Beautiful World Magazine, Winter 2021

BEAUTIFUL WORLD Jessica Drossin's Beautiful World Group

Cover art by Maria Lindberg

January & Febuary 2021

4

30

Winter 2021

SHARES Winter Imagery Standouts Artistic Spotlight Inspired by the Season

32 A Winter Challenge Beautiful World Group Moderator Susan Gilbert Puts Her "Hot Dogs" in Cool Environments

Beauty in Black & White

48

50

A Collection of Black & White Photography

Before and Afters Member Transfromations

90

Beautiful World Showcase Popular Image Shares

Strange Days A Personal Story from Jessica

A Note from the Editor-in-Chief...

I

t's hard to believe that 2020 is over and 2021 has now begun. We have a lot of great plans in store for this magazine and we are excited to be start working them in as this new year progresses. We hope that you have been enjoying seeing all of the artwork being brought together in this publication, and that it serves as a reminder of the beauty in the world around you, even when things might not be going the way you might wish them to.

~Deirdre Lewis

~ Edited with my personal favorite: Crisp Matte Black & White from Jessica Drossin's Monotones collection

Julie Beard Lawson

edited W I N T E R - T HImage EM EwithDJD Monotones (Crisp Matte) and JD Macabre Ravens, Smoke and Sky.

Standouts

Julie Johnson Lochridge Image edited with JD Monotones (Crisp Matte) and JD Macabre Ravens, Smoke and Sky.

WINTER-THEMED

Standouts Danielle Lien Images edited with JD Illuminations 2 (selective blur, contrast pretty boost) & JD Autumn Tones Set 2 (mulberry, orange, red & gold paints)

Before

After

After

Susan Perry Gilbert Images edited with JD Foundations 2020, JD Endless Winter and Forces of Nature

Before

After

Before

Mark Palmer Images edited with JD Foundations 2020 & JD Cloud overlay (Grace clean)

Angela Lehman Gorham Images edited with JD Foundations and "Flashlight Cool" from JD Illuminations

After

Before

Trudy Moylan Images edited with JD Texture Pack 1 2020, JD Instant overlays, JD Beautiful World Foundations (Brown eye pop) and Magical Glitter Overlays

Before

After

Before & Afters

Julie Beard Lawson

edited W I N T E R - T HImage EM EwithDJD Monotones (Crisp Matte) and JD Macabre Ravens, Smoke and Sky.

Standouts

Maria Lindberg Images edited with JD Moon Sky from Macabre Skies, Snow overlay from Force of Nature & Endless Winter bundle, Light Rays from Force of Nature & Endless Winter bundle

WINTER-THEMED

Standouts

Daniel Lein Images edited with JD Illuminations 2

Jayne Fletcher Edited with JD Beautiful World Foundations, JD Watercolor Textures, and JD Endless Winter

Desirée Rolfe Edited with JD Illuminations Instant Overlays and JD Quick Flow

Julie Beard Lawson

edited W I N T E R - T HImage EM EwithDJD Monotones (Crisp Matte) and JD Macabre Ravens, Smoke and Sky.

Standouts

Angela Gorham Images edited with JD Foundations 2020

WINTER-THEMED

Standouts

Stefano Calderan Images edited with JD Beautiful World Foundations 2020, JD Dark Splendor Actions

Dana Churchill McKnelly Edited using JD Beautiful World Road Maps, Matte and Haze, JD Sunflare and Wuthering Heights textures

Mark Palmer Images edited with JD Foundations 2020, JD Matte & Haze, JD Wuthering heights texture (Charlotte - soft light), JD Illuminations 2 (Hazel) & JD BW vignettes

Rita Voortman-Broos Images edited with tiny flare from Lightscaping Instant Overlays and Olive from Illumination Instant Overlays Vol. 2

WINTER-THEMED

Standouts

Dana Churchill McKnelly Edited with JD Beautiful World Matt and Haze, Road Maps and Wuthering Heights Textures

Deirdre Lewis (Top Left and Right) Images edited with JD

Jan Heastont Edited using Foundations, Beautiful World Paints, JD Illuminations 1 & 2 and JD Endless Winter

WINTER-THEMED

Standouts

Maria Lindberg

"How often does one come by mist AND frost at the same time?!?

