Category Archives: Photoshop

Automobiles, Black & White, Photoshop, Russell

Silver Efex Pro 2 Volume 2

July 26, 2016 Christopher D. Bennett 1 Comment

A look at the remainder of the default filters in the Silver Efex Pro 2 filter from the Nik Plugin Collection.

Original Image

Fine Art High Key Framed

Triste 1

Triste 2

Wet Rocks

Full Contrast and Structure

Silhouette

Dark Sepia

Soft Sepia

Cool Tones 1

Cool Tones 2

Film Noir 1

Film Noir 2

Film Noir 3

Yellowed 1

Yellowed 2

Antique Plate 1

Antique Plate 2

Pinhole

My Original Creation

That should close out our look at the Nik Plugin Collection.

But I cannot complete this post with out wishing a hap, happiest birthday to long time Photography 139 supporter, Russell!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Automobiles, Black & White, Photoshop, Road Trip, Travel

Silver Efex Pro 2 Volume 1

July 22, 2016 Christopher D. Bennett

I thought now would be a good time to take another look at a filter from the Nik Plugin Collection. This time, we will look at the default filters in the Silver Efex Pro 2 collection. There are 38 of them, so I’ll split this into 2 posts.

The Silver Efex Pro 2 filter is a quick, easy, and powerful way to convert any image into black & white with a myriad of options.

Here is the first batch.

Original Image

Neutral

Underexposed

Overexposed

High Contrast Harsh

High Contrast Smooth

High Structure Harsh

High Structure Smooth

High Key 1

High Key 2

Low Key 1

Low Key 2

Push Process 1

Push Process 2

Full Dynamic Harsh

Full Dynamic Smooth

Full Spectrum Inverse

Full Spectrum

Grad NV 1

Grad NV 2

Fine Art

It is the same subject, with the same composition, but each filter suggest a slightly different emotion. Will look at the rest of the filters soon.

Angie, Black & White, Carla, Kim, Monica, Photoshop, Railroad, Shannon, Steph, WPC - Submissions

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE – WEEK 42 – TRANSPORTATION

July 4, 2016 Christopher D. Bennett

Considering that today is a holiday of some note, I’m pleased with the number of submissions.

Since today is a holiday of some note, I’ll make this quick. Here are the submissions for TRANSPORTATION:

Kim Barker 1

Kim Barker 2

Angie DeWaard 1

Angie DeWaard 2

Angie DeWaard 3

Stephanie Kim 1

Stephanie Kim 2

Christopher D. Bennett

Carla Stensland

Shannon Bardole

Monica Kewer

But enough dwelling on the past. Time to look to the future. We are all interested in the future, for that is where you and I are going to spend the rest of our lives. And remember my friend, future events such as these will affect you in the future! This week’s theme:

SUNRISE/SUNSET

Since Naima is waiting patiently to go on a walk, I’ll just point out that you don’t have to take this theme literally. Also, my quick advice is as follows. Think about what you put in front of the sunset or sunrise. That might make the picture. The other advice is don’t necessarily take a picture looking at the sunset. Turn around and look at what the light has done behind you. Finally. Wait at least 5 minutes until after the sun has gone down until you quit your scene. At least 5 minutes.

No Housekeeping today. Giving it the day off.

Monica, Photoshop, WPC - Reminder

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE – WEEK 41 REVEAL

June 20, 2016 Christopher D. Bennett

In case you forgot, I’m in Milwaukee on a Mission Trip. Far from the yoke and chain of a computer.

I will post the submissions for BLUE upon my return. Most likely Friday or Saturday.

However, you can start on this week’s theme:

HOMETOWN!

The picture doesn’t necessarily have to be of your HOMETOWN. As long as it suggests to you the concept of HOMETOWN, that is all that really matters.

I look forward to looking at all the submissions when I get home! Good luck!

Anders, Bill, Jay, Movies, Photoshop, Road Trip, Willy

HDR EFEX PRO 2 BETA

June 16, 2016 Christopher D. Bennett 2 Comments

Today we take a look at the second half of the “made to order” HDR EFEX PRO 2 filters.

As a refresher, here is the original image:

Here is a look at the filters:

Black & White Artistic

Dramatic

Sinister

Pale & Structured

Granny’s Attic

End of the Road

Indoor 1

Indoor 2

Outdoor 1

Outdoor 2

Soft

Vignetted

Graduated 1

Graduated 2

Then, of course. If you want, you can play with the numerous options and come up with a creation of your own. Like so…

My Concotion

I am, once again, sorry for the disgusting subject of these photos, but like I wrote, tomorrow will be something fuzzy and cuddly.

We will touch base with the Nik Collection again in the near future.

THE CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT TRIVIA QUIZ

QUESTION 19

In youth, my friends and I tried and failed to make 1 horror movie STAYIN’ ALIVE: THE SPORTING twice, an action movie (SWORN TO VENGEANCE), and another horror movie (QUIETUS). However, we did successfully finish a movie starring Jay Janson (as an androgynous ne-er-do-well), Bill Wentworth as his manservant, William McAlpine as a short tempered natural philosopher, Anders Runestad as a hen-pecked husband with a gambling addiction, Corey Faust as an omniscient narrator, and Christopher D. Bennett as a trash talking homophobe, playing a deadly game of RISK. What was the name of this nearly cult classic?

ANSWER: GAMES

BONUS

What was the unfortunate name of the “studio” that produced this film?

