Whuff Loc: Marshalltown, Iowa

We've finally emerged from the deep freeze of a couple of weeks ago and I was able to get out one foggy day, do some gravel travel and shoot some pixels. Here's one shot from that day for your consideration.

Walt

(Download)

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

I'm liking the effect you gave the sky, Walt - suits the subject nicely. You used a good perspective to display the condition of the barn + it fills the frame pleasingly, giving a bit of sense of open space around. Your edits to the vegetation produced a golden look that is a nice contrast to the starkness and decay of the rest.

Whuff Loc: Marshalltown, Iowa

The original sky area was just a dull gray nothingness, so I thought I’d give it a bit of something. I’ve just completed a course on Photoshop Elements so I played around a bit with it. I’m rather pleased with the improvement but I’m open to ideas on how it could be even better. As far as the vegetation, other than a slight elevation of the saturation level, that’s pretty much how it was.

Walt

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

Adding textures or other "special" effects will always garner a wide range of opinions I've been using Elements for several years, just bought the 2018 version when I got a new computer. Did you do this via layers?

Whuff Loc: Marshalltown, Iowa

Yeah, I’m aware that textures aren’t everyone’s cup of tea. This one had such a big blank dull gray sky that I thought it needed something to spice it up a bit. I used a couple different tricks I learned. As to your question about did I do this via layers - the answer is sorta. When using the textures facility PSE automatically generates a new layer to add it. I used the opacity slider to tone it down quite a bit.

Walt

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

You learned in a month what took me three

Whuff Loc: Marshalltown, Iowa

Well, it’s been a cold month. I didn’t leave the house much for a few weeks there and I’m not sure how well I learned it. Fortunately I have lifetime access to the course. I keep a macro in my browser so I can go back with about 2 clicks to review any section. I retired Dec. 1st but my wife is still working so I needed something to fill my time when it was too cold to go out.

Walt

dpullum Loc: Tampa Florida

This is a prime example of what I have complained about so many times....No! not complaining about you photo... yours is the goal that others should use as a guide. Your composition and treatment of sky and surroundings is excellent x 2+++.

Would I treat differently, sure; just crop about half of each not building off on each side... the story is not sky, not grass.... rather story of interest is building and the great texture of the disappearing building.
-----------------------------------------
Linda, Idle of my eyes said "You learned in a month what took me three " Sly Linda... you say how skilled Whuff is and then humbly say you are as great but it just took you a bit longer!! Aaaaa humility.

In my opinion Linda you have always been great... Ive been following your work for years and it is always excellent... humility not required... [smile, grin, wink nudge nudge as the python players would say] d/p

jaymatt Loc: Alexandria, Indiana

Excellent work with this subject all around, especially the composition--I don’t think it could be better.

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

I was talking about Walt's learning layers, as probably you knew, you sly troublemaker. Ah Don, you do make life uncomfortable sometimes

Whuff Loc: Marshalltown, Iowa

I appreciate your input. I do have some tighter shots of the building but to me, without the foliage (is it really foliage if it isn’t green?) and sky, it lost a lot of interest. Now, since the sky was a bit of a gray muddy mess due to the fog, I thought it needed something added.

I agree with your assessment of Linda’s skill and to be compared to her I will need to post a lot more photos here to find out if my skill level meets hers. The amazing thing about this is, that this guy with only a high school education and being somewhat of a luddite could actually learn anything at all about PSE and layers.

Walt

Whuff Loc: Marshalltown, Iowa

Thank you John.

Walt

minniev Loc: MIssissippi

I really like this, and am glad to see someone else venturing into the fun world of textures. You learned a lot quickly! My first efforts were far less appealing than yours! And I still consider myself a novice at it. No, it isn’t for everyone, but it is certainly a valid approach to taking some of our images in a more artistic direction. I hope you’ll share more of your work in their vein, and your tips/strategies.

Old barns/structures against a plain backdrop make some of the very best subjects for texture work. For me, simpler compositions like this hold up better for this kind of effect, so you made an excellent choice in the image itself. As far as the texture, that’s my favorite type, so I like that too. The great thing about it is that you can go back and adjust later if you kept your layers intact, which I strongly recommend. When I first started, I was quite heavy-handed (new toys make me a little crazy) and I’ve improved some of those by dialing back the texture or leveling off the boundary between the texture and the masked area by painting back in a little more texture across the subject area.

Like you, I am retaking the course I took last year. Some of what was in the course went over my head last year, but with what I’ve learned, I may retain a few more things this time. Lifetime access is great for old folks like me! I also participate in a facebook group that does a 52 project involving textures, just to make sure I keep at it!

I look forward to seeing more images like this!

Jim Plogger Loc: East Tennessee

Like it a lot.

ebrunner Loc: New Jersey Shore

Nicely done, Walt. I think your choice of background works well with this subject. Looks like the photo could be old like the subject itself. Nice.
erich