Photo Art Friday, 6 Sept 2013

I had a great time working with my chosen photos this last week and love the theme of water.  I tried out quite a few filters and techniques that I don't normally use and I always find that very inspiring.  

This first piece was originally a very linear photo of a water vessel docking platform that I find very peaceful and calming (see below).  I love how the pinching and twirling effect I used creates a wave of water in the centre.  That and the more intense colours adds a sense of adventure, even danger perhaps . . . totally changing the emotional aspect for me.

"Wavy Wharf"

The next two pieces both feature rain and that was quite the common theme around here these last few days.  After a summer that broke decades long records for length of time between rainfalls, we have had more days with rain than without this past week and I am lovin' it. My dear sister posted a photo on Facebook just yesterday that had the definition of those who love the rain . . .

Pluviophile: (n) a lover of rain, someone who finds joy and peace of mind during rainy days.

This poppy piece was achieved by doing some initial edits with the standard tools that came with my Windows 7 photo gallery.  I then brought it into my Serif PhotoPlus X4 program and used an offset filter that cuts the piece in quarters and shifts them around so that what was in the centre is now in the corners.  Next I applied Bonnie's pdpa Light Canvas texture. I then brought a second copy of the poppy into the program and ran it through the cut-out studio and then layered the full cutout poppy onto the offset image. I am really pleased with the way this turned out.

"Poppy Talk"

This really goes to show how a ho-hum image can be transformed into something quite beautiful.

I am not so quick anymore to delete something that I am not initially smitten with.

Okay, this is definitely my favourite of this rain series.

A 'through a rainy windshield shot' that I saw potential in.  Starting again with basic edits (contrast, brightness, saturation) then into PhotoPlusX4 for a fine art watercolour filter.

"Rain Tree"

This final piece has nothing to do with the theme of water but is another example of why I am not deleting so quickly.  I loved the emotion of this shot of my nephew and his baby girl, but the quality of the shot was not great  . . . a little blurry, not the best composition, etc. I tried a lot of my usual tricks to improve the image and make it a keeper but nothing was making me smile.  Then the idea of a texture came and I just randomly picked this one from my file of Bonnie's generous freebies, "pdpa Artist". 

And then the magic happened . . .

I know this is long but I have been posting so seldom lately that I wanted to make worth your while to visit.
I am linking up with Bonnie and an amazing group of digital artists at . . .