I Am A Master. Not Really, But It's A Nice Thought

     I finally had a chance to sit down today and play with Photoshop. I have tried multiple times this week, and always managed to come up frustrated by my own ignorance, but perseverance paid off, and I think I have an understanding about a little of it. A very basic understanding, and a very little of it, but I did create this image today.

     I used two different images to create this, and here they are.

     Not bad for a first attempt. I know it's not perfect, and you can tell that the woman was placed in there, but she has a different light source than Saki does, and I'm sure there is way to manipulate that, but I don't have that knowledge yet. I did adjust the exposure, contrast and other things to equal things out. I have a lot to learn, and it's going to take time, but this is only going to make the pictures I post on @counterfeitsquirrelphotos, that much better. Which reminds me, I posted an image earlier today, did you see it? 

     With Morty doing well, and out of the cone. I feel like I can finally go out and spend some real time away from the house. I have been cooped up watching over him so much, that I now have cabin fever, and with the realization that the TPR is failing, despite my boosting the post. I need to get out of the house and do something that takes my mind off of things. So, Universal is calling my name. I will be going on Wednesday, and I think I may just take the camera with me. Let's call it a photo expedition for this visit. It might be a lot of fun to go there as a photographer rather than a rider. I will of course be spending most of my time in Diagon Alley as per usual, but this time I will be taking photos to share with you. That is, unless I get some exceptional looking photograph, in which case it will co on the Instagram. From now on, those photos I feel are exceptional will go there and no where else. 

     I need this day out. I know my time is running out, and soon I will be on the hunt for a job, so I have to make the best of it while I can. I have been working on so many projects to get them off the ground, and I have denied myself some real fun, and although this will be a photo expedition, it will be fun. I plan on getting a doughnut at Voodoo Doughnuts. Yes, that's right, Universal City Walk as a Voodoo Doughnut, and if you have never had one of their doughnuts, you are missing out. I'll get a good picture of it before I devour it. 

     The Patchwork Knight, although not getting the readers that I would hope for, it is going well. I have faith that when I get a job, I will still make the time to finish that and then maybe work on getting it published in a solid form; kindle, hardback, or whatever. I'm going to continue making videos for my own Counterfeit Squirrel channel. I love doing it, I just may not keep the same schedule I have now. Right now. I post a video every Sunday, and then one every other Wednesday. Although for the past couple of weeks, it has been both Sunday and Wednesday. I'm not posting a Wednesday video this week, so that I will get back on that scheduled. Now for the TPR. I can honestly say that I have no idea if I'm going to continue to do it. I just don't see the potential there that I once did. I still think it is a very unique thing, and it has an audience somewhere, I just don't know how to find it, and it is clear that my partner is not going to help to find it. I don't have the time to learn how to find that audience with all the other things I am currently teaching myself. That includes improving my skills at making and editing videos, getting better at writing, and now learning photoshop and photo editing. Let's not forget that I will always have things to learn about photography itself. If you think you are done learning, you clearly have stopped tying. I'm not done trying, but I am done trying to figure out how to get that audience for the TPR. 

     I even tried to create a post on Facebook promoting the TPR blog, shared it on my own page, and asked my friends and family to share it with their friend and family. A couple of people came through, and I really appreciate that, but that was it, only a couple. That means either a couple of things. Either they saw it and just don't see that it is anything worth sharing, or Facebook is hiding it from all my friends seeing it. It could be a combination of the two, who knows, but I'm not going to put as much effort into it anymore. I need some time to relax, and I'm not getting it by constantly worrying about whether or not people are seeing our videos or our blog posts. 

     Speaking of that video from earlier, I have to share that with you now. 

     I realized that I hadn't shot a video at night with the new Hero 7, so I got out and shot one. I know the views are very low on this, and I simply don't care. I make these videos because I love doing it. If I never get to a point where I make money from these videos, it will be fine with me. I look at them the same way I look at The Patchwork Knight. They are a passion project that I truly love doing. I love getting on the bike and talking to you about things, and then I love even more, sitting at the MacBook and editing it all together, and trying new cuts and new effects. I love seeing it all come together from several different cuts of film being put together to create one thing. I love adding in the music and trying to get the cuts to time perfectly with the music to make it more dynamic. I just love it.

     I still have that big chapter of The Patchwork Knight to write, but that is because I have been focusing all my time on the TPR and today the photography. I'm getting on it tomorrow, and then i'm going to write every day this week. This all comes back to that time running out thing. I want to get as much as I can done before I head back to work. I am hoping for back to work sooner than later, but I really don't know what the job market holds for me, so I have to start looking soon. Back to The Patchwork Knight. Photos also play into that as well. I don't attack pictures with The Patchwork Knight on here, but when it fits, I put them up on Medium, so photography has double duty when it comes to that. I can use the pictures I take to create a more appealing experience for those reading on Medium.

     Speaking of Pitre and the rest of the characters of The Patchwork Knight. I still haven't heard from anyone about something I have written into a character. I like having little hidden things within my writing, and I thought for sure someone would bring up something about Pitre, but it hasn't happened yet. Maybe I have hidden it too well, or maybe I have written him so relatable that readers are just taking it for granted. I'm really hoping its the last part. That would thrill me beyond measure.

     Well that is this weekend in a nutshell. I hope you had a great weekend, and have an equally wonderful week. Peace in and goodnight.