Highlighting the creative magic behind post-processed photos
Happy One-Year Anniversary to One Photo Focus! It’s been such a fun year, seeing all the amazing, fun, and wonderfully crazy post-processing from all who have taken part in this forum. I can’t thank you enough for your support, your enthusiasm, and your friendship, as well as for sharing the “magic” behind your creations. I can’t think of a better way to begin 2016 than with a One Photo Focus post. And many thanks to Laura Macky of Laura Macky Photography for submitting our anniversary image.
So, 25 photographers found enough time in December to share their post-processing interpretations of Laura’s image. We begin with Laura’s “before” image, followed by the “afters,” and at the end, a gallery of all so you can watch the changes as you scroll through. Be sure to click the links to each participant’s blog as many have written posts “uncovering the magic” behind their “after” images. And if you would like to participate in February’s One Photo Focus, you’ll find all the details on the After-Before Friday Forum page.
Don’t forget to check out After-Before Friday, hosted by Benjamin Rowe on Aperture 64. There you can share the magic “after” of your own “before” image, every Friday except the first Friday of each month (when One Photo Focus runs)!
BEFORE PHOTO
Submitted by Laura Macky — Laura Macky Photography
Submitted by Stacy Fischer — Visual Venturing
Given that Laura photographed a ship run aground, I knew I wanted to create a scene with a lighthouse. Of course, that idea quickly morphed into a lighthouse on a stormy night. So I searched the internet for a lighthouse scene and brought both images into photoshop.
In PS, I selected the boat, copied and pasted it onto the lighthouse image, and used the move tool to change its size. From there, through trial and error, I added rain, using a noise filter and motion blur and I truly can’t remember what else. I had a hard time getting the colors the way I thought they should be, playing around a bit more with levels and saturation (and, yes, masks – yay for me!), and then bringing it back into LR and playing a bit more. In the end, I finally had to stop and walk away from it for a few days. Upon revisit, I ended up making the entire image much darker and bluer to better reflect a stormy night, added “fog” by using a number of radial filters in tandem with the dehaze slider, and then went back and forth with adjustments to the white/highlight level so the image wouldn’t be too muddy. Lots of trial and error on this image, and I’m still not sure I’m entirely happy with the result.
Laura’s image has, by far, been the biggest challenge for me. But, like Julie’s flower last month, working on it has added to my Photoshop knowledge, which definitely is a good thing. Thanks, Laura, for contributing to my post-processing education AND for submitting a wonderful image for the 1PF anniversary!
Submitted by Raewyn — decocraftsdigicrafts
Raewyn says: There are just so many edits in this that I won’t bore you. Photoshop, Nik Collection and Lightroom. Hope you like it.
Submitted by Ritva Sillanmäki — Ritva’s Art Photography
Submitted by Sherry Felix – Port4u
Sherry says: Laura Macky’s photo is lovely as is. For this challenge I wanted to enhance the mood created by the old boat and bring that into the background. Here’s Photoshop recipe:
- Original image with some slight adjustment in Lightroom
- Curve adjustment layer: negative RGB, opacity 30%
- Grunge layer applied in on1 to a copy of original, blend mode: difference
- My cloud image. Blende mode: Hard Light, opacity 70%
- B&W adjustment layer default, opacity 70%
- Copy of original layer masked to show the boat, opacity 80%
- Smoke brushed, blend mode: Soft Light, opacity 89%
My version has an old postcard look and is also somewhat ominous.
Submitted by Ted Griffith — Ted Griffith’s Photo Art Studio
Submitted by Reinhold Staden — Reinhold Staden Photography
Submitted by Amy — The World Is a Book
Submitted by Yan Balczewski — From Hiding to Blogging
Submitted by Chris — sv-takeiteasy
Chris says: Nautical theme, a wreck, a sandbank, this is right up my alley!
Submitted by Luis O. Gutierrez — luisogutierrez.com
Luis says: My process is very simple. I downloaded the image on my iPhone. I processed the file using snapped (basic editing, cropping and converting it to black and white). I then moved the image to photoshop touch where I adjusted the curves and resized the image.
Submitted by Katie Prior — Drawing with Light
Submitted by Robin Kent — PhotographybyKent
Robin says: Many thanks to Laura Mackey for her evocative image of the abandoned boat. It offers many possibilities, and I will be eager to see what others have done. Because I currently am working on a presentation about night photography, I was inspired to attempt a transformation of this daytime image into a night shot. I don’t know that I fully succeeded, I’ll be curious to see the comments from the readers. The technique was fairly simple. I created an Exposure Adjustment layer and reduced the exposure of Laura’s image to make it appear more like a night image. I created a third layer using my own image from a starlight workshop with Michael Frye. Finally, I created a layer mask on my image and masked out the portions of the stars everywhere except in the sky of Laura’s image.
