24 November 2014
Lens:
I. Original
1. Bridge over the Creek; Copyright © 2014 Sally W. Donatello All Rights Reserved/Lens and Pens by Sally
II. Editing and Processing with Romantic
1a. Bridge over the Creek; Copyright © 2014 Sally W. Donatello All Rights Reserved/Lens and Pens by Sally
1b. Bridge over the Creek; Copyright © 2014 Sally W. Donatello All Rights Reserved/Lens and Pens by Sally
1c. Bridge over the Creek; Copyright © 2014 Sally W. Donatello All Rights Reserved/Lens and Pens by Sally
Let me know which you prefer and why.
Pens:
“Ode to Nature”
Floating… A sense of weightlessness, Being nowhere and everywhere.
Moral danger Or flight of the fancier… Open the eye upward and below light’s allegiance.
Pull the air through the day’s reflection, And bathe upon the surface endlessly. Then grab the layers of soft motion.
Take tiny steps over and over and over, Until discovery becomes the kiss of reality.
The privilege of Mother Nature’s graceful presence, Overarching with gifts that never cease. Hail to my muse.
This week’s challenge involves editing and processing, which can be joyful and frustrating. Usually, the clear choice is not to reduce the integrity of the original. But our current app-ladened world provides a chemical-free darkroom on my iPhone 6. I can take magical trips in the comfort of a cozy chair, and reinvent an image. I can experiment and notice possibilities that either fortify reality or challenge it.
The original photograph in the Lens section was taken in radiant light that swept across the creek–the creek that is a constant part of my daily walks. The bridge seemed a foil for the swath of reflections as were glorious trees that hover over the water.
I used the app Romantic to play with the original and give it slightly different touches. Each one alters the photograph with a softer patina. While I return often to my original shot, I find the Romantic app worthy of experimentation.
Tip of the Week:
Nature photographer Kent Shiraishi lives in Biei, Hokkaido, Japan. His work is an ethereal adventure that glides over my sensibilities. He says,
Kent Shiraishi, Photographer
“I’m a Hokkaido’s Samurai Photographer. I would like to make “Hokkaido” into a more famous tourist resort in the world.” His work is a strong statement about his photographic aesthetics and the world that he inhabits. His depictions of nature are executed with deep compassion and tribute, and most often with stark, simple and triumphant compositions. Click here and here to see his work.
View other entries for this week’s challenge:
https://chasinglifeandfindingdreams.wordpress.com/2014/11/24/great-views-fill-my-soul/
https://completelydisappear.wordpress.com/2014/11/24/outside-the-window/
http://streetsofsfphotos.wordpress.com/2014/11/24/giraffe-in-the-city/
http://piecesofstarlight.wordpress.com/2014/11/24/phoneography-its-all-about-texture-today/
https://angleandviews.wordpress.com/2014/11/24/sunrise-above-the-clouds/
http://austindetails.me/2014/11/24/use-imagination/
https://angelinem.wordpress.com/2014/11/24/phoneography-challengeediting-at-the-koi-pond/ -to-see/
http://truthtonic.net/2014/11/24/filtered-monday/
http://patchworkponderings.wordpress.com/2014/11/25/phoneography-challenger-choice-macro-marshmallow/
http://artifactsandfictions.com/2014/11/26/portraits-of-dolls/
http://zimmerbitch.wordpress.com/2014/11/28/product-placement-portrait-with-chocolate-milk/
Note:
As always I welcome comments about this post or any part of my blog.
If you’d like to join the Photo Challenge, please click here for details. If you have any questions, please contact me. Below is a reminder of the monthly schedule with themes for upcoming Photo Challenges:
1st Monday: Nature.
2nd Monday: Macro.
3rd Monday: Black and White.
4th Monday Challenger’s Choice (Pick One: Abstraction, Animals, Architecture, Food Photography, Night Photography, Objects, Portraiture, Still Life, Street Photography, and Travel).
5th Monday: Editing and Processing with Various Apps Using Themes from the Fourth Week.
Lens and Pens by Sally 
I prefer the monochrome one: it shows the essence/structure of the picture without the distraction of the colours. Simplicity over busy…
Javier, lovely to hear from you and that you enjoyed that simple chrysanthemum. Thanks so much.
PS. romantic one!
Thanks for the selection.
wonderful!
Thanks so much.
I rather like 1b…it seems to me to be imbued with a little more mystery
Lovely to hear from you. Thanks so much.
D’you know, I’ve missed tons of your posts, I think my WP Reader isn’t playing ball sometimes….
Oh, I know it’s hard to catch up, but hope that you can. See you soon. Thanks.
Thanks for another photographic introduction. From what Kent Shiraishi has posted at 500px, I can see why he calls it the Mystic Pond. If I lived there I’d be out photographing it too.
Yes, he has a magical landscape to capture. His minimalist approach really appeals to me. Thanks.
