This image 
was shot at midday and the light was horrible. So I decided to run with it and grunge it up as much as possible. I used the vintage film effects in Nik Color Efex Pro and then took it into Topaz Texture Efects where believe it or not the Oceanside Glaze preset was perfect for the look I wanted. Then back to Nik for a funky border. I have to say I really like it!
Category Archives: Art
Day 72 – Tree Abstract
I love explor
ing that never never land where art meets photogaphy. And this image is a great example. It started with a tree that I shot at low ISO and slow shutter speed while deliberately moving the camera. That gave me the nice light streaks. Then I took it into Photoshop and increased the saturation. Then I took it into Topaz Texture Effects and just started looking for a look I liked. Then I drilled down and started messing with the textures and light leaks and finally came up with this image that I love. You can still see the tree in there somewhere and the texture I chose gives a hit of a forest. The light leak suggests sunbeams streaming through but I took the opacity down to make it subtle. I would definitely hang this one on my wall!
Day 68 – Hometown Mural
I don’t know if this mural is new or I just never noticed it before. It shows the original use of what is now a coffee shop in my hometown. The artist is Simon Whiteowl. He reproduced this from photographs thought to be taken between 1925 and 1935. I had to cut off a little on the edges because of a perspective issue and a slightly different aspect ratio. I also added saturation and a little center lighting. The tree branches in the upper right are not part of the mural.
Day 67 – Mission Window
I have a lot of material to edit and process. Over 1400 images according to Lightroom. Of course some will need to go. I can’t say I am really in the mood for it today. Trying to rest and regroup. I hope next week I will be able to put a little more heart into photography. For now this image from San Juan Batista Mission cried out for a black and white treatment with high contrast to bring out the texture in the stucco walls. I like the center placement of the window as it is set off by the horizontal lines.
Day 65 – Mural
So, yesterday I drove like mad and never got the camera out so I had to come up with something from the previous day. This is a mural in the funk zone in Santa Barbara. I just liked all the colors and lines. I don’t think I even recognized it as a figure until after I saw it on the computer. I always hesitate a little when photographing someone else’s art. In this case I have a bush, a light and some shadows that make it mine.
Day 64 – Bicycle
I’m being plagued by a slow wifi connection but trying to get this image posted. It is actually a bicycle and it’s shadow, not two bicycles. Or really no bicycle at all, just an art piece being used as a sign at a bike shop in Santa Barbara.