One of the reasons that I write this blog is to keep track of what I have tried and keep notes on what works or doesn’t. This photo I took with Sonel’s Photo-Editing Challenge in mind. The topic this week was trees. A week or so ago it snowed and then there was a lot of wind which made some neat patterns in our yard. So I went out to take some photos. With this one I was trying to show the similarity in the patterns in the bark and the snow:
ISO 100 50mm 0ev f/9 1/320
I took this using the exposure bracketing setting on my camera. From there I edited my three exposures in Photomatix and put it in the painterly setting. Then I opened the image in Photoshop. I knew I wanted to use the filter gallery but because the image was a 16-bit image, the filter gallery which is located in Filter-Filter gallery was greyed out. So first I had to go to Image-Mode- and change it to a 8-bit image. Then the Filter-Filter gallery was able to work. In that gallery, I changed this photo to watercolor with angled strokes. Then I cropped this photo because the original had a brick house in the background which was really distracting from the textures that I was trying to accentuate.
I would say that this photo sort of worked, a kind of close, but no cigar. The first thing I would have gone out a bit earlier, because it was pretty bright. The other thing I would have done differently was to shoot the photo from a different angle so that the house would have not been in the background. Part of the problem was that it was bitterly cold and I don’t think as creatively when I am cold. I guess I need to work on that…
Here is one of the original photos, so you can see where I started:
ISO 100 50mm 0ev f/9 1/320
Feel free to let me know what you think in the comment section below.
Cheers!
Photography Journal Blog 
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It looks fine.
It’s a general problem. I’m shooting some images of an object, maybe 2 or 5, sometimes closer, sometimes another angle. Shooting until I’m sure, one of the photos ist the “winner”. But on my computer checking the pics suddenly there is one, and it is only one, maybe a testing photo before the ‘tree-shooting’, and this one is it. only this one. You can’t win.. It’s always the same…
😉
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Yes, you are right. I guess though, I know now to try this particular tree from a different angle 🙂
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Beautiful editing work!
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Thanks 🙂
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In all honesty, I think the original photo was much better. The second one looks kind of burry. I think the overall picture would have been better if taken from a different angle, maybe from above. Also, the grass around the tree is just strange. I like the pattern in the snow you captured, however. I just think the grass around the tree ruins what could have been a decent to good photograph.
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The patterns in the snow were quite interesting. The blurry you are talking about is the filter, and I agree it didn’t quite work on the tree.
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I really like the shot you thought of as “close.” In fact, when it opened on my screen without focusing on it, i thought it was a high overhead shot of a cliff and the surrounding valley! Amazing what cropping can do.
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Yes, you are right, cropping really can change everything. That’s fun to know what you saw when you first saw the photo 🙂
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I like your end result 😉 constructive comment: maybe show a little bit more length on the tree. Crop it, but let the tree show a bit more bark. Very much love the snow patterns with the change you implemented!!!
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Yes, what you bring up is part of what bothers me about this photo. The pattern on the bark was really quite interesting but I had to crop it a lot to get the house in the background out. Next time I will just try it from a different angle so that the crop will not have to be as radical. Thanks for commenting 🙂
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Reblogged this on Sonel's Corner Photo-Editing Challenge.
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What a great shot Amy and I love how you cropped and edited it hon. I am amazed at how the textures came out in the edited photo and think it looks great! I am sure in that kind of cold I would not be creative either, so don’t feel bad. LOL! Thanks for taking part and for sharing hon. Much appreciated. 😀 *big hugs*
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The texture thing is interesting, but not exactly what I had in mind. I would need to go back and change that a bit. The cold was pretty brutal that morning, cold and windy, not a great combination. I think though, now that I have written this post, I will remember next time to just shoot this tree from a different angle. Thanks for the reblog 🙂
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You are very welcome and I love the texture you used. I bet that cold can be brutal indeed. Thanks again hon. 😀 *hugs*
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🙂
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Quite a difference. I don’t know why you say “close but no cigar”. The work you did definitely elevated the photo to a different level. Gorgeous!
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Thanks, I’m glad you like it.
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From watching half the tree trunk up top, I almost thought it was the photo of a large mountain plateau on top of the clouds, Only to eventually find an ocean like snow formation. Beautiful! 🙂
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Thanks for your kind comment 🙂
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You’re so very welcome, Just the truth 🙂
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🙂
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I loved the definition of the tree bark and the swirling snow in the close up. Wow!
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Thanks, I’m glad you like it 🙂
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This is so awesome. I want to be like you. But I have never taken any photography lessons. I own a Nikon D90 and I know I could do all that stuff if I knew how. So I decided to follow you. Maybe I can still learn. Not sure about PHOTOSHOP. Some people say it is so hard to learn.
Also, I have nominated you for the Leibster Award. Getting the Leibster Award is a learning experience.
For more information (and your duties…) contact Drew
Menimèse Creare.com.2014/01/19/814liebster/
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Thanks, and yes you do have a very capable camera. As for Photoshop, there is a bit of a learning curve, and it has been really helpful to me to take a class.
I appreciate your visit and kind comments. I do not participate in awards, so I must gratefully decline your nomination.
Cheers!
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I love the finished result. The textures of the bark and in the snow are fascinating.
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Thanks!
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