Cuppa's birthday week has concluded, except for the finishing of the birthday cake and the enjoyment of gifts and memories. Yesterday was the actual birthday, and it was another fine day. The weather cooperated rather wonderfully in the last few days; we didn't have to bundle up very much and were able to enjoy spring, which was very much in the air.
I will leave most of the telling to her, but I would like to share these two photos with you to illustrate one of my interests — working with photographs. They are actually the same picture: the rectory of the big Catholic church in Pakenham. The first version (above) is the adjusted version. I have also included the original (below).
I rather enjoy adjusting a photo to the way that I would like it to look. Yesterday was somewhat cloudy, but I think the adjusted version has a bright and sunny look to it, which is what I wanted to achieve in this photo. Sometimes, a few little tweaks can improve a photo quite a lot; at other times, improvements are more difficult to attain. In most cases, I don't want to alter the photo drastically by doing impressionistic and avant-garde modifications, but I do find that most photos can be improved a little, even if only by moderate cropping, which is part of what I did to this photo.
I'm just learning about cropping, shading, etc. a little at a time.
ReplyDeleteI've enjoyed your blog and had to wade in on the photo thing. I'm 60 and am so challenged by the digital world. Without my husband's help I'd still be wrestling with stone and chisels, but he's terrific. I was about to delete a so-so pix I took in Arizona and he suggested I play around with it in ACDSee and Zowie! - What fun! I agree about avant-garde efforts, but this otherwise dull daytime photo became very effective and is now one of my favorite pixes of the trip. Check it out at : http://lookingup1.blogspot.com/2006/03/mission-xavier-del-bac.html (Hope I did this correctly:0) Cathy
ReplyDeleteLovely indeed! Great job there...wonderful what can be done with computers these days!
ReplyDeleteI too love playing with my photo software. I must say.. I am very impressed with the sunny disposition you have given the adjusted photo. Good job!
ReplyDeleteI learned last night how "movement" in a PowerPoint presentation improves the perception of a photo - a slight and gradual zoom in or out. One example I witnessed was of a piece of art hanging in a room. The "camera" would pan around the wall and up to the piece of art. It gave the viewer a perspective you just wouldn't get staring at the piece straight-on. This approach, too, does not alter the piece, but simply adds perspective.
ReplyDeleteI like what you did with the photo - simple, understated and yet so effective.
Very cool how you changed the photo. I like your "doctored" version much better.
ReplyDeleteWow, that white became so crisp and bright! Very cool. Wish I had a "life" version of photoshop for some of my days. :)
ReplyDeleteWow! Second time's the charm! Someday I'm a-gonna learn me some Photoshop...
ReplyDeleteFor me, the focal point were all the cracks in the walkway - they are quite pleasant. I'd like a closer look.
ReplyDeleteOh, very impressive! I too like cropping, but am not so good at other features. I never seem to be able to adjust it right, or indeed to know what I'm aiming for. My husband manages much better than I do.
ReplyDeleteI was just thinking how when I was a child there was a phrase: 'The camera never lies'. Pretty laughable these days, when we can make photos say whatever we want them to say with a bit of digital adjustment!
A good ole southern expression seems to fit well here - ya done good! ec
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