Cut out the Crap

Sorry so brash, but I'm in that kind of mood.

It's been a while since I've had any portraits taken of myself.
When you're behind the camera all the time you don't think about getting involved.

Meet WW. Me.


Cody took this photo of me while we were waiting for lunch at a restaurant in St Augustine.
When I first looked at it I didn't like the overall image, but I looked happy.
I wondered what I could do to get rid of the background distractions.
So, I did a little sleuthing and decided to use the Lens Blur Filter.

The tutorial I found was very easy to follow and may be just
what you need to transform any so-so photos you might have.
It gives you a more shallow depth of field which will place
more focus on whatever area you designate.



Above is a comparison of the straight-out-of-camera (SOC) shot and
one with the lens blur filter applied then converted to B&W.
As you can see, it made a huge difference to the entire photo.
I don't love any photos of myself, really, but I do now.

Interested in learning how to apply a Lens Blur Filter in Photoshop?
Len Blur Filter Tutorial

*Also, in the photo at the top of the post, I tightened the crop a little more.
Compare it to the other B&W in the triptych.

Random:

• The weather is super yucky. I feel equally yucky.
• Tomorrow I am getting a new hair style for FREE!!!
  
• I'm thinking about side-bangs?!
  
• My bosses gf opened a salon and I do her books - more free haircuts are in my future.
• This week she's doing free hair styles and is having before and after pics taken by a man who just started working for our company. He has previously been a pro photographer.
• After my 9am haircut, I get to assist him with taking everyone else's photos.
• I know nothing about artificial lighting so I'm looking forward to learning something new.
• Maybe I'll also have some sweet before and after hair pics to share! I'll let you know how it goes!

I Heart Fall

Bittersweet October. The mellow, messy, leaf-kicking,
perfect pause between the opposing miseries of summer and winter.
~Carol Bishop Hipps~


My soul is enchanted by this season.
I'm also enchanted by all of that lovely feedback I received on my last post, thank you.

The "I Heart Fall" photo was inspired by my visit to a new blog today.
J.H has a lovely blog with some brilliant photos,
this one included.

Thank you all again for keeping me inspired.
For that very reason this has to be short;
I'm in my motivated-mode again!!

Posted in Love Thursday

No More Straight Lines!

{Let's Learn Photoshop Together}

I was curious to find out how to get text to run along a designated path.
Thinking that, at some point, I would find it useful.
It was quite painless to learn, and at the same time got me interested in the pen tool.

Here are my first attempts at applying my handy new skill.
I wanted to demonstrate how it could be used,
and thought that variations would help.




Here is a video on how to put text on a path.
(You may also learn a few other tips as well-I did.)




I liked the first video since it showed you how to create a path using the pen tool.
But just in case, here is another one to show you a different way of doing it.




I hope that you may find this helpful,
if so, please let me know so I continue to share more.

{Let's Learn Photoshop Together}

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask!

Compare : Contrast

{Let's Learn Photoshop Together}

It's been quite a while since I have touched base on photoshop.
What I want to share today is a tool I frequently find myself using.
The Curves tool is an extremely useful element that can be highly underutilized.
Maybe you've opened it before and played around only to quickly x-out.......
It's a lot easier to control once you understand the basics of how it works.

Whether you like to make drastic changes or minor adjustments, curves is a great starting point.
This video below is a basic guide for the beginning Curves user.


Quick Start Tutorial



Below is a very subtle but effective example of how using Curves can enhance your photos.
Adding contrast can emphasize texture or intensify
subject-background separation, like in the 'with curves' photo below.
Darkening the shadowy background even further makes the yellow flower pop.
It's not a huge change, but I think it makes a difference.



The key concept with curves is that you can never add contrast in one
tonal region without also decreasing it in another.
In other words, the curves tool only redistributes contrast.

If you had some trouble following in the first video,
here is another one that may help clarify.
Curves : Basics


{Let's Learn Photoshop Together}

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask!

White Reveals, Black Conceals

{Let's Learn Photoshop Together}




This is what I did with the concrete texture from last weeks exercise.
See what Liss & Elizabeth did with the concrete texture and layers.


Last week we touched base on the basics of how to use layers. A handful of you expressed interest in following along, although I only received 2 links to pictures where you used the texture. If you're not ready to share I understand, but I strongly encourage you to participate when you get a chance. If you did happen to post a photo, but forgot to send your link, you are more than welcome to include it in the comment section of this post.

It takes very little time to sit down and discover what will open many doors for you when processing a photo. I know it sounds cliché, but really, the possibilities will become endless! Once you begin to understand the basics of layers and how they interact with one another, finding different ways to manipulate them is where the real fun begins.



There are other useful tools to be aware of when using layers that weren't addressed in those last two tutorials - this is what we will go over today.
Layer masks are a handy way of applying a certain effect to a particular area of a photo.
Sour Cherries (pictured below) was an instance where I used a layer mask.
I applied a texture to the photo, but I didn't want it to cover the cherries themselves, so I used a layer mask.



The video below is a pretty basic, but comprehensive tutorial on how to use layer masks.

This one is a useful tip on using quick masks, and is very short.

Below is a longer tutorial that will teach you various ways of using layer masks.
It may help to clear up a few things not discussed in the first video.
If you have more time, take a peek...

