And, because I'm secure in my own skin (hehe).... here is the straight out of the camera photo. I used Photoshop (and the clouds parted, and music played from Heaven....) to pretty it up. Specifically I opened this photo in Photoshop and hit a button to apply Doug Boutwell's Totally Rad Actions, Super Fun Happy & Magic Glasses (available free as downloads at his website) and then hit another button to apply Pioneer Woman's action, Lovely & Ethereal (also available as a free download at her website). And I just liked it better after that. That's all.
Now, also to keep things real around here ... I'm a Photoshop novice. If you look closely at the first image (in the upperish right corner, on the sidewalk), you can see I did some damage to it (must have applied an action and then erased it), but some of the pixels are moved around (there's a straight line effect). Also, if I were less lazy, I would selectively choose the sky and darken (burn) the exposure just there. But I'm lazy, so I didn't. But gosh, I do so love those awesome actions. TRA is totally on my wishlist...
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12 comments:
Very cool! I need to go and find those new actions...because that is all that I can figure out how to do...and they really do make my pics beautiful...so there is really no need to learn the rest of it, right?
Awwww, littlest dude is a cutie! I really like how he's posing and smiling off into the distance, kind of like he's teasing you, he knows your there but isn't quite willing to give you direct eye contact----too cute!
*sigh* I also love to look at all the things I could do if I had Photoshop (although never as nice as yours). For now, I'll just hunt down all the blogs that show me what it does. Great SOOC, but I really do love the "pop" of the Photoshop version.
Hugs & Blessings!
What a handsome little dude!
So, do you know of any freebie trials for photoshop?
Kat - nope. no need to learn the rest. Actions are awesome.
MamaC - Thanks, and yes, he can be quite a tease. If you want to try Photoshop-like stuff, check out Gimp (online) - free editing website that can mimic a lot of the PS stuff.
Lisa - I don't (and I looked for quite a while!! Photoshop Express - free online editing - doesn't come close to PS functionality.) But check out Gimp. Also, at the risk of sounding like a broken record ... consider Lightroom as a first step. Way cheaper, way more intuitive, so much easier to learn & immediately to put to use with fantastic results (academicsuperstore.com has an awesome homeschool rate, like $80 I think).
Those worked really nicely! When I use pw's actions I always have to lighten it, or dodge on faces that are in shadow, like your example.
You can do some of this (dodging and burning) with levels as well. I always find it quicker and easier, and I'm not working on the actual image. Actually, when I *do* work on the actual image, I always copy that layer first, so I can always revert.
Another way to dodge and burn is adding a new layer, choosing "soft light" for it, then painting black where you need it darker, and white where you need it lighter. I miss working in a darkroom, but I have to admit that Photoshop is easier. ;)
Great pic, btw. :D He is a cutie.
Hey Susan,
I found your blog on the Mt. Hope site. Today she referred to your blog site, but yesterday I tagged you in a blog tag.
I realized later that I guess I was suppose to let you know I tagged you...
Did you ever have that feeling when you were a kid, when someone tagged you in a tag game that you didn't know you were playing in, or they started the game without letting you know, and then they tagged you?
Well, here's the tag:
1. Write the title to your own memoir using 6 words.
2. Post it on your blog.
3. Link to the person who tagged you.
4. Tag five more blogs.
I thought tagging you for this would be perfect, since your "Short on Words."
This is what I keep telling dh. I NEED Photoshop so my pictures are as pretty as yours! *wink*
As if!
BEautiful work once again, but I think this time the credit goes to the model. He is too cute for words.
Patricia
off to do some reading.....*wink* *wink* wink*
Littlest Due is adorable. (Don't tell him that, better use the word "cool" instead, I know how boys can be).
Thanks for walking us through your SOOC pic to the finish product. Very neat.
KathyJo - thanks for the tips. I got Matt Kloskowski's Layers book, which is totally terrific (he outlines the methods you use). Hopefully, eventually, I'll get there. But now, I'm just having fun pressing free action buttons :-}
Nan - hehe. Yup, didn't know I was playing ;-)
Patricia - keep in the back of you mind ... academicsuperstore.com PS $300 or Lightroom for around $80. Now, get back to reading ;-)
Rhea -
I'll tell him :-) He won't care. He's not yet old enough to need to be "cool"...
I just went to look at TRA. I got all excited, then realized they won't work on my photoshop 7! Bummer.
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