Digital Darkroom Assignment for the Week: 4/23-4/30

[cletus]

Displaying Your Images

Use the photo editing software of your choice to create a presentation for your images. Examples include picture frames, borders, vignettes, etc...

There are two goals of this assignment: To find a presentation that adds to your image and to help you become more familiar with your photo editing software. If you already have a favorite presentation, try to come up with something new. If you find a presentation that you like, try to create the same look using different tools.

Here are a couple examples:

Vignette:
http://ab0wa.smugmug.com/photos/3668393-M.jpg

Brushed Metal Frame:
http://ab0wa.smugmug.com/photos/3668395-M.jpg

[gubbs]

I took this at a wedding last summer so I can't use it for "people in hats", but I've been messing with photoimpact this afternoon and come up with this.... http://gubbs.smugmug.com/photos/3669363-L.jpg

[cletus]

I took this at a wedding last summer so I can't use it for "people in hats", but I've been messing with photoimpact this afternoon and come up with this....
http://gubbs.smugmug.com/photos/3669363-S.jpg
Looks good! That's an effect that I've seen and wanted to try but never have gotten around to it.

Oh, thanks for posting. I just hope your post and mine aren't the only two we have all week :(:

[fish]

Looks good! That's an effect that I've seen and wanted to try but never have gotten around to it.

Oh, thanks for posting. I just hope your post and mine aren't the only two we have all week :(:

Jeebus cletus...today's the first day. relax. imo post some stuff this weekend. I don't like the frame stuff, but I can definitely get jiggy with vignettes.

[wxwax]

Some different ones I tried a while ago. In the spirit of this challenge, I shall also come up with new ones. Maybe some that look like hats.


http://wxwax.smugmug.com/photos/3295831-M.jpg http://wxwax.smugmug.com/photos/3296166-M.jpg

http://wxwax.smugmug.com/photos/3295676-M.jpg http://wxwax.smugmug.com/photos/3295556-M.jpg

[wxwax]

Fun with colors and borders.

http://wxwax.smugmug.com/photos/3686988-M.jpg



Nah, that's too conservative. Tell you what, how's about we let our hair down a little bit?



http://wxwax.smugmug.com/photos/3687071-M.jpg



OK, OK, not too shabby. But surely you can get a little wilder than that, can't you?



http://wxwax.smugmug.com/photos/3687561-M.jpg



Now you're talking. C'mon, one more big push - let's see what you got.



http://wxwax.smugmug.com/photos/3687559-M.jpg



Well, this is all well and fine. But don't you have anything that looks like a hat?

[cletus]

Looks good sid!

[wkwork]

http://wkwork.smugmug.com/photos/3704537-M.jpg

I've come to the conclusion that I really don't like frames, but here's what I got. Whatever you do, it looks amateurish.

Keith

[gypsy77360]

this PSE is harder than Chinese arithmetic...http://gypsy77360.smugmug.com/photos/3704524-M.jpg

[wxwax]

Here's an attempt at vignetting a hat pic.

First, the original.




http://wxwax.smugmug.com/photos/3706441-M.jpg



Which I must say so is so finely framed that it doesn't need vignetting to draw your eye to the hat. *sigh* What I do to please the moderators. :wink Here it is with vignetting.



http://wxwax.smugmug.com/photos/3710237-M.jpg

[gubbs]

"I've come to the conclusion that I really don't like frames, but here's what I got. Whatever you do, it looks amateurish."

Someones bound to prove us wrong, but I agree.

[lynnma]

my attempt

[GREAPER]

my attempt







Now Thats pretty neet. I like it.

[lynnma]

Now Thats pretty neet. I like it.thanks greap... it's a real sleaze job really... took the blossom back ground, layered it on top of the model, used "polar coordinates" in filters, an then erased the center... cheating all the way..:rofl

[wxwax]

Not cheating at all, that's how it's done. Cool idea, Lynn! You're thinking outside the box, errr bouquet, ummm floral arrangement, ermmm garland. Oh, whatever... nice idea.

[lynnma]

Not cheating at all, that's how it's done. Cool idea, Lynn! You're thinking outside the box, errr bouquet, ummm floral arrangement, ermmm garland. Oh, whatever... nice idea.Thanks Sid... I've been sitting here for five hours trying to do something with Miss April.... I'm about to commit hari kari, throw meself on the funeral pyre soon... I blurred her so much you could'nt see her...:noob

[cletus]

Nice work Lynn :thumb

Really good idea!

[cletus]

Here's another:
http://ab0wa.smugmug.com/photos/3735311-M.jpg (http://ab0wa.smugmug.com/photos/3735311-L.jpg)

Here (http://ab0wa.smugmug.com/gallery/105564) is a description of how I came up with this.

[wxwax]

Most excellent, Mr. Cletus, most excellent! Great tutorial, thanks for takng the time - extremely good work, sir.

[gubbs]

"I've come to the conclusion that I really don't like frames, but here's what I got. Whatever you do, it looks amateurish."
Someones bound to prove us wrong, but I agree.

