The need to create...

I got my first copy of Photoshop Elements two years ago for Christmas, however, I can't say that I really understood what I was doing with it until this year. In fact, it's really been in the last couple of months that I feel like I finally know what I'm doing - somewhat.

Always before, I'd get frustrated because I'd have an idea in my mind of how I wanted my pictures to turn out, yet they just never quite got there. Although I know I still have a lot to learn, I'm at least really enjoying the process now - a lot more than I used to.

Yesterday was kind of a crummy day emotionally for me. One of the things that helped, however, was being able to have a creative outlet for my frustration. Thankfully, the Pioneer Woman was hosting an edit contest on her website. She shared one of her photos (which was really quite lovely without my any of my editing help) then encouraged her readers to edit it any way they'd like and post it to her Flickr site. After sifting through the many, many entries, she'll post some of her favorites on her blog. I have no grand ideas that mine will get chosen, but that doesn't really matter to me. What does matter is the fact that being able to create something awakens my heart in ways other things don't.

Here is the original photo:



Like I said, I almost felt bad doing anything to it because the original is so pretty, but nonetheless, here's my clean edit (before any creative actions were added):



And here's my final creation (the one I submitted):

"The truly creative mind in any field is no more than this: a human creature born abnormally, inhumanly sensitive. To her a touch is a blow, a sound is a noise, a misfortune is a tragedy, a joy is an ecstasy, a friend is a lover, a lover is a god, and failure is death. Add to this cruelly delicate organism the overpowering necessity to create, create, create - so that without the creating of music or poetry or books or buildings or something of meaning, her very breath is cut off from her. She must create, must pour out creation. By some strange, unknown, inward urgency, she is not really alive unless she is creating." (Pearl S. Buck)