When we went out to Bannack Ghost Town, we had a photo contest in the cemetery close to sundown. We had five minutes to take pictures and then choose one to submit as we got back on the bus.
My camera was dead so I pulled out my phone and just focused on composing a good shot. Here is what I got and ended up winning with:
Using the scan art I did a couple weeks ago, I created the following large poster:
Details
Using Photoshop clipping masks, you can create displays for your art work. The black squares are vector squares all on the same layer (if you want to display multiple images, use multiple layers). I also chose to place slight drop shadow on each of the rectangles.
Template
I placed the picture below over the top of the rectangles I created and then on the layers pallet, I chose the image layer and elected to create a clipping mask.
Jump
And the result is . . .
Final Product
Really the options are endless. You can use the same process to insert an image into text or other shapes. Below, I used the concept of a barcode to create a display template:
Barcode Template
Then I chose my image:
Light Swirls
Create the clipping mask and:
Final Product Two
Presto! Creative Display Templates.
FYI
The tracking information for the images I used in this post can be found here and here.
Oh the fun things you can do with light at night!
Noah's Ark
At the dollar star, I found some batter-powered glow sticks that I used to create this shot. In the absence of a tripod, I used the grill in our backyard as the designated camera holder. I used a timer as well to avoid any shaken image syndrome. In post production, I did lower the blacks a little which dropped out the silhouette of my legs in the background (For tracking information see below).
Main and Second
This picture was a lot of fun to create. I stood on the corner of Main and Second East in Rexburg. I turned up the shutter speed to four seconds, clicked shoot and started to dance.
Streaks and Stars
I used the top of my car to create the reflected streak on top of the car.
Chinese New Year
Again, I started on the corner of Second East and Main. If you look closely you can make out the Walgreen’s pharmacy logo. For this one, instead of focusing on the lights on the street level, I angled up, including more of the stoplights and signage (like McDonald’s in the far distance and the big red lights of Walgreen’s logo).
Benched
This scene and the following one were both taken in our backyard. I set the camera up to take a 15 second exposure. I had a flashlight in my hand to ‘paint’ what I wanted exposed. I simply used my hand to block direct light from catching the camera (it was easy to use content aware to take out the two instances that did happen).
Quixote's Bench
Noah’s Ark
June 11, 2011 at 10:57 p.m. Our backyard, Rexburg, Idaho
F/8.0 SHUTTER: 15 seconds ISO 200
Main and Second
June 10, 2011, 10:17 p.m. on the Southeast corner of Main Street and Second East in Rexburg, Idaho.
F/8.0 SHUTTER: 4 seconds ISO 100
Streaks and Stars
June 10, 2011, 10:01 p.m. South Second East, Rexburg, Idaho
F/8.0 SHUTTER: 2.5 seconds ISO 100
Chinese New Year
June 10, 2011, 10:18 p.m. at the South East Corner of Main Street and Second East, Rexburg, Idaho.
F/8.0 SHUTTER: 4 seconds ISO: 100
Benched
June 10, 2011, 10:50 p.m. in our backyard, Rexburg, Idaho
F/8.0 SHUTTER: 15 seconds ISO 100
Quixote’s Bench
June 10, 2011, 10:50 p.m. in our backyard, Rexburg, Idaho
F/8.0 SHUTTER: 15 seconds ISO 100
Bannack
May 25, 2011; 4:28 PM; Bannack, MT;
F/4.0 SHUTTER: 1/500 ISO: 80 Canon Powershot SX120 IS
Family Night
May 22, 2011; 7:22 PM Rexburg, Idaho
F/3.5 SHUTTER: 1/1600 ISO: 100 Canon Powershot SX120 IS
Eagle in Swan Valley
May 14, 2011; 9:16 AM, Swan Valley, Idaho
F/4.3 SHUTTER: 1/200 ISO: 200 Canon Powershot SX120 IS
Bannack One
Process:
I added a paint daub filter to the image before clearing the image and ‘history brushing’ hte image back in. I used mainly a 90 percent opacity on a heavily speckled brush. For the final black border I increased the canvas size by 5 percent while keeping the image centered.
Bannack Two
Process:
I cleared the image and using the history brush I brought back what you see. I used a small brush with only three or four dots and small strokes to create the lined effect. Add a little typography (‘Permanent Marker’ from Google’s Web Font Directory) and you got a Van Gough inspired effect.
Process:
I began with duplicating the pre-edited image. I used a multiply blend on that layer, getting the darker feel. I used a mask to bring back the family. To create the border, I increased the canvas side by 5 percent twice, each time using a different color to expand the canvas, giving it a double border.
Eagle One
Side note on the image:
As I preparing my panorama post a couple weeks back, we were out past Ririe collecting some potential shots. A Bald Eagle swooped in. His nest turned out to be just below the scenic overlook (on highway 26) where we were shooting. I had to commit the unpardonable sin of digital zoom to get this picture. The eagle in this shot is probably 150 yards away.
