comfort. Raise a glass to new beginnings, surrounded by the quiet magic of the Cotswolds, and let your first memory of the year be one of peace, indulgence, and joy. In Summary The turning of the year is a moment to celebrate, reflect and renew. By choosing a New Year’s Eve getaway in the North Cotswolds, you’re giving yourself more than a holiday — you’re giving yourself time. Time to relax, to breathe, and to look ahead with optimism. And there’s no better place to do so than Feldon Valley — a destination where elegance meets nature, and every stay feels like the beginning of something wonderful.]]></description>
		
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		<title>Complete Beginners Guide to Sunrise and Sunset Photography</title>
		<link>https://loreleiwebdesign.com/complete-beginners-guide-to-sunrise-and-sunset-photography/</link>
					<comments>https://loreleiwebdesign.com/complete-beginners-guide-to-sunrise-and-sunset-photography/#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Elizabeth Lorelei Sramek]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 23 Feb 2010 06:18:59 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Blog]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://loreleiwebdesign.com/?p=2320</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[To photograph the sunrise is a great challenge. Every photographer has wanted to capture the beauty of a sunrise. There are many tips such as the camera lens, position; angle and lighting that you will need to keep in mind to produce a great picture. Every camera is unique, and each has its own set of requirements to perform while taking a sunrise photograph. You can capture a sunrise with any type of camera but an LCD camera is the preferred choice.  A photographer is able to hold the camera closer which helps to reduce shaking while taking the shot. If the photographer is concerned about shake, he can always use a tripod to eliminate the problem. You will want to take sunrise photos that will highlight the natural colors of the morning sky to give your photos a graceful feeling. While taking a sunrise photo, a photographer needs to keep in mind the position of the horizon in the photograph. If a photographer is using an optical lens digital camera he has to insure he is not putting his lens directly in the sunlight, this can cause permanent damage to the lens. If the photographer is out on a hot day he should always keep the lens cap on when out in the sun and turn the camera off when it is not being used.  When the photographer uses the camera, he can snap his shots and then turn off the camera again to protect it. But most of the information here is common sense, just don’t leave your camera out in the sun unprotected such as on a picnic table in the middle of the hot summer. The color of the sky at sunrise is beautiful. If you add a subject such as a silhouette or tree, you can add great perspective to the photo. If the photographer enjoys his sleep in the morning, he is sure to miss out on some spectacular shots of a sunrise so it is important to plan your days so you can get out and capture the beauty that is a sunrise. A photographer should always insure balance between exposure and color when shooting the sunrise, and he should always use the proper equipment such as filters. You should never place the horizon in the center of the photo. If the sunrise in the center of the photo there is no draw to the eye so it is best to place it lower in the photograph to draw the eye of the viewer in. Adding fog or a rainbow adds depth and more color to your photo. A photographer is an artist and should always be coming up with new ideas; this is how you become better at your craft and taking sunrise pictures. If a photographer doesn’t like the look of a certain shot, he can always take more photos until it matches the picture that he has in his mind. The funny thing is that the best sunrise/sunset photos always seem to be in the places that are so inconvenient for the photographer. These are places like marshland, desert, and hilltops and so on, but this should not deter your efforts because the outcome can be spectacular. The key to a good sunset photo is light distribution and horizon, also catching the different colors of the sunset is difficult too.  The color schemes are red, blue, green and all of the colors in between but here are a few tips that you may find helpful. A good first attempt should happen in winter. The reason for this is because in the winter the sun is setting earlier and you don’t have to wait till all hours of the night to capture your photo. Sunset can begin as early as 3:30-7:00pm depending upon your geographic location. Choose your shot carefully and add only the subjects you want in the photo. Sometimes there may be obstacles but a good photographer can work with them right in his photos, silhouettes, if done properly can add to the beauty of the sunset and add great perspective to your photos. Of course it would look better without electric lines running through the center of the photograph so the site should be chosen wisely and you are sure to come up with some beautiful photos. As your out and traveling during the day it is never a bad idea to take a few notes on potential spots that would be good to capture your photos, describe the area to yourself for recollection later. Do not let the weather hinder your plans because adding cloudscapes in your photography can create interesting elements, they can change the colors and patterns of light and add great effects to the photos. The weather should not be a factor in your photos unless of course there is no sunrise/sunset at all due to the conditions. You can learn to make the best photo with some imagination and you should never let the opportunity pass you by. There is another issue when it comes to photographing the sunrise/sunset and that is they only last a few brief minutes so your shots need to be aligned to the best of your ability quickly to capture your best shots. Planning is the key and if you have time to do so, you can plan out your shots a day ahead of time so that you are prepared, set up