iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

They are! I found a large one while I was in CR... I didn't have a long lens, though! Had to get up close and personal with her. Yikes!

A Golden Orb Weaver spider clings to its web, its long legs banded in black and yellow stretching outward. The spider’s body is speckled with gold markings, and its red-tinted fangs are visible as it tends to the web. Sunlight highlights the delicate silk strands, creating a shimmering effect against a softly blurred, cool-toned background.

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#Stunday Back when I knew less about post-processing, I used to heavily process images through tonemapping apps like PhotoMatix. I've slowly been re-editing those overprocessed shots, giving them new life. This is one of them. Much happier with it now. #Sunset #BigIsland #Aloha

A tranquil Hawaiian beach at sunset with blue outrigger canoes on the sand, palm trees in silhouette, and a warm glow in the sky above the setting sun on the horizon.

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#acoloradAyPRIL #Purple This image reminds me of the photo field trip it came from - a farm I visited with my buddy @lightningb33.bsky.social . It was the first of many photo trips we've taken, and the start of what's become a beautiful friendship. 💜 #SelectiveColor #EastCoastKin #ShotonSamsung

A selectively colored photograph of a vintage bicycle with bright purple fenders and frame, leaning against a weathered wooden fence. The surrounding scene is in black and white, showing scattered dry leaves on the ground and dappled light filtering through unseen foliage. The bicycle is rusted but intact, with a worn leather seat and white sidewall tires. In the background, mismatched objects and rustic textures suggest an old shed or backyard storage area.

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Maggie Houtz @softlylit.com · 05/04/2025

#Stunday #SensoryArt #light #ClassicMono I posed under this tree with 2 friends, capturing a snap that still brings a smile to my face. After that, I turned around and saw this stunning light show going on. Twice the delight! #FortheLoveofTrees #TreeLove #EastCoastKin

A black and white photograph of a large tree viewed from directly below, with a textured trunk rising into a dense canopy. Bare branches radiate outward in all directions like spokes, forming a circular, firework-like pattern. The outer edges are fringed with fine leaves and wisps, creating a sense of motion. Bright sky glows softly through the central area, giving the image a luminous focal point.

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#SensoryArt #light Anila Quayyum Agha, a Pakistani-American artist, was featured in the gallery onsite at #KewGardens during my visit in summer of '23,and I was captivated by her work. #ArtInstallation #LightandShadow

A brightly lit, suspended blue cube lantern dominates the center of a darkened room within an art installation at Kew Gardens. The lantern projects intricate, repeating geometric and floral patterns in shades of white and light blue onto the surrounding walls, ceiling, and polished wooden floor. The walls are covered in a deep red material, upon which the projected patterns create a contrasting layer of light and shadow. The floor reflects the light and patterns, adding depth to the scene. Black linear elements are embedded in the floor, possibly guiding paths or part of the installation's design. The overall effect is an immersive and visually captivating experience of light, shadow, and pattern.

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Maggie Houtz @softlylit.com · 05/04/2025

#smARTist #Grass "A Pause" On this day of protest, as many collectively focus on expressing outrage and ferocity, it's equally important to take moments of pause, to breathe deeply, and center. Remember the beautiful things that are worth fighting for. 💜 #Reflection #Stillness #EastCoastKin

The smooth surface of a garden pond reflects clusters of upright, bright green iris-like foliage and drier, golden-brown grasses growing from the pond's edge. The pond is bordered by a combination of rough-hewn beige and smooth gray stone walls, adding textural contrast to the scene. Lily pads float on the water's surface in the foreground.

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Maggie Houtz @softlylit.com · 05/04/2025

#BlueskyArtShow #Silhouette When armed with a camera, always remember to change your #perspective. #LookUp, look behind you, get down on the ground, turn your head sideways - some shots only come to life with a shift in the way you see things. #ClassicMono #Abstract #EastCoastKin #LinesandCurves

A black and white image of a curved urban walkway viewed from below, with a silhouetted figure visible through the metal grate and vertical poles framing an overcast sky.

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This is the shot I got from the bed of the pickup truck that day in Puna. It went on for almost a mile!

Sunlight filters through the dense, fern-like foliage of an albizia tree canopy on the Big Island, creating a dappled effect of light and shadow on the underside of the leaves and branches.

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#smARTist #dark #SensoryArt #light #scape #tunnelscape 2 friends took a stroll on the Red Road, a rural highway deep in the Puna region of the Big Island of #Hawaii. I left a part of my heart there when I lived in Puna 20 years ago. #Canopy #Tunnel #Aloha #EastCoastKin

A sun-dappled road winds through a lush green tunnel of overhanging trees, creating a natural archway. Shadows from the dense foliage pattern the pavement. In the distance, two people walk hand in hand along the bright, sunlit path, adding a sense of scale and tranquility to the scene.

