Theme Thursday: Rock

These rosy berries are growing from between the cracks in a rock wall.  When I was first passing by, I did a double take: surely they were growing up tight--but alongside, not in--the rock.  Upon further examination, I was proved wrong.  This hardy little bush is literally rooted into the rock, and a tug revealed it was quite fixed.

I feel like there's a lesson in here somewhere.  About not casting our roots any which way, about undertaking to make sense of a hard world that, through perseverance, can become home.

"Everyone then who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock." -- Matthew 7:24

Linking up with California to Korea for Theme Thursday and #holylens.

Theme Thursday: Sun Flare

It's baaaaa-aaaack! This time at Micaela's, the theme for the week is sun flare, and I just happened to have this picture of my middle sister from our photo shoot earlier in the week.  I even did the hazy light flare on purpose!  #nofilter

But let's just say for argument's sake that I wanted a bigger, brighter, more obvious flare.  You can add it in post-production with fancy Photoshop brushes, overlays (I picked up some free ones from one of my affiliates at some point), and your fave-fave-favorite, PicMonkey!

Shiny! Chrome!

This used the lens flare effect at 50% size and about the same for fading.  Playing around with the effects can get you all kinds of awesome, but you can only get Lens Flare and several other rockin' tools with a membership.  You can always try it out first for free if your'e not sure it's worth it.  But if you edit photos as often and as passionately as you do, the flat rate yearly free is an absolute steal.  If I can afford it, anyone can!

P.S.  Signing up by clicking on the affiliate link above will earn me a modest share of their income.  So think of it as photo fun and blogging support.  ;)

Linking up with California to Korea for Theme Thursday.