Autumn Evening
A picture I took that I manipulated to appear as though an oil painting of Autumn in its most magical time of day.
A picture I took that I manipulated to appear as though an oil painting of Autumn in its most magical time of day.
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Oct, 2014Views
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Awards
Fall Award 2020
Superb Composition
Absolute Masterpiece
Top Choice
Peer Award
Outstanding Creativity
Superior Skill
Magnificent Capture
All Star
Top Ranks
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken at the beginning of a majestic walk through the Winona Lake Trails in Winona Lake, Indiana.Time
I recall it being around one o’clock in the afternoon on a rather muggy summer day. It had been the first encounter with this specific walking trail and I found myself captivated by the surrounding nature. As I took a peek inside the dense forest trail, I noticed a clearing with a beautiful tree. Its branches stretched outward and its leaves sheltering the grass from the sun’s rays. I imaged what it might be like walking this magnificent display during the autumn season. Having my camera at the ready and knowing my photo manipulating skills could use some practice, I decided I didn’t want to wait to find out.Lighting
The lighting of this photo was generated using photo manipulation software. Because I wanted to capture a scene in the evening but had to improvise with what I had, I edited the photo to appear as though it was evening by taking another photo I had taken of an evening sky and placing it in the background of the scene I had just captured.Equipment
Before my upgrade to a Kodak PixPro AZ 521 with a 52x optical zoom, I took this picture with my previous camera, which was a Kodak EasyShare with a 3x optical zoom. I didn’t have a tripod at the time, so I snapped this picture on a whim.Inspiration
My favorite moment is found by the open window on a chilly autumn evening, jotting down my ideas through words or sketches. I longed for the season I enjoy the most, and that was my inspiration for this piece.Editing
There was a lot to do before this summer time photo would turn into the autumn evening I saw it could be. Because I couldn’t afford Photoshop, I used GIMP to do my editing processes. I used a previous photo of an evening sky I had taken a few days before, and placed it in the background of the image instead of the blue sky. I changed the hue and saturation levels until it reached the right color and temperature. Then I added a filter that made it appear as an oil painting, because I saw it as an art piece rather than a photo. After a few more adjustments, manipulating the sun’s rays to glaze the tops of the ground and adding contrast between the orange colors, I was proud to call it done. However I didn’t like leaving the green color in it. So I took out all other color except the oranges and yellows, coloring in a few spots of green with those colors to bring the season to life. Once I had done that, I knew it was finished.In my camera bag
If I had a bag, I would explain what I had inside. But since the recent upgrade to a Kodak PixPro, it doesn’t fit in my older camera bag and I need to find a new one. The only real equipment I have is my standard tripod, my mini tripod, an extra SD card, a lens cover, and my camera. The most essential thing that I do not currently have is a rain cover for my camera. I storm chase in the summer months and enjoy taking photography of extreme weather conditions, even in the winter. Not having something to protect my camera from the elements proves to be difficult when on these adventures.Feedback
Be prepared to take the shot knowing it might not be what the finished product will look like. If you have an idea, don’t be afraid to experiment using what you have. If you see something that sparks an interest, take the photo and use it to show why you were interested. If you so desire, you can change the time, the place, and even change the season of your image by learning basic photo manipulating techniques. Knowing this, photography becomes so much bigger than just the scene set before you, the possibilities are literally endless on what story or concept you want to portray. For me, it was being able to share my idea of the perfect season with the rest of the world through a digital oil painting. What’s yours?
