Continuing My Old Catalog File Cleanup

Gila Woodpecker - original NEF file

Gila Woodpecker - original TIF file

Gila Woodpecker - PSD file with Topaz plug-ins

I have been continuing reviewing older pictures in my catalog and found a great deal of them have not been adequately keyworded, especially to what species they are.  I have also started to reprocess a number of pictures, utilizing what I have learned over the years.  I am going to presents some pictures from 2012 with various processing.  This will range from the original right out of the camera to how I processed some now in 2015, utilizing Lightroom, Photoshop, and Topaz plug-in.

Great-tailed Grackle  - original NEF file

Great-tailed Grackle  - processed 2012, TIF file with halo around the bird

Great-tailed Grackle  - process 2015, PSD file with Topaz plug-ins

Experimenting

Went out to Gooseberry to see what we could find.  All three of the scoters were present out in the day, however, they were too far away to photograph.  There were a number of different sparrows around plus out at the tip of Gooseberry Savannah sparrows.  Just prior to our reaching the tip a large flight of shorebirds flew by, which disappointed me because usually at the tip is a great place to photograph shorebirds.  The reason was a gentleman was walking his three dogs, which cause the shorebirds to evacuate.

There was an interesting stand of driftwood out at the tip which I photographed.  When I looked at the driftwood on the computer screen, it was a very bland picture.  So I decided to have some fun experimenting.  First, I adjusted the picture in Lightroom and exported the adjusted picture to Photoshop.  While in Photoshop.  I cleaned up the background, replace the background with a texture, added a little bit of impressionistic painting and then did some selective adjustments of the color.  Here is before and after.

Driftwood after Lightroom Processing

Driftwood after Photoshop and Topaz Processing

Yellow-rumped warblers were present.  One of the warblers posed out in the open, allowing clear shots of it, but, the background was very busy.  So again back in the computer.  I adjusted the picture in Lightroom and in Photoshop and then replaced the background with a green background photograph that I had taken.  Again, here is the before and after.  Which one do you like better?

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Yellow-rumped Warbler with Background Replaced

One yellow-rumped warbler kept flying off of branches turning around and catching small insects that were in the air.  I was happy to get a single image of the warbler performing.  I would love to have the warbler looking toward the camera, but I was happy to get a single clear picture.

Yellow-rumped Warbler Catching Flies Showing Its Yellow Rump

Not to start a controversy, I believe that a photographer is also an artist, and can adjust photographs to please himself/herself.  That is what I used to do in the darkroom, the same as AnselAdams and other old great photographers.  He yes, now we do it on the computer using a digital darkroom.  Now, if the photograph is supposed to be documentary or for the news, then no great manipulations should be performed.  Please reply on the blog what your thoughts are in this matter.

Come View the Geminid Meteor Shower, and a New Topaz Plug-In

Geminid Meteor Shower

Saturday evening, December 13, right now the weather forecast shows only partly cloudy conditions, hopefully it will allow good viewing of the Geminid meteor shower.  I will be at the Stone Barn of Allens Pond Massachusetts Audubon Sanctuary from 6 PM until midnight.  Everyone is welcome to come and learn how to photograph not only the stars but the meteor shower.  The stone barn location gives us bathrooms, along with a kitchen so we can have water to drink or make hot drinks.  Dress appropriately, equipment needed is a camera with a wide-angle lens, a sturdy tripod, and intervolometer unless your camera is equipped with one, extra cards and batteries for the camera.

The Geminid meteor shower is not caused by a comet but is residue from an asteroid and usually has many bright yellow meteors.  The best view will be looking toward the south and many more meteors will occur after midnight, but a last quarter moon will be rising around midnight, which will decrease the viewing of some of the meteors.

Geminid Meteor Shower

Geminid Meteor Shower

To Sanctuary Entrance at Stone Barn Farm
From Interstate 195, in Westport, take Exit 10 (Rt 88 South). Follow Route 88 for 7.2 miles through three lights to intersection with Hixbridge Rd at 4th light. Turn left onto Hixbridge Rd and proceed 1.5 miles to stop sign at Pine Hill Rd and Horseneck Rd. Turn right onto Horseneck Rd. Proceed 3.3 miles to corner with East Horseneck Rd and turn left. Stone Barn Farm entrance will be 0.4 miles further on your right at 786 E. Horseneck Rd. in Dartmouth.

Let's end 2014 with glowing colors! From December 9th through December 31st, Topaz is running a promotion on their newest product: Topaz Glow.

Glow can be used as a stand-alone or a plugin to transform your photos from dull to dazzling. Containing more than 70 unconventional and quirky filters, you can infuse your images with neon, graphic, liquid and other electrifying effects.

The technology behind Glow seeks out the unexplored lines and patterns in your images and illuminates them.

Original

Process with Glow

Original

Process with Glow

YouTube Video Link: http://youtu.be/y2JsbFxPZ2g

Please utilize the coupon code 'INTROGLOW' so you can take advantage of the introductory price of $49.99 (regularly $69.99). You can link directly to the Glow product page with this URL:
http://www.topazlabs.com/aff/idevaffiliate.php?id=850&url=http://www.topazlabs.com/glow

Improving Your Postprocessing by Watching Videos of Other Photographers Workflow

Version 1

Recently I have started to look at my older pictures and reprocess them.  The reason for this, as I been progressing in my use of Lightroom and Photoshop, plus the plug-ins from NIK and Topaz, along with a few others, I have learned how to process my photos better.  NIK and Topaz have had a great number of educational webinars on how to use their products, plus there are a number of videos from different photographers on their workflow and utilization of Lightroom and Photoshop.  By watching these presentations I have learned a number of different ways a post-processing and it is help me to develop my own workflow.  You cannot remain static, you must continue to learn and think and develop your own style.

I will show you some pictures, the original be version 1 and the reprocessed version 2.  Some of the facts may be subtle, but on my computer screen, there is enough of a difference to see the change.

Version 1

Version 2

Version 1

Version 2

Version 1

Version 2

Version 1

Version 2