Thursday, December 06, 2012

Beyond Layers Day 59 : Strengths & Weaknesses


This is a lighthouse on Lake Winnebago a few miles from our house.  

Kim asked us to think about our strengths and weaknesses.    The first thing I thought of with this assignment was all those do-it-yourself projects around the house that I SHOULD be doing, but never get around to because I choose to quilt or make pretty pictures instead.   Yes--I could rip out the bathroom tiles and re-do them, but I know that will take longer than a weekend, and no less than 6 trips to the hardware store.  I'll finally master the task when I place the last tile.  Nevermind the first tiles (and most of the ones thereafter) will look like crap.

Sometimes, it's better to call a professional. 

Sometimes, it's good to push yourself to learn something new. 
Anything worth doing, is worth doing poorly at first.
It's a conscious choice NOT to do DIY home repair projects.  Though This Old House makes it look so easy!

I was also thinking about Cora and Regina (from ABC's Once Upon a Time) who are of the old-school opinion that "Love is Weakness."  Fortunately, Rumplestiltskin, Emma, and many of the other characters are learning (or already know) that Love is a great Strength.   "Love is the most powerful Magic," says Rumple at one point.  He's not quite there yet in his own life, but he's learning ...  Belle has patience enough to get him there.

Then there's the whole lighthouse symbolism.  Lighthouses are placed where the waters are treacherous.  It's a warning for sailors to beware.  Just knowing you need to be cautious at the right time can be a tremendous help.  The light is also a beacon of hope.  So this photo has a lot of layers on the meaning level, too.

Photo Processing :
Layer 1 : Background Layer
Layer 2 : Copy Background Layer
Layer 3 : Kim Klassen's Paper-Stained Music Texture - Multiply blend mode ; 56% opacity
Layer 4 : Kim Klassen's Break Free Texture - Multiply Blend Mode ; 48% opacity
Layer 5 : Kim Klassen's Cherish Texture - Multiply ; 100% opacity
Layer 6 : Text - Apple Chancery Font - Joseph Campbell quote

Here it is without Layer 5 (No Cherish Texture).


Here's the original photo for comparison.


beyondlayers

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