minniev Loc: MIssissippi

I know Magnetoman does. Not sure who else. While I enjoy maximizing a photo, that's not all our PP tools will do. One of the many things I like to do in post processing is create things that never were out of photos I've taken and stuff I've accrued (free) from various sources.

Since I have literally thousands of bird photos from under the dam, one of my rainy day fun activities is to anthropomorphise the dam birds in various ways. In the 1800s there was a trend in wealthy landowners to build "follies", things that looked like architectural ruins from bygone days, to decorate their properties.Here, I imagined what a dam bird might have if he built himself a Folly.

The platform, the bird and his catch, the raging water are all as-shot. But I built/furnished the folly from stuff I got from the wonderful museum and library sites that are now public domain, some textures, and the light fixture is a piece of antique jewelry. The fish are freebies from a site that does scrapbook content. Then once I had cobbled everything together I had to post process it like any other image, but being more careful to figure out light/shadow/color toning.

Is it photography? Yes, most of it, just not in one frame (well those fish are not photos). Is it post processing? Yeah, a lot of post processing. And post processing an image made of parts of 10 different photos is harder than post processing just one. But it is great fun!

(Download)

nanaval Loc: Cornwall

Hi minniev I do a lot of composites as do a lot of other Hoggers. I enjoyed looking at yours and found it interesting...

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

Could you possibly be having any more fun, Minnie?? What extraordinary creativity you have developed over the years. I can't stop smiling at this work!

Excellent tip you wrote: being more careful to figure out light/shadow/color toning. That surely elevates a work's sophistication (polish, style) and enjoyment.

yssirk123 Loc: New Jersey

Wow - that is amazing and looks like great fun. I enjoyed wandering around the image taking it all in. So very creative - thank you for sharing!

minniev Loc: MIssissippi

Thanks. Would love to see some of yours!

minniev Loc: MIssissippi

thanks Linda. The birds seem so human-like at times, so I just let my imagination roam..

minniev Loc: MIssissippi

thank you!

(it's addictive)

rgrenaderphoto Loc: Hollywood, CA

Really unique approach, bravo.

magnetoman Loc: Purbeck, Dorset, UK

Having a good imagination gives you a head start Min, it’s that that I struggle with! Your picture here is way outside my thinking range and works so nicely. Lighting is something I try hard to get right and you seem to have that cracked. Colour is more straightforward with the range of Ps adjustments available. Then it’s back to imagination - what is it we are going to create? That bit’s hard!!

minniev Loc: MIssissippi

Thanks!

minniev Loc: MIssissippi

All of it is hit and miss. With all my composites, I end up painting myself into a corner. Usually it is in an area where the lower right hand thirds lines would cross. I almost always have some sort of mess in that area that I have to either settle for or slap an object or extra texture/paint over.

So far, my imagination has its limits. Besides dreaming up things for dam birds to do, I enjoy making picture story collages that include one main photo of mine, with an array of other visual elements (old postcards, drawings, text, maps, newspaper clippings and of course textures and paint), usually vintage stuff. And sometimes I just graze through my pictures till I find something that grabs my eye and I make up a story (fishermen at a pond, what are they catching? A giant blue octopus. What's he got? A lantern in one tentacle. etc etc) That's how this dam bird went. He was holding a fish, so I asked "what's he gonna do with it" (Put it in a pot), "what pot" When I found the fancy pot I had the Folly idea, so then I was just looking for other stuff to build/decorate it. The fish were just plain whimsy.

That said, I think your imagination is first rate. The fantasy composites you create are amazing!

magnetoman Loc: Purbeck, Dorset, UK

Interesting to hear your ‘lower right’ problem. Mine is invariably lower left. That could be clue to my composition problems!

rborud Loc: Minnesota

Minnie indeed this is photographic art in one of its many forms. As a visual pleasure seeker I find this image easily makes the grade. Thanks RBorud

minniev Loc: MIssissippi

If you find a better cure let me know!

minniev Loc: MIssissippi

Thank you so much.