We had that one morning. I just ran out with daughter, dress and camera to the horse's pasture." ~Maria Lindberg

Edited with JD Endless Winter Brushes

Julie Beard Lawson Image edited with JD Monotones (Crisp Matte) and JD Macabre Ravens, Smoke and Sky.

Maria Lindberg Image edited with JD Monotones (Crisp Matte) and JD Macabre Ravens, Smoke and Sky.

Vicky Gustafsson Edited with JD Beautiful World Foundations, JD Watercolor Textures, and JD Wuthering Heights Textures

Nancy Wilkins (Above) Edited with JD Endless Winter

Michele Sherwood (Right) Edited with JD Beautiful World and JD Endless Winter

WINTER-THEMED

Standouts

Dee Hunter Edited with JD Endless Winter, JD Force of Nature and JD Painterly Texture 5

Dixie J. Brumm

Rita Voortman-Broos

Edited with JD Beautiful World Vignettes, JD Endless Winter and JD Beautiful World ColorSplash

Edited with JD Beautiful World Foundations, JD BW Textures, JD Wuthering Heights Textures

Cheryl Minnier

Edited using JD Macabre Ravens and JD Illuminations Instant Overlays

WINTER-THEMED

Standouts

Mark Palmer Edited with JD Beautiful World Foundations 2020, Cosmopolitan Matte and JD Texture Pack II (2020)

Dallas Denoo

Edited using JD Lightscaping Overlays and Forces of Nature Actions and Overlays

Vicky Gustafsson

Dana Churchill McKnelly

Edited with JD Lightscaping Instant overlays and JD Beautiful World Foundations

Edited with JD Beautiful World Matt and Haze, Road Maps, Wuthering Heights Textures, and Sun Rays

WINTER-THEMED

Standouts

Julie Johnson Lochridge Edited with JD Foundations, JD Endless Winter, JD Autumn Tones and JD Green Tone Corrections

Brittany Dawson Edited with JD Endless Winter

Desirée Rolfe Edited with JD Beautiful World Foundations and JD Soften Red Sampler

WINTER-THEMED

Standouts

Anki Enderud

(Left) Image edited using Snow from JD Force of Nature

Jo Garner Fields

(Bottom) Images edited using JD Versatones and JD Instant Overlays and JD 2020 Foundations

Before

Lisa Dominguez (Top Three) Image edited using JD

Michelle Noilene

Images edited using JD Magical Glitter overlay

Before

W inter's

Challenge

Susan Gilbert challenged herself to use some of Jessica Drossin's digital backgrounds and winterizing actions to transform photos of her dogs.

These images truly showcase so much creativity, as well as the

Before

versatility of the Jessica Drossin products in use. In addition to being an artist, Susan is a Beautiful World Group Moderator.

After

Edited using JD Blossoming Trees Background, JD Beautiful World Foundations, JD Quick Flow, JD Endless Winter, JD Forces of Nature, JD Snow brushes, JDGrass and Weeds Overlays, JD Illuminations, JD Nevermore Ravens

Edited using JD End of The World background, Endless Winter, Foundations 2020, Force of Nature, and Illuminations Instant Overlays

After

Before

Edited using JD Foundations 2020, Textures from JD Texture Pack 1 (updated for 2020). Also used JD Endless Winter

After

Before

Beth Miller-Zuber (mage edited with JD QuickFlow and JD Monotones Mystical B&W

Beauty in Black & White BEAUTIFUL WORLD STANDOUTS

I

had noticed that often there is a dearth of black and white images when I am scrolling through our Beautiful World group's amazing images, so this month, I decided to issue a challenge: I challenged our members to try to create images in black and white for a change of pace. I think that when challenged to photograph something to be developed as a black and white photograph causes us to have to look beyond the colors of the scene: an artist needs to take in the highlights and the shadows; the emotional draw; the tonality. I was so happy to see the images our group members produced as they rose to the call, and I hope you will enjoy them, too.