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#smARTist #dark #SensoryArt #light #scape #nightscape "Moonset Over Montezuma" That time I rented a cabin in the #NicoyaPeninsula of #CostaRica for a few days before meeting up with family...this was the view from my front porch. Heaven! #Moonset #Moonlight #Moon #NightPhotography

A moody nighttime scene of a moonlit sky partially obscured by clouds, framed by silhouetted tree branches. The dark foreground contrasts with the soft glow of the moon, casting subtle light onto the distant ocean, where small points of light from boats are visible on the horizon.

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The color for today's #acoloradAyPRIL is #green. "A Spot of Color" seen on a walk in the #OsaPeninsula of #CostaRica. The most wondrous tiny things can be seen when you take the time to look around you. #EastCoastKin #MacroPhotography #Insect #ABugsLife #Macro #Beetle #Bug

A close-up macro photograph of a golden tortoise beetle resting on a dewy green blade of grass. The beetle’s translucent, reflective shell reveals a striking black and yellow pattern beneath, resembling a miniature shield. Tiny water droplets cling to the surface of the leaf, which shows subtle textures and natural imperfections. The background is an out-of-focus blur of green foliage, providing a soft contrast that emphasizes the beetle’s intricate details.

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Good morning, Bluesky! It's Friday, so that means we get to see all kinds of #scape delights today. Here's a #sunrise shot from O'ahu to brighten your day. 💜 #Olomana #Aloha #Silhouette #EastCoastKin #PhotographersUnited #LandscapePhotography

A silhouette of the Olomana mountain peaks on Oʻahu rises against a vivid sunrise sky, with layers of misty green forest below and banana leaves framing the upper left.

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One last image for the evening. Deep gratitude to the visual artists of Bluesky for sharing your magic—offering us brief, beautiful pauses from the weight of the world. These moments matter.💜 #Bloomscrolling #MacroPhotography #EastCoastKin

A close-up macro image of a pink mimosa pudica flower, its delicate filaments radiating outward in a soft sphere. The stamen tips are white, and the background is a smooth gradient of green.

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#ClassicMono Way back when I played with clip-on lenses for my Android 13 years ago, I took a ton of #fisheye photos that weren't the best quality. Lately I've been working on trying to salvage some of them with halfway-decent results. Maybe this is one? What do you think? #YourOpinionPlease

A monochrome photograph of a large cactus bloom centered in the frame. The flower’s layered white petals radiate outward in sharp contrast against a background of shadowed cactus trunks, desert brush, and trees. The bloom glows with delicate detail, anchored by a dark stamen-filled center.

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Maggie Houtz @softlylit.com · 03/04/2025

#AColoraDAyPRIL #Yellow #UrbanGaze Back in '04, armed with only a point and shoot camera, my trip to #EastIndia yielded so many delights. It was that fateful trip that ignited my passion for photography. I spotted this fellow on a street in #Bhubaneshwar. #EastCoastKin #StreetPhotography #Yogi

A seated yogi in yellow robes and turban with folded hands, against a weathered stone wall and chain-link fence. Soft daylight highlights his face and the texture of his beard.

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#UrbanGaze What a treat it was to spend some time walking around #Budapest in summer '23, taking in all the amazing architecture. As someone who grew up in Southern California, the sheer history of this place was a novelty, and I never tired of it. #EastCoastKin #StreetPhotography #VanishingPoint

A cobblestone street in Budapest with ornate cast iron grating leading into the distance, flanked by historic buildings under a blue sky with scattered clouds.

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Maggie Houtz @softlylit.com · 03/04/2025

#AColoraDAypril #Orange Since #sunset is almost upon me here in my hometown of Venice, it felt fitting to share this and wish you all a lovely rest of your Wednesday, and a fabulous Thursday. #EastCoastKin #PhotographersUnited #VeniceBeach #G+Circle #ArcanumAlumni

A vibrant sunset sky over Venice Beach, California, with golden-orange and magenta clouds streaking across the horizon. The silhouettes of palm trees and distant buildings frame the lower portion of the image, while a single seagull is visible in flight near the center. The colors fade from bright gold near the horizon to soft purples and blues above.

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Maggie Houtz @softlylit.com · 02/04/2025

An early morning stroll through a friend's greenhouse yielded this delight. I recently unarchived this 13-year-old image and used newfound post-processing skills to finally give it the treatment it deserved, inspiring me all over again. #SensoryArt #Light #ArtYear #Bloomscrolling #EastCoastKin

A macro photograph of a vibrant purple flower petal, covered in dewdrops, with one droplet clinging to the edge at bottom right. The petal’s velvety texture is rendered in sharp detail, while the background falls off into a soft blur of magenta and green hues.

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Maggie Houtz @softlylit.com · 30/03/2025

#Stunday A #DigitalArt piece I made from a photo (see alt text for process). It’s one of my faves—so much so, I had it printed on a cloak, which I’m wearing here. There’s a special joy in seeing one's art worn, not just framed. #WearableArt #IMadeThis

A digitally manipulated kaleidoscopic mandala artwork featuring a symmetrical radial design in earthy tones of green, brown, blue, and gold. The image includes repeating zigzag and diamond patterns encircling a central round motif, reminiscent of woven textures. The composition is dense with intricate, flowing lines and layered visual depth.

