July 23, 2008

  • Before and After

    I've gotten several questions about how I edit. So I thought I'd add a few before and after shot to give you an idea of what I'm doing with the more extensive editing tricks that have been seen here lately. (btw, for those of you who've been asking: I have the Adobe Photoshop Elements 5 version and find it works really well for me. The price tag on it is under a hundred bucks and has all the most essential whistles and bells featured in CS3 (which I have used quite a bit) and it's pretty user friendly and straight forward. You can get a full version trial from Adobe at their website if you want to try it out. There is, however, quite a learning curve so don't expect to master all these techniques straight out of the box or before the trial runs out. I've spent hours getting this down and now it only takes me a matter of minutes to create an image like the one below.)

    So this is the picture from a few days ago of my Tyler (before I edited it):

    I had set my camera on Manual and the mode: Vivid, Aperture Priority: f/4. This made the colors really pop (...maybe a little too much) and the background blurry. But to me the photo was kinda blah. Couldn't put my finger on it but it needed something. As I explained in my reply to a commenter, I picked up a tip from ialsolovechocolate
    and found some free images on Flickr of old walls and distressed rock
    and then layered one of them with the photo above after I messed with
    the colors and made the photo blurry with the Gaussian Blur tool. I
    then lowered the distressed image's opacity to about 50%. I then used
    the Rectangular Marquee Tool with Feather set at 250px and cut out the
    middle of the that layer and made a new layer with it. I then dropped
    the opacity some more on     just the middle so my picture was a little
    more visible. I did a few other minor tweaks but I think you get the
    idea.     And here, again is the finished product:

    Hope that helps you get a feel for how I do it. I'll post some more before and afters over the next little while too.
    ~TTFN

Comments (5)

  • I absolutely love Elements.  I started out with version 4, then upgraded to 5, then bought a new laptop that included version 6!!  There is so much you can do with it.  And the multiple layers.....at first, I only stuck to a couple.  Now, I use multiple!!  I'm still learning all you can do and what you can use together to get the photo you're looking for.

    I haven't experimented enough with the textures.  I really want to, because I am wanting to do something like you have done above.  And I somehow always scew the silhouette up--using the marque tool to give it a darker image around the edge, sorta like a frame.  It never looks like I want it to.  LOL  But I'm still working on it.  One day, I will get it right.

    I like the texture you used for this photo.  I'm not if you've checked out alittledarkershadesofbrown out, but he works alot with textures and I love his style!  I love ialsolovechocolate's style too.  She's really good!

  • I have PSE 6 and love it.  I do mostly digital scrapbooking on it and haven't really done much of the photo editing.  (just the basic stuff). 

    Anyways, I am definitley on a learning curve with it!  We might have to do a tutoring session on my trip to KC!  I love the look......I would love to combine these techniques to my digi scrapping too.  I am going to play with it and see what I can come up with.  Thank you so much for taking the time to explain it.  I hope it makes my crappy shots look better!  At least you started off with a good image!  I really need to get my Canon Rebel XTi and quick!!!!!!!!!!!!!  LOL

  • Just posted my try at this editing on my site.  Yeah........not as good as yours but at least I tried!!!!  LOL

  • Visiting from taracotta7's site and love your pics and the editing--very fun!!

  • @slpjen75 - It's nice to meet you! Thanks for stopping by and for the add! Hope to see you around!

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