Process:
I applied the paint daub filter again which was particularly effective in negating some of the side-effects of using digital zoom. Using the marquee tool I selected the part of the image I wanted to use and after refining the edge with a feather effect, I created a new layer and discarded the rest. I applied a black border by expanding the canvas size by 5 percent and applied some text to finish ‘er off.
Eagle Two
Process:
Using the same paint-daub filtered image above, I cleared the image and used a history brush to bring back the image on a black backdrop.
All the images in the post were made with a DELL V313w Scanner-Printer June 5, 2011 in my home.
These are one scan images. The only adjustment made to any of the images was to increase the blacks slightly.
Autobiographical Scan: Mission Collage
Autobiographical Scan: The High School Years
I took two different scans and blended them together in Photoshop using a simple mask:
Part One: Stripes
Part Two: Stars
For this one I used a different section of the flag, which required a little more touch up (i.e. Filling in the clip-hole)
Stars and Stripes Forever
Part Two: Stars--Variation
Stars and Stripes--Two
You guessed it, three scans combined into one image:
I combined two images with a simple mask and then the third I applied with a soft light blending mode in Photoshop. To add a little depth, I added a hard light drop shadow to the pennies.
Part One: Stripes
Part Two: Stars--Variation
Part Three: Pennies
Final Product: "National Debt"
What do you get when you blend a desk, broken bottle and mossy stone together? I’ll show you . . .
Original
Texture One: Mossy Stone
Texture Two: Desk Lines
I applied a black and white filter to Desk Lines and the Original. I also used a mask and opacity levels to balance out the textures (especially the moss). The result is a rugged rustic photograph:
Finished Product
Photography Notes:
Original
Bannack, MT; May 25, 2011, 3:40 p.m.
F/3.5 SHUTTER: 1/1250 ISO: 400 Canon Powershot SX120IS
Texture One”: Moss
Bannack, MT; May 25, 2011, 3:43 p.m.
F/4.0 SHUTTER: 1/1600 ISO:100 Canon Powershot SX120IS
Texture Two: Desk Lines
Bannack, MT; May 25, 2011, 12:05 p.m.
F/4.0 SHUTTER: 1/60 EXPOSURE: -1 ISO: 160 PowerShot SX120IS
For this exercise. I used spot metering to first focus on a subject in the foreground and then in the second shot focus on a subject in the distance.
Foreground
Background
Reverse Depth
Bannack, MT; May 25, 2011; 1:10 p.m.
F/5.0 (F/6.3) Shutter: 1/1600 ISO:400 Canon Powershot SX120IS
*These shots were taken in shutter priority mode, which is why there is two different apertures.
Ghost Blur
Jump
Splash Down
Ghost Blur
Bannack, MT; May 25, 2011, 12:59 p.m.
F/8.0 SHUTTER: 2″ ISO: 80 Canon Powershot SX120IS
Jump
Bannack, MT; May 25, 2011, 12:36 p.m.
F/3.5 SHUTTER: 1/1600 ISO: 80 Canon Powershot SX120IS
Splash Down
Bannack, MT; May 25, 2011, 12:37 p.m.
F/3.5 SHUTTER: 1/1600 ISO: 80 Canon Powershot SX120IS
Each of these pictures were taken in Manual Mode to create the effect, it was a matter of primarily adjusting the shutter speed to catch (or blur) the action I wanted. Then, I adjusted the aperture to ensure I captured the image in good light. Slight lighting adjustments of exposure and vibrance were made in Camera Raw.
At the Window
Bannack, MT; May 25, 2011 12:13 p.m.
F/3.5 SHUTTER: 1/400 ISO: 400 Canon Powershot SX120IS
Minor adjustments: Using Camera Raw I increased the ‘Blacks’ level slightly. I also applied some filters to the window to bring back some color that was lost in the original shot.
Barbershop Reading
Bannack, MT; May 25, 2011; 12:16 p.m.
F/3.5 SHUTTER: 1/80 ISO: 250 Canon Powershot SX120IS
Minor adjustments: Using Camera Raw I increased the ‘blacks’ level slightly for added contrast.
Laughter
Bannack, Mt; May 25, 2011, 12:12 p.m.
F/4.0 SHUTTER: 1/30 ISO: 200 Canon Powershot SX120IS
Reading with Hat
Bannack, Mt; May 25, 2011, 12:01 p.m.
F/3.5 SHUTTER: 1/125 ISO: 320 Canon Powershot SX120IS
Reading with Cup
Bannack, Mt; May 25, 2011, 12:21 p.m.
F/4.0 SHUTTER: 1/125 ISO: 400 Canon Powershot SX120IS
Original
After
Airbrush
5/22/2011 7:16 p.m.