your equipment and take notes as to how you want to be positioned in the morning or evening. Allow set up time when you go out to start taking your pictures. The use of a tripod is not a bad idea in this case also. Becoming the master of your skills Everyone loves the look of the sunrise or sunset and many photographers want to capture the moment, it is one of the most common subjects for photographers. This is why you need to practice and become even better at your craft because the competition can be brutal. The first thing to do is to come up with a plan. Just going out and taking a random aim and fire shot is not going to be the right choice. Your goal is to create a beautiful photo, not just a picture. Be creative and add things to the foreground, middle ground and even background, this can add depth to your photos. Plan and picture the photo in your mind, come up with the feeling you want to express to the viewer, you are not a kid anymore and creating a good photo takes a little more time than just pointing at something and snapping the shot. Researching photographs of other sunrises and sunsets on the internet is a good idea to get tips hints and lighting ideas from those that have gone before you, you can see how someone captures the light, colors and so on and it gives you a goal or something to aim for in your photography. You have to learn to see things with the viewer of the camera to come up with those great shots. You need to let your imagination take over and forget about the filters that we tend to use in our own mind. You have to be the camera and the eye of the camera, so don’t be shy put on your creativity cap and give it a whirl. Changing your lenses, shutter speeds and aperture values all create different looks to your photographs so it’s a good idea to practice and try different things. Look around for different elements to add to your shots and have fun. Practice here is the key to creating great sunrise/sunset shots. If you don’t like one element you can move on to another and another until you find just what it is you are looking for. If you’re using a DSLR camera you can set it to the auto bracketing mode. You should shoot in RAW because this is ideal for post processing. You can read about “RAW for Beginners” in my previous article. To shoot two people in the sunset you should set the ISO to 300+ and the aperture level at F/5-F/8 while shooting in the manual mode. If your shooting format is JPG, set your white balance to the cloudy position, use the camera in manual focus. If the need be, you can lie down to avoid any obstacles that may get in the way while taking your sunrise/sunset photo. You can always return to a site if you are not happy with the outcome of previous photos, you can take them over and over again until you come up with the photograph that you had pictured in your mind. It all takes time and practice but as the old adage goes, practice makes perfect! Following are 5 tips to sunrise/sunset photo taking Learn how to predict a great sunset. You need to always have your camera ready and you need to be in position before the moment comes. The moment of the sunset lasts only a few short minutes, so you should be prepared. Scout out your locations and know where you are going to set up for taking your pictures. This will take away from a lot of wasted time in the future if you plan it out a little in advance. Be patient to capture color. There is always a short few minutes after the sun looks like it has set that there is a burst of brilliant color. Be patient so you can catch these brilliant colors of sunset. You do not have to rush through all of your shots sometimes taking a few extra minutes can make all the difference in the world in your photography. Find a foreground subject. This could be important. Everyone has shared the same boring pictures of “just” a sunrise or “just” a sunset, and I have seen many of my friends show me the same pictures over and over. Why not add something interesting in the foreground? Why not add a great silhouette to your picture, it does not have to be a large object in the photo and you can create a silhouette that will capture the eye of the viewer and draw them into the beautiful colors of your sunrise or sunset. Get all the color you can into your photo. The rule of thirds can be discarded here as we are talking about sunrise and sunset and let me explain why; the rule of thirds simply means you should place the horizon of your picture either at the top third of the page or the bottom third. If you do this in a sunrise/sunset picture you will be looking at a large part of your photo being dark. If you want to capture the true beauty of the colorful sunrise or sunset then you need to ignore this rule for once to get the most out of the vibrant colors that are offered at this special time of day. If you are near a water source use it creatively to reflect the beauty of the colors in your photograph. Many people try to avoid adding the element of water but it can create a wonderful work of art when added to your photography. The water can reflect and echo all of the wonderful colors and create a whole new dimension in your photograph. There are the tips for you on sunrise/sunset photography. Here the concentration was on being creative not so much the technical part of the photo taking. Your ability to read nature and catching the right moment is much more important than the technical part of the photography in this situation. A great sunrise or sunset photo is just on the horizon for you as a photographer, so go and have fun practicing and enjoying nature, let it inspire and move you to create beautiful works of art in your photography.]]></description>
		
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			</item>
		<item>
		<title>Design a 3D Newspaper Cropped Text Effect</title>
		<link>https://loreleiwebdesign.com/design-a-3d-newspaper-cropped-text-effect/</link>
