Not Your Avg Joe

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2011-04-02T17:40:00.000-05:00

Holiday Lights

2007-12-01T20:17:00.001-05:00

Well I went out with the intention of photographing "Holiday Lights" and previewed some boring shots! So I took matters into my own hand

Flowers in Photoshop

2007-05-07T16:28:00.000-05:00

Here we have a Bromiliad. The flower was originally bright red and had some noticeable defects in the leaves. I fixed the defects with the clone and patch tools, then using the Nik Midnight Violet filter, created this dark and dreamy effect. I added a border sampling colors from the photo.

Abstract Train Tracks

2007-05-07T16:08:00.000-05:00

Here is another in the Train Series. Originally shot in color with a 10mm Fisheye Lens, converted to B&W, then a free transform to warp the tracks. Finally a dramatic yellow Nik Filter to finish the effect.

The final file has about 6 variations including a red version, that are viewed using the layer comp player.

As always your comments are welcome! Email or Call!

Black & White Train

2007-05-07T15:03:00.000-05:00

This image was taken with a 10mm Fisheye Lens. Using PS, I converted to B&W, enhanced the contrast, increased the sharpening then created a mask to reveal the red in the gate and lights.

Tell me what you think of it!

Waiting for Spring

2007-03-15T07:40:00.000-05:00

There is no one more anxious to have Spring Arrive! Here are some flowers that remind me of Spring.

The only PS edititing here is the frame and a highlights adjustment using [Ctrl-Alt- ~] for selection, then place those highlights on a new layer [Ctrl-J] and change the blending mode to Overlay (Check other modes for different effects).
I hope you like the flowers, please leave comments!

Looking Back

2007-01-25T20:19:00.000-05:00

I took this photo on Fire Island at the end of the Robert Moses Causway. You might be amazed to know that just over the top of this photo and over the dunes is the Atlantic Ocean. The deer are very tame here and used to humans being around (they're looking for handouts) If you like to photograph deer and other wildlife, the ocean, a beach, (see other photos on this blog) and maybe even a lighthouse, this is the place to come. Maybe I'll see you there next time! The photo? I almost forgot! The photo was just slightly enhanced in Photoshop CS3 using select all highlights, moving them to their own layer and then changing the mode to overlay. I also cloned out a very small section of the boardwalk that appeared in the upper left hand corner of the pic. Let me know what you think!

Four Flowers

2007-01-19T09:04:00.000-05:00

This was created from a photo I didn't like. I took a close up shot of a bunch of yellow dasies and the result was kind of blah. So I isolated a single flower flipped it an duplicated it as shown here. Then using the new black and white and Tint features in CS3, created the antiqued look. Using a mask on each of the four layers I colored the centers for the final resulting photo presented here.

Watching the Sunset

2007-01-04T10:18:00.000-05:00

I was at the beach enjoying the fresh air and beautiful day. The sun was on the way down and I noticed that this bird was just hanging out doing the same thing I was... Watching the Sunset. If you live by the rule of thirds, you might not like this photo, but it works for me.
Just something peaceful about it.

In Photoshop I just brought up the highlights on to a new layer - SHIFT-CTRL~ , then CTRL J.
Changed the new layer to overlay and these are the results.

Before & After

2006-12-20T07:21:00.000-05:00

UPDATE the after photo just was awarded 25 points at PFLI !

If you have ever tried to shoot a sunset on automatic or program mode, you know that you are likely to get a very underexposed photo in at least part (usually the foreground) of the photo.

I almost threw this photo into the recycle bin but decided to practice my photoshop skills and I'm glad I did.

Just look at the results! It took some work adding not one but three background layer copies blended in screen mode. This of course fixed the foreground but wiped out the sky. Adding layer masks to each of the three layers fixed that problem.

Then I added a yellow fill layer and changed the blend mode to overlay. One more Hue Saturation adjustment layer to give the orangish tint and here is the result. Please post your comments or call in!

The AFTER Photo is posted on the Newsday website. Here are some of the comments...

alicia says:
I love this picture! Beautiful.
Posted March 3, 2007 11:05 AM

ct_guy says:
very nice photo...beautiful color
Posted April 26, 2007 9:42 AM

Iamwomanspirit says:
Nice shot = love the color - did you enhance it or was this stricly God's work?? LOL
Posted April 30, 2007 1:03 AM

B.A. says:
Gorgeous.
Posted June 18, 2007 4:07 PM

lee says:
Amazing. A work of Art.
Posted June 22, 2007 9:14 PM

Not Out of The Woods Yet...

