Caution: these are not paintings, they are photos I've taken.
The worst spring/summer with NO rain - literally, but it afforded this great fall:
The worst spring/summer with NO rain - literally, but it afforded this great fall:
"A Boy, His Dog and the Angles"
For the http://thepioneerwoman.com/photography/, I created this design. On a regular basis, Ree sets up photography challenges which are always quite challenging and so interesting. She supplied the photo of her boy & his dog fast asleep in a field of grass and challenged viewers to edit in whatever way they can envision. With some 20,000 people responding, it is challenging to come up with some interestingly different edit. I like to stimulate my design capabilities, my photoshop skills, color complements, etc. so I'm now a "fanatic" of these. One can see all the submissions on Flickr, so it's quite interesting to see so many different, innovative creations. Haven't seen any like this one, although there are some really delightful creations.
From the original, here's how I did it in brief: Using radial blur on bg,- many layers-Can you count how many? ans. below- reduced to different sizes and turned at several angles, then added the reclining figures and gave them a neon glow.
Just loved this result. Kind of ethereal... Was fun to put the angles at different opposing positions to create a new bg. Interesting that each angle originally was the bg of the orig. photo. Can't recognize them as such, can you? The neon glow to boy and dog just gave the punch needed to counterpoint the angle design. All done in Photoshop. Puts these two sleeping buddies right there in the other dimension of angels.
Below, two others that I submitted; can submit one per day only during any of the open challenges. First one, "Three boys sleeping wiith their favorite dog." Could this ever happen IRL? 3 boys sleeping exactly alike? Looks like it to me. Pix don't lie! Well, at least, til Photoshop. The original had only one boy in it.
And second one, "Pure Dreamland" or "The Inverted Friendship" (note the colors are the exact complements of the original photo. That's the inverted technique along with a Gaussian blur on the bg.)
ans. 10.
Just loved this result. Kind of ethereal... Was fun to put the angles at different opposing positions to create a new bg. Interesting that each angle originally was the bg of the orig. photo. Can't recognize them as such, can you? The neon glow to boy and dog just gave the punch needed to counterpoint the angle design. All done in Photoshop. Puts these two sleeping buddies right there in the other dimension of angels.
Below, two others that I submitted; can submit one per day only during any of the open challenges. First one, "Three boys sleeping wiith their favorite dog." Could this ever happen IRL? 3 boys sleeping exactly alike? Looks like it to me. Pix don't lie! Well, at least, til Photoshop. The original had only one boy in it.
And second one, "Pure Dreamland" or "The Inverted Friendship" (note the colors are the exact complements of the original photo. That's the inverted technique along with a Gaussian blur on the bg.)
ans. 10.
Room with a View...and
on the road in southern New Hampshire...
Wanted to share some winter scenes that I was fortunate to capture. These first two are scenes from our kitchen. These sunset/sunrises were just beautiful in the delicious pinks/mauves and the reflection on the cloud formation. We've had some really striking "-sets". The colors are such a fleeting but perfect complement to the snow scene. Trouble is to capture something like this, your camera has to be at the ready. The color lasts for only short minutes. We had about 15" on the ground from several snow storms. Since temps ran steadily in the 20's, none melts. And look at the unusual lines and shape of this apple tree against the formations of clouds in the sky in Hollis. Amazingly beautiful!
Below, I've added two shots with a great contrast of colors and a stunningly colored sky. Think we have Windsor Blue/to red side and Cereulan. One blue-warm, one blue-cool, makes a striking contast. God knows how to choose the blues for the best effect.
Interesting to note that one of the doors in this house below is also blue. If I decide to paint this scene, won't have to do much to create a composition. It's all here. Even a rock wall for contrast texture.
Do Ctrl+ on photos to enlarge and see detail.
PHOTOSHOP
As much as I can I'm learning how to use Adobe Photoshop by studying, using, and getting tips online. Below, after taking the macro photo of this peony in our garden, is one that I used about 5 functions to get this finished enhanced beauty. This is more than brightening or contrasting
It is giving special effects like a border of complementary color, blurring background to give center of interest, etc.
Nature is BEAUTIFUL, MAGNIFICENT!
Here is an effect done in Photoshop -
Addition of a border, then layer, mask, gaussain blur, and erasure.
Oolah, enhancing the beauty of this magnificent single peony
which has blooms about 10" in diameter.
Apple Blossoms w/"cutout" bg
Love the cleanness and freshness of this early spring flower!
Promises of many fruits. Love the sunlight and shadows.
The Crabapple Fruit from blossom above
to make the 3 apples the focus of this scene.
Backyard Daisy
w/morning raindrops aligned symmetrically on petals
and a surprising vortex pattern center.
Berries that were loaded on this tree photoshop bg.
GERBERA Daisy-love the shadows and color
The centers are absolutely amazing when one studies them.
Another GERBERA Daisy in gold
The Wind Spinner Rainbow
Autumn Oak Leaves
Love the depth the sunlight, shadows and direction of shot create.
Different Autumn Leaves.
Looks like some kind of maple. These grace Olive Garden in Tyngsboro, MA.
Love the pink juxtaposed to the grays.
The Pink Lily after the rain - So perfect.
Love the shadows the petals, stamens and pistils create.
Created a cut-out bg in Photoshop. Love this effect.
Great counterpoint to the naturalness of the flower.
