January

Abandoned In Metallic

How I did it - I was just playing with various textures, filters, and blending modes to see what changes I could make to some existing images.  I had a photo which I had taken in Colorado which I had previously tonemapped and to which I had earlier applied Nik’s Silver Efex Antique Plate filter.  I had called the photo, Abandoned.

     This time I added two textures, playing with the various blending modes to see what I could come up with.  Then I added Photoshop’s Bas Relief filter – a filter I rarely use – and changed the blending mode to Subtract – again, a blending mode I rarely use.  The result was interesting but quite dark so I added a levels adjustment layer to lighten it a bit, and cloned out a few hot spots.  I then added Nik’s Color Efex Pro Contrast filter.  I thought the overall effect looked like it had been printed on a metallic surface, hence the title, Abandoned in Metallic.  I added a dark border to set off the tones within the photo and hopefully, give it a more 3-dimensional look.  I may enter this in competition – I’m not sure yet – but would appreciate your comments and suggestions. 

COMMENTS:
 

Brad Ashbrook	Interesting technique and the textures are pretty cool, but the barn seems to be getting lost and is a bit centered. The left side of the barn/shed almost blends into the background totally. Sorry, but I am not wild about this image.
Louis Duncan	Marie, I love it. To me it appears to be a sepia toned photograph of an adobe wall that has the old buildings painted on it. I really favor the old cabin. Is the other building an old box car or trailer house? Regardless, the image really works for me.
Linda Sharp	Although we don't have the original it is clear that the composition of the original image is good. The building is well placed within image with the tree on the LHS providing a good focal point in the top third. I agree that you have achieved a metallic feeling to the image with your use of filters, most of which I have never heard. I like the result. I think however this is very much one of those images which would look great printed to a reasonable size on some beautiful art paper – I get the feeling that a computed screen doesn't really do it justice. I suspect it would do well in competitions.
Vico DeVico	Marie, you did a lot of work to accomplish a really wonderful image. I like it and, in spite of all the work you did in post-processing, it doesn't look 'overworked' to me. I really like the resulting image and feel it should do well in competition, both locally and internationally.
Jan van Leijenhorst
Carol McCreary	I really like this old abandoned house with this technique. Where did you get the idea to use Bas Relief ?? It has a tapestry look to it -- will have to remember this technique. I would like to get the house off center so crop a little off the right side to move close to right side of building. I believe this will do good in competition.

Member Bio

Marie Altenburg - Biography I’m married, have five daughters, 4 sons-in-law, and 9 perfect grandchildren!   I live in Ft. Lauderdale and spend summers in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania.  With the support and encouragement of my husband, I’ve had ample opportunities to practice my craft of photography.  My interest in it probably began when our children were youngsters and I spent countless hours trying to capture all their youthful smiles for Christmas card photos by balancing stuffed animals on my head.  I find that I now prefer other types of photography to portrait-taking!  I enjoy an artful look in photography, and seem drawn to flowers, architecture, landscapes, and seascapes.  I also enjoy macro and HDR, and love working in Photoshop.  It seems that the learning never ends!  I was thrilled when one of my photos appeared in Popular Photography magazine, and again when several were published in the PSA Journal.  And although I have been fortunate enough to have earned awards for my photography, including stars in EID and CPID, I feel that I have so much more to learn. Much of what I know about this craft is the result of help from, and interaction with other photographers, and for that I am so grateful.  I am a member of the Boynton Beach Camera Club, Photographic Arts of South Florida, and the Pocono Photo Club of which I am also their PSA representative, I serve as the EID Study Group Coordinator for PSA, and am also the book review editor for the PSA Journal.  I am also a member of PSA’s Everglades Chapter.  Setting new goals and learning from them never ends!