Submitted by Nancy Merrill – nancy merrill photography
Submitted by Stacey/Lensaddiction — Learning to See Light
Stacey says: I decided to embrace the monochrome love for this image to work on the great textures on the peeling paint and grass.
Submitted by Emilio Pasquale — Photos by Emilio
Emilio says: There wasn’t much to do with Laura’s great shot – so I didn’t do very much. In fact, I don’t remember much of what I did…
Submitted by George McCane — Photoman401
Submitted by Nancy / dogear6— Living the Seasons
Nancy says: What a great way to start the New Year with this lovely photo by Laura Macky. After some minor adjustments in Lightroom to slightly straighten the horizon and enhance the colors, I started my experimentations. As you can see, I did a hard crop to make this into a panoramic to bring focus to the bow of the boat. I tried a square as well, but didn’t like very much. Most of my experiments used the rich colors in this image, which I loved. I was surprised when I tried the Milk Memories preset in Topaz Black and White, that the desaturated colors was my favorite. It might not be your favorite though! My blog has the other attempts and as always, feel free to let me know which one you liked the best. You can find it at http://wp.me/pow9k-2uK.
Submitted by Robin Estargo — Injeenyuhs
Robin says: Inspired by Mad Max: Fury Road’s visual color, only a little bit darker and intense.
Submitted by Michelle Lunato — Michelle Lunato Photography
Submitted by Marie — The Syllabub Sea
Submitted by Julie Powell — Julie Powell Photography
Submitted by Cee Neuner — Cee’s Photography
Cee says: This photo I had absolutely no idea on how to improve upon Laura’s work. So I did some cropping and color tweaking.
Submitted by Bryan — theonlyD800inthehameau
Submitted by Yvette — In the Zone
Please click on the links of those who contributed this week, to read about their post-processing steps and/or to see what other treasures they have on their blogs. They’d love to have you visit!
So what do you think of the ABFriday forum?
Feel free to leave your thoughts and suggestions in the comment section. And don’t forget to view the guidelines if you want to participate. I’d love to have you onboard!
WOW- great work, very impressive editing and I’m absolutely delighted to learn so much from others in one post! 🙂
Thank you!
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I am amazed at the heightened level of talent this month. What you and Robin and Laura and Marie and Reinhold have done is to show me how important an imagination and creative eye really are. I think it’s time for me to get serious about my photography and stretch a bit. You have helped me to shape my new year’s resolution. I have watched you grow over the past year and, with your processing of this image, you have blown me away.
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Emilio, you do not at all lack for imagination, my friend. I have just begun to embrace the idea that I can use 1PF as a Photoshop playground. I take post-processing my own photos too seriously and seeing others over the course of 1PF embrace dramatic (and fun!) change finally made me realize that, hey, I could go down that path too 🙂 I’m also hoping that this will spur my always-present desire to really begin to learn the darn program as I should! Without doing that, my creative ideas will end up simply in my head!
I have no doubt that your imagination paired with PS skills will conjure up amazingly fun images!! So here’s to conquering the beast in 2016! Let’s do it!!
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Thanks, Stacy. I needed that. A little slap to get me motivated rather than wallowing! Which I tend to do sometimes. I purchased a photoshop magazine this morning before seeing this comment so maybe I’ll have something by next 1PF! Thanks, again.
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No wallowing allowed, Emilio! Onward, ho 🙂 And getting the PS mag must be karma at work! I’m happy to deliver a well- intentioned slap whenever the need arises 😜
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Hi Stacy – I like the mood you created. Well dine on the edit and on the fantastic job you do with this challenge. Thank you for hosting. Have a great 2016.
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Thanks, Chris, and thank YOU for being a part of the 1PF family 🙂
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another great collection. all the best you you and your family in 2016.
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Thanks, Janice. And to you and yours as well!
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Wow Stacy (I know several people started with these two words, but these were the actual words came out of my mouth 😉 I love many of them, particularly yours. I was going to participate, and I thought I would like to do something with the background. Due to lack of skill, I just couldn’t figure out how. Thank you for the lesson. And thanks to all who participated.
Have a great 2016!
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Hi, Helen! So glad you liked the submissions. And thanks for your kind words about mine. I know just enough PS to get myself in trouble – when all else fails, I just start going into the menus and selecting! Another item that has moved from my 2015 wishlist to my 2016 – learning to use Photoshop efficiently and much more effectively 🙂
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Wow, Stacy: Another great collection of creative work! Laura’s image really set the tone because it provided so many possibilities and the participants took full advantage. It’s really hard to pick a favorite, it would be more likely a four-way (or more) tie for first place. Thanks once again for organizing this monthly event.
