Sorrow's Echo

I can write a little about this one.  First of all, it is one of the few times I have set out to take a picture with a particular purpose- or with hopes of finding something specific to convey but not sure at all what the image will actually be.  I had not been taking many photos at all, but picked up my camera with hopes of getting an image that I could turn into a grief/sympathy type of card.  I didn't know that day that I had gotten what I wanted.  As it turned out, I had very little time to compose this shot- mere minutes and with wind and water barriers.  This project also prompted me to step into a whole other realm of photography on a professional level- and that was the LAB.  I connected with a professional developing lab.  Before you can even be a customer you have to set up an account and send them sample images set to certain calibrations so they can mail them back to you as 8x10s to be sure that their printer color matches the calibrations on your monitor!  Pretty cool.  So, I had to do that and then they sent me a whole pack of sample papers/textures.  (SO FUN!) Then, for the cards, I had to choose a style- I chose an ornate cut, had to download the template into photoshop and use it as an overlay for the image.  I was able to sample a leaf for color and use that color to fill in the back of the card.  Then, after front, middle, and back were complete- send it back.  The only bummer in the whole thing is that I had picked a certain paper to use and it wasn't available for the boutique cards.  I then AGONIZED over paper choice for a good while and settled on "watercolor" but the runner up was "pearl."  I wish I had chosen pearl.  My fear was that it would look too shiny and cheesy but the watercolor texture doesn't highlight the reflective qualities in the shot and I think it's an important part.  I do like the ornate cut down the side because it cut out these leaves right up front that are out of focus and kind of obtrusive.  Have I said enough about ONE PHOTO? :)