ANSWER: CHEESEDICK FILMS

Anders, Jesse, Photoshop, Road Trip

HDR EFEX PRO 2 ALPHA

June 15, 2016 Christopher D. Bennett 4 Comments

A month or so ago I wrote about a free Photoshop Plugin from Google called the Nik Plugin Collection. Today I’m going to share some of their default filters.

This post is going to concentrate on the the HDR EFEX PRO 2 tool, which creates HDR (High Dynamic Range) images.

This Plugin can work in two ways. It can either create an HDR Image by merging multiple images or it can do HDR Tone Mapping from a single image and make sort of a faux HDR Image.

Because there are 28 different “ready to go” filters I am splitting this post into 2 different days.

I apologize for the disgusting nature of the base image, but I considered it a good example. I’ll make up for it on Friday by publishing something cute and furry.

Here are the first examples from the HDR EFEX PRO 2:

The Original Image

Default Filter

Balanced

Deep 1

Deep 2

Details 1

Details 2

Bright

Dark

Black and White Realistic

Structurized 1

Structurized 2

Soft Colors

Tinted Structure

Late Summer

I know. Coca-Cola. Disgusting. On the positive, it is a rusted out, old abandoned Coca-Cola machine. Just like all Coke machines should be.

For the record, I found this one in Strong City, Kansas.

The rest of the filters will be unveiled on the morrow.

THE CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT TRIVIA QUIZ

QUESTION 18

What movie was the theme of the birthday party invite for my 30th birthday?

ANSWER: LOGAN’S RUN

BONUS

What two other people were featured in these invites?

ANSWER: ANDERS RUNESTAD & JESSE HOWARD

Automobiles, Black & White, Nate, Photoshop, Road Trip, Ruins, Travel

Feeling Kansas

May 6, 2016 Christopher D. Bennett 2 Comments

I might have processed this image to within an inch of its life. However, it turned out pretty much exactly as I wanted it so. Everybody wins!

It feels like I should show you what the original image looked like. But I’m not going to.

PARTICULARS

CAMERA: SONY SLT-A65V
ISO: 100
FOCAL LENGTH: 22mm
APERTURE: f/8
EXPOSURE: 1/320
DATE: 04/03/2016 – 10:46
LATITUDE: 38.39540°
LONGITUDE: -96.53952°
PHOTO ASSISTANT: Nate Miller

Black & White, Photoshop, Ruins, WPC - Alternate

Got a Couple of Couches, Sleep on the Love Seat

April 26, 2016 Christopher D. Bennett 5 Comments

Here is a collection of pictures that didn’t make the cut for RUINS in the WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE.

One of the reasons these photos ended up on the loser pile is because I had already used an abandoned train bridge (on the same abandoned right-of-way) in my WATER picture. While it is a different bridge, I didn’t want to draw water from too similar of a well.

Photoshop, Road Trip

High Ding Dong Range Toning

April 12, 2016 Christopher D. Bennett 5 Comments

I felt before I went into the HDR Nik Plugin, I should cover the HDR Toning features that are built into Photoshop.

So here is a quick look at the High Dynamic Range toning options in Photoshop.

Original Image

Color Correction and the Chain has been Removed

Flat

City Twilight

Monochromatic

Monochromatic Low Contrast

Monochromatic High Contrast

Monochromatic Artistic

Saturated

More Saturated

Photorealistic

Photorealistic Low Contrast

Photorealistic High Contrast

RC5

Scott5

Surrealistic

Surrealistic Low Contrast

Surrealistic High Contrast

Now that we have established a good baseline, you’ll be ready when we hit up the HDR EFEX PRO 2 Photoshop Plug in some point soon.

Flat Earth Joe, Nate, Photoshop, Road Trip

Analog Efex Pro

April 8, 2016 Christopher D. Bennett 5 Comments

Recently my WB Joe stumbled across an article that Google had made their Nik Plugins free.

I rushed to the website and downloaded this collection of 7 plugins to play with immediately.

I thought I would give you a quick overview of some of the settings of these plugins, starting with the Analog Efex Pro plugin.

The description of this plugin from the website is as follows:

Get the photo you’re looking for, even if you don’t own the equipment. Let effects inspired by traditional cameras bring you back to the vintage age of photo development.

There are 9 default classic cameras you can start from and I’ll show you what those look like.

Let’s start with the original image from a gas station in tourist hot spot Cottonwood Falls, Kansas (photo assistant – Nate Miller).

Original Image

When I took this photo, this was my original vision.

Original Vision

Here is a look at the 9 default Classic Camera settings in the Plugin.

Classic Camera 1

Classic Camera 2

Classic Camera 3

Classic Camera 4

Classic Camera 5

Classic Camera 6

Classic Camera 7

Classic Camera 8

Classic Camera 9

But these Classic Cameras are just a jumping off point. Within this plugin you can play with roughly 50 different DIRT & SCRATCHES settings, 3 different LENS VIGNETTE settings, and roughly 50 different FILM TYPE settings.

I played with it a bit and came up with this image that feels like Cottonwood Falls, Kansas to me:

It is a cool FREE plugin to grab and add to your arsenal. Especially if you’re like me and love old and vintage photography.

Works with Adobe Photoshop, Photoshop Elements (more or less), and Adobe Photoshop Lightroom.

There are several more plugins in this collection. We’ll be taking a look at those as well.