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Thanks so much for participating, Robin! Laura’s image was a great way to start off the new year 🙂
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I had so much fun doing this with all of you! Can’t wait for another OPF!!! Thank you Stacy and Laura 😀
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Robin, I’m a bit behind in responding and commenting on 1PF – seems my mind is still in the December holiday mode! I’m so glad you had fun and am delighted to have you aboard (haha, no “boat” pun intended 😄).
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Haha thank you 😀 😀
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😃
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Wow, what a collection! Great image to start with from Laura and such an array of different edits, good work!
Stacy, I really like your “boat stuck on the rocks despite the lighthouse” picture, it looks like you had great fun playing in Photoshop!
Happy new year to you all! 🙂
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Everyone definitely enjoyed Laura’s image 🙂 Glad you liked my take on it, Katie – one never knows where I mixture of fun and frustration can lead 😉 Happy New Year right back!
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Wow! Great work, everybody!
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Thanks, Andrea!
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So many great and varied interpretations! Such creativity – proud to be a part of it!
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So honored to have you a part of it, Stacey!
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I feel grateful to be a part of this 1pf. And in hindsight I wish I would have smoothed out some of the missing wood work on the bridge, but I am just grateful to finally join in – anyhow – Robin’s was one of my favs of them all – but I am glad these are. It compared cos there is no better best – it’s all creative expression and our essence! And seeing the lighthouse was like “of course” and Marie’s scuba man felt like her! I have scrolled your collected submissions before (usually coming from Katie prior’s blog) but I have to admit that after actually working with the photo I appreciated the differences even more – the crops – the skies- the tones- and I will forever remember Laura’s parked boat image! Nice way to start the new year and thanks Stacy for being so welcoming – peace and happy new year to all!
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Yvette, I am so delighted you enjoyed your first round with 1PF and I’m looking forward to seeing more of your creativity! I do apologize for not replying sooner and I will be visiting your post as well. I’m having a hard time leaving the holiday hiatus behind!
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Take your time visiting and cool if u are able to linger in the hiatus a bit! Also – I think an advantage of a Monthly challenge is more time to visit – have a great day
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Thanks for the reprieve, Yvette! 😊 My youngest of three flies back to school on Sunday, so perhaps that will signal the end of my “holidaying” 😄
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oh lucky you to have had time with him – 🙂
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Very lucky. (And my daughter is my youngest and we were able to share some special “ladies” time) 😃
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that is great when that happens too – ❤ very win-win
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Thanks to Laura for the original photo and letting us play with it. I had fun editing the image. Great work
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Luis, thanks so much for participating. Normally, I’m much quicker at responding to comments here and also visiting and leaving comments on everyone’s individual posts. Seems I’m still in the holiday frame of mind as I continue to fall farther and farther behind on my blog!
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Not a problem at all. I have been off and need to get back to a routine
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Brilliant series with so many creative versions!
Happy New Year to Stacy and everyone!!
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Hey, Robyn! Thanks for stopping by and for your New Year’s wishes 🙂 Happy New Year to you too. I’m having a difficult time getting back into my blogging routine (as evidenced by my very late reply)!!
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Great selection of post processing variations of an awesome template. I like your interpretation so much, Stacy. Bringing the lighthouse into the composition is a splendid idea. (PS: a “g” invaded my last name where a “d” should be). But that’s not really a problem. 🙂 Smiles and greetings. Reinhold
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Thanks, Reinhold. And apologies for the “g” (I did correct it) – clearly, my mind was in a holiday mode 😉
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Thanks, Stacy. No problem at all! And you had all rights to be in a holiday mode. I appreciate that you are providing this event! Smiles. Reinhold
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😃
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NICE WORK EVERYONE!
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Thanks KK 🙂
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There are so many great edits for this great image by Laura.
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Agree, Raewyn 🙂 Laura’s image was a wonderful one for the challenge!
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Stacy, you knocked this one out of the park. I adore what you did. I would never have thought of editing it like that. Both you and Laura had marvelous edits. 😀
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Wow, thanks so much for that, Cee! As I mentioned, it was a tough one for me, but glad you liked it 😀
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Wonderful after images.
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Thanks, TSC! I agree 🙂
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I’m glad I’m not the only one that struggled with how to “improve” on this picture. They all turned out great! It’s so much fun each month to see how everyone changes it.
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I keep telling myself that one of these days I’m going to take a step-by-step approach to learning photoshop instead of employing my current scattershot approach and hoping for the best 🙂 It was definitely a fun month of edits!
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Wow Stacy…I like what you did with the boat! Happy New Year to you! Here’s to another year of OPF. 🙂
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Thanks, Laura! I’m a bit behind on blogging, having truly enjoyed an unplanned holiday hiatus 🙂 I’ll be around to your post today and leave most of my thoughts there, but “thank you for a great challenge” bears repeating!
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You are so welcome! You know how I love that challenge. I was behind as well for some days. I think I still am! Glad to hear you enjoyed and relaxed. 🙂
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