Study Group 34
Steve Estill










 
Steve Estill
Candy Childrey
Phil Coleman
Semi Ayatar
Avis Davidson
Georgianne Giese
Leif Alveen
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July

‘Alstro Tears’

How I did it -        

The original images were a macro shot of an Alstromera and a low light hand held image of a roman marble bust.


The alstromera image was given increased saturation and vibrance then merged (Layer 1) and duplicated (Layer 2).
The canvas size was increased by 50% vertically, pegging the image to the top. Layer 2 was then treated to the Flood filter (Photoshop plug in from Flaming Pear)
This layer was duplicated and a layer mask used to remove the heavy green areas. The lower layer was selected and moved to fill the masked area with the reflected water.
The layers were then stamped up (Layer 3) and duplicated (Layer 4). Layer 4 was treated to the Ripples filter (Photoshop plug in from Redfield), placing the centre of the ripples below the lowest stamen. A layer mask was used to erase the top ripples.
The marble bust image was then placed on top of the stack and treated to Adjust 4 ‘sketch – dark charcoal’ (Photoshop plug-n from Topaz labs). This was in luminosity mode at reduced opacity. The image was selected and moved to the required position and unwanted areas erased using a layer mask.
This produced an image with the flower showing through the bust, so layer 1 was moved to the top of the stack and a layer mask used to leave the stamen  in the foreground.
Then it was just flatten the image and crop, with a bevel and stroke.

COMMENTS:

 
Steve Estill  
Candy Childrey

Good image, nice and sharp. The pool around the lower part of the flower is lovely. The image is a little over saturated for me, and the blue and green that shows between the petals is a little distracting. Coloring that in with a color similar to the color of the flower would eliminate the distraction. I had a hard time finding the face at first. The image overall gives a nice feeling.
Phil Coleman The merging of the 2 images is well done and the result is interesting.  But I find the colors too intense and the two central, vertical stamens distract from the face image.  In fact, all the stamens seem to distract.  I find it hard to appreciate a filter (“flood”, “ripple”, “sketch”) that I don’t have.
Semi Ayatar  
Avis Davidson

 
Georgianne Giese

 
Leif Alveen I'm sorry but this image doesn't quite do anything for me. I like the colors and the ripple effect, but I'm afraid that's just about it. What's with the bust? The effect is so subtle it almost is lost in the image - in fact I didn't spot it until I read about it in the "How I did it" section. Points given for a very creative idea, though.

Member Bio
Steve Estill

I was Born in Whitby, North Yorkshire, worked away for most of my life, but now settled into a busy retirement back in Whitby. Married to Viv with 5 adult offspring between us and 7 grandchildren.

I’ve been interested in photography for about 40 years and have progressed from Olympus Trip, through Nikon 35 mm to digital, where I’m happily playing. My other interests are music (I’ve played the guitar longer than I’ve used a camera) and our garden.

I don’t have any particular speciality, but if I like the look of something I’ll take it and use it somewhere. I get frustrated with the technical ‘rules’ of what a photograph should be made up of – rules are made to be broken (if you know what the rules were there for in the first place), so the ‘Creative’ route is for me. My hobby is for pleasure.

I mainly use a Nikon D200 (Also have a D70 and Coolpix P5100), usually with the 18-200 VR lens, but also Sigma 170-500 mm, 10-20 mm and 150 mm macro. Software is CS4, with Lightroom 2, Photomatix Pro and Proshow Gold.

Computer: Dell – Vista, Monitor 24 in Dell, Printers Canon i9950 and Epson Stylus Photo R2880, Scanner Canon Canoscan 8400F 

Have a look at www.estills.net if you've got a spare minute or three!!

Webmaster: Robert B. Gorrill, APSA, MNEC