2006-12-20T07:10:00.000-05:00

Here is photo that really needed some help. Shot in color, the original looked monochromatic. At first I though about converting it to B&W but after experimenting decided it was not the right way to go. The finished product is a result of the following Photoshop steps:

Sharpen using Unsharp Mask

Select Highlights (Ctrl-ALT- ~)

Copy them to a new layer (Ctrl J)

Change layer mode to Overlay

Add a green fill layer

Mask the center to give the vignetting effect.

Done.

Please send your comments or call. Your voice could be featured on this website!

On The Waters Edge...

2006-12-20T07:03:00.000-05:00

Did you ever pass a spot frequently enough and say..."The next time I pass here I'm gonna bring my camera and capture that scene" I've done it countless times. But this shot was too good to pass up, so I made a special trip back and I'm glad I did. The photo was originally in regular format and was cropped as you see it here. I just adjusted the levels and added a border in Photoshop. Hope you like it!

Ruffled Feathers...

2006-12-10T18:21:00.000-05:00

This just scored 25 out of a possible 27 at PFLI!

Photographed with a Nikon DSLR and external Nikon Flash. The photo originally had a black plastic bag covering part of the branch the African Grey Parrot is perched on. A quick fix in Photoshop cutting and pasting part of the branch over the undesired bag. I slightly sharpened the photo using unsharp mask then added a bit of vignetting and this is the result.

Let me know how you like it!

Opportunity Knocks...

2006-11-30T19:05:00.000-05:00

We have all heard the saying!

I pass this lake twice just about everyday and have never seen it looking like this. This morning, I was lucky enough to have the camera & tripod with me as the misty lake took on this beautiful glow from the sunrise.
Just a bit of tweaking the levels in Photoshop and here is the result.

Stripes...

2006-11-25T15:11:00.000-05:00

Here we have a photo that started out as a relatively ordinary picture. While it was clear and sharp there was no pizzaz.
Not to fear Photoshop is here! I converted this to a black and white using channel mixer, then lowering the opacity on the adjustment layer allowed for a bit of the brownish tone to come through. Next used a layer mask to let the color of the eye show through. Then finally adding a Nik filter to superimpose the stripes. Not ordinary any more, is it?

Autumn Leaves

2006-11-22T16:52:00.000-05:00

This is one of my favorite new photos created with a little bit of nature and a little bit of photoshop.
Photographed digitally, and simply processed int PS with these few steps.
Duplicate Layer
Unsharp Mask
Duplicate Layer
Motion Blur
Layer Mask
Hide All
Reveal the "veins" of the leaves on the mask with the paint brush tool
Done!

Lucky Shot...

2006-11-18T10:45:00.000-05:00

Sometimes you can take full credit for the photos that you creatively set up and then there are the times when you just have that "Lucky Shot".

This photo was taken a few years ago, there was a bright spotlight in the corner behind the plane. I took a few shots but the light kept throwing the exposure off. So I moved the camera and tripod to "block" the light. The results were amazingly dramatic. A little bit of color saturation in Photoshop and then I removed a unsightly fire extinguisher that was beneath the wing and we're good to go!

Roses...

2006-11-18T03:13:00.000-05:00

This is one of my most recent photos. Taken using the Nikon CLS (Creative Lighting System) This is a first time try for me using this and I am extreemly satisfied with the results.

On this setup I took about 20 shots. Variations started with just the pop up flash to using two SB800 placed on either side of the flowers and using the popup to fire them. This is the result! This photo scored a 24/27 in a recent PFLI critique.

PHOTOGRAPHY

2006-11-18T02:09:00.000-05:00

I've been in love with photography since as far back as I can remember. From my High School Photo and Video club to the Island Photo Group that I am currently a member of.

When I was a kid I spent hours in my black and white dark room in my parents basement, and now I spend hours taking photos and playing with them in Photoshop! The method has changed but the passion is still the same.

I hope to post some samples of my work and the graphic tips that go along with them.

Please feel free to comment and check out my gallery at:
http://www.photoshopuser.com/members/portfolios/view/image/56113