Monday, November 7, 2011

The Miracle of Textures

As I've said before, I am new to textures, yet I am learning more about using textures everytime I experiment with them. After receiving Kim's Shades of November texture last week, I went to a folder of photos from Mt Diablo, taken last January-March. I wanted to see if I could add a bit of life to some of the photos, and ended up saving many that I had given up hope on. These were photos that I tried to improve in my Lightroom editing program, but gave up on. I was pleasantly surprise with the results I achieved from Shades of Autumn combined with a few more of Kim Klassen's textures.  Once I started experimenting with Shades of Autumn, I couldn't stop! Here are the photos I prepared for Texture Tuesday over at: http://www.kimklassencafe.com/thecafe/tag/texture-tuesday

Edit: Dang, I forgot that the theme was 2, so I am adjusting my post and adding a pre-edit photo of each so I will be in line with the theme. I am posting 2 of each photo to show the dramatic results : )

I liked this photo because of the scraggly tree and the long-reaching shadows in the background, but the lighting just wasn't working. I thought I would have to scrap it, but I really like the effect Kim's textures gave it.


I really like the texture in the sky. I thought I'd achieved the effect I wanted before adding the final texture, but decided to give one more texture a go, and then realized I liked the textured sky more.
Here are the transitions that took place with this photo:

As with the above photo, the lighting on these next photos wasn't working out, well until I tried Kim's textures on them. I like the mood they gave the photos.

After:
I like the eerie background that was brought out in this photo. I really had given up on editing it, but now am satisfied with the textured effect.


Before:

 
After:
Although the textures are subtle on this photo, it really added the spring vibe to the photo that I had hoped to capture, but didn't.
Before:

 
Here is one of my favorite trees to capture. I've dubbed it "The Kissing Tree."  When I first discovered it in January, the branches were bare, except for the mound of mistletoe at the top. Of course I immediately thought of couples frolicking up the hill to sneak a kiss under the tree : ) I had edited a copy of this photo in a sepia tone, but had given up on it in color. The lighting was too dark and the colors were really off. Kim's textures brightened it up, to my delight!

After:
Before:

Here is the same tree, just a couple of months later, March I believe. It was a rainy, foggy day when I took it. I really like the effect the textures gave it.

After:
Before:

And Lastly, a tin shed I always try to capture when I go up the mountain, but am never satisfied with the results. I like the way it turned out with Kim's textures though!

After:
Before:

 
As you can see, I got carried away playing with the Shades of Autumn texture. I was having such wonderful results, I couldn't stop! I was long overdue for some editing fun, and that texture did the trick! Thank you so much Kim!

Now it is time to call it quits so I can post and hurry over to see the wonderful photos you all have posted at: http://www.kimklassencafe.com/texture-tuesday/

(Drat! My html codes aren't working today)

18 comments:

  1. These are all wonderful. It is quite amazing what the textures can do for a photo.

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  2. Sigh.
    Of delight and amazement.
    What an outstanding post you are treating us to.
    And that countryside...
    that is my dream.
    Technically, what you did is so thorough and interesting that I will have to come back a few times.

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  3. Wow, this really highlights what these brilliant textures can do for some of our images.
    Wonderful work.

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  4. The trees are marvelous; your processing is lovely and enhances the photographs. Great job. Thank you, kareninkenai

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  5. Love your images, it is truly amazing to see how the textures create endless list of editing possibilities.

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  6. Your images are wonderful and very inspiring. Thanks for sharing your before and after shots.

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  7. I have a fascination for the shape of trees and some trees just scream out for attention. You have managed to find some wonderful specimens and add your special touch to them with Kim's textures. They are just wonderful. V

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  8. your tree photos are a delight!! love how you played with the textures to achieve different moods.

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  9. a wonderful collection of beautiful trees, you've done a great job with the textures :)

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  10. I like your trees, they are so nice.

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  11. You certainly did get carried away and to what wonderful results! Your photographs are beautiful and the textures have added such a mood to each one. It's a good thing you didn't toss them!

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  12. It's such a mysterious tree....until it leafs out so wonderfully! What a great photo subject, and you've done such a beautiful job capturing it in so many ways.

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  13. Amazing job. You have some great photos here.

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  14. Love all your tree photos, excellent job on processing them.

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  15. i love how you've used the textures, they fit perfectly with each image. thanks for sharing the procedure too!

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