Don't forget, if you have any questions don't hesitate to ask. Also, if you have something that you would like to learn, but don't want to spend the time digging around, send me your suggestions.

A good tip to remember from this weeks Layer Mask exercise is "White Reveals, and Black Conceals".

If you missed last weeks "Let's Learn Photoshop Together" videos, click here.

Beyond The Basics

[Let's learn photoshop together]

A month or so ago I started experimenting with photoshop beyond the normal, everyday adjustments I used the program for. It all started with my pursuit to merge a photo with a piece of scrapbook paper containing text.

This was my first experiment.

I quickly realized that layers are the most powerful tool that photoshop has to offer.
Once you harness the dynamics of layers, you will begin to understand all that is possible when you learn to use this function properly.

When I initially had the urge to learn how to use layers, all I really knew was that
I wanted to apply a texture to a photo. At the time, I didn't know what to look for when attempting to figure it out. After many searches, I finally discovered that I needed to learn how to use layers to assist me with what I had in mind. Finding resources on using layers is a lot easier than trying to find something that will teach you how to add texture. Essentially, it is the same thing.

This was my second experiment

When I first started I really only learned the bottom of the barrel basics. I was so eager to start that I didn't really take enough time to learn properly. A lot of what I accomplished was by trial and error. Video tutorials are what have helped me the most, as well as books that have accompanying photos. It's no surprise that I learn the most from visual media. You can explain something to me all day long but, until I see it, I probably don't fully understand! Cody knows this better than anybody :o)

Using layers is also good for those who aren't interested in adding texture, because it allows you to make non-destructive changes to your original photo. I have found this rather helpful video on using layers that I think will help anyone interested in learning more about photoshop. If you use Paint Shop Pro, the concept is the same but, the steps won't be exact. It is a somewhat long, but definitely worth what you will learn so take the time to view it. He's not as boring as some people who host videos, which makes it a bit easier to pay attention. His way of explaining layers by using a sandwich is very clever, and easy to understand.

The above video is a pretty basic assessment of how layers work together.

Below is another video I found to be equally interesting and informative, but a little more in depth. What I propose is that you watch the video in it's entirety.
Then actually go in and try out what you have learned with the video close by so that you can reference it.

The photo below of the concrete texture is my gift to you.
Please use it to add texture to a photo you have, and share the results.
Pick a photo from your hard drive, save my concrete texture so that you can open it up in photoshop. Apply the texture using what you learned about layers, and manipulate it in whatever way fits with the photo. If you have any questions whatsoever, please post them here in the comment section and I will reply.

Larger Version

I know it would be better if I could do my own tutorials but doing so would take time away from my ability to produce what I envision. With that being said, I still want to help you in your pursuit to learn more about the seemingly scary world of photoshop. I have gotten many inquires about how I did something to a particular photo, which sparked my idea of us learning photoshop together. I am no where near being an expert, but I feel it's necessary to share what I have learned with you, so that in the process we can teach one another and offer support. I already have a few topics that I will cover, but I welcome any suggestions or interests you have as well.

With the next installment of "Let's learn photoshop together", I would love to include links to the photos in which you applied your newfound skill (so send them to me!). Especially if you used the concrete texture above. I myself have yet to use it with a photo, so I'll create one as well. This is not meant to be a challenge , and should only interest people who have photoshop (or an equivalent) and are looking to further their knowledge of the program. If you have any friends, bring them too!


Do you think something like this will be helpful to you? Are you interested in playing along?
Any and all comments are welcomed and appreciated.


P.S. The next one will not be nearly as long!!

Moments : Stormy Weather

Today was sticky, rainy, and dreary.....
It's no surprise that I got sidetracked, and......
No excuses....

But I got the urge to work on some new stuff.......
The photo above was one thing I came up with.....
You could say, "It's Fresh"....haha....or not!
I also made an ArtCard and played with it in photoshop.....
I don't like it yet......
So I'll wait before sharing it with you :o)

Anyone have any "Moments" they want to share?

*Orton Effect*

I remembered reading about a technique a few months ago that I was interested in trying out,
I added it to my bookmarks, which is sort of equivalent to the land of the lost.
I'm sure your bookmarks page is overflowing with miscellaneous sites or ideas found while surfing the world wide web.
Sometimes I get so deep into it that I can't even remember what got me started on a search in the first place!

Anyhow, since a lot of people have inquired about tutorials and techniques I have used (since I'm new to photoshop), I figured that I would beat you to the punch and share this effect.


*My favorite of the three*

The above shot was one I just tweaked using filters and your normal adjustments in photoshop.
I quite like the way it turned out.
The extra contrast gave it a dark purple color, which I think in turn added a little more depth to the flower.

The shot below is SOC, straight-out-of-the-camera.


*The SOC shot*

The SOC shot is not entirely dull,
but I felt like it was lacking something to give it a little more pizazz.
(yeah, I used the word pizazz!)



*With the Orton Effect*


The photo above is a result of the "Orton Effect", which is easy enough for anyone to do.
My monitor here at work is not portraying the photo as it did on my laptop,
the colors seem a bit off, and a little too bright (this monitor may need some calibrating).
But I liked the effect last night....
This sort of effect won't look good with all shots, but if you would like to give it a try
here is the link to the place where I found a quick photo tutorial.


Let me know what you think, if you use the effect and post a photo, I would love to see :o)