I post this image with the thought, ‘How will I ever top this?‘.  For years I have posted cute in the form of smiling pigs, mini cows, ponies and donks, fantastic Frenchies, owls in knit caps, baby pygmy hippo’s and the list goes on, but a newborn polar bear?  It’s unthinkable to unleash such cuteness at 12:00 a.m. Pacific time but I’m doing it.  I am throwing caution to the wind and hoping that this has solidified myself as the preeminent authority on cute animals. The only unfortunate thing is I do not know the photographer of this image, which is probably for the best because anyone that was able to get this close to a baby polar bear is someone that I would want to stalk and well that wouldn’t be good now would it? I found out Via KPriss in the comments this isn’t real, but trust me it doesn’t stop it from being undeniably cute and creative, it’s a doll from talented artist Tatiana Scalozub. A doll?!  The talent that abounds out there in the world always amazes me, Ms. Scalozub’s polar bear still may take 1st prize for cute.

This was from my trip to the Natural History museum many moons ago.  I didn’t use a flash and all the images I shot in the bird section had a strange (not horrible) but strange cast to them, almost persimmon. I think I will try working with that cast on future edits but wanted to go with an aged b+w on this one. I know many of you are photo enthusiasts as well and would love suggestions on b+w actions or tutorials, I make my own but I always like to learn more.  Here’s the before.

If I had one wish (okay maybe two I am sure I would be much more pragmatic with my first wish). I would wish to have fresh flowers in my home at all times. These dahlia’s were more stunning than any flowers I had ever received, they were like ballerina tutu’s and ranged from soft pink and blush to the palest of yellows.  Stunning seems an inadequate adjective to describe them. I did have the good fortune to shoot these in the morning light and did them justice, but I also thought I would shoot them at night so I could savor their beauty for a few hours more.  The ones taken at night were in a word–dreadful. Trust me your eyeballs may melt when you click over, for the ‘before’ but for the sake of comparison and this project here it is.

I think you need to click over and see the ‘before’ to really appreciate the work that went into this edit.  I had heat stroke the afternoon I shot this but I probably sweat more trying to create this end image.  I must have changed the colors of the balloon and sky 3,000 times before I settled on a vintage peachy pink, not too peach, not too pink.  I only wish that I had control over everyone’s screen calibration so your image would look exactly like mine does.  Since I don’t have that kind of control, I will have to throw caution to the wind and hope it doesn’t look muddy on your end.  I have become aware of two things since I started this project seven days ago 1) I need to really practice my photography skills these ‘before’s’ are absolutely killing me 2) Time flies.  I had to check several times to make sure that it really was day seven. 

If anyone wants to join me don’t be shy, I have a little Flickr group set up with just myself as the only member and as we all know misery loves company. For those that are doing 365’s or 52’s feel free to add your before and afters to the group.