A Return to some Previous Images

Well it has been a while since I have updated my blog and  I thought it was about time I got my finger out and added a few new posts.

In this post I return to the images in the previous post. Rarely do my images stay the same, over time those with potential often morph into something new. Here are two which may look familiar, but have a new twist.

 

A Frozen Whipsnade

Yesterday, just before the snow arrived I travelled up to Whipsnade Zoo. Most of the zoo animals were keeping warm inside so I turned my attention to some passing wild birds who used the frozen ponds, where the ice had been broken, as a convenient stopping off point.

 

 

 

Then there were a few birds in cages, they may not be wild but they do provide a good opportunity to practise bird photography.

 

 And finally the landscape. One of the plus points of Whipsnade are the opportunities for much more than animal photography. It's large expanse allows many different types of landscape picture taking.

IN THE ROUND 2

I have continued to experiment with the polar coordinates, which from now on will be referred to as PC, and have produced several more versions. The first, called the High Seas, was created using an image taken on a trip to Hastings in 2009. Before I used the PC filter I edited to increase the contrast and burned in some of the birds so they would stand out. Once the process was complete I rotated so that the boat was in the position I wanted.

The second was created using an image taken two days ago whilst experimenting with my new IR filter, not much success at the moment, but at least I think I am beginning to understand where I might be going wrong. Anyway I got one decent image which I cropped into the letterbox format and realised that it might make a pleasing PC image.

IN THE ROUND

I enjoy exploring the possibilities of Photoshop and creating an image from a photograph. I always try and start with a technically good photograph. I think it is a mistake to think that using a Photoshop filter can rescue a poor image.

Today I have been using the polar coordinates filter under distort. In all of these images I added a Fractilius effect and used layers to create the image I had in my head.

This image started off as a picture of three trees which are in a straight line,  I have used them several times in different photographs, they are a 5 minute walk from my house.

This picture is a combination of two images, the tree was positioned below the horizon on which the people and the dogs were so that the trunk disappears into the centre of the circle.

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Finally an image created in the same way, but then cut in half to create a different image. Also you will notice that the people and the tree are inside the circle, rather than on the outside. This is dependant on the image you start with, you simply flip the image vertically to create the different effect, and no they are not the same people as in image two!

I hope you enjoyed looking at these and that you are inspired to try some for yourself. One tip if you are going to try this, look at the edges of your image before you add the filter. When the image is bent to create the circle the edges come together, if they are not similar you will get an odd joined effect in the middle.

MISTY TREES

I took this back in November, during a weekend away in Leicestershire. I have been keen to catch some misty/foggy pictures for sometime but have never been in the right place at the right time, or should I say I couldn't be bothered to get up early enough!!! Anyway this was the first of the snowy weather and when I looked out of the window I knew this was an opportunity I could not miss and quickly dashed outside, once I had dressed of course!

Apart from cropping to create a vertical letterbox shape, I am sure there is a proper name for this format but I don't know what it is, and a small amount of sharpening this is as taken. I must admit I am pleased with it as a first misty pic attempt but think it might need a bit more impact, perhaps one of my landscape expert followers might be able to give me some tips for improvement.

This one was taken a few minutes later and obviously has been given a very different treatment. I have never been successful with mono landscape pictures but I do think this one works, maybe because it was almost mono in the first place and the high contrast treatment seems to suit it. I am not convinced I have done the conversion as well as I could have and the compression for jpeg has not done it any favours, however it may well be one one I will return to and possibly even print for the club mono landscape competition later in the year.