Mono-tonality. One example: A Leaf. (Fall is coming)

[ConsAreLiars]

In another thread I mentioned that a lot of my (full color, unaltered, as seen by me and the camera) pix are predominated by a very limited range of colors. This is one example, and it would be nice to see other pix where only a small part of the color palette was used. And a reminder that fall color can be fun.



This was the original (reduced)



The directional lighting made the 3D quality of the leaf structure apparent, but I wondered if I could boost that feature a little so I applied one variation of the "Special Effects/Emboss" transformation (in Picture Windows Pro - others likely have similar options) to create this image.



I then used the "Composite/Blend" to merge the two in order to yield the image at the top. The difference is subtle, but I think it helped.

Since one of my gripes, not very high on the list, is that reducing a photo for the web means losing a lot of detail, here is an unreduced bit of detail from the full size version of the top photo:

[NV Whino]

1. Bootiful!

Should have used that last one for the texture contest. That is really amazing.

[ConsAreLiars]

3. With the contest theme being texture I looked at this, but

it didn't seem to quite show the "feel" of autumn leaves. The Emboss version is a bit phony looking, but the blending the two seemed to yield what I wanted.

For comparison, here is the original before being composited with the Emboss variant.

[ConsAreLiars]

4. For some reason the image doesn't show for me.

Here's a copy, in case it is broken for others as well.

(And a correction, the detail was reduced to half size, as I discovered when prepping this one.)

[F.Gordon]

2. I am sooooooo ready for Fall

The difference is more than a little subtle, and that's what you meant with the mono reference. I didn't pick up on it the first time. While I like exploding color... who doesn't? I am pulled toward visuals that have a limited color range. What you did with this is friggin' great.

You're really nailing this photo editing stuff down. Can you slow down a bit though, I'm still at the first step .....

I'm going to go yank a couple of snaps I have and give the embossing thing a try. Thanks.
:hi:

[ConsAreLiars]

5. If I recall correctly (rather rare), I

set the radius at 5-7 pixels on an image around 7500 pixels wide in HSV space and a height of around 7-8-9. Smaller numbers would probably be needed with smaller originals.

As for competence, I still don't have much of clue about what I am doing, but PWP seems to let me learn by playing, and the fact it was designed by a photographer seems to make the learning curve more comfortable than the more all-in-one packages. I've had to actually read parts of the manual via the help button, but in this case it seemed "intuitive" that the Emboss function might help bring out the texture.

Here's the desaturated version, which shows how limited the range of tones (as well as color) was:

[F.Gordon]

8. It really is quite a work of art

Transcending that point where "we"...."I" .... would call it a photograph. But that is what it is. Part of my recent schoolin', and boy do I need schoolin', dips into The Zone as it relates to contemporary printing techniques. I still have much to learn but this is a quick 30 second Zone-Conversion of your photograph. Probably not within tongues reach of most peoples taste, but you get the idea. Basically taking the different "inks" and adjusting level/contrast of a particular "ink" to achieve the result.



Edit? It's late. Do I have to explain?
:shrug:

[ConsAreLiars]

9. The Zone System is good way to understand how to create B&W

images which have a full-monty richness which is drool-worthy regardless of subject.

The biggest problem with image-editing software is knowing where and when to stop. For example:



Named appropriately. Still a few piles of life debris to clear out or bypass tomorrow, but with any luck we'll be heading back to Scott Lake tomorrow (and hopefully the 10 star rating of this previously obscure free campground (damn them!) will not mean it and our favorite site is full), and going unplugged, Living On The Earth for a couple weeks, something every needs whether they know it or not.

That would be this place:



And this would be the experience:


(and a word of thanks to http://xs.to for the free hosting service)

[Blue_In_AK]

6. I'm really looking forward to fall, too...

Although I hope it stops raining before the snow flies so there's at least a little break to enjoy the colors. We've had just crazy rain up here over the past two or three weeks. Floods everywhere, bridges washed out, people stranded, rivers and streams 8-10 feet above flood stage. I'm just praying for a sunny September, because autumn up here is gorgeous, although short.

[ConsAreLiars]

7. My one visit to Alaska was predominately overcast and rainy.

Not my first choice, but I still got some good images. In fact, some of my favorites were taken under those conditions. And remember Mogster's truly wonderful foggy pics - a reminder that "being there" and "seeing," especially when the conditions are not what we "wanted," can be rather fulfilling.

(edit to finish sentence.)