[QUOTE=cletus]Here's another:


Proved wrong already!

[cletus]

Thanks!

I was starting to get pretty tired last night while I was writing the tutorial. That's why the instructions keep getting less detailed as the tutorial goes on :D

I'll do a re-write on the tutorial some time today or tommorow.

Super Cool Photo Presentation Hint
When I saw this in one of the recent issues of Photoshop User and my jaw hit the floor. Not only is it way cool, it's simple and it's a very creative idea. I was going to wait and use this one myself but I'm running out of time for this assignment. I'll go ahead and describe the technique and see if anyone wants to give it a shot.

The photographer took a picture of a piece of white (any color would work) foam-core board sitting on an easel. Once in Photoshop the photographer created a file with the easel on one layer and the image to be displayed on another. They used Free Transform to fit the image onto the white foam-core.

[wxwax]

I'll see if I can still get the current issue. Barnes and Noble usually has it.

[cletus]

I'll see if I can still get the current issue. Barnes and Noble usually has it.
I'm pretty sure it's in the March issue.

[AltPro]

Now Thats pretty neet. I like it.Lynn seems to be headed in an interesting direction, at least. I'm not really into the framing or bordering... When I mat my prints for shows, display or sale, I use only the simplest of matting and simple frames... I want the work to speak, not the "packaging?"
But here's one of my attempts...

ginette

[AltPro]

[QUOTE=cletus]Here's another:
http://ab0wa.smugmug.com/photos/3735311-M.jpg (http://ab0wa.smugmug.com/photos/3735311-L.jpg)

Cletus.... Absolutely fantastic.
Not like a border at all, and that's what I like about it.

Really great concept.
Well done.

ginette

[cletus]

Cletus.... Absolutely fantastic.
Not like a border at all, and that's what I like about it.

Really great concept.
Well done.

ginette
Thanks! :andy

I'm surprised this one was so much of a hit. It's really a fairly simple thing. I've seen a bunch of variations on this idea in various Photoshop books and magazines.

[cletus]

It seems like not too many people are fond of Photoshop generated frames. I'm not real crazy about them either, but I think they are fun to play around with!

http://ab0wa.smugmug.com/photos/3758230-M.jpg (http://ab0wa.smugmug.com/photos/3758230-L.jpg)

One nice thing about frames in Photoshop is that they make a good learning tool. They help you practice creating artwork (for the frame itself) from scratch and layering images. You can also use them for practice with Layer Styles.

[ian408]

Cletus,

Thanks for the tips!

http://ian408.smugmug.com/photos/3768344-M.jpg

[AltPro]

Cletus,

Thanks for the tips!

http://ian408.smugmug.com/photos/3768344-M.jpg
Cletus,
Again, very nicely done. Very professional, as well. Your talent shines through.

ginette

[cletus]

Cletus,
Again, very nicely done. Very professional, as well. Your talent shines through.

ginette
Thanks ginette....

But I think you should be complimenting Ian :D

[wxwax]

Cletus,

Thanks for the tips!



:thumb Nice one, Ian. Way to take the idea and make it yours. :nod

[cletus]

Since so many people liked the snapshot look I posted earlier, I thought I do a variation on it. By simplifying things a little bit I was able to use a different technique, and boy is this technique fast (< 1 minute).

http://ab0wa.smugmug.com/photos/3776227-M.jpg (http://ab0wa.smugmug.com/photos/3776227-L.jpg)

Here is a slight variation. I've moved the snapshot slightly to enhance the effect that the snapshot is sitting on top of the background image. Which do you like better?
http://ab0wa.smugmug.com/photos/3776228-M.jpg (http://ab0wa.smugmug.com/photos/3776228-L.jpg)

[AltPro]

Cletus,

Thanks for the tips!

http://ian408.smugmug.com/photos/3768344-M.jpg
OOooppps...
Please excuse my faux pas, or if you prefer, my Erroneous kudos to Cletus. Sorry Cletus, This one was meant to go to Ian!


Great Job Ian... Nicely done and Very professional, your talent really does shine through here.

Thanks for pointing this out to me Charles...
I humbly remain,
ginette

[AltPro]

Since so many people liked the snapshot look I posted earlier, I thought I do a variation on it. By simplifying things a little bit I was able to use a different technique, and boy is this technique fast (< 1 minute).
I've moved the snapshot slightly to enhance the effect that the snapshot is sitting on top of the background image. Which do you like better?
http://ab0wa.smugmug.com/photos/3776228-M.jpg (http://ab0wa.smugmug.com/photos/3776228-L.jpg)
I prefer the second one, which I've left attached here... I find it "optically more pleasing." It's more what the mind expects to see when it "pictures" (no pun intended) one image overlapped over another, or distorted somewhat by the glass.
Again, nicely done.
ginette

[cletus]

I started playing around with the slide holder idea a couple weeks ago. I think it's starting to get where I want it.
http://ab0wa.smugmug.com/photos/3786474-M.jpg (http://ab0wa.smugmug.com/photos/3786474-L.jpg)