Two Roses, Two Masks

Yellow Rose Remask 4 Impasto Gaussian Blur

The above was done using Topaz Remask 4 and CS6. The one below with a “quick and dirty” program and less refinement on my end. In the one above, I inserted a background and blurred it in the Gaussian blur. The one below was simply an opaque, white background.

Drying Roses

Like I said, I’ve made the decision to work at mastering the software I use in post. There are lots around, with lots of tools. Some are expensive, some ubiquitous, others less well known.

Some progress is being made. Click on them to compare if you wish to see the quality of the masking.

Topaz Remask 4 is quite remarkable.

I See the Moon

The other night I went out toward sunset – checked the electronic almanac called my phone – taking a beautiful old lens, the Vivitar Series 1 24-48mm, and the Df.  I set everything up manually and shot a number of pictures to make a panorama of the crescent moon and oak tree silhouetted against the remaining daylight.  I was in the golden hour, moving into the blue hour.  The first image below is the pano, uncropped but reduced in size, and the following are variations in cropping and post processing. Click on the pictures to see them full size. This lens is beautifully sharp.

I See the Moon - Uncropped (1 of 1)

I See the Moon (1 of 4)

I See the Moon (2 of 4)

I See the Moon (3 of 4)

A View from Second Beach

A View from Second Beach

The beaches along the Olympic Peninsula are nothing short of amazing. No camera can catch the mood perfectly, but software can help!

While we were there, the sky moved from a foggy opacity, to blue and cloudy, and back. I wanted to capture that in-between time when the sun was breaking through as the fog lightened.