					<comments>https://loreleiwebdesign.com/design-a-3d-newspaper-cropped-text-effect/#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Elizabeth Lorelei Sramek]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 22 Feb 2010 06:08:35 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[PS Tutorials]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://loreleiwebdesign.com/?p=2355</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[When the older generation were young, and needed to create a school design or anything that involved cropping letters, we often cropped them first from an old newsprint, before proceeding to work with a colored paper. So this is pretty much what I wanted to create here &#8212; a newspapers cropped draft! Let&#8217;s begin with making a new canvas and fill it with any solid color, our choice was #2b362b: To give it a bit of depth, while the background is still selected, go to Layer Styles (Layer &#62;&#62; Layer Style &#62;&#62; Gradient Overlay) and apply the following settings.. This will give a lighter spot in the middle of the canvas that normally gives nice depth. Now, find online or scan any newspaper pager. We couldn&#8217;t find one big sheet so we combined ours from a several ads in the local newspaper. Place the newspaper on the canvas. Using a huge Cooper Black font, type your word on top of the newspapers layer. If you are using a different font, however, be sure to work with BOLD letters because the whole effect is based on the boldness of the typography. Now it&#8217;s a little bit tricky for those of you who are still beginners, so please pay attention.. While the typed letters are still selected, hold the CTRL key and press on the layer with the word &#8220;News&#8221; in the layers panel, this will load a selection around your letters. Go to Selection &#62;&#62; Modify &#62;&#62; Expand, and expand the selection by about 3-4 pixels. If your font is too narrow, you might want to use a bigger number. Press Shift + Ctrl + I, to reverse the selection. Press Delete. You are now left with 2 layers, cropped from newspapers letters and the typed letters layer, which you can now delete. (or hide, but you certainly not going to need it anymore!). This is what you have left: Using the Lasso Marquee Tool, crop each letter individually, and once selected, press Ctrl + T to start transforming. Align them in any fashion you want, but do not overdo this effect if you don&#8217;t want to end up with  a messed up canvas..]]></description>
		
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			<slash:comments>35</slash:comments>
		
		
			</item>
		<item>
		<title>Typography on WordPress Blogs &#8211; What You Need to Know</title>
		<link>https://loreleiwebdesign.com/typography-on-wordpress-blogs-what-you-need-to-know/</link>
					<comments>https://loreleiwebdesign.com/typography-on-wordpress-blogs-what-you-need-to-know/#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Elizabeth Lorelei Sramek]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 20 Feb 2010 08:09:31 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Blog]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://loreleiwebdesign.com/?p=2310</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Typography on a web page is as important as it is in any other medium, it does not matter whether you are typing for packaging, publishing television or signage, and all designers must take into account the medium they are using and the techniques they will use to suit that medium. You want your work to be easily read and be pleasing to the eye. This being said an example is that of an article written in a magazine compared to that of a poster. While a magazine is read at close distance and within arms length, the typeset can be small and still be easily read. Whereas a poster is larger and seen in a more oblique manner, you would want to space the words so they are easily discerned by the viewer. When designing for a webpage there is a full set of new problems to overcome. You are dealing with an audience that has different screen sizes and platforms. There is a way a designer must work to take all of this into consideration while designing a page that it easily viewed in all different platforms. You can not assume that all of your viewers are using the same equipment you are; even the speed of connection should come into mind when you are designing. Examples of Good Use of Typography in WordPress: Depending upon your content you can change up the style sheets to best suit your needs. You can change heading and sub heading sizes as well as your body text sizes to best fit your page whether it is an informational site, children site or a more technical site. These type settings are simple to change and the style of your webpage should take into consideration your targeted audience. You would not use the same style on a children’s page as you would on a page created for business investors so it is important to keep your targeted audience in mind. Orientation &#8211; If you are reading a book and you see upside down type the first thing you do is flip the book, not such an easy task with a computer. Vertical type is not possible with HTML but it can be done by using a JPG, PNG or GIF. This can work for you if used sparingly. A heading of this type will grab the reader’s attention and if in a good balance with her things like color, weight and size can be beneficial. This type of heading calls for attention and when used alongside other material can unify this material and become very effective. Position &#8211; As a different type style used such as maverick, any line that is in a different position will quickly catch the eye of the viewer. Breaking up the natural flow of the page will simply get more attention. You can change any body of text by only changing one element such as font, color position and so on. Anything that looks different or out of place will automatically draw the eye to it. Just like the saying goes, rules are sometimes made to be broken. Space &#8211; If you type on a white page one word of 8 point type, your eye will be drawn to it. On the other hand if you’re working with a full page of 12 point type you will never notice it. So as you can see not just the type on the page is important, the space that is surrounding the type is just as important. You can easily learn this skill