Be Creative Week #28

[lisabee]

Hi everyone,

Let’s BE CREATIVE.

Thanks to everyone who took part last week, great results again.

The small print for the challenge is ……
Everyone reading the forum is invited to participate.
Please join in, share your images, ideas, imagination and inspiration.

Please post your images (as many as you like) below in this thread.

If you would like to comment or have a question, please post here (http://www.elementsvillage.com/forums/showthread.php?p=381141#post381141).

Above all, have fun!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Be Creative Week #28

This week we’re looking at this tut to give an image a bit of lift ….“Blue Branch” from ......


http://thepioneerwoman.com/photography/2008/04/blue-branch-step-by-step/ (http://thepioneerwoman.com/photography/2008/04/blue-branch-step-by-step/)

Also do check out the before and after examples in the flickr group
http://flickr.com/groups/pioneerwomanactions/discuss/72157604744078248/ (http://flickr.com/groups/pioneerwomanactions/discuss/72157604744078248/)


A couple of notes:
- On the adjustment layers, tweak the numbers to suit your image.

- After applying the lighting effect, I did Shift Ctrl Alt E to merge everything up into a new layer and then applied the unsharp mask (otherwise my sharpening in the next stage was only showing up at the opacity of the lighting layer).

- in PSE unsharp mask is under the Enhance menu, again adjust the numbers depending on your image and taste.

- The quick burn action referred to is in group of actions available for Photoshop CS on Pioneer Woman, I don’t think these work in PSE. However one of the ways you can make a vignette is by using the vignette option which can be found here in PSE,
Filter > correct camera distortion.




Please try it out, have fun, and as always I look forward to seeing your images. :)

[lisabee]

Here's mine ...

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/19f19eO2QBigIMC1wS9dCNNSqiSRw0_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=19f19eO2QBigIMC1wS9dCNNSqiSRw0)

I like it but may have boosted and lighted a tad too much so I'll be trying out some more,

Lisa

[Aussie Nan]

Great tut Lisa! I think I may have boosted saturation a bit too much. Will have another go. In fact I like this tut so much I think I'll have another thousand go's :D
Toni

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1YzTYWF55hr0cDitNNKxJRmli6raq_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1YzTYWF55hr0cDitNNKxJRmli6raq)

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1z6XaIy33xDp6ZoM7LszgsvztEBw01_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1z6XaIy33xDp6ZoM7LszgsvztEBw01)

[Aussie Nan]

Just had to try it on this Robber crab. It brought the true colours out beautifully. Shame about the bit of blur though - silly crab just wouldn't stay still!!
Toni

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1NryITmwPCnpWI1iVJFH1EnHs5as30_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1NryITmwPCnpWI1iVJFH1EnHs5as30)

[vawitt]

Thanks, Lisa, for another fun tut!

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1mi0IPc71Kz1b8EXVfMCPrxTc0H3_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1mi0IPc71Kz1b8EXVfMCPrxTc0H3)

This bird's getting his 15 minutes of spotlight fame!

~Val in chilly IL

[Bamagirl]

This image was well suited for this tut. It make the contrast and color pop nicely. And by the way, Pioneer Woman is a great website. Thanks Lisa.

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1ssFXqRrkrBQacuQlLYWkFpgqaczj_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1ssFXqRrkrBQacuQlLYWkFpgqaczj)

[Joe M]

I know, another church. I just love taking pictures of churches.

Very cool effect and as usual Lisa I learned some things I can use in other images. I think it worked really well on this image.


http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1r9kzvNb6MhLaztrNLxjG1kD3GZpIX_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1r9kzvNb6MhLaztrNLxjG1kD3GZpIX)

[Bamagirl]

I also made this image. The colors in this image were as not sharp as the other image that I worked on. I didn't make a Hard Light layer because it just washed out all of the color except red. I do think that the lighting worked well here. You really have to look at the Pixcentral image to understand it.
http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1mkgFO8AsF9aoVJ7E6T9ZbtJD9O_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1mkgFO8AsF9aoVJ7E6T9ZbtJD9O)

[TonyW]

I tried this on a definitely dull and drab image that I should have pitched long ago and it certainly brightened it up. Basically followed the recipe but on the duplicate Hard Light layer I appled both a hue/saturation and a Shadows/Highlights tweak. Then duplicated that layer and used the lighting effects filter but changed the blend mode to soft light which I preferred.

That Quick Edge Burn action is very easy to duplicate in Elements and not doing it as an action gives you a lot more control over vignette position and fading (and you need more control for different pixel sized images).

Make a rectangular selection roughly round the part of the image you want to vignette
Layer>New Fill Layer>Solid Color, for the color use a dark gray or black
Set the Blend Mode to Linear Burn (you can use other Blend Modes like Multiply too)
Filter>Distort>Spherize (Adjust to round the layer mask on the Fill adjustment layer)
Filter>Blur>Gaussian Blur (Adjust to suit)
If too dark reduce the opacity of the Fill Layer

Here's the before (it's really dull :))

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1X8DA8M2NgI7TEl2gcHeIuwLLoN2H_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1X8DA8M2NgI7TEl2gcHeIuwLLoN2H)

And the after (maybe a bit too much but I like bright colors :))

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1S2o8DC1reXNykwkhh8R9leibRtk_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1S2o8DC1reXNykwkhh8R9leibRtk)

Thanks Lisa for finding that one - lots of variations possible and I'm going to have to try some more.

