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As I have practiced it, photography produces pleasure by simplicity. I see something special and show it to the camera. A picture is produced. The moment is held until someone sees it. Then it is theirs. -Sam Abell
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Tools: Mextures (formula KFVIEXP)
Vision: Unsplash, Hotae Kim
Hey, y’all. Happy Thursday – hope you’re having a good one. I have been very busy for the past couple of days, but in my down time I’ve sat and worked with a few of the iPhone images I took during my Christmas holiday and I’ve saved quite a few new Mextures formulas from that arting/art therapy adventure. I have a lot more formulas to share in the near future, also, as I created many during the fall.
I hope you enjoy these formulas and find some use for them in your own Mextures adventures. As always, remember that blend modes of layers (and layer opacity) may require tweaking depending on the light/style/tone of your image and they will not necessarily look exactly the same on your images as they do in the provided versions.
If you have any questions about Mextures or using formulas, feel free to ask them in comments or via e-mail or social media/messaging.
**All of these images were shot with iPhone using the “stock” camera app…
Formula Name: Light Fog
Formula Code: SLCUKDK
Formula Name: Forest Sunset
Formula Code: TFJKCGK
Formula Name: Pine Sunset
Formula Code: ZQRFZPT
Formula Name: Digital Darling
Formula Code: GBEMCQT
Welcome to another installment of Instagram top picks from my gallery. Those of you who have followed my photography for a while know that my strong suit and the genre I love is macro photography. I love getting in close, I love seeing things in a different way, and I love the little details (of both nature and life). I pay attention to EVERYTHING, and I find so much inspiration in the details. This post is a list of my top five favorite macro shots currently in my Instagram gallery (not including droplets, which will be a post in itself). I hope you enjoy it!
05. Little Green Curls
There is infinite beauty in nature, and many lessons in its detail.
**Lumix GF3, Panasonic Leica DG Macro-Elmarit 45mm f2.8, manual focus on full, handheld.
04. Bokeh
My favorite bokeh shot I’ve ever done, because the bokeh in this wasn’t done on purpose. It’s just sort of what happened, and this shot introduced me to working with bokeh on purpose.
The plant in this shot was laying on a glass patio table and it made unexpected prettiness with macro filters.
**Pentax K110d, 18-55mm kit lens, +4 macro filter attached, manual focus and handheld.
03. Colors 
“Life begins with a beautiful mind.”
**Pentax K110d, 18-55mm kit lens, +2/+4/+10 macro filters attached (stacked), manual focus and handheld.
02. Skeleton 
I have developed an affinity for death and decay over the last couple of years – I find it strangely beautiful and comforting. Very fitting I suppose, since the summer of this year. I love the detail of the skeleton of this leaf. It tells as beautiful a story to me as the green leaf would have on the tree, or as the fiery leaf would have in it’s fall splendor.
**Sony Alpha 37, 35mm prime f1.8, +1/+2/+4/+10 macro filters attached (stacked), manual focus and handheld.
01. Zen Honeysuckle
My top favorite macro shot is my favorite for a lot of reasons. I love the simplicity, the minimalistic feel, the color, the framing, honeysuckle is special to me (so special that’s what I have tattooed on my left foot/leg, in memory of my Mama Kay), but mostly I love this shot because I did this after mowing my dad’s grass one day this past summer not long before he fell ill, and he was with me when I shot it, watching me work my camera magic and asking me questions about it.
Daddy loved my photography and always encouraged and supported me doing it by being actively involved in it, asking things and being fascinated by it and always telling me encouraging things… He was just an awesome dad.
**Lumix GF3, Panasonic Leica DG Macro-Elmarit 45mm f2.8, manual focus on full, handheld.
Hi there. Hope you’re doing well…
I have been hoarding Mextures formulas again, as I’ve spent most of winter messing around with the app but I’ve not shared much in the way of the creations or the formulas for a while. Hope you’ll forgive my selfishness as I’ve dealt with “winter stuffs.” It’s been quite a winter – warm on the outside, bitter cold and frightening on the inside. I digress…
Alas, here we are moving into spring and here are some of those formulas. Hope you’ll enjoy them.