by playing with different type and space settings to get the most out of the idea you want to put across. This is not only a technique used in writing, it is used is painting, architecture and more. Priorities used in a creative manner &#8211; Typography means that you will also think about the importance of information and what you want the viewer to focus on, you can do this by easily deciding what is important and getting that important information to stand out. You can create a web page that is pleasing to the eye while still getting across what is most important. You will find it very rewarding when you take this important fact into consideration. You want the important content to stand out so the viewer can see exactly what point you are trying to make without having to read through pages of fluff. Here are some tips for the use of different fonts in HTML: Use the correct font style and case size to get your information processed quickly by the viewer. If your viewer is seeking information you will want the font to be something simple to read such as Arial or Veranda so they can easily read through and find what they are looking for. You should also keep in mind the color and size of the text. When you are looking at your web page design always keep in mind the type, color and size of font, this is very important this can instantly add more value to your web page. Choose a font that is simple to read. Using a font such as Times new Roman keeps everything in uniform, a font such as calligraphy is very distracting and too hard to read. The best thing for you to do is read through a few lines and determine if you can read it easily. If you can do it your viewer can too. Do not fill you page with different font styles, if it is called for such as an artistic site, you may use different font styles but they should be used in the headings or sparingly throughout the text, do not fill your text with different fonts because it becomes distracting to the viewer and they will lose interest. Most of your text should be between 12 and 14 points. This allows all readers the easy access because not all readers have perfect vision a small print may deter some viewers from your site and you do not want to loose viewers, the point is to make a site attractive to all. You should keep in mind that you will have many viewers and you should try to compromise for all viewers, and make sure your heading is in a larger font than the text. The final tip deals with color, use a good contrasting color for type that will not be lost in background colors, the best choice is always black type on a light background, just be careful when choosing colors for your web pages, you do not want to put a dark background and dark type on the same background, it will be too hard to read and your viewer will be lost.]]></description>
		
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			<slash:comments>9</slash:comments>
		
		
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		<title>Designing Your First WordPress Theme &#8211; The Full DIY Giude</title>
		<link>https://loreleiwebdesign.com/designing-your-first-wordpress-theme-the-full-diy-giude/</link>
					<comments>https://loreleiwebdesign.com/designing-your-first-wordpress-theme-the-full-diy-giude/#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Elizabeth Lorelei Sramek]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 18 Feb 2010 06:18:26 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Blog]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Free WordPress Themes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wordpress themes]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://loreleiwebdesign.com/?p=2249</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[People are aware of the purpose of a wordpress theme, but what they are not aware of is how to identify a good wordpress theme. This is a prominent problem with majority of the people who require a wordpress theme for their blog. In order to completely achieve the purpose of using a wordpress theme, one has to select the right wordpress theme for one&#8217;s blog. In this article, you will know about some essential things that must looked for in a wordpress theme that you are searching to be used in your blog. Flexibility is the essence of a good wordpress theme. This means that once it is installed on your blog, customizing it should not give you any difficulty. If the theme lacks flexibility in usage then it would make it cumbersome for you to customize the blog by yourself and you would most probably need to hire someone to do job for you. An ideal wordpress theme should also be apt for search engine optimization. To enable people to find their way to your blog, you have to ensure that keywords pertaining your blog are present in the related search results, thus bringing people to your blog for the information that you have provided for others. SEO customized templates of wordpress themes are ideal for one&#8217;s blog as these themes are naturally designed in a way that will help you in the optimization of the search results of your blog. It&#8217;s easy to see why WordPress themes are so worthy of one&#8217;s attention. With the optimal theme, you can adjust all the nifty little widgets and codes, and also ensure better search engine rankings and loads of fresh traffic daily. Design Yourself The web is quite over-saturated with wordpress tutorials, but only a few of them really teach you how to make a GREAT WordPress theme yourself, here are our best picks: In my opinion, these tutorials will help you to design your own web 2.0 theme that will blow visitors attention away, and be just as good as the ones offered on WooThemes and ThemeForest. Need your PSD coded? We recommend PSD to WordPress Conversion from $99 only, offered by SramekDesign.com to our readers. But, before you get overwhelmed with the design process, there are certain factors you need to consider to make the correct choice of WordPress theme? Here are five essential ones: 1. Theme Width and Columns Generally, WordPress themes are available in 2-column or 3-column formats, with widths in the range of 500 pixels to 960 pixels. In case of non-profit purpose blogs, a 2-column theme can appear more compact and reader-friendly. Since you have fewer images of goods or links to other sites to display, you can throw light exclusively on the content without pushing readers away from your site.]]></description>
		
