Pioneer Woman Photography - Ree Drummond

Moo.

Ree — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 02:43:45 +0000

Moo.

Also: here’s the winner of the Nikon D90!

#5756 Sabrina – “Green”. Congratulations, Sabrina! You’ve won the new camera, and have suggested a great theme that will be used in an upcoming PW Photography Assignment. Love it!

Thank you everyone for your great suggestions—I’ll save them and check out the list for future assignments.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Love,
P-Dub

In the Meantime

Ree — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 11:32:52 +0000

The Nikon D90 giveaway is still going on; feel free to enter through noon today if you’d like. Winner will be announced Friday morning.

In addition, I’m just finishing up the finishing touches on my post about the Elements-compatible PW Actions, as well as a post featuring the new actions of Jodi at MCP Actions. Actions, actions, actions!

In the meantime, I wanted to share a link to the up-to-date High Res Gallery here on PW Photography. There, you can browse some of my photos, then download the high res versions of the one you’d like. Feel free to print…or use as your desktop background…or turn into a greeting card…or calendar page…or dartboard. From you to me, Pinkie Lee! (Name that movie.)

PW Photography High Res Photo Gallery

I’ll be adding more high res shots to the gallery in the coming weeks.

Enjoy!

Love,
P-Dub

It’s About Time

Ree — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 15:57:54 +0000

I’ve had so much fun—more fun than I ever could have imagined—holding the PW Photography Assignments over the past several months. From the Holiday Bokeh assignment to the Cat Photo assignment of last week (I’m still in Heaven over that one; see winner above), I’ve considered it a complete privilege to be able to browse the thousands of incredible shots you’ve all shared with the group. I can’t wait for the next assignment!

But first, because I love ya more’n my luggage, I’m giving away this Nikon D90 SLR Digital Camera with a Nikon 18-105mm VR Lens. It’s a great, solid camera that’ll make your skirt fly up…unless you’re a boy. But boy or girl, this is a camera—and a great lens—that’ll make you happy.

To enter the giveaway, just answer the following question in the Comments section of this post:

“What should be the theme of the next PW Photography Assignment?”

I love trying to decide the theme of each photography assignment, but this time…I’ll let you do it for me! Just shout out an idea for the next PW Photography assignment and you’re automatically entered to with the Nikon.

THE RULES

One entry per person, please.

No entries after 12:00 noon Pacific Time Thursday.

Leave your suggested theme in the Comments section.

Winner will be selected at random, and his/her suggested theme will be used for the next PW Photography assignment.

Good luck!

_____________________

Note: Giveaway sponsored by Pioneer Woman. Nikon has no idea who Pioneer Woman is. Over and out.

Adding Text With Photoshop

Ree — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 15:44:13 +0000

Working with graphic design is not my strong suit. I am just learning my way around the different buttons in Photoshop. I’ve been playing with using Text a little bit lately and thought I would pass it on.

The first thing I did was to choose a picture. To that I added a color block. I love the color block. I used MCP “Finish It” actions to do this.

MCP Finish-It Photoshop Actions

I just love how easy they are to use. My favorite part is picking the color for the block with the color dropper.

Have you tried the color dropper yet? Oh my gosh. So fun.

So once I had my nice clean slate, I decided to write a little something to go with the picture.

I Googled “flower quotes”.

I loved this quote by Lady Bird Johnson.

I love her name. “Lady Bird.” You can call me that from now on. Thank you.

The text button is the capital T. Once you click on the T, you go to the top and pick out your font.

I am using a font by Crystal Kluge ( a super cool lettering artist) called Carrotflower.

Crystal Kluge The part that says 30pt is how large the letters will be.

Once I picked the font and its size, I wanted to pick a color.

To pick a color, double click on the squares that are just below the magnifying glass. You can then move your cursor over your picture and it will sample the color right where you click it. I chose a light blue from one of the flowers.

Then I started typing.

