Lens-Artists Challenge #15, Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

“Change comes like a little wind that ruffles the curtains at dawn;  like the stealthy perfume of wildflowers hidden in the grass.”

John Steinbeck

BARREN BEACH

Amy’s challenge this week speaks to those of us who enjoy working with some of the many tools available for editing images. Simple edits in programs like Lightroom or Google Photos, or Apps like Snapseed or Diptic give even beginning photographers the ability to morph their photos into something a bit more artistic. 

ARTIST AT WORK

“In every change, in every falling leaf there is some pain, some beauty; that’s the way new leaves grow.”

Amit Ray

Editing resources become even more accessible with the abundance of tutorials and videos available on the web. With a few clicks one can find “How-to’s” on just about any product – from the simplest to the most complex. For those who prefer learning the old-fashioned way there are books both in hard copy and online to foster self-teaching. Sadly from the moment they’re published it seems the products they address have been changed or updated and further study is required.

UNFRIENDLY APPROACH

“Those who are crazy enough to think they can change the world usually do.”

Steve Jobs

As a former user of Apple’s Aperture software I’ve experienced the pain of transitioning from one product to another. As such I try to use only tools offered by companies whose editing products are their primary business. While there is no guarantee, my hope is that companies like Adobe (providers of Lightroom and Photoshop) or Topaz Labs can be trusted to continue evolving their products as time goes on. Of course those of us who use and love the Nik products have learned that such is not always the case.

MARSH STORM, KIAWAH

“Change is not a four letter word…but often your reaction to it is.”

Jeffrey Gitomer

For this week’s images, I used Lightroom to make a few minor edits, followed by Topaz Impressions and Topaz Texture Effects to create a more painterly effect. Those who follow me know I am a fan of impressionist painting and I’ve included some images in the past using textures and impressions to create an image quite different from the one with which I started. All of the Topaz tools used in today’s post are part of their “Studio”  product which is available at no charge for the basic package.

AUTUMN ON THE MARSH

“A change in the weather is sufficient to recreate the world and ourselves.”

Marcel Proust

As I’ve mentioned previously, autumn here on Kiawah does not deliver the glorious colors of the northeastern US. Using software tools on the two previous images I’ve turned summer-day images into something a bit more like our fall.  I added some reds to the grasses and trees, some gold and brown to the marsh and some color to the skies. While nothing like the reds and golds of a Vermont mountain scene in October, to me they speak to the changes we will soon see here in the southeast.

LIKE FATHER LIKE SON

“No one can change a person, but a person can be the reason someone changes.”

Shannon L. Alder

Finally, my personal favorite – an image of my nephew and his son, my great-nephew. I just loved the way they are in lock-step with each other. The little one is the image of his dad, making it really fun to watch him grow into the person he will some day be. As Shannon Alder says in the quote above, my nephew’s wife and son are a big part of the reason he has grown into the loving, responsible, mature man he has become.

Sincere thanks to Amy for giving us the opportunity to “paint” outside the box. For the purists among us, I promise to return to realistic SOOC or slightly tweaked images next week. Also, for those who are interested, I’ve included the original images in their unaltered state below.

Be sure to check out Amy’s post here. Should you decide to join us, remember to tag your post Lens-Artists to have it appear in our reader section for the week.

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Tags: art, editing, impressionism, LENS-ARTISTS

• October 14, 2018
• Photography
• 104 Comments