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		<item>
		<title>Free Photoshop Action &#8211; Vintage Photo Effect with Correction</title>
		<link>https://loreleiwebdesign.com/free-photoshop-action-vintage-photo-effect-with-correction/</link>
					<comments>https://loreleiwebdesign.com/free-photoshop-action-vintage-photo-effect-with-correction/#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Elizabeth Lorelei Sramek]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 15 Feb 2010 09:05:16 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Freebies]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://loreleiwebdesign.com/?p=2300</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[As we promised about a month ago, we will be releasing more freebies , so here is one small but useful freebie &#8212; Photoshop action that makes a very nice vintage effect. This action will not only add washed effect and sepia  tone to your photo, like most standard actions do, it will also fix any dark areas you have on the photo (like the black dress curves you see on our example), will add a few layers on noise, one standard and the other imitates small mild scratches. Moreover, there are a several layers of colorization, which allows our action to output a photo as close as possible to the professional photography of the past decade. We hope you will enjoy this action and please do leave feedback, as always we appreciate any requests and ideas, as well as critiques. The download contains 1 action, and 3 examples of (1) photo with high contrast and light background, (2) photo of good contrast and light background, and finally (3) dark background photo, so you will see what this free action is capable of. If you&#8217;d like to see more of our PROFESSIONAL Photoshop actions, please have a look at our earlier released &#8220;12 HDR pro Actions&#8221; and &#8220;Photographers&#8217; Tool Kit&#8221; actions. A closer look at our example: And processed image: Download Free]]></description>
		
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		<item>
		<title>Happy Valentine&#8217;s Day (with Freebies)</title>
		<link>https://loreleiwebdesign.com/happy-valentines-day-with-freebies/</link>
					<comments>https://loreleiwebdesign.com/happy-valentines-day-with-freebies/#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Elizabeth Lorelei Sramek]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sun, 14 Feb 2010 09:43:36 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Freebies]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://loreleiwebdesign.com/?p=2322</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[As you probably know, today is the famous Valentine&#8217;s Day, when all the loving couples celebrate and spend time together, or singles confess about their love. It&#8217;s also the Chinese New Year (for those of you who are traditional enough to celebrate), so we decided to gather some resources that will help your design skills to celebrate these merry occasions.. Enjoy the freebies and most important &#8212; the day itself! Free Valentine&#8217;s Day Icons: Learn Photoshop&#8230;? Happy Valentine&#8217;s Day!!!]]></description>
		
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		<item>
		<title>The Full Guide to Professional Landscape Photography</title>
		<link>https://loreleiwebdesign.com/the-full-guide-to-professional-landscaping-photography/</link>
					<comments>https://loreleiwebdesign.com/the-full-guide-to-professional-landscaping-photography/#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Elizabeth Lorelei Sramek]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 12 Feb 2010 06:18:36 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Blog]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://loreleiwebdesign.com/?p=2284</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[There are several types of photographers, and many have come to be specialists at a certain type of photography, such as landscape photography. There is just something that touches the viewer when they see a photograph of a field of flowers or a churning sea. It can bring back memories or lead them off into their own fantasy world, and it’s all done with a simple photograph. Different Types of Landscape Shots There are generally two types of landscapes that come into mind: urban and natural landscapes. The two types are uniquely different, and both appeal to a different audience, and sometimes they appeal to the same audience. The ability of the photographer to capture a feeling or an emotion is what makes them unique. Needless to say, you do not need to travel to far-off lands to create a landscape photograph. You have the ability to create a great photo without even leaving the comfort of your home. It is simple, to begin with, simple shots of your backyard or surroundings and practice capturing a moment that will be viewed as extraordinary. Although traveling is exciting and there are great panoramic areas to create a simple shot, you can do it at home, but it just takes practice to find one great thing about your yard and capture it in a unique a kind moment with a photograph. Landscape photography takes some work, and there is no simple way for you to just run out and take a unique picture. You want to take in the landscape and offer your imagination the ability to think outside the box. You do not want to have the same photo as all of the other photographers have taken before you; you want to play with angles, zooms, and color to make your photo become a totally unique area to an area that may be well-traveled. You want your photo to stand out to people, so they say, “Wow, I never noticed that before.” When you can accomplish this, you are certainly on your way to becoming a landscape photographer. Natural landscape photos are seen quite