Crocus
Spring flowers blooming. I'm so happy to see them!
I have switched from Elements to Photoshop and am learning my way around this new, to me, software. At the same time, I'm taking an on-line course called Photoshop Artistry which is introducing me to new tricks.
For this image, I used a colorful Gradient Fill (new to me) and a Coffee Shop texture.
The crocus is vibrant enough to contrast nicely with the background but still evokes a soft, delicate feel. The hint of lavender in the background is very effective. I could see a bit more room at the top but really like it a lot just the way it is. Have fun with Photoshop!
isn't PS fun! I've used elements too, but of course PS has so much more to offer. That course sounds interesting too. Vey nice texture work here Just wondering about painting a little green on those whitish leaves in the background
Thank you, Hazel and Dennis. I'll try adding a bit of green to the back leaves. I did wonder about the crop, wondering if a vertical or even square might work better.
This is gorgeous!! PS is a journey, but such a fun one!! Congratulations on taking the plunge.
I'd try a square crop. I think there is probably enough vertical to the image so a square might make a nice contrast
Here is a crop with some taken off both sides.
I like it even better this way.
In the past, I've not paid attention to the crop ratios, instead, I cropped in any way that made the image look the way i wanted. The only downside to that approach is fitting the print to a frame if I want to show it. I usually end up having to buy metal frame parts and assemble them myself, and order special size glass, and, of course, cut my own mats. I've been wondering about fitting my images to standard sizes, which would make matting and framing easier. That explains the crop of the OP. How do you all handle this issue?
Here is the square version.
Anita, congratulations on taking the plunge into PS - you'll love it I'm sure. This is a lovely image and I prefer your last crop (square).
"It is only with the heart that one can see rightly" - The Little Prince
http://tuscawillaphotographycherylslechta.zenfolio.com/
Thanks, Cheryl. PS is almost the same as Elements, but just enough different from my old version of Elements to require me to learn where tools are to be found, plus, a few new tools. I'm having fun.Originally Posted by Cheryl Slechta
Anita, congratulations on taking the plunge into PS - you'll love it I'm sure. This is a lovely image and I prefer your last crop (square).
I tend to try to do the standard thing first because it helps with framing issues as you have noted. Occasionally, however, I just can't make it work without ruining the image. Last fall, for example, I had an image that demanded it be longer an narrower than "standard". In that case, I did create a PS double frame around it so that the print did fit into a standard frame and it worked. Of course, that's not the solution one size fits all thing. Just have to play with it and see what works. BTW, love the square version of this one.
I though the first crop (in the OP) was perfect, but now I like them all. How's that for fickle?? A wonderful image like this can stand up to different interpretations.
Just had a thought -- how about a subtle darker vignette? The sneaky kind where you can't tell it was done unless you saw the original.
Thanks for sharing your approach. It seems sensible.
Thanks. I did try a subtle vignette, but didn't like it.
I'm with Diane on liking all the crops. The last two are my favorites, but I don't know which of them I prefer. The interesting thing about that in light of your question about crop ratios is that I think there's some latitude but probably not enough to let standard frame and mat sizes dictate the choice.
Of all the images I've done, only two are framed, so I don't have to deal with that issue very often. In terms of framing and matting, I'd always crop the image so it looks best and go from there. In my mind, the mat and frame are an extension of the image, and -- because of that -- I wouldn't compromise on the frame. It has to work with what's inside (or -- if I were doing something very non-traditional -- outside) its boundaries. Although I do often follow guidelines, I don't have a need to have a mat cut so its opening has the same proportions as that of the frame. That would allow me to use a standard frame size and cut my own mat so its opening fit the image. Or, using a similar approach, I could use a standard frame and mat and print the image so it fit the mat opening but didn't have consistent boundaries on all sides.
An aside . . . Although reference to a different drummer may first have been made by Henry David Thoreau, I wasn't aware of it until the 1960s when Different Drum was recorded by The Stone Poneys, whose members at the time included Linda Ronstadt. At the time, I don't think I gave it much thought. But I've become aware that it can be good to follow a different beat in some endeavors, at least. So be aware that my thoughts about dealing with standard frames and mats for other crop ratios are colored by that.
