Exploring With A Camera ~ Editing Blur

 

It’s time again for Kat from Kat Eye Studio and her Exploring With A Camera. This month we are continuing the exploration of blur. Last month we used our camera to create the artistic blur, this month we’re using post-processing. Artist Blur, as Kat states, "is, at some level, about imperfection.” Imperfection, I like that. Not every image has to be absolutely 100% in focus or perfect to be beautiful. I rarely use post-processing other than adding contrast, cropping, adjusting light, and sometimes adding a very subtle vignette (blurring) around the edges. It’s not that I don’t like post-proccessed images. I do! I’m fascinated with the beautiful images that can be created. My style of photography is just different.

 

This exploration has me stretching and learning a little about  using software to edit images. I have Picasa and I've used PicMonkey. Another thing that hinders my post-processing is that I only have a laptop. I’m never quite sure what the photo looks like. You know how it is, push the screen back and it gets darker, pull it forward and it lightens up. For all I know my images may be really dark or really light!

 

Now on to the exploration. This image of a covered bridge in one of our city parks was taken on a fairly bright day. In post-processing, I wanted to blur the background and foreground, letting the eye focus on the bridge. In PicMonkey I added a Kim Klassen texture “Dream It” and a PicMonkey texture “metal screen.” I erased the texture on the actual bridge leaving the background and foreground blurred.

 

 

 

This image was taken in the fog. I once again went to PicMonkey and used a Kim Klassen texture called “painterly." I like the color it added to the background. I think it added a touch of mystery.

 

 

 

The blur on this flower was created in Picasa. First, I added a little contrast and color boost. Then, I used the focal zoom feature to add blur, erasing the blur on the flower center. Lastly, I added glow and a soft vignette.

 

 

Kat has a beautiful image of trees that she showed for one of her examples using mutiple images. I just had to try this one. I took three consecutive images a few seconds apart. The wind was blowing so the clouds and trees were moving. In Picasa I stacked the three photos on top of each other creating this image with a blurred look. I then added a little softness, darkened it a little, and added a vignette edge.

 

 

 

I liked stacking photos so much, I went into my archives and picked two different images and stacked those. One is of trees that I had blurred by moving my camera and the other is a shot of a sycamore seedpod.

 

Thanks, Kat, for another challenging, yet fun, Exploring With a Camera. I can definitely see why post-editing could get addicting.

I just read that Kat will be discontinuing her Exploring With A Camera series. While I will truly miss her explorations, I understand that sometimes changes need to be made.  I cannot even begin to tell you how much these explorations have taught me! Thank you, Kat, from the bottom of my heart!  She  will still be sharing her talent and knowledge on her web site and through her fantastic courses! 

Exploring With a Camera ~ Artistic Blur

This has been the most inspiring and fun photography week that I've had in a while!  I've been getting outside and trying new things as I photograph nature. If you have a minute and haven't already seen my last post, I'd love to have you read about the fun I had shooting Nature and Water Abstracts. I mentioned in that post that Kat at Kat Eye Studio had been one of the inspirations for the project. She has been using her iPhone apps to creative images with artistic blur. In this month's Exploring With A Camera she has challenged us to shoot blurry photos. You read that right, blurry!!  Blurry is not always bad, it can lead to some amazing photos. It's like painting with a camera.

 

There are several ways to achieve blur; looking through something, out of focus shots, camera movement, or  reflections. All of these photos are pretty much straight out of the camera. I did adjust the contrast a little and did some cropping. Next month Kat is going to show us how to use some post-editing to achieve artist blur.

I thought it would be fun to try several of Kat's suggestions. I started with LOOKING THROUGH something. I found there are lots of ways to do this.

 

This image was taken looking through water. The white squiggly lines are the sun's reflection.

Looking through fog creates a mysterious blur.

 

I even taped a piece of plastic over the lens and took this picture of silk flowers. I liked the soft look it gave them! 

This one is one of my favorites. I'll try to explain how I took it. I am looking through the blades of a whirling windmill. I  overexposed this to get the washed out look. I was quite surprised at the image it created.

Next, I tried taking a photo slightly out of focus.

This was the hardest one to create!  It was hard to not cross the line and be too out of focus or look like a blurry mistake! I do like all the pretty bokeh it created!

