HOW IT HAPPENED:
Edits (high level overview)
- Masked image to Polaroid frame, added text, brought in a background, drop shadow on Polaroid, color balance on green channel, and burn on the trail sign
- Black and white layer adjustment to the entire image, painted out the walking stick in the mask so it wasn't black and white, copied and pasted the red from the backpack on top of the B&W layer, corrected spots with the brush in the layer mask
- I got a Duluth Trading Company feel from this image. I used a filter, copied the layer, and pasted the original in between the two. After that, I set the middle (original) layer to soft light, the top to multiply. I added a brightness/contrast adjustment to the entire image and painted out some parts in the mask. I can't remember exactly what filter it was, but I know it was in the "Artistic" section.
- This is one of the subtle ones. I used a sharpness filter, dodged out the green plants in the foreground, and burned some of the ground very close to the camera. This is actually the only photo with a person in it, I copied the person out of this and added it to other images to convey more of a message of hiking.
- I used a color balance filter, mostly on the greens and neutrals. I added a "Lens Flare" filter where it looked like it made sense. This one actually took a while to get right
- This was color balance, a lighting effects filter with custom settings, and a copy and paste of the person (along with blurring the edges to make it look like it fit). I had to add a brightness/contrast on the hiker to make it blend well.
- Channel mixer/color balance to boost the greens on the leaf
- I cropped this image down to make the path run up the right third. I dodged some of the path and added the person again. The person is subtle, but that's what I was going for. Again, brightness/contrast on the hiker to make it fit and blurring the edges.
- The first step of this was HDR toning, the second was adding a color balance mask and playing around with the layer mode until I was happy with how it looked.
- This was a photo filter set to "warm" I believe. I burned some of the rocks in the foreground and repeated the process of adding the hiker.
- The bottom layer is the original image. On top of that is a watercolor filter set to overlay. On top of that is the original image again set to multiply. If you look closely you can see the strokes. The final step was adding a color balance and masking out parts I didn't want to affect (the river mostly). I also burned some of the large rocks.
- Color balance to boost greens and yellows and burning out the background to make it look like it's on black.
- The bottom image was HDR toning, on top of that was the layer duplicated with a warm photo filter applied and set to overlay. I think I adjusted the opacity of the top layer until I was happy with what it looked like. I clone stamped a rogue tree branch in the foreground as well.
- This may be one of my favorites. I did a color balance and a black and white adjustment layer. Then I used a radial gradient to unmask the middle of the image where you see the color. The rest is black and white.
- I needed at least one that looked SUPER instagrammy! This was a combination of hue/saturation, levels, color balance, and brightness/contrast. I'll admit this was slightly overdone but I wanted to get that big "oomph"
- This took quite a bit of work. I used color balance masked to the blue sky and did the same for the mountains to boost the blues and the greens in each. I burned some of the ground in the front and cleaned up small parts with the clone stamp and patch tools.
- I took my final image, adjusted it as I wanted (color balance again with masking) and added a white stroke (30px I believe) on the INSIDE of the image. That gave me the white photo frame. I transformed it, copied a few times, added drop shadows, and adjusted the layers behind to give the appearance of a stack of photos. I brought in a background and then strategically erased pieces of a paperclip to make it look like it was holding the stack of images in my photostory together. I added text on top of an altered rectangular marquee tool selection filled with white, and voila!
How do all of the photographs work together?
ReplyDeleteAll your photographs work very well together and your story line is very clear. I like how you placed your picture from when you start at the beginning of the trail and take pictures as you are hiking up the trail till you reach the top.
I have to say my favorite picture out of all your pictures is the one looking up the tree trunk. The detail, color, angle are all perfect.
For me the best part is the view on the last picture. Taking pictures as you climb to get to the top and reach the climax of your hike is so beautiful makes me want to go there and hike my self. Wonderful work! Was great seeing your work during this semester.
I really like the way you framed the whole set with the Polaroid outlines. This was very effective in giving a sense of structure to your story. It makes it feel like the front and back covers of a book--giving a clear beginning and ending to your story. It also makes me feel like I'm looking at someone's collage of memories. Using the text tool on the "Polaroids" was also an effective way of incorporating text into your slides in a way that made sense and helped to clue the viewer in on what they were looking at. Slide 1 prepared me perfectly for what was to come, and my mind was able to put the pieces together from there as I looked at the progression of your hike.
ReplyDeleteThere is some great color play here with the reds and greens. The vibrant colors make this setting feel very lush and inviting. You also made some particularly great use of the dodge and burn tools to add highlight and depth to your photos and lead the viewer's attention where you wanted it to go.
The hiking trail made for some great natural frames, but you took it even farther by changing your perspective so that the camera moved from ground level up to eye level. I love the framing and composition of the backpack, shoe, and close-up leaf photos. Your made use of the rule of thirds well but also knew when it made sense to break this rule to equally good effect.
The paperclip at the end is also a very nice touch. Great work!
Ryan, your photo story had a similar feel as I did mine on hiking as well. The photos told a great story that made me feel like I was on the trail with you.
ReplyDeleteYour opening and closing photos made me feel like I was looking through a scrap book of photos and made such a unique beginning and end to the story. In particular, I am a fan of the photos that look up into the trees, you had a few of them and the adjustments you made brought out another view of them, reaching up toward the sky. I'd have to say my absolute favorite is of the tree (spruce maybe) with the black background - it just made for such an eye capturing photo with the color contrast.
I would like to have seen your photos posted individually, I think that is the only downside to creating a video.
Thanks for everything this semester, I feel I learned from you along the way.
Karen
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ReplyDeleteI love the scenery, one of these days I am going to have to take a road trip and hike Vermont. My favorite is the upward shot with the sun breaking through the trees. I can honestly say your photography has improved immensely since the start of class. These are all beautiful shots, and work together well, especially in the sense of hiking through the woods. The only real critique I can mention is that there needs to be a good closing shot. As it stands, it just kind of ends, but it ends with a fantastic scene.
ReplyDeleteThis is really great! It flowed beautifully! I wish I had made a video and added music. Awesome touch. My favorite photo, for some reason was the shoe. Just a lot of story in such a simple and nice photo. Really love this. Great job!!
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with Maria this photostory flowed beautifully! I wish I did more hiking this summer this is the second photo story I've seen involving hiking man I miss nature! Great job and honestly I loved most of your photos because they were beautiful and very green!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing!
Thea