Friday, December 11, 2015

Hmmmm, think maybe this was PhotoShopped?



PhotoShop is a software program that let's you manipulate a photo.

It has come to be a derisive term that implies "cheating" on the image.

But other "tweaks" can be done without using PS:

Increase/decrease contrast.

Make a photo lighter or darker or crop it for dramatic effect.

But, yeah, this shot has been doctored like crazy.

PS has a clone tool that let's you copy a portion of the image and place it somewhere else. Like left and right hands on the guitar player seen here.

It was an interesting picture because of the 3-neck guitar played by Eddie Vaan Shaw.

The top is a 12-string guitar and the other two are more traditional 6-string.

I felt the two on the bottom felt left out so I corrected it.

The "swaying" building in Prague, Czech Republic, was actually designed and built that way by American architect Frank Owen Gehry.

He initially named it the Fred & Ginger building, after the famed dancing duo.

I did not have to alter anything about the "Gum Trees" that drew the attention of tourists and locals and, finally, the City.

A man with a steam machine was hired by the city to clean poles on four corners by the Custom House and the Market.

Who knows how and why the stick fad started but it wasn't the kind of image Charleston strives for.

After getting them clean, a sign warned Gummers that they would be fined a thousand dollars if they stuck with doing this.

I DID add the caption over the head of a tourist.

The picture of a "relaxed" Mickey Mouse was not retouched at all.

This was a lazy street entertainer on a main street in Las Vegas that I happened to spot as a passerby dropped a tip.

While others had to prance and dance and pose to gather tips, this person (male or female?) found a position that Disney never would approve.  The blue beer bottle was a perfect touch.

This dramatic photo was not Photo Shopped.

However, the contrast was boosted and saturation was increased.

It's pretty close to what I saw when I captured a pretty awesome scene on the Charles Bridge in Prague.

Because that area was filled with tourists milling around at all hours, I simply tilted my camera up a bit and shot over their heads.

Guess that was fooling around with the image.

But simply a planned approach to crowd control.

Another thing to do when the shot you want is too crowded, just wait a few moments.

Crowds ebb and flow and there will be a time when you can have fewer people in the picture.

The long scenic street shot in Lisbon, Portugal, could have used some cleaning up with software.

If you zoom in, you'll see the front of that beautiful iconic yellow electric trolley is totally covered with graffiti that was scribbled, scratched and painted on.

On other shots, where I am much closer, I did use a "paint brush" tool from PS.

With it, I was able to restore the original, pristine look that you saw on Lisbon t-shirts.

(Click on the photos and links for more details.)

PhotoShop is simply a tool and certainly can be overdone, creating a false look.

On occasion, I am guilty of that.

Thanks for stopping by.

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Wednesday, October 01, 2014

Sunset....in Prague.

One of the benefits of photography is the sense of revisiting a scene.

Right now I have 4,339 digital memories, taken during two and a half weeks roaming through five countries in Central Europe.

I get a selfish thrill when I can recreate something I saw for less than a second and share it with others.

Cloud formations and a golden sun sending shafts of light everywhere are fun to capture.

But not always just sitting there, waiting for you.



It might be raining or there's totally no clouds.

You may have made plans to meet some people inside.

Or you emerge from a museum or castle and the light is all wrong.

But, when it all comes together, you snap the moment forever.

Capturing a great sunset, or the moments when twilight slowly changes the view, depends on luck.

When you do see the elements coming together for an exciting visual end of day, find a spot to relax, have a beer and watch for the moment.

That castle you just rode a tram up a steep hill to explore now looks majestic up there.

You walked up and down a lot of steps so a cold one is due. Have a seat.

This is Prague, capital city of the Czech Republic, and not even the halfway point of my photo vacation.

It is a romantic riverside location enhanced by graceful bridges and a skyline punctuated with medieval church steeples.

Wait a minute, that sounds a little bit like Charleston.

Which has TWO rivers.

Oh, but the churches are not nearly that old.

Point goes to Prague.


Prague Castle looms large across the Vitava River, above the Charles Bridge.

This scenic span connects the quarters near the castle with Old Town and it's sprawling Square.

Most of my day had been spent eating foods new to me and sampling local national beers.

Well, sure, I went up and toured the Castle and walked down to view the Charles Bridge from various angles.

What a great place for street photography!

And statues. Man, they have a lot of 'em.

Everywhere you looked there were religious monuments, and as the sun settled, beautiful lighting effects were created.

A photographer's lucky day.

(Click on the photos for more details.)

I just remembered I have several hundred more pictures I took with my phone camera.

More editing.

Yikes, I'll never be outside again to see a sunset.


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