Basic Photo Editing Adobe Photoshop Elements

Technology

The reviewer has been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card and/or received the product/service at a reduced price or for free

Top Photo Editing Hacks for Amateur Photographers

If you're a hobby photographer or an influencer like I am who just loves shooting creatively staged photos with your smartphone or DSLR camera which you often wished would have turned out better, this post is for you.

After editing with Photoshop Elements 2020

Imagine this scenario, you're after the perfect photo. So you work diligently planning, styling and shooting a batch of photos and/or videos which you think at first glance came out great, ready as-is for sharing on one or more of your social channels. But then, after the event or vacation, you take a second look and discover a hornet's nest worth of flaws in many of your images. The photos you've ended up with are disappointing, not even close to what you remember them looking like through your camera lens when you pushed the shutter button.

Now what? At this point which option would you rather choose: delete everything and pretend it never happened or use an easy-to-use photo editor like Adobe Photoshop Elements 2020 and end up with some beautiful, professional-quality shots you can't wait show off to the world? Obviously the answer to that last question is a no brainer. 

This fail happens to me all the time and I'm afraid, assuming your own experiences have been very similar, I have plenty of company with many of you. That's why I'm glad to be using the latest version of Photoshop Elements and sharing how I'm working with it to edit photos for both my original photography on this website and our personal family photo archives.

So, as an example, take a look at this leopard in a tree image I captured on our family safari trip to Africa earlier this year. On the left is the before view and on the right is what my image looked like after I used Photoshop Elements in Quick edit mode. This choice is good for beginners who are just getting started in the world of photo editing. Here, like I did,  easily improve the look of your photo by clicking on various buttons to fix exposure, lighting, color, balance and image sharpness.

For those of you with intermediate skills who have worked with both Photoshop and earlier versions of Photoshop Elements, like I have, you'll want to check out the Guided editing mode which gives you even more options and editing flexibility. Then, there is Expert mode, offering the most functionality of the three options, making it a good choice for seasoned photographers who edit your own images.

The ways to improve the quality and look of your photos using Photoshop Elements are seemingly endless. In the before photo above, the scene is flat, dark and the colors are drab. But, in the after photo below of that same African savanna sunset, the image really comes to life, with minimal effort on my part. 

Common Problems Solved with Photoshop Elements 2020

• Blurry, Grainy, Shaky Quality
• Too Little Or Too Much Lighting
• Photo Bombers Or Unwanted Objects
• Colors Not Rendering Properly
• Whites Looking Gray or Yellow
• Faded Colors in Vintage Photos
• Flat Results, Lacking Image Dimensions
• Blemishes and Skin Tone Issues
• Red Eye, Eyes Shut
• The List Goes On

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An elephant & my family in South Africa

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About Adobe Photoshop Elements 2020

Getting started with Adobe Photoshop Elements 2020 for Mac and Windows and now available at Best Buy, is simple even if it's the first time you've ever done any photo editing on your laptop or desktop computer or tried to use a full-functioned photo editor like this. After you dive in and start experimenting I think you'll agree that this editing app is intuitive and easy to navigate to solve all kinds of oops photography moments and problems. 

From revitalizing photos by applying automatic colorization with a single click to using new Auto Creations including B&W Selection, Pattern Brush, Painterly, and Depth of Field effects to making people's skin tones smoother and realistic looking to touching things up and using the Guided Edits to remove unwanted objects there is no easier photo editor that does it all.

Couples Fun Christmas Holiday Pajamas Review

Style

Pajamas that are fun, not serious

There's nothing like nice, cozy pajamas to keep you and your loved ones warm during the colder months. The problem is comfortable PJs usually mean you're just sleeping in clothes you wouldn't be caught dead in outside of bed. Or worse -- gasp -- we're talking about ugly, bulky, scratchy and/or just plain old boring sleepwear.

MBE partnered with Shinesty for this post

Considering the average person spends so much time in bed (about one third of one's life is spent sleeping) why settle for stuffy ho-hum jammies? Instead, this season gift yourself, significant other or your whole family with well-made matching pajamas from Shinesty. There's nothing else out there quite like these fun-loving styles. Not only are they comfy for relaxing and a good night's sleep, they're made to last, are stylish and come in lots of playful festive holiday his and her designs as well as matching pajamas for the whole family: parents, kids and even the family dog and cat.

The holiday Lincoln Log Love Daddy (and Love Lady) pajamas you see here in a fun and festive Christmas red and green plaid pattern are both my hubby and my favorite new PJs, replacing our plain old (yawn) matching, threadbare flannels. Use the Shinesty tags which come with the top and bottom like I did to create a pair of unique holiday earrings to complete your look. This very together outfit is also perfect to wear to the airport at 2 am in the morning to pick up your college student who is home visiting college. Yes, I really did that and you can do the same thing.

