In the woods . . .

[Dennis Bishop]

Given the way this started, it is -- in a way, at least -- unlikely that this end was reached. Or maybe not. I'd downloaded a trial version of a program I thought I might use in processing images, and I needed something on which to try it. So, I opened Bridge, clicked on a thumbnail, and opened it in Photoshop. It turned out that the program only worked as a stand-alone rather than a plug-in. I was having none of that and uninstalled the program. The more or less randomly-chosen file was still there. It was a TIFF representing the tone mapping of one part of a scene in an multi-row HDR panorama. Although I wouldn't have selected it to work on by itself, I started tinkering and took substantial changes in direction along the way. Once it was done, I found at least part of a chapter from a collection by Ralph Waldo Emerson titled Nature: Addresses and Lectures. There's a line in it that seemed to fit with what had happened to the image, "In the woods, we return to reason and faith." http://www.emersoncentral.com/nature1.htm

Nikon D3S, ISO 1250, f/16, nine-exposure HDR, 50 mm lens

processing

• mirror-image with some overlap blended using a mask
• Topaz Simplify -- a modified Watercolor preset
• Alien Skin Snap Art -- a modified Watercolor preset, Color blend mode, 44%
• Digital Anarchy ToonIt! -- a modified Stained Glass preset, masked
• Flypaper Textures, two textures in four masked layers -- one Soft Light: the other Pin Light, Multiply 20%, and Normal 10%
• four black & white layers, Multiply blend mode -- two Fractalius, 30 & 100%; Snap Art Stylize Line Art 34%; Simplify edges 90%
• gradient vignette
• lots of Photoshop adjustment layers with and without masks

[Diane Miller]

Amazing! I LOVE it!!

[gary ellwein]

Great creativity and technical execution.

[Nancy Bell]

Super creative! And it totally conveys the cathedral-like feel in the quiet of a towering forest! Flipping the image and outlining the stained glass with mirror-image trunks makes a great natural window. And I like how the central 2 trees encourage the focus into the center and up to those small points as if looking to the heavens. Lovely natural colors in the forest and the glowing colors in the stained glass.

[Michael Gerald-Yamasaki]

Dennis,

Greetings. That is the coolest thing I've seen in a while. A cathedral in the forest. Good show!

Cheers,

-Michael-

[Paul Lagasi]

Not much more to say, way cool using the trees to make a window into the forest. I will have to try this. Thanks Dennis

[Kerry Perkins]

This is really nice Dennis, both technically and artistically. I love the cathedral motif and the way you ported that to a sylvan setting. I think I even see an angel at the top, between the two trees. Very well thought out and executed.

[Cheryl Slechta]

Dennis, I'm sorry I'm so late in commenting but this is absolutely gorgeous - one of your best

[Judy Howle]

This is "out of sight" Dennis! Very creative and well executed. I'd be tempted to make the colors a bit bolder but that's just me.

[Anita Bower]

You created a stained glass window in the forest. (I wrote this before reading your description.) I love how the stained glass seems to naturally evolve from the surrounding trees. Excellent editing work. It is interesting how starting out with one idea you ended up with another--a good example of the creative process. The stained glass areas are beautiful. I wonder what it would look like with the framing trees being straighter (not angled in so much, and a bit darker)?

[Dennis Bishop]

Thanks, everyone, for your comments. Anita, I had lightened those trees with a Curves adjustment layer in Luminosity blend mode. To try out your idea, I reduced its opacity from 100 to 39%. What do you think?

[Anita Bower]

Thanks, everyone, for your comments. Anita, I had lightened those trees with a Curves adjustment layer in Luminosity blend mode. To try out your idea, I reduced its opacity from 100 to 39%. What do you think?

I've gone back and forth and come back later. I don't know which I prefer, so, it must not make much difference. :-)

[Randall Farhy]

Dennis-this one is over the top, not much to say that hasn't been said already. I like the contrast in the RP a little better but can see how the trees affected start to blend in with the stained glass. Awesome concept and finished piece.