Thursday, March 24, 2011

Week 11 good to WOW edit Flowers

II have been anxiously waiting for today all week!  I edited my one crocus for a sweet shot on Tuesday and ever since my little group of crocuses (thanks for the name of the flower everyone) looked so dull!  I couldn't wait to make these colors pop and learn Ashley's next step.

Here is my original:
Here it is after my Levels Adjustment (I've found this is usually fine unless the photo is really off, then I open in ARC to give me more fiddle room):
Then I ran through the usual steps I do and on a different copy tried Ashley's Action (I copied the steps so it wasn't exact--I downloaded a ton of actions this week, but I haven't installed them yet).  They seemed to appear almost the same, so I won't bore you with both.  Instead here is the one with Ashley's steps (I definitely think I'll like the action when it is installed):
Side By Side Comparison:

Then I don't yet have time to download and play with pixel bender, so I played around with the artistic filters--a lot.  Probably would have been faster to download and install, but I don't know how to install.  I didn't really find anything I liked better than the original photo or even found interesting enough to share.  So I switched images.  But the first image I didn't think was even improved with my clean edit process so I went back to the original:
Sorry, I had to share.  All the artistic stuff took away too many details and didn't change the background at all.
I did finally find a picture where at least the changes were interesting.  I used the Rough Pastels Artistic Filter:
Original:
 
It was a nice morning learning. Maybe tonight after the kids are in bed I'll have time to install some actions and some plug-ins.  Won't that be fun?  Have a great Thursday!

Photobucket

22 comments:

Unknown said...

Hellebores are one of my favorite!

Rosie Nixon Fluerty said...

I really that artistic pastels filter and the hellebores are just the perfect pastel subject. I hope you do get to download the filter though you might get to bed late tonight LOL its addictive.

I love how those crocus popped with your edits - I have ones just like that in my garden.

allison said...

I love what you did with the artistic filters!

Courtney said...

Beautiful! They're all really fantastic. I'm dying to play with that pixel bender plugin as well. So neat!

Michelle said...

That artistic filter is really neat! YOur first edit is really pretty, too...nice color pop.

Joanna said...

Love your edits :) The purples are so vibrant!

Tanyia said...

That crocus is just fantastic, the final is so crisp and vibrant, you did a great job.

Kathleen said...

I couldn't figure out right away how to install the Pixel thing either and haven't had time yet to read instructions on it.

Your edits are beautiful! I love the nice and easy edit on the crocuses, and the rough pastels filter on that last one is just lovely - looks like a canvas painting!

Unknown said...

Love your edits on the crocuses! The nice and easy one looks great! Must install it and try it! I'm like you in the respect that I download actions then forget about them or never get around to installing them. :) Not enough hours in the day to get everything done that I wish to get done. {sigh}

Anonymous said...

The shot of the crocuses is AMAZING! So sharp, vibrant and pretty!

Gina Kleinworth said...

LOVE those- really like the final edit on the purple ones

Jen said...

Wow! what you did with the "nice & easy" steps is fantastic! I couldn't get the action to run...hmmm...now that the kids are in bed I'm going to play with that again :)

Susan said...

I love your edit of the crocus; they now leap off the page! The last one of hellebores is great too; it looks like a piece of art.

Unknown said...

Love the sharpness of the first edits!!! sooo great!

Ashley Sisk said...

I love the editing you did on the first image. It was already so beautiful and now it's WOW!

Unknown said...

GORGEOUS edit on the first shot - WOW!

Serline said...

Flowers are God's gifts to us photographers, and He would be so pleased with your edits to share them in all their glory and more... Have a blessed weekend!

Julie said...

I really liked the SOOC crocuses but the "nice and easy" is amazing! The hellebores (I'm only copying what others said, I really had no idea what kind of flower that was. LOL) are fabulous with the pastel treatment.

FYH said...

Great edits... I really like the last one from the crocuses...so pretty!

jillconyers said...

Your SOOC didn't need much editing. Love the Nice & Easy.

- Jessi - said...

It really did go from good to WOW! Great job, the purple flowers perfection.

julie said...

I love the rough pastels artistic filter...so pretty!! Ashley's action looks awesome! :)