Save 50% On The Entire Topaz Photography Collection!
Incredible Deal – 17 Products For One Low Price!
It’s that time of year again! Black Friday & Cyber Monday – and you can save BIG!
From November 25th through November 30th, Topaz Labs is offering 50% off of the complete Topaz Photography Collection. Whether you want to achieve stunning photo enhancements or apply artistic effects, this unique collection has you covered.
New Users Save Big!
With the recent addition of Topaz Texture Effects, the Photography Collection now includes 17 products for only $499.99. With the 50% discount, new users can purchase the entire collection for ONLY $249.99! Just enter the Coupon Code: BLACKFRIDAY2015.
Already Own The Topaz Photography Collection? You Save Too!
Great news! The savings aren’t just for new collection purchases. Current owners of older Topaz Photography Collections can take advantage of the savings as well! Simply log in to your account to see your unique Collection upgrade price, then apply the BLACKFRIDAY2015 coupon code for an additional 50% savings!
Take your photography to the next level. With winter on the way, it’s the perfect time to explore your creativity, experiment and play!
You can even download the entire collection for a Free Trial. Just remember, the sale ends November 30th!
Blue Dasher Dragonfly
Blue dasher dragonfly stops by to chat at Mill Pond Park.
Making A New Friend
Sometimes the best subjects literally appear in front of you. Such was the case when I was visiting Mill Pond Park in Rockport, Massachusetts, in July. There I was, kneeling at the water’s edge, when this delightful blue dasher dragonfly landed on this twig suspended over the pond.
Captivated
Always one to talk to dragonflies, I was quite pleased when my voice clearly captured this little one’s attention. He rested there for quite some time, continually tilting his head from side to side as if enthralled with what I was saying.
A Thought Away
While it might be the middle of winter now here in New England, spring is just a thought away in my mind. I can’t wait for the warm weather to return and the next generation of dragonflies to appear. We certainly seem to have mutual admiration for one another.
~ Liz Mackney
Winter = Oil & Water Creativity
Artistic Bubbles
Brrr… It’s Cold Outside!
Having just experienced our first real arctic blast here in New England, I thought a creative indoor macro shoot would take the chill out of my bones. One of the easiest and most colorful subjects to shoot on such a day is the magic of mixing oil & water. To learn more about what the process involves, click here for my previous post on this subject.
Visual Elements
What appeals to me most about this particular oil & water image is the variety of different size bubble clusters, as well as the appearance of bubbles within bubbles. You’ll soon discover that oil & water images can vary greatly from one another. The visual elements that have the greatest influence include:
> Number of bubbles
> Size of bubbles
> Position of bubbles
> Background Colors and Patterns
You have the power to influence all of those elements. That means the possibilities are endless. And you can even take your images a step further. Click here to see what I mean.
So if winter has you inside more often than you’d like, and you’re looking for an interesting macro subject to shoot, give oil & water a try and put your creativity to the test.
~ Liz Mackney
Push Pins Pizzazz
Push pins with a neon glow
Ordinary to Extraordinary
Push pins might not be considered the most exciting macro subject to photograph, but I do like a creative challenge. Sure, there might be an interesting perspective or detail that can be captured. But I wanted to go beyond that and knew that Topaz Glow, the new software from Topaz Labs, could help me turn the ordinary into something extraordinary.
With over 70 hand-crafted presets, Topaz Glow gives you plenty of options with which to play — and which you can customize to match what your creative eye envisions.
Free Trial Available
Like all of the Topaz Labs software programs, a 30-day free trial is available for you to try out Topaz Glow to your heart’s content. And if new software intimidates you, fear not. Topaz Labs Webinars and their free online tutorials are just a click away.
With nothing to lose and everything creatively to gain, a 30-day free trial is a pretty sweet deal. Give it a try to see what you can create!
~ Liz Mackney
Happy Holidays!
Wishing you and yours all of the blessings of the Holiday Season.
Topaz Labs – Black Friday / Cyber Monday Sale!
Mark Your Calendar!
It’s that time of year again. Chilly temperatures, pumpkin pies, and Black Friday / Cyber Monday sales!
From November 28th through December 1st, Topaz Labs is offering their Topaz Photography Collection (all 15 products) for only $249.99. Whether you want to achieve stunning photo enhancements or apply artistic effects, this unique collection has you covered.
Any time between Friday, November 28th, and Monday, December 1st, simply CLICK HERE and enter this coupon code: BLACKFRIDAY2014
I love the Topaz Collection. Don’t miss this great opportunity to take your photography to the next level!
~ Liz
Heliopsis a.k.a. False Sunflower
Welcoming the sun’s rays
The Identity Hunt
I’ve always loved this image, but have been frustrated by not knowing the name of the flower. I took this shot back in July 2012. It identity has remained a question at the back of my mind.