~Deirdre Lewis

“How strange that the nature of life is change, yet the nature of human beings is to resist change. And how ironic that the difficult times we fear might ruin us are the very ones that can break us open and help us blossom into who we were meant to be.”

-Elizabeth Lesser

Danielle Trina Image edited with JD Beautiful World Foundations, JD Textures

Beauty in Black & White BEAUTIFUL WORLD STANDOUTS

Julie Lawson Image edited with JD Monotones (Crisp Matte) and JD Macabre Ravens, Smoke and Sky.

Dana Churchill McKnelly

Desirée Rolfe

Image edited with JD Beautiful World Road Maps, Wuthering Heights Textures and JD Dandelion brushes

Image edited with JD Monotones

Beauty in Black & White BEAUTIFUL WORLD STANDOUTS

Danielle Lien Images edited with JD Illuminations II, JD Autumn Tones Set 2

Penny Sesher (Top Left) Edited with JD Beautiful World Foundations, JD Endless Winter, JD Illumination Instant Overlays Vol 2, (Top Right) Image edited with JD Beautiful World Foundations, JD Monotones, JD Endless Winter Actions & Overlays

Glenda Burrell

(Bottom) Image edited with JD Beautiful World Foundations, JD Monotones

Danielle Trina Edited with JD Beautiful World Foundations 2020, JD Textures

Beauty in Black & White BEAUTIFUL WORLD STANDOUTS

Julie Lawson (Top Left) Image edited with JD Monotones X B+W and Quiet Boom overlay from JD Texture Pack 1 2020

Beth Miller-Zuber (Bottom Left & Right) Image edited with JD QuickFlow and JD Monotones Classic Rich B&W

Beauty in Black & White BEAUTIFUL WORLD STANDOUTS

Claudia Möckel Edited with JD Monotones, JD Texture Pack 1, JD Illuminations Instant Overlays Vol. 2

Beauty in Black & White BEAUTIFUL WORLD STANDOUTS

Danielle Trina Edited with JD Beautiful World Foundations, JD Textures

Elizabeth Haen (Top) Edited with JD Foundations: Neutral Dimension, Subtle Saturation Glow and Overall Glow (Botttom) Edited with JD Lightscaping Instant Overlays: Sparkly Golden moveable flare. JD Beautiful World Basic Vignette

Beauty in Black & White BEAUTIFUL WORLD STANDOUTS

Susan Gilbert Image edited with JD Monotone, JD Beautiful World Foundations 2020, and JD Grunge Textures

Mark Palmer Image edited with JD Monotones Artistic and JD Beautiful World Vignettes

Michele Sherwood Image edited with JD Monotones Artistic

Beauty in Black & White BEAUTIFUL WORLD STANDOUTS

Pauline van der Spuy Image edited with JD Monotone and JD freckle Enhancement Brush

Michele Sherwood

Leasa Winemiller Jones

Image edited with JD Monotones Film

Image edited with JD Monotones Classic

Desirée Rolfe Image edited with JD Monotones

Before & Afters

After

After

Pauline van der Spuy After with JD Texture Overlays, JD Lightscaping, and JD Beautiful World Foundations

Marina Ulanova Before

After with JD Illuminations and Vintage Textures

Before

Julie Lawsome After with JD Foundations 2020, Ice overlay from force of nature pack 1 and endless winte

After

Before

Jan Heastont After with JD Beautiful World Foundations

After

BEAUTIFUL WORLD

Standouts MEMORABLE

WINTER

SHARES

Michele Sherwood Edited using JD Beautiful World Vignettes and JD Illumination Overlays

A Beautiful Note There are snapshots. There are pictures. There are photographs. There are stories. And then, there are the stories behind the stories...

When you enter a magical group like this, you gain knowledge and inspiration daily, but it's not until you begin to meet the people behind the artwork and learn THEIR stories, that the extra dimension comes into play.

Several of you have gone out of your way to be kind and encouraging, not just to me, but to others, new and veteran, in the group. There's no pettiness, no squabbling — just support and love. So here's my humble thanks to you — each and every one of you. If you haven't been brave enough to post yet, toss those fears and jump right in!

