Learning Techniques I Should Already Know

So, lately, I've been listening to some fantastic podcasts about Photoshop and Illustrator and all manner of designing with the Adobe products. The things I shoulda but didn'ta know could fill a house--they've filled several, several, several hours of my daily commute and I haven't even listened to half of their casts yet. (The podcasts are Adobe Creative Suite Podcast with Terry White, Photoshop Quicktips, Photoshop Killer Tips, and Photoshop User TV.)
I've been trying some of the techniques I've learned and I wanted to share some of the results:

Before Editing: Blooms, April 2011

After Editing: Blooms, April 2011

Here is one more:

Before: Heron in Profile

After: Heron in Profile

Geez. Not perfect, but goodness I'm enjoying playing around. I'll post more pictures as I learn new techniques and practice.

Great Blue Heron

After the botanical garden and it's outdoor gardens, I decide to walk down to the Smithsonian. As I'm leaving the National Garden, a Great Blue Heron swoops overhead then lands on the roof of the National Museum of the American Indian.

National Museum of the American Indian 

Museum plus heron.

I took the above picture from across the street. I was hoping to get closer before the heron flew away. Alas, I didn't make it before the heron took off... but he didn't go far. In fact, he flew down into a pond in front of the building. I spent a good half hour watching the heron stalk and eat some fish. Needless to say, I didn't get down to the Smithsonian, but this was so much better.

One of my favorite pics from the trip.

Washington, DC trip

Last weekend Jane and I took a trip to DC. She went to a conference which left me to walk my knees off in the city... which I proceeded to do. Being the true dork I am, I spent a little more than two hours at the US Botanic Garden. Currently running is their Orchid Mystique exhibit. Here are some of the pictures of the orchids I took. I only regret I didn't keep records of the names of these orchids.

This one's not so much about the flowers as the water droplets.

If you haven't been to the botanical garden, you should definitely go. 

Baby Pineapple

Cacao Pod. 

Bananas. 

More bananas.

Don't forget to look up!

I'll post more pictures as I go through them.