_DSC0776.jpg (68.54 KiB) Viewed 1731 times

It's "Make Art Monday!" So let's get busy and make some GREAT art!

Change a blend mode, play with a filter ..... anything goes as "ART"

But most of all,have fun!
This Monday's submission is something you don't see in Nevada....a light house. This is a photo of the Mukilteo light house on Puget Sound.
Chas

That's a cool lighthouse. Not very tall, but I guess it's up on a hill.

I was at a church festival this weekend ... on assignment. For photos of the kids enjoying the carnival rides I was never quite sure what I was going to get until I was able to examine the images at magnification on the 'puter screen. I laughed when I saw the dangling feet up in the corner.

MaM_2374.jpg (128.23 KiB) Viewed 1729 times

I used both Topaz Clarity and Adjust to pump up the colors.

Rusty

Chas i love lighthouse photos i am so intrigued by them. This one is no exception i love it also.
Rusty you made me laugh with the dangling feet. I bet you find all kinds of things in your shots that you did not even know you shot. What you see and what the camera sees are not always the same.

Neat stop-action photo,Rusty. Just what is Topaz Clarity? How do you like it?
Chas

Thanks, Chas

I like Clarity a lot. Courtney sent me an email a month ago to alert me to a promotional sale by Topaz; I forgot now whether it was twenty or thirty bucks, I'm waiting now for the Topaz website to show an instructional video so I can better understand how to use all the features.

They always have an internet seminar showing how to use a product shortly after the introduction. I never watch those because, for some reason, I can never get the sound up to where I can hear the audio. When I watch the archived seminar from their library, I have no problem with the sound. Go figure?

Even without an instructional video it is, like all Topaz products, pretty intuitive:

Topaz Clarity.jpg (115.77 KiB) Viewed 1720 times

As you can see, you can limit your adjustments to those parts if the image that you think "need help". They also have a bunch of presets you can try before attempting to "do it yourself".

Clarity 2.jpg (88.41 KiB) Viewed 1720 times

Rusty

Rusty,

I know Topaz uses YouTube to post video tutorials. I found an hour long one on Clarity:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92Ee-vpu4IM However, the comments say the audio is bad. So it may not be much different than your home experience.

I keep meaning to put some time aside to watch the videos on Topaz FX and really learn about it... but I haven't done it yet. I watched the get started, intro type videos and played around a little bit. But I know I can do so much more if I work at it.

Courtney

I'm not making all that much art with my shots, but they are of performance art. Does that count? This is Bendy Em, a contortionist we saw at the Calgary Stampede last week. She is about 5' 3" or so and fit herself into the small plexiglass box. Weird. She's from Australia. Maybe that explains it? She also put her legs behind her head and spun around on her back while on a small turntable on the ground. You don't need to see that, trust me.

Courtney

contortionist 1 s.jpg (169.56 KiB) Viewed 1719 times

contortionist 2 s.jpg (175.89 KiB) Viewed 1719 times

Wow, that's some contortionist.
Second Wow ... the Calgary Stampede went on ???!!! I thought most of the venue was underwater.

Here's another example of Topaz Clarity. The festival had a water pool with big inflatable plastic balls that would float on the water. A kid would get inside, they zip the ball shut, then use a hose connected to an air pump to inflate the ball. Good fun.

DSC_2446 SOOC.jpg (122.59 KiB) Viewed 1718 times

I used Clarity to boost color and midtone contrast:

DSC_2446 Topaz Clarity.jpg (121.46 KiB) Viewed 1718 times

Rusty

Courtney yow that hurts me just looking at her!
Rusty those balls look like so much fun i would love to try that.

Interesting about the lighthouse, looks like it could be in New England.
Rusty, Clarity does wonders for many photos. I did the beta on it and really like it.
Courtney, can't believe those contortionists have any bones at all!

My art is rather mundane...spoke with this man briefly, in passing, and as he walked away I was reminded of the old poem.