frequently, and you know you have seen all of the great shots, like a still photo of the sky to ground lightning that creates a wonderful feeling in a black sky. Even the pictures of natural waterfalls or turbulent seas have gotten more than one viewer to stand back and hold their breath. Although we have seen many photos of natural landscapes, there are still photos that take our breath away with every capture of the moment that keeps us coming back for more. We have all tried to capture a moment like this, and that is because it creates a feeling in us that we want to experience over and over again. The urban landscape is much different. Most of us take advantage of the stark lines and hard objects and never pay attention to. There are so many possibilities with urban landscape photography that the possibilities have become endless. Only certain people are usually attracted to this type of landscape photography, but it does not mean that you lose the attraction from those that enjoy the natural landscapes. There is so much to offer in an urban setting that the ability to make a picture unique is only limited by the imagination of the photographer and the ability to take in the emotions of the subject. The trick is in finding the shot, the one thing to focus on and take a picture of. If you have a keen eye, then urban landscape can hold many possibilities and make your pictures be able to speak volumes as they stand alone. While you’re thinking of landscape photography, just think of the possibilities you have to touch someone in a way they have never dreamed of. You can choose the softness of nature and its beauty or the harsh surroundings of a big city and still give a sense of any feeling you wish to portray with just a simple change in your camera angle. Capturing Images With Character Landscape photography can be challenging, but it also has its rewards. You may think that visiting a popular vacation site and snapping a bunch of photos will have you dealing with a unique piece of art, but that is not the case. Many people feel that just because they are taking pictures in a beautiful area, they are creating works of art, but it’s just not true. They are only one person of many that have stood in the same spot taking the exact same photos at the exact same angles. Landscape photography is more challenging than just simple picture taking. Everyone has the ability to see what a good subject is, but creating a unique work of art from it is another story, especially if it is a well-traveled location. When you’re taking photos of a subject that has been viewed thousands of times, you need to take extra effort to assure a unique shot and not take the shot from the same locations and same angles as the other photographers that have gone before you. You have to find the ability to change that location into a work of art that has never been seen before. Here are just a few tips for capturing the character of a landscape. First of all, you do not need to fit everything all in one shot. There are some landscapes that would require the use of a panoramic picture or wide-angled lens. This is great, but if your focus is on a subject in the center of that photo, the dimensions become very small, and you may not capture the feeling you were going after. Focusing on that one subject in the photo can bring more life to it and thus getting across the feeling to the viewer you were hoping for. Second, if you want to take a unique shot, do not go to the same places that everyone goes to take your picture. This means, when you&#8217;re on the lookout, you are surrounded by many people that are capturing their photos at the same exact angle. You may need to search around, but looking for a place to shoot the photo could mean all the difference between a photo that comes a dime a dozen and a photo that will stand out as wonderfully unique and keep the viewers coming back more. This does not mean going out and breaking all laws to take a picture; it simply means looking for an area that is not as highly populated to get the shot you have been looking for. The next tip is to find a way to use the foreground to your advantage. Anyone can take a picture of a field of flowers, but what if you took that same picture while standing on the opposite side of a stream or using a big boulder as a foreground to take that picture. The best thing to do is to keep in mind that you are not the first person to take this picture but just one of many. This will allow you to take up a more creative thinking pattern when scouting your shot. Finally, take all of the weather conditions into consideration. The balance of light on a subject is important, and all of the great photographers know that. What is it that can make your photo stand out? You can look at weather, clouds, rainbows, or anything that will make your picture unique. Being a landscape photographer means thinking in a more creative style to capture the images that will last in your viewers&#8217; memories. Taking the time to look for that one great shot are what will make you stand out from the others, and having someone look at your picture and comparing their photo to it is fun and exciting; they will all be talking about how your picture became so much more than just a mere photo. Taking time is not a waste because it will allow you to capture a unique moment and the time spent will be well worth it. Making the Most of the Night or Daylight Sky Your photography skills are not the only thing that makes a good landscaping photo. You will also need a bit of help from nature. You may have the skills to take the perfect shot, but you may still end up with a boring photo if the conditions are wrong. Any photographer dealing with landscaping has to work with the weather. Some images will require some cooperation from the weather, especially if you are just passing through as a tourist and do not have time to hang around and wait out the conditions. Even the most skilled in the profession have to deal with Mother Nature. Even in the best weather conditions, you may have to rely on your imagination to take a good photo. The bright sunny sky, although