Theme: Snowy Contrasts

[Judy Howle]

One of my images of a pretty snow scene in the vacant lot down the street. I used DAP on this one and I really like the look!

[Wendy Kates]

Judy, I really like the contrast between the browns of the bark and the snowy branches. The painterly effect on the snow is very effective too. I'm wondering if it would be possible to add anything (a texture?) to the sky, although I wouldn't want it to detract from the snowy branches.

[Judy Howle]

Thanks Wendy! I'm sure it would look better but I am probably too lazy to do it with all the branches in there.

[Anita Bower]

I like this much more than a previous image you posted of this lot. I like the focus on the one dead tree, the contrast between its warm color and the grey and white snow. The processing is perfect. The tangle of brush at the base of the tree seem to hold it, sort of like a candle holder. The sky works for me as is. Very nice work.

[Nancy Bell]

The pop of oranges of the tree trunk is dramatically eye-catching against the mostly monochromatic & muted tones of the rest of the image. I think the plain sky balances the plain snow foreground and frames all those wonderful intertwining and fine detailed lines of the tree branches. The strong vertical lines hold it all together. I tried DAP years ago and was mesmerized by the auto changes of the image and always wanted to see what would happen next so I never knew when to stop it. I wonder if it still works that way.

[Judy Howle]

Thanks Anita!

[Judy Howle]

Thanks Nancy. I don't mind the plain sky. As you say, it balances the snow. You can let DAP keep running but some have auto-stop that you have to override. I haven't really read the tutorials that give instructions on how to jump in and force it to changes brushes, etc. I really should do that. They just came out with a new version with more features. No upgrade price that I could find so I emailed them but they never wrote me back.

[gary ellwein]

Nicely seen and captured Judy. Did you visualize this image before the snow flew? The dramatic vertical brown and orange snag is nicely set off by the snow covered branches and sky. I am not familiar with DAP. I like the effect on snow covered branches.

[Judy Howle]

Thanks Gary. I knew it was a nice woodsy scene, the only one I wouldn't have to drive to, but I really hadn't paid any attention to the dead tree when driving by before the snow and I loved how it stood out when I saw it against the snow-covered trees and ground. DAP is excellent. Better than Topaz Impression and looks like real painting and has a lot of presets. The new version looks a lot better but it's $99, they don't offer an upgrade price so I'll stick with the one I bought last year for a while.

[Cheryl Slechta]

HI, Judy, DAP was a great choice for this image. I haven't used it in so long but it's one of my favorite plug-ins and if you know how to save a layered PSD you can change opacity, blending modes, etc. which makes it even more fun.

[Diane Miller]

Love this -- totally perfect processing! The bush does hold the tree like a candle holder -- great analogy Anita!