Manipulating Photos: Vignetting

Altered Book Spread: Forms Real and Unreal

I am taking an online course with L.K. Ludwig -- Techniques for Manipulating Photos by Hand. This very cool lady has several books out on art journaling, and some very good online courses on journaling and working with photos for use in art journals. She's very thorough and inspiring. Just began the course and so far it's exactly what I was looking for...help in integrating my photos into my art journals and altered books.

This is a spread I created in an old altered book called Paranormal Dating (haha) using the vignetting technique. You create a type of tunnel vision around your photo to draw the eye in. This photo I took in Mexico in one of those beautiful Mexican graveyards. By accident I took it in black and white, and I love the perspective and the shadows. It seems to be very appropriate for my pale, dark lady. Who is she waiting for? Is she looking at her watch? She seems a bit impatient, yet very much grounded in her environment. Check L.K. and her blog out --The Poetic Eye.