First I typed “Where flowers bloom so does hope.” I pressed enter and this line ’set’. Then I typed the author’s name and pressed enter. (Clicking on enter ’sets’ the line. You may also click on the check mark at the top of the screen.) These two lines are separate from one another now and can be moved separately. You move a line of text by clicking on the little cross with arrows.

This allows your cursor to move the text around.

The text that is highlighted in the Layers Panel is the text that will move.

When I want to move “Lady Bird Johnson” to a different spot, I make sure the last line has been ’set’, then I click on the words “Lady Bird Johnson” in the Layers panel so I can work with this line of text. This is not hard to do. It just takes a little practice to get it down. Lots of times, I try to move the wrong set of words. Lots of times. When I was done, I saved my little project.

That’s all.

Little pieces at a time.

That’s how I Iearn to use Photoshop.

Give this a try! You can also type right on the picture. You don’t need a color block.

Run Katie Run!

Encourage one another,
Miz Booshay

The Cat Photo WINNER!

Ree — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 19:40:48 +0000

This was a terribly difficult decision for me. As someone told me last night: “Seriously, Ree—you could close your eyes and pick one and you’d have a winner.” And it’s true. All of the finalists are worthy of the top spot.

But I finally, after examining…examining…examining…have chosen a winner.

THE WINNER IS…

“Annoyed” by Denise Gisele.

I was hesitant to move forward with my initial inclination to select this kitty as the winner, mostly because I didn’t want it to appear that I’d chosen it simply because it’s hilarious. Of course, the personality of the photo is a huge part of its charm, But I also just love the moment—the cat looking square into the camera, the dead-center composition, the slightly, yes, annoyed expression. Who says a cat has to be elegant and grace—and thin—to win a top prize?

Not me. That’s who.

Congratulations, Denise Gisele! You win a $250 gift card from B & H Photo & Video.

RUNNERS-UP:

As for the following runners-up, let me tell you what I love about each of them…then I’ll surprise them with their gift at the end.

By Bford13. I love this photo. The texture, the sweetness, the comedy.

By Wendy Perry Photo. This photo makes me feel comfortable and cozy. I love that the paw is in focus. Love the blue blankie.

By Misspfui. This was one of my top pics from the beginning. The colors are so rich, the image so crisp and wonderful. Very handsome photo.

By Tweetsparker. A CONTENDAH! Oh, how I love this wonderful photo of the kitty peering through a torn screen. It captures the curiosity of a cat so perfectly, and the colors are gorgeous.

By Leesamaree. A crowd favorite, for good reason. What a perfect pose—and again, it so perfectly captures what cats are all about!

By ChristineEllen. So basically, I want this framed on my wall. I’m absolutely in love with it. The composition is so unusual, the kitty’s face so beautiful…and the textures used in the photo are so perfect. This is a masterpiece!

By Heather N L. One of the most beautiful black-and-white cat photos I’ve ever seen. The cat’s paw in the rug…the perfect crispness…the sweet face. I love this photo.

By Miller_bm. Dreamy, beautiful, and lovely. Those eyes are just gorgeous…and I love the blue sky. This is another one I’d love on my wall.

By Jamophotojameson. This one captured me the second I saw it. It’s unique, funky, and cute all at the same time…and those blue eyes kill me. It really does look like some kind of high-end advertisement. Love it!

By CoriK. Who wouldn’t love this? It’s perfect in every way—personality, humor, lovely colors, crisp focus. What a shot for cat lovers!

By Alexis Winters Wharem. Another top contender, this photo is just splendid. It’s so simple and unadorned, and the colors are gorgeous.

By YarnAttacks. This photo is made more poignant by the story behind it, which you can find by clicking on the photo itself. But I love the reflection of Orlando in the window…and the backyard scene outside. This is wonderful.

By Gretachelle. This beautiful, ethereal photo makes me smile. I love the glistening gold of the screen.

By ChristineRP. Another gorgeous black-and-white cat. I love the angle, the cat’s expression…everything.