beautiful, can often hinder a photo&#8217;s beauty by drowning out the natural colors. You may have to think creatively and use the foreground to make your photo pop and draw the attention of the viewer. On the other hand, a cloudy day could become your greatest asset. The formations of the clouds are never the same, and you can create a great shot of the area many times and have each photo look like a unique work of art. When you find that your day has become clouded, here are a few suggestions to make your photo stand out. Using your polarizer as a pair of sunglasses can greatly change any photo; you can turn a normal cloudy day into a work of art. You will want to take care when using your polarizer and play with the different effects. This way, you will be sure to find the effect you&#8217;re looking for. Change the horizons. Every photographer knows the rule of thirds, but you can create a unique picture by just changing the horizon. You can dwarf the landscape and create a focal point in the clouds. The choice is up to you, but you can create a different feel with just a simple change in the position of the horizon. Use the clouds to create a feeling. Each cloud is unique, and you can use them to create a feel and offer a visual flow in your photograph. You can use this example by having a tree in the foreground. The tree is your subject, and all of the clouds tend to draw your eye and lead it to the right. While the clouds lead the eye to the right, it is a good idea to put your subject on the right side of the photo, thus creating a composition that took no hard work on your behalf. Have patience. As a landscape photographer, the main thing to remember is it takes patience. You will have to take the time to wait for the exact moment that will make your picture-perfect. Mother Nature moves at her own speed, and you will have to learn to live within this range. You may find that you are waiting out hard black clouds or waiting for the chance to capture the perfect rainbow; in any profession, there are certain things that you will have to deal with, and being a landscape photographer means you will have to learn patience when dealing with Mother Nature. Choose the right light. The best lighting conditions are usually late afternoon or early morning. This lighting condition creates the best use of light and color. The sky also starts to change in color and can give a great effect to your photos. Ask any professional photographer that takes landscape photos, and the answer will always be the same. The use of the mid-day sun has the tendency to drown out the natural color of your subject and can create a feeling that you were not going for. The later afternoon can offer natural soft changes that are warm and inviting and create more moods in your photos. So as you can see, a professional-looking landscape photograph can be reached, and you will soon see the compliments are starting to reach your ears. You can give each person the feeling of something great when you have the right angles, lighting, and most of all, patience. You know that it will take some dedication on your end, but becoming a great landscape photographer will be your bonus. The techniques used in outdoor photography are much different from indoor photography, and the lighting sources for good results are different. Once you have grown past the hobby photographer stage, you will know how to use all of your equipment in a professional manner. Once you know how to use the equipment, you will see that taking great landscape photos is no longer a mystery. You will be able to deliver great pictures that offer a wonderful variety of emotions to your viewers. You can easily learn to offer a great message through all of your photos that will give the viewer an emotional connection to your work. You can also easily change the mood of a picture by the right angles and the use of light. You will see that creating a mood of fantasy, dream, or even shock can be created with the simple use of light. The use of shadow can also create a different mood for each picture. If using only black and white film, you need to know that composition is an important part of this type of photography, and becoming a master of shades and tones is important. It is very demanding for a photographer, but the results can be quite amazing. Just know that the subject will need to stand out, and the shadowing is how you can accomplish greatness. Trying your luck at black and white photography can be very rewarding, and playing with the shadows and angles is the key to creating the look you are going for and the mood you want the viewer to feel. This is a difficult task because the use of black and white can take away emotion that you can only get with colored pictures. Natural elements blended with the man-made forms of buildings or bridges can create a wonderful contrast and create a character in your photographs. Showing the sharp angle of the man-made subjects alongside those of the soft features of nature’s beauty can create a work of art that will keep the viewers enthralled. Using different angles can help photographers capture effects that will easily create a certain emotion they want from the viewers, and candid shots are much more easily captured on color film. Many photographers have chosen to use digital cameras when trying to capture some events because the use of the LCD viewer screen allows them to evaluate the quality of the photo before deciding whether or not they want to take it to print. The use of the digital camera has become more and more popular due to the fact that you can take hundreds of photos that will add no extra cost to the photographer, they can easily be deleted and retaken. The photographer has the ability to change angles, lighting and anything else without the added cost. Now that we have covered just what it takes to take the great shots, you need to put you as an armature photographer in some work. You will need to learn the basic operations of all of your equipment so that you know how to use it properly. Learn about angles and how to change the mood of your picture with each angle. Try to study your focus