Great pictures 🙂
Thank you so much.
Tonight. ..For me…..if is the depth evoked by 1 that appeals most
Lovely to hear from you. Thanks.
Lovely shots Sally. I particularly like the first and the last; perhaps for the colours in the first and the slightly abstract quality of the last. I’m going with whimsy in my contribution this week: http://zimmerbitch.wordpress.com/2014/11/28/product-placement-portrait-with-chocolate-milk/
Thanks so much, enjoyed your “whimsy.”
Torn between b and c, Sally- the tiniest hint of subtle colour, and then just a little more. The original reminds me a bit of some bridge shots I took in Durham not too long ago. 🙂
Lovely to hear from you. See you soon. Thanks.
I love the colour of the reflections in the top photo Sally. Here’s mine for this week. https://allkindsaeverything.wordpress.com/2014/11/26/phoneography-and-non-slr-challenge-processing-and-editing/
Livvy, thanks so much.
These are lovely Sally. The third one is my favourite. Here’s my contribution http://artifactsandfictions.com/2014/11/26/portraits-of-dolls/
Suzanne, thanks so much.
Bridges sure do give us some amazing images don’t they? Happy Thanksgiving.
Laurie, I do agree. Happy holiday to your family and you.
I actually like the radiant colours of the unprocessed photo somewhat better. But I guess that’s just me, I like saturated colours in general… Anyway thanks for the link to Kent Shiraishi. I didn’t know his work at all, but find it very gorgeous.
Otto, yes, Shiraishi’s work is gorgeous in its interpretation of nature, especially his approach of minimalism. It’s inspirational. Thanks so much.
I like Kent’s photo that you posted here, and I also like the calm reflections in the bridge on the creek, the colours and angles are fantastic. My entry is from my vegetable garden https://lensandpensbysally.wordpress.com/2014/11/24/phoneography-and-non-slr-digital-photo-challenge-editing-and-processing-bridge-at-the-creek/
His work is certainly tranquilizing. Thanks so much.
I love the three of them. I’m really impressed with the iPhone 6 camera. It’s extremely sharp and it just feels better.
Maria, I do agree. I’ve finally fallen for its charms and features. See you soon. Thanks so much.
Great reflections, fascinating pictures of an interesting place, I love it! 🙂
I appreciate your comment and visit. See you soon. Thanks.
Filters are so fun! My vintage washed filter for this week 🙂
http://truthtonic.net/2014/11/24/filtered-monday/
I do agree.
I really like the 2nd pic with the romantic filter on but I am a big fan of filters 🙂 I love the way it softens the pic and gives it a hue from the original.
Thanks so much.
That last photo looks rather mysterious. 😀
Raewyn, thanks.
I really do like the first photo the best. When I opened up your post it took me a minute to wrap my eyes around that photo to take in what I was looking at; my eyes tended to first go to the right side of the photo that is reflection. I love it!
Editing and processing can be a lovely time to create.
Thanks, Sally
https://angelinem.wordpress.com/2014/11/24/phoneography-challengeediting-at-the-koi-pond/
Angeline, they have elements of constant discovery. Sometimes they work to bring out areas and details of the original that were not evident. See you soon. Thanks so much.
What a lovely place to visit, Sally. I really like the blue reflections in the original and again in 1c. I’ll be sure to take a closer look at Romantic this week, it’s currently in my unused app folder but you’ve just moved it up to the top of my list. 🙂 Happy Thanksgiving!
Lisa, hope that you enjoy exploring Romantic’s filters. Have a memorable and tranquil holiday. Thanks so much.
Beautiful pictures Sally. My favourites 1st and fourth.
Indira, lovely to hear from you. Thanks.
Hi, I actually prefer the original one because of the bright colors and clear contrasts.
Thanks, that seems to be the censuses. See you soon. Thanks.
I love 1B. The vignette and overall softness does it for me.
Edith, I always value your comments. See you soon. Thanks so much.
Well, I hate to seem redundant but I’m in complete agreement with spanishwoods on this one! 🙂
Linda, warm wishes for a joyous holiday. Thanks so much.
Good morning, Sally. Here we are at the beginning of Thanksgiving week with so much for which to be thankful, including the beauty around us and having cameras of whatever sort to record it. I like the original best, as the combination of color, reflection, and angles combine to show me a dizzying beauty. Of the edits, I like the first one best, perhaps because it’s closest to the original and keeps those lovely colors.
Have a marvel-filled week!
janet
Janet, that’s always my conundrum with using apps. Sometimes it can add to the image. Mostly, I adhere to my original vision. For the holiday I wish you a feast of family and friends by your side. See you soon. Thanks so much.
I prefer the warm tones of the Original and the softness of the third one on number three. This particular shot retains some of the warm tones but introduces a dreamy quality that I like. All beautiful.
Lovely to hear from you. See you soon. Thanks so much.