While flower photography is considered by some a forte of mine, I definitely lag behind in knowing the names of many of my garden subjects. Today, however, I was determined to find out the identity of this beauty.
First Guess
At first I thought this might be a variety of coreopsis. Google and I spend a great deal of time together reviewing hundreds of coreopsis images. However, it was the flower’s uniformly serrated petal tips that kept steering me away from a coreopsis conclusion.
Expanding My Search
This morning I decided to see I could finally solve the mystery. While out running errands, I stopped off at my nearby mini garden center to see if they might know the answer. I had already downloaded the image to my iPhone, so I was armed and ready. After all, a picture is worth… well, you know.
Thank You!
Special thanks to Ace Hardware’s Linda Hogan for patiently combing through her flower reference book with me in search of this flower’s true identity — Heliopsis. Well, at least that’s what we believe. However, if we’re wrong, feel free to leave a comment here and further educate me. I love to learn!
~ Liz Mackney
Robber Flies
Captured!
Both Predator and Prey
The other day I was taken by surprise when a large robber fly landed on the walkway within arms reach of me. It was obvious that there was something in its mouth but I couldn’t quite make out what it was. I knew my macro lens would solve the mystery.
I ran into the house and quickly grabbed my camera which, at this time of year, is always armed with my macro lens. When I returned to the walkway, I was momentarily disappointed to see that the robber fly had vanished. Intuitively, though, I knew better. Something told me it was still nearby.
As I did a slow stroll down the walkway a quick movement caught my eye. The robber fly — still with its prey — had just landed on my stone wall. Carefully moving into an eye-level shooting position, I captured the above image. I was quite surprised to discover that the prey was also a robber fly.
Then Again…
What if I was wrong about this being a “predator/prey” scenario? After all, I didn’t know what had transpired before seeing this duo. Perhaps this was an attempted rescue mission… or a parent trying to save a child… or even a devastated mate?
Nah, that was just my over-active, pacifist imagination at work.
Since robber flies are also called “assassin flies,” it’s pretty safe to assume that this guy capitalized on its natural, predatory instinct. All I do know for a fact is that these two certainly made for a great macro subject.
It just goes to show you never know when a macro opportunity might land at your feet — literally!
~ Liz Mackney
Pink-edged Sulphur Butterfly
Blending in for a snack
Black-eyed Susan Love Affair
I almost walked right past this Pink-edged Sulphur butterfly. There it was, happily feeding on one of the Black-eyed Susan’s in my garden. The angle of the sun this day diffused the light just enough to make the color of the wings almost blend in with the flower’s petals. I might go as far as to say it seemed liked nature’s camouflage in action.
Perfect Perspective
Obviously the sweet appeal of the Black-eyed Susan far outweighed any fear of my presence. This was great for me, as it gave me the perfect perspective to capture the fine details of the butterfly as well as the flower’s head. The crowning jewel for the shot was actually the butterfly’s overall position in the garden. I couldn’t ask for a better bokeh background.
Thank you Pink-edged Sulphur!
~ Liz Mackney
Queen Anne’s Lace
Beauty in the tiny details
Royal Beauty
Queen Anne’s Lace is a common plant typically found in fields and other open areas. Some consider it an invasive weed as it has been known to crowd native plants — but don’t let that detail sway your opinion. This “royal beauty” also provides some great benefit as a food source for bees, helpful insects, and Eastern Black Swallowtail butterfly caterpillars.
A Brief Lifespan
A biennial plant, Queen Anne’s Lace lives for just two years. During its first year, it continues to grow (ultimately up to as much as four feet tall). Bloom takes place in the second year. Of course, that’s when these plants really catch the eye.
The Sum of The Parts
The plant’s flat clusters of tiny white flowers joined in a lace-like pattern have such beautiful detail. What could be more perfect for a macro lens? We’ve all heard the expression “the whole is equal to the sum of its parts.” I would say that is a very accurate description of Queen Anne’s Lace.
The entire flower head cluster
“Wild Carrot”
In an aside, here an interesting tidbit of information. Until today, I never knew Queen Anne’s Lace was also known as “Wild Carrot.” Here’s why…
Queen Anne’s Lace was introduced to the United States from Europe. The carrots we eat today were once cultivated from this distinctly recognizable plant. Warning! Don’t yank one out of the ground to take a bite of the taproot (which is a carrot). The leaves of the plant are toxic and can irritate the skin. There is also a similar-looking plant — the Water Hemlock. That one is deadly to eat.
In short, I’d look (and photograph) but not touch.
~ Liz Mackney
The Art of Macro Photography 