This will be a short post . . . no, really.
I mentioned before that when I feel “off” and can’t concentrate on being productive, I load up a few photos and play with them. By “play” I mean making them look like different from the actual shot. The weapons of choice for those transformations are the Topaz Plugins.
Readers of this blog typically only see the end results of such time-wasting interludes. For example, all of the photos in the previous post.
Most of the time, my efforts quickly resolve into something I like . . .
That is a not-too-far departure from the original. Occasionally, I will go through multiple instances of applying plugins in sequence and only stop when I hit something I like. This next shot involved three plugins applied multiple times in random order I don’t even remember . . .
That happens to be something I really like.
NOTE: it’s worth repeating . . . what you see here does not have the detail and sharpness of the original I uploaded. WordPress “optimizes” and downsamples photos; click on any of the photos to see the version I uploaded.
Occasionally, things so sideways . . . take this original:
I played with that photo for a good twenty minutes and didn’t hit on anything that met my undefined and nebulous idea of what I wanted to accomplish. I finally stopped with this version . . .
I can’t say I love it, but it’s interesting and someone might like it.
Keeping with that fence post, I started in on the next shot, a close-up of the larger post.
By the way, all of these were shot with the P900 so right off the bat there’s less information and resolution than my usual shots.
Anyway, I started playing and hit on a version I thought I might like.
However, once I closed the program, I walked away from the PC to grab a cup of coffee. When I came back, the photo no longer “looked” like what I thought I wanted. I dove back in . . .
Mind you, these are all small tweaks. That’s because once you have a version, some of the modifications you can do with the plugins (Restyle, Simplify, Impressions, Glow) don’t yield versions as drastically different than the initial application of those plugins. Meaning, you get the most bang for the bucks in the initial application.
I should have started over, but I thought I could salvage the work so far . . .
I stopped at five iterations as a recognized it as an effort with diminishing returns. Rather than star over, I moved onto the next photo, a close-up of just the upper part of the post.
Within a few minutes, I had what I wanted. Understand, I don’t have an exact vision in mind . . . it’s more of the case “I’ll know it when I see it.”
I’m very pleased with this next one . . . so much so that I should have written down what I played with so I could replicate the process in the future.
I’ll also mention it after the photo, but know that what you see below is a WordPress-modified version of the photo. Click on it to see what I uploaded and the detail you are missing.
As usual, WordPress robs photos of their zest. Sometimes, it’s hardly noticeable and sometimes — like this time — it makes what I think of as a big difference . . . click on the photo to get a larger version with more detail.
Better yet, go to THIS SmugMug Gallery and see it there.
I wasn’t going to bother with a gallery, but here it is anyway . . .
- Iteration No. 3
- Iteration No. 4
- Iteration No. 5
Here’s today musical interlude:
That’s it. This post has ended . . . except for the stuff below.
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. . . my FP ward . . . chieken shit.
Were the pics taken in Hawaii ?
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All of these were taken here, on the Big Island. That’s also the case for the previous post.
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I LOVE (or like, like, like!) the rooster photo, but , , , I’ve been absolutely “swept of my feet” by the pitcher!!! It’s mesmerizing!
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Thank you . . . I like it as well. Here’s the original
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It’s no wonder you had success with the plugins! The original stands on its own . . . literally and figuratively!
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I like the Kool-Aid pitcher best, too.
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One of those where I wish I had written down the sequence of processing I did. Oh, well . . . unique is a good thing when it comes to some things. Too much of the same tarnishes the visual surprise.
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That was a new version of Mr Bowjangles the only one I’d heard was Sammy Davis Jnr, was good but I prefer Sammy D,
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Not exactly “new”. The song was released in 1968. The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band recorded it the above version in 1970. Sammy Davis Jr. released it as a single in 1972.
Many artists covered this song as can be read here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr.Bojangles(song)
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I like how you play with your photos, Emilio!
They start out being beautiful and artistic, and then you play with them, and they become fun and unique! (But still artistic!)
Love Mr. Rooster AND the fence!
Great song! I haven’t listened to it in too long.
HUGS!!! :-)
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Thanks, diem3. Very kind of you to say.
It’s not always a hit, but when it works, I’m pleased with the results.
As for the songs, I’ve been making a general effort to recall songs I used to like and had not heard in a while. For instance . . .
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Love his voice! I’ve listened to it twice now while I comment blogs! Thanks, Emilio! :-)
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For them interested, the artist who wrote it:
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