My creative process:

I used the accompanying image of this post as a starting point. First, I used an Android art app called Mirror Lab (now called One Lab) to manipulate the image into a kaleidoscopic pattern, using my fingers to adjust the pattern to my liking.

Then, I took that resulting image into Photoshop where I used a Wacom pen to hand-paint selections where I saw pleasing patterns. I separated each pattern onto its own layer.

Finally, I used other art apps (Topaz Studio, Filter Forge) to make textural and tonal adjustments to the individual layers until I was satisfied with the results.

The process of hand-painting selections has become a trusted meditative outlet for me and brings me great peace while I'm doing it. I rarely have a goal in mind when I start a piece of art; it's the journey that scratches the itch.

A woman (that's me!) stands smiling against the trunk of a large tree in a park. She wears a vibrant cloak adorned with a radial mandala-like design in earth tones, with a central circular pattern over her chest. The cloak features geometric and zigzag motifs in green, blue, and amber. She pairs it with loose-fitting blue pants and matching blue sneakers. Sunlight filters through the trees in the softly blurred background.

A ceiling light fixture with a woven, circular rattan design that forms a spiral pattern around a central exposed bulb. The light casts a geometric shadow pattern on the ceiling, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere with a touch of visual complexity.

I used this image as a base to create the digital art piece that accompanies this image in the post. See alt text of the artwork for more details about my process.

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Maggie Houtz @softlylit.com · 30/03/2025

#Stunday I woke up to the sound of rain on my roof this morning, which reminded me of this view I saw a couple of years ago. #LosAngeles #skyline always looks amazing after a storm. The air is fresh and visibility is best. #EastCoastKin #PhotographersUnited #G+Circle #ArcanumAlumni

A panoramic view of Los Angeles stretching from the hillside neighborhoods to the downtown skyline. Snow-capped mountains line the horizon beneath a dramatic sky filled with scattered cumulus clouds.

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A peek at the other side of my visual muse - #DigitalArt from an image I made for a #DJmix recorded live in San Diego last year. I’m back at the same venue with the same crew in 3 weeks. SD dancers, come join me April 19! Get your groove on with last year's mix: soundcloud.com/dj-maggie/hu...

A kaleidoscopic digital art piece featuring a central starburst pattern in shades of lavender, pink, and white, radiating outward into a layered mandala. Surrounding the center are repeating scalloped shapes textured with glass-like bumps, originally derived from a teal hobnail glass. The dominant hues are purples, pinks, and aquas, with reflective highlights giving the appearance of depth and shimmer.

My creative process:
I used the accompanying image of this post as a starting point. First, I used an Android art app called Mirror Lab (now called One Lab) to manipulate the image into a kaleidoscopic pattern, using my fingers to adjust the pattern to my liking.

Then, I took that resulting image into Photoshop where I used a Wacom pen to hand-paint selections where I saw pleasing patterns. I separated each pattern onto its own layer.

Finally, I used other art apps (Topaz Studio, Filter Forge) to make textural and tonal adjustments to the individual layers until I was satisfied with the results.

The process of hand-painting selections has become a trusted meditative outlet for me and brings me great peace while I'm doing it. I rarely have a goal in mind when I start a piece of art; it's the journey that scratches the itch.

A close-up of a textured glass tumbler with raised bubble-like patterns, tinted with a teal hue. The glass sits on a wooden table with contrasting light and dark wood grain panels. The background is slightly blurred, showcasing another similar glass in the distance.

I used this image as a base to create the digital art piece that accompanies this image in the post. See alt text of the artwork for more details about my process.

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#BlueskyArtShow #Arch Seeing all your wonderfully imaginative interpretations for today's theme, I was reminded of these shots from my arch-ives (hehe). Thanks @churchstreetimages.com for such a broad and inspiring theme for the show today! #EastCoastKin #Lightscape #PlayingWithLight

Two people walk through a tunnel of warm golden lights shaped like a Gothic arch, with fallen leaves covering the path below. Taken at the Lightscape show at the LA Arboretum.

A wide tunnel of white lights forms an arch overhead, with two people standing at either edge of the frame looking inward. Taken at the Lightscape show at LA Arboretum.

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#BlueskyArtShow #Arch These arches were a fresh addition to #BigSur in 2014. Signs everywhere warned not to stop inside (the shadows were gorgeous). I pulled over where I could and crept to the edge of a ravine to get as close as possible. #EastCoastKin #ClassicMono #RoadTrip

A dramatic black-and-white image of the Pacific Coast Highway in Big Sur, California, featuring a sweeping concrete bridge curving around a steep cliffside. The bridge leads to a stone tunnel with arched openings built into the rocky mountain. Below, waves crash against a rugged shoreline, and misty clouds hover over the distant coastline.

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