 

Long shutter speeds and camera movement is also another way to get blur, but it's a little tricky, too. Too little movement and it just looks like a bad photo; too much and it's a mess.

On this one I tried to focus on the gumball and slightly rotate the camera. I never got the image I wanted. I wanted the gumball a little more in focus, but I just couldn't get it!

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One evening this week we had the most gorgeous sunset. The lower part of the sky looked like it was on fire!  To obtain the blur, I barely moved the camera in an up motion.

I used the same procedure here only I moved the camera slightly to the right. I was surprised when I ran across this dandelion blooming in the middle of winter!

And lastly, reflections in water make beautiful artistic blur.

I focused on the reflection, leaving real life completely out of the picture. I rotated this image, it's actually upside down.

 

It was a fun learning experience and one I'll be repeating more often. I'm a little addicted to this!!

 

 

 

There's still plenty of time for you hop over to Kat's blog, read her artistic blur post, grab your camera, and give it a try. If you do, please be sure to link up to her post so we all can enjoy your images!

Exploring With A Camera ~ Chiaroscuro

 

The exploration with Kat at Kat Eye View this month was a little difficult for me. We explored Chiaroscuro in photography. For one thing you can't just set up something and shoot it. You have to wait for the light to be just right. Chiaroscuro is a study of contrasted light and shadow created by light falling unevenly or from a particular direction on something. Kat gives a wonderful definition of this type of photography and has some great photo examples on her web site above.

 

Here's what I came up with...

The morning sun illuminated this bench which was sitting in the shade of a tree creating shadows with a dramatic feel.

I used a flashlight to illuminate the shell in a darkened room.

I love the light coming through the window shining on my youngest grandson. Of course, this is my absolute favorite!

 

 

The light and shadows creates a feeling of  quiet and peacefulness in this church.

Here, light filtering through the forest illuminated the spider web. I read something about spiders this week. Did you know they weave with two types of silks; one that is sticky to capture their prey and one that is not sticky so they can move about their web without getting caught in their own web!  I've never really thought about how a spider climbs about it's own web! 

 

This was an interesting challenge that took some thought. It's a reminder how the different uses of light can change an image.

 

"Find beauty not only in the thing itself but in the pattern of the shadows,

the light and dark which that thing provides."

- Junichiro Tanizaki

Exploring With A Camera ~ Allowing Space

In Kat's Exploring With The Camera this month we've been looking at space. Creative space that we purposely allowed to enhance the object of the photo.  I discovered that finding space in my photos was a little difficult! I love to fill the frame and get up close so I can see every tiny detail. I tend to do that even when I'm not shooting in macro. With a little perseverence I managed to come up with a few.

 

Space in a photo can be used as a backdrop. The space around the object doesn't have to be a solid color. It can have textures and colors such as this hay around the pumpkin. The hay creates an interesting background.

 

 

 

 

Space can also be used to frame the object. The interesting brick wall not only surrounds the window, but it helps tell the story of where and how old the window might be. A little piece of history about this window, it is in a house that was built in 1852.

 

 

 

 

In macro photography it's essential that you beware of the background. If the background is too busy, it's hard to see the object and it's details. A soft, blurred background lets you focus completed on the dried berry.

 

 

 

 

 

The use of a neutral background can balance th busy details of the gumball. I picked the gumball up and placed it on a piece of wood for this photo. If I had left it on the ground you would have been distracted by the rocks, sand, dried leaves, and sticks.

 

 

 

 

 

Contrast between the object and the space around it can help the viewer focus in on the subject. This time I took advantage of nature's on contrast and left space around the fuzzy thingy. I started just to post that I didn't know what it was, but then decided to Google it!  These fuzzy objects are oak galls caused by tiny wasps.  The wasps secrete chemicals that cause the plant to create the gall as a home for the developing larvae, which grow tucked safe inside the gall structure. The developing insects eat plant tissue on the inside of the gall. I'm not so sure I wanted to know that I was messing with a wasp creation!

 

Let's go back to the use of space!!  The space in this photo is not only blurred so the flowers stand out, but there is also a good contrast between the flowers and the background. The combination of those two factors make the viewers eyes go immediately to the flowers.

 

 

 

 

 

It's also nice to have space around the subject if you want add text!

 

 

Once again I am reminded to take a step back, look at the larger picture, and see if I can enhance the subject with allowed space.

