Mural restoration....dots before my eyes.
A friend of mine,
Joan Perry, posted on her blog her picture of the faded and marred mural seen on one wall of the Sotille Theater.
It is covered with adhesive "dots" left when tiles were taken down.
Not sure why it was covered over but, during a restoration, this hidden treasure was revealed.
My brothers and I grew up living on the peninsula and attended movies at all of the places downtown. The Riviera, Majestic, American and Palace.
We knew this as the Gloria Theater.
Frankly, I remember the blue sky overhead in a large circle - with little white lights for stars - but I don't recall large paintings on either wall.
I was a kid and more interested in the movie playing and making trips to the lobby for popcorn, sodas and candy.
Joan did
research on its history and said plans are to restore it to its former glory.
Heck, I am impatient and sat for a while applying effects from my
Topaz Plug-In. It's like Photoshop.
Here is my version of how I think it will look.
Thank you Joan for your delightful blog which inspired me to start mine 8 years ago. I did all this editing of your photo without permission from you to do so. Yikes.
Like my habit of belated fact-checking, I jumped the gun and hope you are pleased.
(Click on both to see the before and the after.)
One of the Topaz tools lets me adjust the perspective a bit, to make it appear more square.
Of course, the camera does not lie.
* wink * wink
Labels: American, College of Charleston Sotille Theatre, colorful "restoration", enhancing photos, Gloria Theater, Majestic, many dots in front of my eyes., Palace movie theaters, Topaz Plug-in tools, uncovered mural
Be careful NOT to over do....
One of my new photo delights is discovering Topaz Plug-In tools.
Yikes. It can turn a simple photo into a work of art.
Well, that might be a stretch.
But it can open up shadow areas and add a strong emphasis on detail not really noticed before.
Oh course, it is possible to go too far.
You can make the effect too obvious. It then draws attention to itself.
I brought up some pictures I took a few summers ago on a trip to D.C. and had fun re-visiting that visit.
It is possible to work on a recent photo and make it appear to be a postcard from the 1950s.
Not that that's a bad thing.
Of course, the newer cars give it away.
Is that a Prius?
A Smart car?
The flags have 50 stars.
I like the effect it had on my picture at the Korean War Memorial.
The reflections of the visitors on the wall on the left are more prominent.
The soldiers wearing long ponchos are more dramatic.
Even the green grass and trees appeared more vibrant.
There are "sliders" that allow me to add or subtract individual hues or the overall scene. Or add "micro contrast" clicks.
The Vietnam Wall was enhanced with my new process.
The engraved lettering seemed to "pop out" more as the minute changes were made.
The Memorial itself produces a tremendous response and these tweaks in my photo add to the stirring setting.
This is the Summer travel season and I hope people go up to Washington and see the monuments, museums and memorials.
I was able to go into the US Supreme Court because it was not in session.
The last few days it must have REALLY been crammed with people as historic decisions were being handed down.
This staircase was an OK picture but, using these new enhancement tools, it really became a beauty.
Something about marble and polished brass just go together.
Oh, I just remembered to pull up a shot of the newest memorial - to World War II - and give it a pictorial boost.
It's been a delightful morning, going back to Washington, DC again.
Gave me a chance to experiment with these post production tools.
Someone complained that these kind of changes alter the photo from what was actually seen.
Well, I was doing that back in the 1950s with my darkroom at home.
Now I just have newer tools.
(Click on the photos for more details.)
Like many things in life, use these enhancing steps in moderation.
Don't go overboard.
People will notice.
Labels: ADJUST, CLARITY, DeNoise, Depression men-in-hats at a door for handouts, Korean War Memorial, Prius, Smart car, The Capitol building, Topaz Plug-in tools, Vietnam War Wall Memorial