This is the safest place I've found online. As Mr. Rogers would say, "It's a Beautiful World in the neighborhood" (or something like that). Jessica inspires, both with her products and her own work, but also by letting us share in her vulnerability. Several of the moderators have gone out of their way to help me gain confidence and feel good about my obsessions. (You know who you are.)

"Others come before reality more tenderly and a photograph to them is an instrument of love and revelation." - Ansel Adams

May your love always shine through your creations!

— Michele Sherwood

BEAUTIFUL WORLD MEMORABLE

WINTER

SHARES

Desirée Rolfe

Edited using JD Beautiful World Foundations

Alisha Smith Watkins

Edited using JD Watercolor Set and JD Forces of Nature rain

Kim Boustany

Edited using JD Beautiful World Matte & Haze and Los Angeles from Beautiful World Road Maps

Deirdre Lewis

Edited using JD BW Foundations 2020, Endless Winter, BW Mattes and Hazes, and Illuminations Instant Overlays, and Lightscaping

BEAUTIFUL WORLD MEMORABLE

WINTER

SHARES

Lyndsey MacDougall Edited with JD Dark Splendor

Elaine Beal Smith Edited with JD Beautiful World Road Maps and Beautiful World Textures

Mark Palmer

Claudia Möckel

Edited with JD Beautiful World Foundations,

Edited with JD Textures and JD Illuminations

JD Illuminations, and JD Beautiful World Vignettes

BEAUTIFUL WORLD

Standouts MEMORABLE

WINTER

Lisa Dominguez This series of images was created using JD Beautiful World Foundations and JD Illuminations. The tones created really help to bring the viewer to that frosty morning!

SHARES

Patti Aichler Edited with JD Beautiful World Foundations and JD Wuthering Heights Textures

Annette Sides

Christa van Gend

Edited with JD Painterly texture #8 and Antique Matte

Edited with JD Beautiful World Foundations and

from JD Beautiful World Matte & Haze

JD Wuthering Heights Textures

BEAUTIFUL WORLD MEMORABLE

WINTER

SHARES

Rita Voortman-Broos Edited with JD Textures

Penny Sesher Top: Edited with JD Foundations 2020 and JD BW Foundations Bottom: Edited with JD Foundations 2020 and JD Endless Winter Actions & Overlays

BEAUTIFUL WORLD MEMORABLE

Jan Heastont Edited with JD Beautiful World Foundations, 2020 Edition, JD Autumn Tones, and JD Endless Winter

WINTER

SHARES

Dallas Denoo Edited with JD Illuminations and JD Lightscaping Overlays

Vicki Sutherland Edited with JD Road Maps Montreal at 100% and New York at 31% and used Hindley from Wuthering Heights Textures at 72%

Rita Voortman-Broos Edited with JD Beautiful World Foundations 2020 and the JD Instant Illumination overlays

BEAUTIFUL WORLD MEMORABLE

WINTER

SHARES

Rita Voortman-Broos

Edited with JD Beautiful World and Wuthering Heights Textures

Lisa Dominguez Edited with JD Beautiful World Foundations 2020 and JD Textures

Christa van Gend Edited with JD Green Tone Correction, JD Painterly Textures, and JD Dark Splendor

BEAUTIFUL WORLD

Standouts MEMORABLE

WINTER

SHARES

Edited with JD Illuminations textures 1 pack.

Barry Freeman

(Both top images) Edited with JD Brood texture from Illuminations II, also blended mocha, blueberry and dramatic flare from Instant Overlays 2

Stefano Calderan Edited with JD Beautiful World Foundations, JD Artistic Skies and JD Grass Overlays

BEAUTIFUL WORLD MEMORABLE

Monika Vanhercke

WINTER

Edited with JD Beautiful World Foundations and JD Grass Overlays

SHARES

Kristy Rosenfeld

Image edited using JD Wuthering Heights

Lisset Perrier

Images edited using JD Wuthering textures

Before

BEAUTIFUL WORLD

Standouts MEMORABLE

WINTER

SHARES

Linda Sherrill

Edited with JD Quickflow and JD Lightscaping Overlays

Becky Womble Carpenter Edited with JD Texture Pack 1 (2020 Edition) JD Beautiful World Vignettes, and JD Lightscaping Instant Overlays