Because the competition was so fierce, I’m very happy to award each of the above runners-up one custom mini-portrait of your cat, created by the fabulous pet artist Rachael Rossman, who painted this portrait of Charlie for me recently.

Here’s a peek at a kitty Rachael painted:

Runners-up, just contact prizes@thepioneerwoman.com and we’ll provide you with the details. And thanks to everyone for sharing your photos!

Note: If you’d like to browse all the groups of semi-finalists, here’s the link:

PW Photography Assignments – Cats

Cat Photo Finalists!

Ree — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 04:16:07 +0000

Guys, this was torture!

Pure, wonderful torture.

I had a difficult time narrowing the cat photos down to a small group of finalists. I had to make some tough decisions. If you’d like to peruse Groups 1 through 5, here’s the link:

PW Photography Assignments – Cats

And…here are the finalists. Winner will be announced Sunday evening!

By Bford13.

By Wendy Perry Photo.

By Misspfui.

By Tweetsparker.

By Leesamaree.

By ChristineEllen.

By Heather N L.

By Miller_bm.

By Jamophotojameson.

By DeniseGisele.

By CoriK.

By Alexis Winters Wharem.

By YarnAttacks.

By Gretachelle.

By ChristineRP.

See you for the winner announcement tomorrow!

YOUR Cat Photos: Group 5

Ree — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 23:15:34 +0000

This has been an amazing assignment—I’m completely in love with cats and now want eleven of them.

This is the fifth and final group; I added a fifth group because of the number of entries received—and the number of great entries received!

You guys are talented.

By CoriK. I love this!

By Team.Breeze. Lovely!

By Crookshank. Enjoy!

By JessicaHannon. Wonderful!

By gmbp. Hi, Chewbaca!

By Yarnattacks. Love the post processing!

By Robina2002. I love this kitty.

By JamophotoJameson. Clunk. (That was me hitting the floor.) I love this.

By Photo4Natic. Sorry. Had to do it.

By Yayita. Hi, stray kitty! Gorgeous little thing.

By thepinkfog. “The Lump”—perfect title!

By TheHopscotch. Lovely.

By Expressor1. Love this!

By Katie Jane Parker. I love this, Katie Jane!

By Herman Girl. Kitty Stalker—beautifully scary!

By Miller_BM. Completely and utterly stunning. The colors…the clarity. Wow.

By Hollis Photography. Beautiful. I love this kind of cat.

By Alexis Winters Wharem. Breathtaking! I love it.

By Cobi Dorn. I love this one—a rare appearance by one of those human types!

By DeniseGisele. Wonderful capture—great texture. And I love the title: “Disinclined.”

And I can relate.

By Heather N L. This is so cozy and sweet. Beautiful cat.

By Robina2002. Mmmmm. I love this one. What’s he looking at?

By Foxsprite. Cats. They’re expressive creatures, aren’t they? You just wonder what’s going on in the minds.

Will announce finalists tomorrow (Saturday)!

YOUR Cat Photos: Group 4

Ree — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 19:49:41 +0000

Loveliness abounds!

Here’s Group 4. Group 5 will be posted Friday. Finalists will be announced Saturday.

By Rosa’s Yummy Yums. Love the colors.

By Wentworthsanky. Mmmm. Lovely.

By Yarn Attacks. Sniff sniff. Story made me cry.

By DeniseGisele. I’m in love with this cat. I want him. Her. Him. Her.

By Julie3795. From feral cat to family pet—how beautiful!

By Brenda K Bates. Gorgeous tones!

By Fourtrans. Absolutely beautiful.

By Foster Mama. Precious. Beautiful.

By gretachelle. I love that you can see the detail on the screen.

By RobinJanFlickr. What a beautiful kitty!

By Roxi04. Beautiful bokeh.

By Chispita_666. Gorgeous!

By Tatamutat. Oh my. What a fatty.

By jsw6363. Just beautiful.

By txhoucks. Gorgeous Tiger. Gorgeous.

