Cool Textures to give away...

Fellow friends,

Not sure which ones of you use textures or not, but if so, continue reading.

I have a set of 13 textures, {11 taken in India and 2 in Arizona} that are pretty cool if I must say so myself!

Together with a friend from Italy, we will be selling a mixed set of Indian and Italian textures on one of our message boards next week.

In the interim, I wanted to share these with 5 of my regular blogger friends at no cost. They are SOOC, sized at 8x12 and 12x12, 300 dpi. All I ask is that you don't pass them around.

So what do you have to do to get them? I will write down 5 cities in India. What you have to do is name ONE Indian city inside the comment box. If you guess one, you get the set. The first 5 people that guess, get the set for free.


I will not be updating my blog until next Wednesday. I have a bridal expo and then I'm leaving out of town for a few days. Will announce winners and send sets out on Wednesday.

Much love.






Example:
Original bothered me because of the legs in the background





I used one of the blue textures. In the layers palette, I desaturated and tweaked the colors taking into consideration the sleeve and skin. I wanted everything to blend.




Same image as above, just added soften action. You can go as subtle or as drastic as you want. I'm more of a drastic person with my artwork.

Nick and Molly. E-session

Nick and Molly are so in love. Its obvious.....and the energy they give off is magnetic. You can't help but have a plastered smile on your face while around them.

This park is special because earlier this year, Nick proposed to Molly here while hiking. I love photographing in the desert, so beautiful.

I look forward to documenting their big wedding in November! :)





















This one below was an accident, but I think I like it.

Lenge in Kashmir

... hopefully you're not sick of India yet because i'll be blogging on it for another month.

I'm with my driver and I notice the word 'lenge' being tossed around from one person to another as I walk by in a few remote villages, not in the city.
I think to myself that it might mean something common like "foreigner" or something or other.

I finally ask the driver "what does lenge" mean? He laughs hysterically at me.
I'm confused.
He finally says "Ruby, it means Naked."
I say naked?
What?? I explain that people keep calling me naked!!! Granted, I'm not covered head to toe, but I'm not anywhere near naked. My clothes consist of long skirts and tank tops or....pants and short sleeve shirts. (I'm thinking if they think that's naked, they'd about die if I was really naked.)

He says..."I have to be honest with you. Men never see arms on Kashmiri women. Then they see you and they're confused. You have the dark hair and brown eyes and they think your Kashmiri but perhaps a Kashmiri prostitute."

OMG.
A Prostitute?

Now it was my turn to laugh. I've never been confused for a prostitute!

Needless to say, everyone was always pleasant. I guess I was just different to them. I smiled at everyone in my path and they always smiled back.

I'd go back in a heartbeat.

Lenge or not!






A few Hindu holy men below, they're called Sadhu.



































"Dear God, Thank you for allowing me to be a good man to my wife and WELL WHAT DO WE HAVE HERE SANGRIT? A LADY WITH ARMS SHOWING! LENGE! PERHAPS ONE OF OUR OWN? NOT SURE."
































































am i the only one who thinks he needs to move out of the way of the big fat truck?












So apparently, this holy man comes to visit this one particular area in Kashmir every 12 years for one day.
I was lucky enough to be on there on that day. I don't know who he is, but he seems to be a big deal to the ladies and men below who are separated in different parts of the mosque.
The only way I was able to get in and photograph, was by my driver telling the guards that I was a photojournalist. {which at first i was hesitant about}

Flags

Tempe Park by Arizona State University.

As I sat there on the grass Sunday morning watching people go by, all I could do was just pray for world peace.

-----------------------------------
Peace is not the product of terror or fear.
Peace is not the silence of cemeteries.
Peace is not the silent revolt of violent repression.
Peace is the generous, tranquil contribution
of all to the good of all.
Peace is dynamism. Peace is generosity.
It is right and it is duty.

-- Bishop Oscar Romero (1917-1980)




























random man

REFLECTIONS: Dal Lake

I know you've all seen my images from Delhi, but what I have yet to share with you is Northern India: Kashmir.

I consider myself somewhat well traveled and feel so blessed to have gone where some people will never go. Its a craze and obsession I've always had with the globe. It's a big reason why we postponed having children.

So then why is Kashmir a love affair for me? Because I didn't see it coming. I left Delhi disappointed with that whole ordeal and took someones word for Kashmir. I remember sitting on the plane during the one hour flight giggling with excitement about heading into the 'unknown' and figured nothing could be worse than what I had already experienced.
Kashmir was that prince charming that came out of no where and took me away into fantasy land. But it wasn't fantasy, it was all real.

The people and their generousity and happiness will never leave my mind. Each encounter with a stranger was special. I squealed with excitement every day because this wasn't a vacation, it was an experience of a lifetime.
True bliss. Thank you especially to my friend, Mr. Aziz, who owned the houseboat and took me on long day trips where tourists don't go.

I spent this day (below) on a canoe eating fresh bread and drinking tea with two sweet and sincere local gentlemen who went out of their way to make sure I enjoyed myself so I can tell the world how beautiful their homeland is.
So I'm keeping my promise and telling the world....pictures included~

I think when you are in love with something, it reflects in your work. I am madly in love with Kashmir.....and I have to say I think this is some of my best work.

Now have you ever heard me say that?
Nope.





































We stopped to dock for a short break in a tiny park by the lake when I noticed these kids. I didn't think twice, smiled at them, and continued on with my camera. Imagine my surprise when they came up to me with flowers they had hand picked from the park! I had to snap a picture of them, they were too cute. When they left, they blew kisses.







I dropped 400 rupees out of my backpack accidentally one night by the boat dock area getting out of the taxi and into a canoe to go home. When I realized the money was missing about 20 min later, I was bummed but thought "it's only 8 bucks ruby....someone needs it more than you do." I went outside in the night air and just sat on the front porch of the houseboat. A man rowing another canoe says "madam, madam, question for you." I interrupted and said "You found $400 rupees?" He continues on: "Yes. Someone saw you drop them and took them and I saw him... I asked him how much was in his hands and he said $200 rupees. I told him to open his hands and if its not $200 rupees then I know he stole it for sure.." He continues to tell me he took the money back from that other man and came to find me. Talk about the kindness of strangers! I offered him a portion and he refused but I made him take it.