Dannie Armstrong Edited with JD Illuminations 2

Pauline van der Spuy Edited with JD Texture Overlays and JD Lightscaping Overlays

Linda Sherrill Edited with JD QuickFlow and JD Overlays and Textures

BEAUTIFUL WORLD MEMORABLE

WINTER

SHARES

Crista van Gend

(All images on these pages) Edited with JD Beautiful World Foundations and JD Wuthering Heights Textures

BEAUTIFUL WORLD

Standouts MEMORABLE

WINTER

SHARES

Julie Johnson Lochridge JD Quick Flow, Painterly textures, Wuthering Heights textures,

Candice Siddon Top — Edited with JD Texture Packs Bottom — Edited with JD Endless Winter and JD Paints and Lilac Illuminations Combo

BEAUTIFUL WORLD MEMORABLE

Pauline van der Spuy Edited with JD QuickFlow and JD Lightscaping Overlays

WINTER

SHARES

One of the things that is striking in this group is the fact that all start of a photograph of some kind, but with the use of the textures and actions, these artists transform a simple photograph into truly creative works of art. I am sure that if every one of the members of this group were given the same starting point, they would each create such unique pieces from

Kris Durbin

Edited with JD Illuminations Vol.3

one aother. The vision these amazing people have is what makes them true artists.

—Pauline van der Spry

Pauline van der Spry

Chanel Bevell

Edited with JD Foundations 2020, JD Textures

Edited with JD Murmurs Texture

BEAUTIFUL WORLD MEMORABLE

Marta Everest Edited with JD Wuthering Heights (Emily & Haworth) and Beautiful World Textures (Poetic) plus some added Beautiful World Paints (Titanium White) and World Tints Vivid (Crisp)

WINTER

SHARES

Annette Sides Edited with JD Wuthering Heights Textures, JD Watercolor Textures, JD Mattes and Hazes, JD Dark Splendor, and JD Texture Pack 1

Jules Clyde Edited with JD Macabre Collection

BEAUTIFUL WORLD

Standouts MEMORABLE

Dana Churchhill McKnelly Edited with JD Beautiful World Road Maps, JD Beautiful World Matte & Haze, and JD Wuthering Heights Textures

WINTER

SHARES

Dana Churchill McKnelly Edited with JD Beautiful World Roadmaps, JD Beautiful World Matte & Haze and JD Wuthering Heights Textures

BEAUTIFUL WORLD

Standouts MEMORABLE

WINTER

SHARES

Lisa Dominguez JD Quick Flow, Painterly textures, Wuthering Heights textures, BW Foundations 2020 and artistic sky overlays used in various ways in these images. BW are the film and Mystic actions from Monotones

Jules Clyde Edited with JD Cloud Overlays, JD Lightscaping Overlays, and JD Macabre Textures

Mark Palmer Edited with JD Beautiful World Matte & Haze, JD Illuminations 2, JD Wuthering Heights Textures, JD Magical Glitter Overlays, & JD Beautiful World Vignettes

BEAUTIFUL WORLD

Standouts MEMORABLE

WINTER

SHARES

Danielle Lien JD Quickflow, JD Illuminations II

Annette Sides

Julie Delgado

Edited with JD Watercolor Textures and JD Beautiful

Edited with JD Texture Pack 4

World Vingettes

Amy Enright Medina Edited with JD Foundations2020, Lightscaping overlays and bokeh overlay

Erica Jansen Edited with JD BW Foundations and Touch of Perfect from JD Beautiful World Matte & Haze Collection

BEAUTIFUL WORLD MEMORABLE

WINTER

SHARES

Jan Heastont Edited with JD Lightscaping, Illuminations & Foundations with a dab of Blueberry Paint

Marilyn Quisenberry Edited with JD Beautiful World Foundations, JD Illumination Overlays, and JD Beautiful World Vignettes

BEAUTIFUL WORLD MEMORABLE

WINTER

SHARES

Jayne Fletcher Left Full Page, Top and Bottom Edited with JD Beautiful World Foundations, JD Illumination Textures Overlays and JD Beautiful World Vignettes