points and learn how pictures change with the time of day and your lighting. Don’t forget to scout out the best locations and vantage points so you can breathe a little life into your photos. Get Inspired First Before jumping out, have a look at some truly inspiring landscape photos. Perhaps they will help you to open your horizons to more ideas. Here are a few truly stunning shots that will make you want to grab your camera and go out on a shooting session! Finally &#8211; Get the PRO Look Easily It takes years of experience, dozens of camera settings, and virtually millions of shots until you manage to reach the stage where you will be bragging with the results, so until then, try to make photos of interesting landscapes and object and simply process them with one of the Professional Photoshop Actions&#8230; Take a look at the views you want to recall. A good landscape shot takes at least as much compositional work as still life, except that you have to move your body instead of your subject. There are many ways to arrange the elements in your picture for the effect you want—the key takes time to consider the area. And you can walk about. Make up your scene. You&#8217;re planted in front of a spectacular view. But you just took a photo, and none of the majesties you&#8217;re looking at is showing up on your phone. What went wrong, huh? The first thing you need to review is your composition. The scenery is all around you, but you&#8217;re always going to have to frame your shot. Naba Zabih, a wedding photographer who also deals with dramatic landscapes, says that landscape photography is &#8220;like a game of forms.&#8221; She says, &#8220;You can sort of creating a balance—if a mountain makes a triangle shape, you might be able to balance it with a circle shape on the side. It doesn&#8217;t matter how amazing a landscape is if you can&#8217;t mathematically look at it and break it down.&#8221; And there&#8217;s no need to hurry around. Jeff Carlson, a seasoned landscape photographer, says, &#8220;In one way, the landscape can be easy because not much is going to change—your trees are not going to run...]]></description>
		
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		<item>
		<title>Design Cool Lord-Chrome Text Effect</title>
		<link>https://loreleiwebdesign.com/design-cool-lord-chrome-text-effect/</link>
					<comments>https://loreleiwebdesign.com/design-cool-lord-chrome-text-effect/#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Elizabeth Lorelei Sramek]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 09 Feb 2010 06:28:46 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[PS Tutorials]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[photoshop tutorial]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Text effects]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://loreleiwebdesign.com/?p=2223</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[It&#8217;s been a while since the last time that I made a chrome-like text effect so i though let&#8217;s do something with metal elements again, since this is an effect that will never go out of fashion. Let&#8217;s make a quick but very useful tutorial, using gradients that will allow you to easily create any metallic effect later. make a new Canvas and fill it with a dark color, we used dark gray with a little light spot in the middle to outline the effect. We are using 600 x 500 cnvas (and this is the size of the psd you can download, just scroll all the way down). Using  a curvy font and very big letters, type your word. We used the Harrington font with 260 pixels size, however in this particular effect, the biggest is your font, the better viewable is the result. Worry not about the color you are using at the moment for typing since we will overlay it with metallic gradients, which we designed specifically for this tutorial. Go to Layer &#62;&#62; Layer Styles &#62;&#62; Blending Options and begin applying the effects&#8230; Our Inner Shadow is pretty important so pay attention to the size and Quality. We decided that default &#8220;Linear&#8221; curve doesn&#8217;t really outline the effect good enough, so we used a &#8220;half Round&#8221; curve. If you don&#8217;t have it pre-installed in your Photoshop, please use our mapping: For outer glow, we use gradient from black (#000000) to white (#ffffff). The outer glow in this case creates an additional stroke around the text, which looks slightly rounded and with a mild gradient. Without these settings, your effect will not look complete and moreover look rather poor. And, a Rolling Slope Contour, please note that we are using the &#8220;descending&#8221; path, otherwise we will have a totally different result.. A mild touch of inner glow, just to smooth out the shadows at the edges of the text.. Now we are getting to the hardest and most essential part of this tutorial &#8212; the gradient overlay. For beginners, it could be a little difficult to copy these gradients, but I strongly recommend that you won&#8217;t give up and try to copy them as close as possible since they will allow you to add a nice metallic touch to any text or object later. Just don&#8217;t forget to save them as a new gradient, for future use! For Stroke effect we also used a gradient of metallic shades, however, not only it will be a different gradient (not like the one we just set up for the inner filling), but also we will set the style to &#8220;Reflected&#8221;. This allows us to have the gradient mirror-repeated, without having to set too many shades. What&#8217;s good about these layer style settings is that it will look good on ANY font size, for example here we zoomed in using a font of nearly 700 pixel and you see all the curves, shades and gradients so neatly&#8230;. Here is our result! I hope you enjoyed the tutorial and if you decide to download the psd, please remember to click &#8220;return to merchant&#8217;s website&#8221; after you complete the transaction, so that the download will start instantly. Also, please join our Facebook page and subscribe free for future updates!]]></description>
		
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