**Please remember that blend modes of layers (and the layers themselves) may require tweaking depending on the light/style/tone of your image and they will not necessarily look exactly the same on your images as they do in the provided versions.**
If you have any questions about Mextures or using formulas, feel free to ask them in comments or via e-mail or social media/messaging.
Have a lovely day out there.
Art on, friends.
**The four following images were used with permission, via Unsplash’s free use image gallery**
Mextures Formula: NAXJIHC
Mextures Formula: BNWWATN
Mextures Formula: XRVSQLB
Mextures Formula: TCYTFKH
And here is one more, for good measure as we head into spring (from my own gallery)…
Mextures Formula: YUXPHNJ
Hi hi hi… Mextures formulas episode 10 has been a long time coming, hasn’t it? I wanted to get some shots that were crosses between fall and winter, because that’s the mood I’ve been in since December. I just can’t quite go full on into winter this year. I keep wanting to hold on to what warmth is left of fall…and the likelihood is that I’ll be jumping into spring about a month early, too. ((giggle)) It’s not like winter’s made it easy to go into winter mode this year, with it’s fantastically warm temperatures and tricks of the plants, who seem to be even more confused than I am. I’ve had several almost bloom and then die back, some more than once, this winter.
As always, I hope you enjoy these formulas (one of the images below uses the same formula as another image, so take note). Please remember that blend modes of layers (and the layers themselves) may require tweaking depending on the light/style/tone of your image and they will not necessarily look exactly the same on your images as they do in the provided versions.
If you have any questions about Mextures or using formulas, feel free to ask them in comments or via e-mail or social media/messaging. Enjoy!!
Formula Name – Swamped
Formula Code – GFXBBNU
Formula Name – Weird Days (Warm)(Catacosmic™)
Formula Code – XNHZMFX
Formula Name – Vines (Warm)(Catacosmic™)
Formula Code – WUCBUCV
Welcome to Mextures formulas from my personal collection, blogisode #9!
As always, I hope you enjoy these formulas. Please remember that blend modes of layers (and the layers themselves) may require tweaking depending on the light/style/tone of your image and they will not necessarily look exactly the same on your images as they do in the provided versions.
If you have any questions about Mextures or using formulas, feel free to ask them in comments or via e-mail or social media/messaging. Enjoy!!
(Fall Meets Winter, Original)
Formula Code: PDZGDZK
(Fall Meets Winter, Fade)
Formula Code: ZACLNFL
Formula Code: MXSGBKA
Formula Code: BLZPPVM
Formula Code: LQINNPS
Formula Code: QVPCERD
Today is a two-for, apparently! ((smile)) I’ve just done so much with Mextures since the summer and been so busy (or low) that I haven’t shared these. With that, behold! ((laugh)) Mextures formulas from my personal collection, blogisode #8.
As always, I hope you enjoy these formulas. Please remember that blend modes of layers (and the layers themselves) may require tweaking depending on the light/style/tone of your image and they will not necessarily look exactly the same on your images as they do in the provided versions.
If you have any questions about Mextures or using formulas, feel free to ask them in comments or via e-mail or social media/messaging. Enjoy!!
Formula Code: YPFCMIH
Formula Code: WKXIEMT
Formula Code: ITHPTDT
Formula Code: JMCGKMA
Formula Code: SSJADJV
Mextures formulas from my personal collection, blogisode #7.
As always, I hope you enjoy these formulas. Please remember that blend modes of layers (and the layers themselves) may require tweaking depending on the light/style/tone of your image and they will not necessarily look exactly the same on your images as they do in the provided versions.
If you have any questions about Mextures or using formulas, feel free to ask them in comments or via e-mail or social media/messaging. Enjoy!!