Remember Lincoln Logs -- those tin canisters filled with red wooden logs and green roof slat building blocks we would dump out on the floor, then use to build log cabins when we were kids? Inspired by that iconic and nostalgic creative toy we both grew up with, the happy vibe of these pajamas definitely stirred up fond childhood Lincoln Log memories of our childhoods growing up on opposite coasts -- recollections which the Huzz and I had never shared with each other before.

Not only are these new pajamas cheery and light-hearted, they are super comfortable thanks to the stretchy easy-to-wash and wear polyester-spandex blend fabric they're made with which has the feel of shiny silk; they're also much lighter weight than flannel but just as warm and cozy. Ever since these Shinesty PJs arrived on our doorstep, just wearing them makes me feel smile.  Actually, every night I look forward to putting these comfortable jammies on when it's time to wind down, whether to read, watch a video, or build with Lincoln Logs which is really relaxing and therapeutic.

Designed by Allie T. in Boulder, Colorado, Shinesty's Lincoln Log Red Plaid pattern features a pullover Henley-style neckline with buttons, chest pocket, a remote control pocket on the upper left sleeve (also roomy enough to hold those log pieces), a hidden pocket in the sleeve cuff for small items and love notes, as well as side slits at the hemline for added comfort while sitting or lying down. These jams also have a really unique touch: a button at each side to create an optional kangaroo style snack pouch which, lucky for me, comes in handy for keeping some wood parts closeby when I'm in the mood to build another mini log structure.

While the tops for this style are basically the same for men and women, except for sizing, the pull-on bottoms vary slightly. Both men's and women's sport deep side pockets as well as no-roll elastic waist bands with multiple channels of stitching for comfort and leg cuffs at the bottom.  The only difference is that the men's version has a button fly front while the women's style does not.

Sold separately, both men's and women's adult pajama tops ($39.99) and bottoms ($59.99) are constructed of 95% polyester, 5% spandex soft and stretchy material. Like the wide variety of other winter holiday themed pajama patterns in their collection, the Shinesty styles you see us wearing for this review are available in men's (S-XXL) and women's (XS-2X) sizes. 

To make every day and night more fun, Shinesty has a variety of other whimsical matching day wear and sleepwear pieces for adults, kids, and pets. Depending on the fabric pattern these range from kids PJs, adult nightshirts and caps to women's and girl's skirts/dresses/pants; men's and boys pants and suits; men's ties and bow ties; baby onesie sleepers; dog and cat clothes, to you never know what else. You won't believe it, you just have to visit Shinesty.com to see what they have for yourself.

Celebrate Fun Living

Party in your PJs
Stay Weird & Shine On!

About Shinesty

Shinesty offers a huge selection of  humorous and festive pajamas for the holidays. But they also have fun novelty kids wear, men's suits, women's/girl's dresses, dog and cat outfits, and even underwear for other holidays throughout the year as well as every day silliness. Available nowhere else but at Shinesty.com, so hurry and shop now since many of the holiday styles are selling out quickly. Learn more about Shinesty by visiting their official site and following them @shinesty on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest.

Disney Maleficent 2 Bluray Review + Giveaway

Movies

MBE partnered with Disney Studios for this review and giveaway

Angelina Jolie returns in the same villainess role as the original Disney Maleficent movie (2014) which was nominated for an Oscar (Best Achievement in Costume Design). Jolie and other cast members captivate viewers in the sequel: Disney's Maleficent 2: Mistress of Evil (2019) which is up once again for an Oscar in 2020, this time for Best Achievement in Makeup and Hairstyling. The action adventure family feature film, including some fun bonus material, is available for home viewing on Digital as of 12/31/19 and on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD as of 1/14/20. 

Based on many of the characters from La Belle Au Bois Dormant by Charles Perrault, who appeared in the original Maleficent film released five years ago, Elle Fanning also returns as Maleficent's god daughter Aurora. In Mistress of Evil, the plot thickens and twists as Maleficent and Aurora begin to question loyalties and family ties and things get complicated. 

In the new saga, Sam Riley is also back as Diaval, with seasoned actress Michelle Pfeiffer joining the cast this time around as Queen Ingrith. If you enjoy Disney adventures, you'll want to add this one to your watch list.

Disney Maleficent 2:Mistress of Evil 

Blu-ray Bonus Extras

• Extended Scenes
• Outtakes
• Aurora's Wedding
• Behind-The-Scenes Look at The Magic
• And More

Disney Maleficent 2: Mistress of Evil Giveaway

Disney Maleficent 2 

MBE Movie Giveaway
(2 Winners)

on Instagram

Thanks to Disney Studios, TWO (2) lucky MBE giveaway participants will each win the new Disney Maleficent 2: Mistress of Evil Blu-ray DVD combo movie. To enter this Disney Maleficent 2 Giveaway Mommy Blog Expert is hosting visit this MBE Instagram post. Contest open to US residents only and qualifying winners will be selected at random. Hurry, this giveaway ends January 9, 2020 at 12 am PST/3 am EST. Disney Studios is providing the prizes and is responsible for delivery to winners.

