Adding a Vintage look to your photos

After spending a fortnight in Cuba, I got used to the vintage feel of the place and felt like some of my photos would really 'pop' if I did some editing to make them look vintage and really capture the essence of the place. I found a really good photoshop tutorial on digitalartsonline, there are actually two possibe tutorials you can use to achieve this effect but I went for this one. 

Here is the original photo:

You'll have seen this image featured in an earlier blog post.

And here's the edited one. I really loved the original but now I have spent some time adding the vintage effect, I think it works so much better! Very pleased with my newly learnt techniques and looking forward to using them again later in the year.

What do you think?

Flowers and nature from further afield..

So here it is, last post on Cuba but by no means least! And hopefully spring will start to appear outside and we might get to see that big round thing shining in the sky. I hope so otherwise I will be all over #throwbackthursday with blogposts of sunnier places!

Have a few more of these flowers but that's for another blog post in a few weeks time! Pretty flower though huh?

I hope you've enjoyed looking at my Cuba photos as much as I enjoyed taking them and being out there! 

Don't forget that all my images are available to buy in a variety of formats. Please get in contact for details or check the price tab at the top of the page. :)

Cuban history in bricks and mortar..

Penultimate post on Cuba, I'm certainly going to miss looking at the blue skies in these photos compared with the constant grey sky and rain we've been experiencing for how long now!? Anyway, still this one and one other to go to help keep SAD away! Buildings were so ornate, yet so run down in some places, and everything had a lot of character. 

This is the Hotel Nacionale in Havana, as you can see, not run down like the photo before. This hotel was built by the Mafia and is an amazing building inside and out with beautiful gardens. A definite must if you find yourself in Havana.

This is the old wall that surrounded Havana. The wall was knocked down to enlarge the city but parts still remain such as this one and denote 'Old Havana'. 

Cuban Cars

The cars in Cuba were a beauty to behold. Old fashioned cars are in abundance, though newer ones can be found, the majority are from the 1950s before the trade embargos imposed on Cuba. I even saw a few 1920s cars as well! And you have to have a ride in one, it's sort of magical! Here's a few examples for you!

  

 

What do you think? Leave me a comment below. :)

Humid Havana Nights

Havana by night is just as amazing as during the day. The locals go out and socialise, holiday makers are out sampling the local delights (rum, rum and more rum!) and there are people salsa dancing where ever you look. But before a night out, I always liked to soak up the last rays of the sun, well, I let my camera soak them up. Amazing how different sunsets are depending on where you are in the world!

This was taken on our balcony. Not a bad vista eh?!

This image hasn't been editing, how amazing is this?!

Love how the clouds look like a mountain range in these two sunset photos!

And would be rude for me not to include a few long exposures!

I'm still here!

Hi everyone!

Just wanted to pop a wee post on here to say hello and let you know I haven't vanished off the face of the earth! It's been an absolutely manic few months personally and as such although I have lots of photos to share, time is pressing and I haven't had chance to put a post up.

That said, here's a little taster from Cuba, just to keep you going! Over 800 photos to go through )about a quarter of the way through!!!!) so you will have to bear with me in the build up to Xmas too but I will be back with posts galore before you know it!

Stay tuned for my post on my favourite images I've taken this year and what's to come next year. Until then, I hope you all have a really special Christmas with loved ones and friends, an amazing New Year and a happy and healthy 2014!