By Woody839. Absolutely beautiful. I love it.

By RheaDarling. So rich and beautiful!

By Katka.g. What a beautiful, unusual breed.

By Rural Girl. Oh my. Absolutely lovelyl.

By Bork Bork Bork. The green is just gorgeous. I love this shot.

By Team.Breeze. Splendid black-and-white kitty.

By KWhitten. What a great perspective. Love it.

By GMBP. Go, Chewy…go!

By Photo Insomnia. This was too cool not to select. Love it!

See you Friday for Group 5!

YOUR Cat Photos: Group 3!

Ree — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 06:57:39 +0000

I’m dying over here.

I want every cat under the sun.

Here’s Group 3. Group 4 will be posted first thing Thursday morning.

By Peashells. Absolute preciousness.

By MeganJane11. Oh, this is wonderful. Look at that expression!

By Mashinka. I love the perspective of this photo. Unique!

By LittleChefStef. Oh, what a cat. Ha!

By Lindsey G. Oh, yes! Love the colors.

By Roberts3030. Lovely profile!

By Kit. I think this one is exquisite. So sharp and clear.

By JennyLee69. Wow. I’m in love with this.

By Ellie Mittens. Lovely, soft black and white.

By ChristineRP. Practically perfect in every way.

By Jocie444. I selected this photo because I think it’s one of the sweetest things I’ve ever seen. I want to sit on that patio with Gram and Jasper.

By MithFith. This one’s totally groovy.

By Memyselfandotherthings. I’m in love. I want Buxton.

By Mariasamba. I love the subtle texture…love everything.

By Samantha Decker. Oh, I love this. The kitten looks so vulnerable…and I love the treatment.

By Booboosun2. Unique, funky, cool. Great one.

By Tidal Designs. What a beautiful face.

By eCCAbOO. This one makes me happy. Love the upside down kitty shots.

By Foxsprite. Peek-a-Boo!

By roxi04. Breathtaking kitty.

By Kate Elizabeth. Beautiful lighting!

By Lilykate. Oh, I love this. Is this cat upside down?

By LindseyWeb. Twins!

By Weetsa. Drowning in purses!

Group 4 will be posted first thing Wednesday morning!

YOUR Cat Photos: Group 2

Ree — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 15:10:05 +0000

I continue to want a cat.

Or nine.

Here’s Group 2. Group 3 will be posted first thing Wednesday morning.

By Caramel Apple Photography. Lovely kitty.

By Lindsey G. This photo pretty much made my day. And it’s only five a.m.!

By ErinJohnson83. Ah…the essence of a cat.

By StinatheBeena. Beautiful black-and-white kitty.

By Feeling Fuzzy. I love the texture. Love the photo.

By Leesamaree. Perfect capture! I love this.

By KevinandAmanda. The green is lovely, Amanda! What a beautiful cat.

By Mariana. Great angle.

By LyrebirdImages. Love it. I think the black-and-white really makes this shot.

By KH Photos. Another cat yawn. Gorgeous!

By Porta Bella Photo. Delicious.

By Design.Diva. WHAT have you been eating, Kitty?

On another note, we used to have a Tom Cat that looked exactly like this. Pretty kitty.

By Misspfui. Absolutely wonderful. Crisp, clear, and I love the post processing.

By Mariasamba. Emotional and lovely. Great one.

By Mrs. Glick. Oh my gosh. What a photo.

By Samantha Decker. Oh, I love this. The kitten looks so vulnerable…and I love the treatment.

By Meldowen. Very, very pretty.

By PinkPooka. This is really beautiful.

By Deena1983. So beautiful.

By Just Emily. Precious!

By Cates Meow. Delicate and pretty.

By SonyaSeattle. I want to know the story behind this photo. Love it.

By Alucier24. Ethereal and lovely.

By Khmaikutie. Getting ready to hunt—love it.

By Tweetsparker. Captivating. Love this one.

Group 3 will be posted first thing Wednesday morning!