More About Disney's Maleficent 2

To learn more about Disney's Maleficent 2: Mistress of Evil, Rated PG-13, visit the official movie website as follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

LA Opera Family Friendly The Magic Flute

Culture

MBE partnered with LA Opera for this review

Real Opera Kids Will Actually Love

Want to introduce your child to the amazing world of classical music and operatic professional performances? If you are fortunate enough to be in Southern California, consider bringing the whole family to see the live, engaging LA Opera multi-media performance of Mozart's The Magic Flute running through December 15 at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in downtown Los Angeles. 

Image courtesy of LA Opera

We just saw this production -- with its uber modern hand-drawn animation twist on staging originally created for the Komische Oper Berlin, Germany by the British theater company known as 1927 -- and it is two thumbs up the most kid- and family-friendly opera with the broadest multi-generational appeal that we've seen in recent years.

Those of you familiar with The Magic Flute already know the beautiful music, fairy tale storyline and wacky characters in the most frequently-performed German language opera. But readers of all ages who are new to opera, have no fear, if you've never seen an opera this is a good one with which to start. You'll be able to easily get lost in this silly fantasy because neither being fluent in German or even knowing much about Mozart's music is required.

The plot line is simple and easy to follow thanks to the free programs handed out by the ushers explaining this two-act opera (run time 2 hours, 40 minutes with one intermission). Adding to the enjoyment for as broad an audience as possible of both sophisticated opera goers and newbies are the English subtitles clearly visible to all above the stage and off to both sides without distracting you from watching all the action on stage.

I've seen several other productions of The Magic Flute and this one is by far my favorite because of its wide universal multi-generational appeal. It reaches across a huge arc of  interpretations from fantasy and surrealism to magic as well as exudes a mashup display of relatable human emotions from fear and loneliness, to bravery, love, friendship, joy and more.

Images courtesy of LA Opera

Previous stagings of this opera which I've seen centered around human actors dressed in feathered bird costumes. But in this version, with some exceptions, the performers appear as humans who sing and deliver their stories from birdhouse-looking perches high above the stage. 

Kids, especially, will  get a kick out of watching the characters come and go from these little ledges several building stories high, appearing and disappearing via revolving trap doors that reminded me of the bird that pops in and out of sight at the top of the hour on a cuckoo clock.

Other kid-friendly touches in the show feature a range of projected images behind the actors on stage. These include graphics reminiscent of Marvel super hero comic books like Spider-Man and animated flying pink elephants (bringing to mind the original flying elephant, Dumbo). 

Certainly, there's never a dull moment with cast members seen interacting with flashing strobe lighting effects, a nod to the black and white silent film era complete with subtitles inspired by greats such as Buster Keaton.

There's also the trio of spirits, portrayed with the help of animation and artistic lighting by child soloists David Kakuk, Thomas Quinn Fagan, and Anika Erickson from the Los Angeles Children's Chorus, who appear to flutter their animated butterfly wings. Suffice it to say that few of us have seen a live performance quite like this one that uses strobe lighting, animation, smoke, creative costumes and other special effects so artfully, engaging the audience and elevating our enjoyment from beginning to end.

Be sure to get there early. You and your kids are going to want to can take turns taking snapshots of each other with your smartphones at The Magic Flute themed free photo booth on the plaza out in front. Then, get social with @LAOpera and don't forget to share all your fun photos of your family with the hashtag #LAOMagicFlute.

Kids Tickets Always 50% Off, Family Day at LA Opera

To nurture the next generation of opera lovers to grow and thrive and make opera accessible to as many young people as possible, LA Opera is providing half-price tickets for kids ages 8 to 17 years old not only for The Magic Flute (which is one of the top ten operas worldwide) but also all other performances this season. 

The 2019/2020 season runs through June and culminates with another Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart favorite, The Marriage of Figaro.  Season ticket subscribers can add the Family Package to your season subscription at a reduced rate. Note half-price tickets are only available by phone by calling 213-972-8001 Monday-Friday from 10 am to 6 pm.

Each season the opera company holds a special Family Day giving children ages 8 and up, the opportunity to learn more the opera and its characters. This year, in conjunction with The Magic Flute, this child-centric event is scheduled for December 1 and will feature a reception with desserts and a holiday activity during intermission. After the performance is over, kids will have the opportunity to have their programs signed by the opera's cast members. All activities are subject to change.