Formula Code:HRDDDQE
Formula Code: ACBPYNI
Formula Code: DZECFFE
Formula Code: LMUGRVQ
Formula Code: REMLPWJ
Formula Code: FYQELDX
Good hello, everyone. Welcome to today’s Mextures artist feature! Today we’re going to get to know a little more about the very talented Instagram/Mextures artist @cokejube (Corinna). Corinna’s Instagram gallery is a beautiful blend of fantasy and reality, created from her incredible shots of everything from nature to city walks to still life and even minimalist work. I hope you’ll enjoy her work and getting to know her as much as I have, and as always, thanks for supporting the artists and these articles about them.
Hi, @cokejube! Thanks for being a part of this series with us. Can you tell us a little bit about who you are and what you do?
Hello! My name is Corinna. I live with my son Noah Ben and our dog Moody in a small town in Mecklenburg, Germany. I am 47 years old and my son just turned 15 years old. My son is in high school and wants to study psychology after. Unfortunately, I can not currently go to work because I am sick. I used to work as a secretary for many years.
How did you get involved with Instagram and Mextures?
I got involved with Instagram with my son about two years ago. For several years I have painted and taken a lot of photos. He told me that I could present my photos and pictures at Instagram.I was immediately very interested and excited. At that time I had an iPhone 4 and bought some apps. I was immediately thrilled by Mextures, Stackables and DistressedFX.
Three of my go-to apps, also! You are so talented with all of them, and with art in general. Have you always been interested in art and photography?
As a child I was very much interested in art. As a little girl I was given a simple camera. I was very happy, photographing flowers and animals from a farm. I was quiet and introverted as a child, and found such an expression in art. It has made me very happy. Today I am shooting for the same reasons. I love photography. I like being in nature in any weather. With my son and our dog we are always looking for something to photograph.
I love plants, flowers, landscapes and buildings to photograph. I want to capture my images so that each subject is made special, even the wilted plant or weed. I would like to convey emotions and moods. Mostly, I used to do some apps like Mextures, Stackables, or Icolorcama to achieve this. Thus I create my pictures according to my ideas and fantasies. Sometimes they are unreal, or enchanted. But always a part of me, my ideas, and my dreams. Instagram has an overwhelming community with whom I can share my images and edits.
I think we can all feel your personality and emotions in your work. You are so good at that, and your work is so relatable to the ideas, dreams, or emotions of so many others. What role does the community on Instagram and Mextures play in your life now?
In general, the art and IG community plays a big role in my life. Art is as a vacation and recreation for my eye. From this I draw strength and inspiration. Very inspiring for me, are Franz Marc, Klimt, Vermeer, Munch, Oudry, and many many other great artists.
What are your favorite subjects?
My favorite subjects in my photography are minimalist image, architecture, and nature, especially flowers.
How has Instagram, creating and sharing your art there, changed or inspired you? What memorable responses have you had to your work there?
Instagram told me to look at the world. I have seen so many pictures from around the world, and met so many fabulous artists from all continents! I never expected much positive response. I get so much praise and recognition for my work on Instagram, I never expect. I am overwhelmed again and again, every day, by the magic and love in the comments and friends, and I am very grateful.
Yes, there is so much love in the Instagram community. What is something you love, and why?
I love the silence, the peace and the quiet seclusion of a resort, the sea. Then I think, draw strength, recover, get new energy for every day life.
I think far too many of us forget, or feel that we can’t do that. We don’t take the time. My father always told me to take time for myself, to do just what you’ve said, and that it was very important. I think that’s probably the best advice I’ve followed lately. What is the best advice you’ve been given or would give to others?
The most important thing I’ve learned is always, within oneself, to listen – to my gut feeling and not only what is in the head. It must keep in balance. Do not immediately say “yes,” think it over.
Very wise, and good advice, indeed. Something else I think many of us forget many times. One last question, Corinna – if you could have a super power what would it be?
Oh, I would have no superpower. I have a dream. I want to travel with my camera all over the world and take pictures. For example, I want to see and take pictures of Ireland, Greenland, Norway, and the Galapagos Islands!
That is a fabulous dream, and I hope it soon comes true for you! Thank you so much for taking the time to chat with me – I know it was a bit of a challenge because of the language barrier but we’re all so grateful to get to know you better and continue seeing your beautiful art.
I thank you for your questions and interest, and all the Instagram community!
catacosmosis 