29 Oct 14. We'll harken back to the days of yore when you were required to actually put out in class to earn that "C" grade. When that was what 70% of the class actually earned and it took some effort to do so. Back in the days when you thought you really had mastered something only to have the instructor say something along the lines of " . . . . have you ever thought of doing . . . ." I think those days followed me all the way through graduate school and are still around to haunt me. After working many months trying to achieve what I felt was a fairly decent approach to working up these images, I was confronted earlier this week with yet a different way, and I might suggest simpler way, of achieving the same or even better result. So for today I'm providing a stacked image showing the results of doing things two ways, the new way above and my old way below. Your job is to tell me which you like better. I've worked very carefully to keep the images basically the same, but the means of achieving such were very different. The top image is comprised of three layers total while the bottom one has 6; the first three layers in each version are identical. Now here is what I did. My "tried and true" approach has been to start with the background layer (the original image), add a gradient map in black in white, and then a curves layer which is used to set both the black and white points to maximize contrast. That is the first three layers. Then I run a color zone routine to adjust each color individually, followed by a clarity enhancement layer of my choosing, then a layer, if needed, to adjust overall contrast. [ I make the b&w + creative versions from this, but they don't count for this discussion. ] The new approach uses just the first three steps, but sets the blending mode of the third layer to luminosity. The second and third layers in this approach could be joined into a single layer and the result would be the same. Look carefully at the two images as the differences are subtle, but the work required is more than doubled between the two. Much more can be easily accomplished in the new approach, giving even more control for the outcome, and it can be done in two steps by incorporating third party plug-ins such as Black ad White Effects 2 or Silver Efex Pro 2. But for today, to keep the playing field level, I've not used either of those plug-in even though I have them available. Nikon D300s; 18 - 200; Aperture Priority; ISO 200;1/320 sec @ f /14.
30 Oct 14 . Those of you who have been on this mailing list for a period of time know that my favorite creative plug-in for any of several graphics editing programs is from Redfield and called Fractalius. It has been around for quite a while, just keeps getting better and better, now at ver 2.x with 64 bit support, but isn't available for the mac platform. This has seemingly been a big disappointment for all the mac users on this list as well as for those in several different photo clubs. A couple months back I wrote about a new plug-in I was beta testing and shared an image I had made with it before I could tell you fully about it. That plugin - Impressions - was just updated and if you bought it previously, you should get the free update to it that was released yesterday. You can find it here. I am now working on another product that is in beta stage which will work under both windows and mac platforms that will provide all the effects of Fractalius and literally dozens more. My guess is that it will hit the streets by turkey day and for an initial period of time, likely a month but I'm just guessing, and probably be under $50 for that period of time. Again, that's just a guess, but a somewhat educated one. The image for today's Theatrical Thursday has been created using this piece of beta software. I've selected an effect to mimic one of those from Fractalius for comparison. Both of these two programs, Fractalius and the new piece in beta test, offer literally unlimited variations of their effects, so incorporating the use of either plugin in your work can lead to very long image rendering times, simply because it is hard to decide exactly which effect you like the best! I will keep you updated on the product and let you know the day it is released, where to get it, and the cost. I will share today's image of one of Jan's many blooming orchids again tomorrow for Macro Friday in a pure form, so hold onto it for one day so you can make comparisons. Nikon D300s, 18 - 200; Aperture Priority; ISO 200; 1/20 sec @ f / 6.3 on a tripod in the studio.
Halloween. Today we look at the original from which came yesterday's creative venue. This is one of the many orchids presently blooming in Jan's plant room, a 200 sq ft enclosed and heated section of the wrap around deck that surrounds two sides of the house. I would happily tell you the name of this particular orchid but the totality of info on the card that came with it says "orchid instructions"; at least it is a pretty card. All of her orchids are cast offs that she either picks up on the cast off sale stands or are given to her by a friend who gets them as part of a weekly didn't sell give away from a local merchant. Her collection exceeds 25 of these castaways. We have a half dozen or so of them blooming almost year round so I can shoot them almost any time I want, but as I don't feel like I do them justice, I seldom even try. This was just a lucky shot I made a couple of days back. I took the plant up into the studio and shot it against a black velvet drop under room light. The sun had been intermittently showing and I was hoping for some nice filtered sun light, but all I got was the light coming in from an overcast sky plus my overhead LED room lights, hence the slight warming you can see in the petals. The mixed light is what gives the petals the different colors albeit it a subtle difference, but now that I've brought it to your attention I'm rather certain you will notice it. I've done two things to this image, neither of which should be apparent, but they were to clone out a few very faint but distracting branches and ever so slightly increased the yellow of the petals. Otherwise, this is right out of camera. Nikon D300s; 18 - 200; Aperture Priority; ISO 200; 1/20 sec @ f / 6.3 on a tripod.
![29 Oct 14. We'll harken back to the days of yore when you were required to actually put out in class to earn that "C" grade. When that was what 70% of the class actually earned and it took some effort to do so. Back in the days when you thought you really had mastered something only to have the instructor say something along the lines of " . . . . have you ever thought of doing . . . ." I think those days followed me all the way through graduate school and are still around to haunt me. After working many months trying to achieve what I felt was a fairly decent approach to working up these images, I was confronted earlier this week with yet a different way, and I might suggest simpler way, of achieving the same or even better result. So for today I'm providing a stacked image showing the results of doing things two ways, the new way above and my old way below. Your job is to tell me which you like better. I've worked very carefully to keep the images basically the same, but the means of achieving such were very different. The top image is comprised of three layers total while the bottom one has 6; the first three layers in each version are identical. Now here is what I did. My "tried and true" approach has been to start with the background layer (the original image), add a gradient map in black in white, and then a curves layer which is used to set both the black and white points to maximize contrast. That is the first three layers. Then I run a color zone routine to adjust each color individually, followed by a clarity enhancement layer of my choosing, then a layer, if needed, to adjust overall contrast. [ I make the b&w + creative versions from this, but they don't count for this discussion. ] The new approach uses just the first three steps, but sets the blending mode of the third layer to luminosity. The second and third layers in this approach could be joined into a single layer and the result would be the same. Look carefully at the two images as the differences are subtle, but the work required is more than doubled between the two. Much more can be easily accomplished in the new approach, giving even more control for the outcome, and it can be done in two steps by incorporating third party plug-ins such as Black ad White Effects 2 or Silver Efex Pro 2. But for today, to keep the playing field level, I've not used either of those plug-in even though I have them available. Nikon D300s; 18 - 200; Aperture Priority; ISO 200;1/320 sec @ f /14.](https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-9rLsmSp/0/L/i-9rLsmSp-L.jpg)