Tony

[sosdog]

Never quite got it like I wanted but it is better than the original

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/12kvb9SmoxlGGoUeqCy7JIF4fiFuI_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=12kvb9SmoxlGGoUeqCy7JIF4fiFuI)

[christellf]

Here is my try:
Christell
http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1flO2Zq5kJz6uq9doc3YUKwbSZBm_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1flO2Zq5kJz6uq9doc3YUKwbSZBm)

[cfair]

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1jMUk5eZOrAMyowSjfilYXw3aPfr_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1jMUk5eZOrAMyowSjfilYXw3aPfr)

Croix-de-Nivole

I used the burn tool around the edges to darken them.

[kImages]

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1AgcBvWXkr2j8TzzI8bZdTMr7yOy_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1AgcBvWXkr2j8TzzI8bZdTMr7yOy)http ://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1SZ7EBP1rr0z4jh5q1ahQxiOHw4_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1SZ7EBP1rr0z4jh5q1ahQxiOHw4)

What a great pop.

[billz]

Nice!

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1vAYD0RNvcsOmhmto6fACrgMgzOsL40_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1vAYD0RNvcsOmhmto6fACrgMgzOsL40)

Thanks Lisa.

Bill

[TonyW]

One more - had this pic of a banana tree just after flowering and starting to fruit that I always wondered what to do with ....

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1C3eHZQMwbq11fXiCtzIgvinO5Sh1_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1C3eHZQMwbq11fXiCtzIgvinO5Sh1) http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1cunfRpvcMaKUUiEI5Z4suNOIuMxh_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1cunfRpvcMaKUUiEI5Z4suNOIuMxh)

Tony

[rvrbndr]

Here's my before and after. I like this effect and will try it some more! Love how it makes the colors pop.
http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1jqFvBJ8jScMGFP5BrwjMGdD3Uc70_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1jqFvBJ8jScMGFP5BrwjMGdD3Uc70) http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1fAXozNpIHlTKjdYG85QIC2W4VZS9F1_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1fAXozNpIHlTKjdYG85QIC2W4VZS9F1)

Had to try another... before and after
http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1pidEbvredrSz0DrwMJjgGNR20HsgE0_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1pidEbvredrSz0DrwMJjgGNR20HsgE0) http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1LOPBN5eozFK7xByi4hGbdJmgn8YC_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1LOPBN5eozFK7xByi4hGbdJmgn8YC)

I don't think I'm getting the "quick edge burn" correct. I'm using the burn tool, should I be doing something different?

[Martha]

Wow-what a difference! I used the burn tool around the edges.
Thanks, Lisa!
Martha
http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1jQRxmvD6hOtzwPQb79BkUdOXgHDk_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1jQRxmvD6hOtzwPQb79BkUdOXgHDk)

[Zeria]

Thanks Lisa for another fun technique. Here's my Before and After of an entry in a scarecrow contest


Before
http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/19cpBUN7Vbr3NjvFKt5QzYnMTn6HbO1_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=19cpBUN7Vbr3NjvFKt5QzYnMTn6HbO1)

After
http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1fKY56B6wiyZ9OalT93LnF2OBFV1_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1fKY56B6wiyZ9OalT93LnF2OBFV1)

[mljrbg]

Great tut and easy. I hung onto this pic because I liked it and never knew what to do to make it better. Now I know!! How do you post both images in the same thumbnail in Pixentral?

Mary Lou

Before
http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1SpPX0UpqnuuEeGBVMNfEIVICpux1_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1SpPX0UpqnuuEeGBVMNfEIVICpux1)

After
http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1ZTDxJZTWfyXleWJQeOGJ7jAqlnr1_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1ZTDxJZTWfyXleWJQeOGJ7jAqlnr1)

[Seachelle]

WOW, it has turned what I had labeled a rubbish snap into something more like what I had in my memory of this place. Great Tut.

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1PFexClRQriXumHwOCv6AoUBnJY_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1PFexClRQriXumHwOCv6AoUBnJY)

[Seachelle]

Here is another go, the photo is from the same area. It has really boosted it.

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1UGRDWdl7yODm8SfGoBwwhJmOG9iEo_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1UGRDWdl7yODm8SfGoBwwhJmOG9iEo)

[JulieM]

Gosh, I really like this look. Tried it on a picture of a volleyball net. This will be fun to experiment with. Thanks, Lisa!