More About LA Opera in Los Angeles

LA Opera, located at 135 North Grand Avenue in Downtown Los Angeles, is the fourth largest opera company in North America. Learn more about everything LA Opera has to offer by visiting their official website as well as following them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

Samsung Kids Tablet Review

Technology

A Safe Indoor Winter Children's Activity

With winter on its way and snow falling in many parts of the country already, baby it's getting cold and frightful outside. What's a mom or dad to do with young kids 3-years old through tweens to keep them busy indoors, growing mentally, learning, and staying out of mischief until the weather warms up next spring? Read on to learn about a safe child's tablet that both kids and parents will be happy about.

MBE partnered with Samsung Kids, post contains affiliate links

A 3-Year Old Gets Her First Tablet

The answer is as easy as engaging your child's mind with entertaining and educational activities -- like  interacting with their favorite animated characters and building STEM skills -- while running the award-winning Samsung Kids app which is compatible with the latest Samsung Galaxy Tablet Kids Edition 11-inch 64 GB tablet and most other Samsung devices.

What was three-year old Elly's initial reaction when she unboxed the new Samsung Galaxy Tab A Kids Edition tablet including a Samsung Kids App subscription gifted to her by the brand to facilitate this review? She was speechless, beyond ecstatic to finally have a tablet of her very own and almost thought she must be dreaming. 

Now, she no longer has to share her big sisters' tablets and can play and learn on her own whenever she wants to and her mom or dad give her the okay. Talk about this girl suddenly having a greater sense of purpose, pride and ownership, as well as feeling more responsible and grown-up.

Parent-Controlled, Kid Interactive Fun

With temperatures plummeting where they live, forcing the kids to spend more time inside, Elly's parents are equally thrilled to have a new wholesome and engaging family-friendly activity option their youngest daughter enjoys and one that they know they can trust. 

Thanks to the Samsung Kids app all-inclusive content service (a 3-month trial subscription is included free with Samsung Kids Tablet purchase); the app is also available to buy separately and is compatible with most other Samsung devices their daughter now has access to an amazing library of more than 10,000 hours of quality children's content fun and learning. 

At the same time, mom and dad feel good knowing that they have access to the parental controls needed to closely monitor Elly's tablet use as well as to track her progress on the various educational and entertaining kid-friendly apps she's using so they can be hands-on parents and cheer her on.

Simple Startup to Get Kids Playing Quickly

After Elly unwrapped and unpacked the box, Mom went to Google Play to upload the Samsung Kids app to her little girl's tablet, then big sister Abby helped take a selfie with the tablet's camera to personalize her new device. What's this adorable little lady doing right now? Elly is already having fun as a beginner reader learning with My Little Pony from Hasbro, the very first kids title she opened on her new device.

While kids have worry-free fun and can enjoy themselves and learn for hours, the Samsung Galaxy Kids tablet when used in conjunction with the Samsung Kids app, offers grown-ups the peace of mind of a fully-loaded dashboard of parental controls. Within the app these controls limit screen time, manage what apps your child is able to view, and give you a window into the titles your son or daughter is engaging in as well as their progress in those activities. This kids' tablet is also customizable, giving moms and dads the flexibility to bring each child's favorite outside apps into the Samsung Kids environment.

About Samsung Galaxy Kids Tablet, Samsung Kids App

The Samsung Galaxy Kids Tab A 7-inch 8GB tablet, designed for kids ages 3 to 12, has a bigger display, higher screen resolution, longer battery life, and a more powerful processor than its predecessors. It also comes with a sturdy protective brightly-colored bumper case and the Game Starter Pack for your child to keep (valued at $75) featuring a diverse array of kids games and kid-friendly apps. The new children's tablet also includes a free 3-month trial subscription to the Samsung Kids app along with a deep discount if you choose to renew it. It's also worth pointing out the awards the Samsung Kids app won in 2019 including Mom's Choice Awards, NAPPA Product Award, and Academics' Choice Smart Media Award.

Where to Buy

Buy the latest Samsung Galaxy Kids Tablet, available on Amazon and in-store. Then, leverage the optional Samsung Kids app subscription (available for this tablet and most other Samsung devices) including a huge library of content for your child and full parental controls for you, to keep you both happy. 

Learn more about the Samsung Kids tablet and the Samsung Kids App by visiting the brand's official site as well as following the brand on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.

Samsung Kids Giveaway

From My Little Pony to Transformers and Dr. Seuss and more, there are so many ways your child can stay occupied, have fun and enjoy safe WiFi access. The Samsung Kids app is compatible with the new Samsung Galaxy Kids tablet as well as most other Samsung devices. To enter the Samsung Kids Giveaway Mommy Blog Expert is hosting, visit this MBE Instagram Giveaway post. Contest open to US residents only and qualifying winner will be selected at random. Hurry, this giveaway ends December 19, 2019 at 12 am PST/3 am EST. Samsung Kids is providing the prize and is responsible for delivery to winner.