[Manual] F/4.0 Shutter:1/250 ISO 100 Canon Powershot SX120 IS
I began in Camera Raw making some general adjustments to lighting (increasing blacks and saturation). In Photoshop, I used an airbrush (30 opacity/40 flow) to make specific adjustments to soften the features.
Original
Light Source
After
Match Color
Original Photo: 5/22/2011 8:00 p.m.
[Manual] F/4.5 Shutter: 1/160 ISO 80
Color Source: 5/22/2011 7:16 p.m.
[Manual] F/4.0 Shutter:1/250 ISO 100 Canon Powershot SX120 IS
Using only the Photoshop Match color feature, I used the color from the second photo to create the contrast and lighting in the final image.
Before
After: Color Replacement
Color Replace
5/22/2011 7:17 p.m.
F/3.2 Shutter: 1/1250 ISO 100 Canon Powershot SX120 IS
After making some initial level adjustments in Camera RAW (in particular increasing blacks and slightly increasing saturation), I turned to Photoshop applying some airbrushing to the parents faces to blend some of the strong evening light. Using Photoshop’s replace color, I took the wife’s shirt and replaced the color with a bright purple.
Elizabeth
Mia
Deliberation
Flower Power
Stance
Discovery
Elizabeth
Front Yard at 35 S. 2nd E, Rexburg, Idaho; May 22, 2011, 7:57 p.m.
[Manual] F/3.5 SHUTTER: 1/100 ISO 100 Canon Powershot SX120 IS
Using spot metering and manual settings, I captured the original image. In Camera Raw I increased brought back some of brightness and vibrancy that was there when I took the shot. I also softened some of the lighting on Elizabeth’s face and balanced out the evening shadows that were falling across her face.
In Photoshop I proceeded to spot heal minor blemishes and apply a simple airbursh (30 percent opacity/38 flow) to further soften and even facial colors and features. To adjust specific areas of contrast, I applied a separate layer of black and white paint set with a soft light blending mode. There was also a tooth on the right-hand side of the face that for whatever reason caught a really crazy yellow light and was rather discolored. Using clone stamp and the soft light layer mentioned above, I made some adjustments.
Mia: Head & Shoulders
Front Yard at 35 S. 2nd E, Rexburg, Idaho; May 22, 2011, 7:17 p.m.
[Manual] F/3.5 SHUTTER: 1/1250 ISO 100 Canon Powershot SX120 IS
Being that Mia is ridiculously cute, it didn’t take much by way of adjustments to arrive at it’s current state. Using Camera Raw, I increased the vibrancy and saturation slightly. In photoshop I applied a slight airbursh to smooth features.
Deliberation: Full Body
Front Yard at 35 S. 2nd E, Rexburg, Idaho; May 22, 2011, 7:15 p.m.
[Manual] F/3.5 SHUTTER: 1/640 ISO 100 Canon Powershot SX120 IS
I only made minor adjustments to this photo in Camera Raw. I focused my efforts on getting the right balance of Gaussian blur in Photoshop.
Flower Power:Group Activity
Front Yard at 35 S. 2nd E, Rexburg, Idaho; May 22, 2011, 7:22 p.m.
[Manual] F/3.5 SHUTTER: 1/1600 ISO 100 Canon Powershot SX120 IS
In Camera Raw I increased vibrance and blacks for greater contrast, and made some initial adjustments with the adjustment brush to smooth out some harsh shadows.
In Photoshop, I used a stronger airbrush (50 opacity/38 flow) to further soften hard shadows. I added a gaussian blur to increase Bokeh, which I masked out on the family. I left the some parts of the parents slightly blurred, intending to create a dreamy, ideal feel. It helps keep the focus on the faces and Mia’s joy.
Stance: Group Posed
Front Yard at 35 S. 2nd E, Rexburg, Idaho; May 22, 2011, 7:23 p.m.
[Manual] F/3.5 SHUTTER: 1/1600 ISO 100 Canon Powershot SX120 IS
In Camera Raw I increased the vibrance, blacks and exposure so that when I ran a black and white smart filter over it in Photoshop, it gave me a high contrast. With a light brush, I masked back in some color in most of the picture. I brought Mia’s dress back in full, helping to keep the eyes on the family.
Discovery:Enviromental
Front Yard at 35 S. 2nd E, Rexburg, Idaho; May 22, 2011, 7:21 p.m.
[Manual] F/3.5 SHUTTER: 1/500 ISO 100 Canon Powershot SX120 IS
In Camera Raw I increased contrast and color through increasing vibrancy and blacks. In Photoshop, I airbrushed some of the shadows on Daniel and Mia’s faces. I finished with a Gaussian blur .