This image is pure "Anita"! I love the simple single bloom, the lovely color palette of pinks & purples, and that fabulous swirled textured background! Prefer the last crop. The flower has a symmetrical feel that looks well in the center, plus the bkgd is strong and with it being even on both sides, supports the flower. With the flower off-center, there is too much bkgd, with enough motion and color to pull your eye from the main focus of the flower.
I usually use the crop ratio choices in PS such as 4x5, or 8x10, etc. However this does not always translate well for printing as printing paper seems to come in totally different ratios, and frames & mats have their own common measurements! My husband has a good printer here at home and we struggle with this all the time. Totally don't understand why all this does not work with common, shared ratios. We have lots of images printed, but very few in frames. We are discussing having to cut our own mats. Commercial places must know something we don't!
I just looked up Photoshop Artistry. Seems like there are lots of entries. Are you using the Grunge one?
Last edited by Nancy Bell; 03-17-2016 at 09:56 AM.
I appreciate people's thoughts and experiences with cropping, matting and framing. It is good to know what others do.
I very much enjoy having my photos framed and on the walls of my house. I submit framed images to a few local exhibits each year, and often submit matted prints to my camera club competitions. (I don't print my own work.)
Dennis' approach to framing intrigues me. Are you suggesting that the mat can have different width dimensions, eg, wider at the bottom, so that it fits the frame?
In thinking of ratios, I've realized that if I'm going to try for standard rations, as mentioned by Nancy, I need to go a step further and figure out what size mat and frame that translates to and if it is a standard size. The different ratios result in different print, mat and frame dimensions.
Thanks, Nancy. I'm especially happy when someone thinks one of my images looks like an "Anita" image. :-)
Yes, I'm taking the Photoshop Artistry Fine Art Grunge course. Here is a link for a sale price of $127, which is what I paid. The first module is probably stuff you already know. I haven't gotten much further, but I'm learning new ways of combining images. http://snapndeals.com/seller/67-off-...sition-course/
The author's aesthetic is different than mine, but the techniques can be used any way one wants.
Here is a link to their facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/PhotoshopArtistry/?fref=ts
And, flickr: https://www.flickr.com/groups/fineartphotoshop/
Yes. Depending on the image, I might even be willing to make the right and left sides of a mat have different widths, but that's probably not too likely. On the other hand, I'd have absolutely no problem with a mat being taller at the bottom than at the top. It's like grounding an image -- having it be darker (heavier) at the bottom. Or instead of making the top and bottom of the mat different, mount the print so it has extra room at the bottom. The extra room could be used for a signature or, perhaps, a printed or hand-drawn remarque.
I'm with Dennis here. I always crop an image to what fits it best, which is not often one of the standard ratios. Fine art framers will often do a mat that is a little wider at the bottom than the sides, and subtly wider at the top to balance it. And that same extra space can be done with a print inside the mat if you do white borders to give it a double-mat look. Of course, custom crops works best with frames of suitable dimensions.
For years I have done my own printing to the size limits of my printer (currently 17" wide), and cut my own mats. I use aluminum section frames that can be ordered to lengths of every 1" and have non-glare glass cut as needed. These frames are easy to assemble and look classy for larger prints in the "canvas" depth.
http://www.americanframe.com/departm...re-frames.aspx
Hi all...I apologize for being out of touch for so long. We were birding in Costa Rica for 18 days in February, and since then I have been trying to catch up on work, and plow through all of my bird photos from the trip. Hopefully I'll share some soon. But I wanted to chime in here, both because I love the way you processed this image, Anita, and I wanted to encourage everyone to check out Diane's link to americanframe.com. They are my "go to" site for framing photos. Mats and frames are custom cut, no matter what size your image is. Plus, you can upload your image and "surround" it with images of mats and frames to decide which ones look best with that particular image. It is definitely pricier than cutting your own mats, but with my eye-hand coordination, that would be a disaster! The frames come in pieces, which you assemble yourself. I recommend checking out the site to see what you think.
I am hoping to be more active on OOTB than I have been in the last couple of months, but we are moving to DC this summer, and putting our house in Syracuse up for sale in about a month, so I have a lot of de-cluttering and organizing to do between now and then!
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