Another month passes at great speed as we find ourselves in the last week of the One Four Challenge. This week I took my original image and retained the sky. However, I still wanted to make the sentries stand out a bit more just like in Week 3.
So I set to judicious use of the patch tool and the clone stamp tool in photoshop, in order to lower the horizon and achieve the pop I was looking for. Β A touch of lightening of the posts, a warm filter and a bit of a gradient. It took me quite a while to do this and am not sure if the result is too hot, but it is good to get more familiar with the tools.
So here then is week 4 (finally):

I was in two minds as to whether to retain the post on the far left and while a distraction, I decided that it also added further intrigue as to what may lie around the corner.
For the full set of images and the very original straight out of the camera, here they all are in a neat slideshow (though Week 3 has been revised thanks to a tip off from Lens Addiction):
To my mind while the crops differ little, the resultant images are quite different, but all host an abundance of textures. I’d love to know what your own views are and which ones you most liked. Please therefore hit the poll below and leave comments, they are all appreciated.
Have a great week one and all and please visit the site of Robyn G, ‘Captivatre Me‘, who is kind enough to host this challenge.
Week 4 is beautiful, and if I was only looking for beautiful this would be it!
But as you maybe know, just beauty isn’t enough for me so I chose the picture from week 3. I’t beautiful AND odd with it’s dark heavy blue sky. It makes the picture a bit more fantasy like, and I wonder what creatures might turn up.
π
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Week 4 seems to be the culmination of a lot of thought and work, and it’s the version I like best!
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Thank you, it has developed as it has gone along, and for example Week 3 was really the quick job to week 4. I wanted the lower horizon to make the piles stand out, but in week 3 I did not have the time to resample lots of different parts of the sky so I simply took the sky from another image and threw that into the background. It does take work and time, particularly as I am still learning and will make lots of mistakes. Isn’t that how we learn mind? π
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It really seems complete now! The textures and colours really pop but the whole image has a great balance to it π
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Thank you Sarah. The last one took a bit more work with having to regraft the sky lower down to get the lower horizon, but it is largely what I was looking for. Week 3 was really a quick version, grabbing the sky from another photo and placing it in the background. Thus week 4 is definitely better balanced. I am learning all the time – so much too cover – and am now wanting to get my head around the blending modes and textures – something that is still alien to me……All good fun, MM π
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The lowered horizon makes such a difference! I know how much work that is and you’ve done it brilliantly π I think we’re all constantly learning and evolving. As artists I think we’d get bored if we weren’t π I’m playing with some Landscape ideas for next month now. So hard to choose what to do!!
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Thanks for the appreciation of the work involved. I have no idea what I am going to be doing for next month but I guess that is part of the excitement. π
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It is really π I do look forward to seeing the images everyone chooses!
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Nice collection! I really like the last image π The poles stand out more but I just love the original sky as it gives this feeling of the windy coast line…
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Thank you Saris Corner, for the comments and the likes. Greatly appreciated and hope to see you around more, MM π
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Wow… seeing them one after the other ~how one image can look so totally different ~ is just wonderful.
I love the drama of the sepia.
It’s funny how the original looks so drab after seeing all the edits yet it is a lovely image!
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The single in camera shot was never going to do justice to the scene as the sky was so bright. I think each one has something a little different to offer. How’s the snow clearing going up your way? Keep warm Dale π
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I hear you. Funny how our eye can see that the image is grand but the camera begs to differ! They each absolutely do have something to offer. Isn’t photography wonderful?
Snow. Pffft. We have mounds of the white stuff. Which wouldn’t be so bad if it weren’t too cold to go out and enjoy it! Ski hills are full of snow but fairly empty of skiers. Only the most diehard (read foolhardy) are out there lately!
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Photography is a dream, being able to capture such small precious moments. Brilliant. I have a friend out there at the moment so your last part figures…π
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I love it and think it is brilliant too!
Ha ha! π
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I like 3 the most. My eye stays in the frame with the blue sky and I like the contrast best. π
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Interesting that the most dramatic change has got so many votes. Thank you for your treasured vote Laura, MM π
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You’re welcome MM. π
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All wonderful edits, but I like week 3 the most. To me it stands out.
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Thank you for liking and commenting. Week 3 was certainly most ‘dramatic and punchy’. MM π
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Week 2 is my favorite Mick, I have a real soft spot for black and white. All were great though.
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Dom, great to hear from you. Glad you liked the shots and have to remember to keep up with the two tone images, MM π
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beautiful !! Love the shades of green, black.. Love it.
xx
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Thank you Aanchal, an interesting image to edit and certainly bring about changes. MM π
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Week four is my fa I can just feel the textures in the scene. Really good work the whole month was great.
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Thank you Ben, I have been enjoying your series of posts, but I went to comment and it was asking for all my details all over again so I gave up π
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I am not sure what the problem was with the comments but seens ok now.
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Liked the fourth week version of the images – very artistic. MM π
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All great but I like the last one too π
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Cheers for the input Norma, I think version III was probably just a little too “false”.
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A great finish for a very striking image π
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Thank you so much Robyn, our glorious host. π
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Lol.. thank you John π
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Great image to start with and I like the last one with the strength of colour in the posts and the cloudy sky. My eye is drawn to the large white cloud touching the posts and although that is the shot I wonder if it could be misted slightly or made not so clear. The third one seems very stark in comparison with a lot going on in the foreground and nothing in the sky. My tuppence halfpenny worth π but a great month.
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your tuppence halfpenny worth feels more like a win on the lotto – greatly appreciated my dear π
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If only lotto were that easy π
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Amen
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I like what you did with the replacement sky this time round, its a better fit. Now its probably just me, but there appears to be a tonal difference in the foreground to the sky – the sky is middle of the day bright, whereas the light on the pillars appears to be low golden sunrise/sunset tones and that makes my brain twitch a bit too π
My personal fave is the sepia π
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Believe it or not, the ‘new sky’ was taken about 10:15 am and the beach image was taken at c. 11:30am. I get what you are saying mind.π
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Hey MM I’m keen on the last one too! Was a hard decision πΈ
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That frog gets me every time π Thank you once more for your input Julie. MM π
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Very welcome πΈ
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Hey John, I like your last edit best, with its original sky but a bit more intensity in colour than your original. I quite liked the B&W/Sepia version too, which left the colour to our imagination! π
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Thank you for the feedback, it is greatly appreciated. I think with the B/W the issue of the piles not standing out is somewhat reduced, but I think I am in agreement on the last one. MM π
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