Before: Teton River
After- Teton River
Archer Highway crossing the Snake River, Idaho
May 15, 2011 9:05 a.m. F/3.5 SHUTTER: 1/500 ISO: 100 Canon Powershot SX120 IS
Before-Bird
After-Bird
Scenery Lookout Highway 26 between Ririe and Swan Valley, Idaho
May 15, 2011 9:05 a.m. F/4.3 SHUTTER: 1/400 ISO: 200 Canon Powershot SX120 IS
Both of these pictures were edited in Camera Raw. Most of the adjustments I made involved improving the clarity, enhancing contrast through adjusting vibrancy. In making adjustments to the bird, I used an adjustment brush to add lighting to the bird and increased the shadows in the background trees and river.
Triple "L" Ranch
Triple “L” Ranch
May 15, 2011, 9:45 a.m. Triple “L” Ranch, Ririe Area, Idaho
F/8.0 SHUTTER: 1/320 ISO 100 Canon Powershot SX120 IS
I created this panorama using the photo merge feature on Photoshop. I used content aware fill and clone stamp to build out the corners and complete the sky. The grass at the bottom also needed to be reconstructed. No color adjustments were necessary, all the colors were original.
The original photos used to create this shot are posted below:
Before Smart Filter
Stats & Process:
Clarke Building Parking Lot, BYU-Idaho Campus, Rexburg, Idaho; May 5, 2011 7:28 p.m. F/2.8 SHUTTER: 1/400; Exposure Compensation: -1.33 ISO 100 Canon Powershot SX 120 IS
These flowers were in the shadow but with normal light, even at 7 p.m. they were washing out because of their natural vibrancy. I set the exposure compensation deliberately low to bring back the saturation and so forth in post production. In post production, I first used a levels and saturation adjustments bring back the bright yellow in the flowers. After that, I used a smart filter to create a motion blur on the flower. Instead of a radial blur I chose a more direct on blur, giving the sense of rushing the flower. With a mask I enlarged the center to include the entire bell of the flower. To finish up, I returned to the saturation adjustment and with a mask desaturated some of the areas of shadow on the flower, strengthening contrast and fidelity.
After Smart Filter
Before Adjustment Layer
Stats & Process:
Clarke Building Parking Lot, BYU-Idaho Campus, Rexburg, Idaho; May 5, 2011 7:27 p.m. F/2.8 SHUTTER: 1/125; ISO 100 Canon Powershot SX 120 IS
Using purely adjustment layers, I created this more artistically oriented piece. I first used a black and white “yellow filter” adjustment layer. This created a higher contrast between the flower and the surrounding. I then began to mask back in all of the background brick and I deliberately tinged the edges of the flower. For a final touch, I added back in the yellow in the bell of the flower. The whole artisitic idea behind it was to create the feeling of the flower generating its own light and warmth to share with the world around it.
After Adjustment Layer
One: Nubs
Two: Worm
Three: Tulip To Drip
Four: Wormhead
One: Nubs
Temple Grounds, Rexburg Idaho; May 8, 2011 12:35 p.m. F/2.8 (+Macro) SHUTTER: 1/1250. Exposure adjustment -.67 ISO 100. Canon Powershot SX 120 IS
In Photoshop, I adjusted the levels to enhance the contrast to increase the visibility of the budding nubs. The bright orange trunk of the tree was natural and is what attracted me to the shot in the first place.
Two: Worm
Stake Center/Temple Grounds, Rexburg, Idaho; May 8, 2011 12:42 p.m. F/2.8 (+Macro) SHUTTER: 1/250. Exposure adjustment: -.67 ISO 100 Canon Powershot SX 120 IS
With the pitter-patter of rain, long earthworms were everywhere as we walked about the Rexburg Temple. My wife, Elizabeth, was the secondary subject. I used the Macro setting and the largest aperture possible to capture as much detail as possible on the worm. In post processing I balanced the levels some to enliven some of the colors and contrast.
Three: Tulip to Drip
Temple Grounds, Rexburg, Idaho; May 8, 2011 12:39 p.m. F/6.3 Shutter: 1/60 Exposure adjustment: -.67 ISO 100 Canon Powershot SX 120 IS
The night before I had spotted these red-pink tulips as we visited the temple. I returned the next day to grab this picture. The collected rain drops provided additional “target practice.” To compose this shot, I aligned the main flower to cross between two intersecting rule of thirds lines. In post production I boosted the levels to give the pink more of the full color I saw with my natural eye when there.
Four: Wormhead
BYU-Idaho Fourth Stake Center, Rexburg, Idaho; May 8, 2011; 12:45 p.m. F/2.8 (+Macro) SHUTTER: 1/640 Exposure Compensation:-.67 ISO 100 Canon Powershot SX 120 IS
I again adjusted the levels in this picture to maximize the contrast and detail in the worm compared to the hands holding it. The clarity of the water with a slight glimmer of light was an added bonus. The worm provided great practice at focusing on constantly moving target and waiting for the right moment to capture.
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