Before & After

I am hopping into Pixel Perfect's before & after blog hop again. I've come to really anticipate seeing all the other photos and their edits.  I decided I need a little more practice with the brushes so I chose a picture that would give me an opportunity to do just that.  Here is my SOOC (straight out of the camera) shot:

This was taken on our vacation at the Biltmore Mansion in Asheville, NC.  I wanted to grunge up the picture a little and make it look more vintage, like the statue itself; however, I didn't want the texture on the statue.

Here is my edited pic taken with my Canon Rebel T1i, 18-55mm lens:

I am pretty pleased with the finished product, but would gladly accept constructive criticism.  There are a couple of blemishes - I haven't used the brush tool much at all.  Practice makes perfect!  I also added a small vignette around the edges to darken it up a bit and my favorite, the rounded corners.  I used Photoshop Elements 8 for my edits.

To see more before and after photos or to link up one of your own, head over to Monica's blog, Pixel Perfect by clicking the logo above.  Have a great one!