Bonnie Cox Smith Edited with JD Sea Glass Overlay and Leaf Top Overlay

Tina Dose Before

Images edited using JD Illumination I, JD World Vignettes and JD Dark Splendor

Amy Enright Medina

Dannie Armstrong

Edited with JD Foundations 2020, Texture Poetic

Edited with JD JD Illumination Textures 2 - Cool Light

and Cool Flashlight Overlays

Danielle Lien Edited with JD Wuthering Heights Textures and JD Illuminations Instant Overlays

Finding Myself in

STRANGE DAYS At the end of November, I felt exhausted.

"What is the funniest, dumbest, craziest thing I could create?

That in and of itself wasn't unusual, the fourth quarter is always hard for photographers, and this year, the feeling of being overwhelmed was amplified by the pandemic and politics.

What was odd though was as the Holidays passed and January wore on, my lack of energy and interest didn't return. I've never gone through a period in my life where I've not wanted, or frankly, felt compelled, to create. Good or bad mood, I have always wanted to make art.

In early February, it was still all I could do to even look at Facebook or my email, let alone pick up a camera. I baked bread, laid in bed, cut my hair (yes, a poor choice). What I didn't do was make art.

Viv & Dogs Playing Poker

It was starting to concern me. Beyond being a life-long passion of mine, art is how I provide for my family. And I felt dead inside for it. It was scary.

One day, I decided I couldn't take being in my house anymore. We drove out to the desert and I watched the sun set over the vast space where my eyes could see for miles. I was overwhelmed with the beauty and the glowing desert light.

I wished I'd brought my camera.

I was so grateful in that moment. I realized that the passion for creating wasn't completely gone.

Viv & Dogs Playing Poker Before

Over the next few days, I pulled my camera out. My daughter, Vivi, is generally a willing model, particularly if I bribe her with Gushers. We went out and it felt good to be outside. I forget everything but what is in front of me when I'm shooting. That was a nice break from reality.

But when I got home, I felt incredibly unmotivated to edit. The lethargy crept back into my bones as soon as it was time to sit at my desk.

It was by sheer chance that I noticed a small toy pool table that had also caught Viv's attention.

I asked myself, ""What is the funniest, dumbest, craziest thing I could create?"

I immediately thought of the velvet paintings of dogs' playing poker that would hang over my grandfather's pool table in his basement.

What if I posed Viv and our dogs playing pool? What would the dogs be doing, what would Viv be doing, how would it work? I felt myself increasingly amused at the possibilities.

Shooting Vivi and my dogs did not disappoint. They give Oscar-worthy performances for treats.

This time, when I looked at the images, I couldn't stop laughing. Every other photo was a crack up. The FACES! I was smiling and laughing out loud as I put the combinations together. I couldn't wait to get to "work".

I also felt something I hadn't in a while... complete satisfaction that I was creating something just for myself. I honestly didn't care if anyone else got the joke.

The process and the result was enough to give me and my family a lot of joy.

Before

My advice to anyone who might be suffering from some of the side-effects of this past year would be to first rest. Take the time you need. Alter your perspective, change your view.

Next, focus on what might help you feel better when creating. For me, it was humor, but for you it might be morning light, birds chirping and a macro lens in the crisp, cool air photographing blades of grass before the rest of the family is up. Make art for yourself, don't worry about the response of others or if this project can be somehow monetized. Think only about the passion and joy you feel when you are creating just for your own personal satisfaction.

The images above were created days later. Doing my silly little projects allowed me to heal something that had been broken.

Once I felt re-inspired to create, I could move onto other projects.

(Although, I do think I'm going to keep coming back to my dogs and Viv!)

— With love, Jessica

Dallas Denoo Edited with JD Lightscaping Actions

Get Featured!

1. Join the Beautiful World Facebook Group 2. Submit your art integrating Jessica Drossin's products. Please label the JD products or tutorials used. Additional hand edits are always assumed.

3. Art must be a minimum of 1500 pixels on the longest side to be considered for publication.

Please no large or central watermarks.