[/URL]http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/10vaiT7ekthZ2cgoMbJ0iIyPWbpaU8_thumb.jpg (http://www.elementsvillage.com/forums/%5BURL=http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=10vaiT7ekthZ2cgoMbJ0iIyPWbpaU8%5D %5BIMG%5Dhttp://www.pixentral.com/hosted/10vaiT7ekthZ2cgoMbJ0iIyPWbpaU8_thumb.jpg%5B/IMG%5D%5B/URL%5D)[URL="http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1GfKESCHh61AGA3Mu4o1VCAsyRvYfc"]http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1GfKESCHh61AGA3Mu4o1VCAsyRvYfc_thumb.jpg (http://www.elementsvillage.com/forums/%5BURL=http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1GfKESCHh61AGA3Mu4o1VCAsyRvYfc%5D %5BIMG%5Dhttp://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1GfKESCHh61AGA3Mu4o1VCAsyRvYfc_thumb.jpg%5B/IMG%5D%5B/URL%5D)

[JulieM]

Has anyone tried a person yet? Thought I'd give it a go...

[/URL][URL="http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1yKi1IRljWqudxgzoG0NxXhRw2AQYv"]http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1yKi1IRljWqudxgzoG0NxXhRw2AQYv_thumb.jpg (http://www.elementsvillage.com/forums/%5BURL=http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1yKi1IRljWqudxgzoG0NxXhRw2AQYv%5D %5BIMG%5Dhttp://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1yKi1IRljWqudxgzoG0NxXhRw2AQYv_thumb.jpg%5B/IMG%5D%5B/URL%5D)

[TonyW]

Not a person - yet another flower - but I ran across a patch of wild columbines while out walking in the woods yesterday and they looked a bit insipid so I thought I'd perk one up a bit. If I'd have thought about it I might have changed the color of the lighting effects bit (I used spotlight shining up from the bottom) to yellow but I just stuck with plain old white ;). The before and after ....

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/145ayyk8Sz78jNnIHEkSHLE0W12FA_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=145ayyk8Sz78jNnIHEkSHLE0W12FA) http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1feliCGd9fSxt5Ive49xIBkfleJ8n_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1feliCGd9fSxt5Ive49xIBkfleJ8n)

Tony

[mljrbg]

This is definitely not a person!! I still don't think I have the edges right.

Mary Lou

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1jLC5wPSpN70E4os0RjN1OWygLfmI4_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1jLC5wPSpN70E4os0RjN1OWygLfmI4)

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1W5NvNFlBhxegxy9NTMnmZSliXGuRM_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1W5NvNFlBhxegxy9NTMnmZSliXGuRM)

[Chesney]

oooooh, I really like this one - it really makes the colors pop. This is a picture I took at our zoo - a new butterly pavillion was just added. It was a really nice addition to our Henry Doorly Zoo here in Omaha, NE.
http://www.elementsvillage.com/gallery/files/1/8/7/4/9/butterflyvignette_thumb.jpg (http://www.elementsvillage.com/gallery/showimage.php?i=4909&c=5)

[dsfisher421]

Thanks, I think this is one I will be playing with a lot.

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1kgVHuo8brWnB68J9iUpBmp2LdlR_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1kgVHuo8brWnB68J9iUpBmp2LdlR)

[efarnstrom]

There were so many good examples that I had to try this out. The bell was so out-of-focus! Looks better now.

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1uAelAlRv6rwxpECRIb0NtWa2VN0Yt_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1uAelAlRv6rwxpECRIb0NtWa2VN0Yt)ht tp://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1Wkt7xkGs9SG4rdcadWFetr3HGYLq0_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1Wkt7xkGs9SG4rdcadWFetr3HGYLq0)

Next I tried out a floral snapshot to see if it would improve it. I think it does!
http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1Gx6MkfwQmYn8WWSwW3EDgI8elrbsR_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1Gx6MkfwQmYn8WWSwW3EDgI8elrbsR)ht tp://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1P54vrYQBX4FNnh1KPnp67lNp0D1_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1P54vrYQBX4FNnh1KPnp67lNp0D1)

Thanks for the link to this tutorial.

[Fish]

Thanks for the link, Lisa. A simple way to enhance our photos.

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1HCGWT62jaW4cjCCfXzf48pJ0Nm8p50_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1HCGWT62jaW4cjCCfXzf48pJ0Nm8p50)h ttp://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1OBdRhMchoP6CkcnXFyVonFoyhFr90_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1OBdRhMchoP6CkcnXFyVonFoyhFr90)

-Fish

[efarnstrom]

Wow...what a difference!

[cape]

wonderful tutorial!

before
http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1punWOL600pOBNuhw4qOqaSoRxmzL61_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1punWOL600pOBNuhw4qOqaSoRxmzL61)

and after
http://www.elementsvillage.com/gallery/files/1/9/5/6/7/cape_spy_blue_branch_border_bc_28_thumb.jpg (http://www.elementsvillage.com/gallery/showimage.php?i=4976&c=5)

[efarnstrom]

That's some layout! The border is a good one. I had the hardest time with the lasso! You did well.

[cape]

Thanks! :)

...The border is a good one. I had the hardest time with the lasso...

:rolleyes: Ooooh efarnstrom, you have no idea how much that calms me.
This border has taken innumerable attempts and a lot of time.
It looks so easy in the video but... http://l.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mesg/emoticons7/102.gif ...hardly at me.