 

Exploring With A Camera ~ Repetition

 

As I get older I find myself repeating things!  Sometimes I have to just ask, "have I told you this before?"  It can be boring when you hear the same thing over and over again! Repetition can be irritating, like a song that repeats over and over in your mind! Repetition can be annoying and frustrating; it can build stress. 

What about repetition in photography?   Is it boring, irritating or annoying? No!  Is it a good thing?  Yes, it is!  Let me just quote what Kat says about repetition. She explains it so well in her latest Exploring With A Camera discussion which focuses on repeating elements.  Kat says, "Effective repetition is not just about repeating objects, but any design element like object, shape, color, line, form, light and even information, that helps create a cohesive whole in our photographs."

Here's a few examples of repetition in my photography.

repeating objects

repeating shapes like these hearts

These were drawn on the wall of an old mill.

Thankfully they were drawn in chalk and could be erased!

repeating color

This is one of those images you have to study to see what's going on! I loved it from the moment I took it. I love it for the white that is repeating several times. I'll try to explain what you're seeing. I'm looking through a window that is reflecting part of a white sign, a white column, and white houses (although I really wish the houses weren't there!) As you look into the window you see a window on the opposite wall that is white and that has a white candle sitting on the ledge. It just turned out cool to me! I think if all these things had been different colors, the image wouldn't have captured my attention.

repeating lines and objects

repeating forms or shapes

This one has multiple repeating elements:
light, color, and shape.

Visit Kat at Kat Eye Studio, check out her discussion on repetition and then click on the links below her post to see other examples of repetition in photography.

Signs, Signs, and More Signs!!

I often wish that I lived in an area where signs were prohibited. I could just enjoy the beauty of our world  without the view being obstructed by signs. They're like power lines that are so annoying when they get in our photographs!! I'm resigned to the fact that we would be "lost" without signs to guide the way and give us information.

One of the definitions of a sign is "a display (as a lettered board or a configuration of neon tubing) used to identify or advertise a place of business or a product"

This sign advertises the Royal Theater in downtown Benton, Arkansas which has been in constant operation since the 1920’s. In the 1950’s, the owners acquired this neon sign.

Signs can tell you where you are and give your interesting information. I especially love to read the history of old buildings.

I found this collection of signs on the side of an old building in Leslie, Arkansas. You can tell by the signs that there's only a few blocks in the business district of Leslie. The bottom sign has the whole town directory of businesses in one place!

Some of my favorite advertising signs are those painted on buildings like this Coca Cola sign that was also in Leslie. I love the texture that the bricks give to the words. The first wall sign appeared in the U.S. in 1894 - a Coca Cola advertisement painted on the Young & Mays drugstore in Cartersville, Georgia: the hometown of Coca Cola inventor Asa Chandler.

 

 

 

You can find signs that are inspirational or informative.

 

I liked this sign that I discovered on a walking trail along the Arkansas River. The message on each side is in a different language. I couldn't tell you if they were all the same message. I only read English!

 

 

 

I'm always glad when I find informational signs as I visit gardens since I'm not real knowledgeable about flowers.

 

 

Another definition of signs is  "a posted command, warning, or direction"

It amazes me that we have to be told to stay off the grass and on the path! 

This sign with it's command thrilled my four grandsons. We were at a train museum in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. Trust me, this old train bell rang many, many times.

The signs in this very large cemetery were low to the ground, directing you to the area you want, but not cluttering the otherwise beautiful cemetery.

First, before I show this sign, please understand that I have the deepest respect for cemeteries. They are places of beauty and reverence.  This sign is near the small community of Needmore, Arkansas. I really think maybe they could have named their cemetery a little something different. I just can't help it, every time I see this sign I want to laugh. My husband says I have a weird since of humor!  Do you see the humor here?

I promise this is the last sign! This sign has a story behind it. When our daughter was born in 1976, my best friend brought us dinner a few days after we came home from the hospital. She brought us roast beef sandwiches from the newly opened Arby's in Benton, Arkansas. When I drive by this sign, I think of that day and how good those sandwiches tasted to us!!

I would rather not have signs all around especially the advertising billboards along the highway! Since we can't live without them though, why not enjoy them through photography!!

I'm linking this to Kat Eye Studio's Exploring With A Camera. Visit Kat's site and see her great sign photos and then visit others who've linked to her site.