Birth of a Rainbow
This was a pretty shot of some trees and plants near the Mission of San Luis Obispo. I like the soft colors of yellows and browns, but could I leave it alone??? I could not. I’d been talking to a friend who paints abstracts. What she said about color and instinct being her guiding force stuck with me.
I gave the photo ambiance by adding layers of texture and texture with colors…the sky took on the look of water as if it were a reflection of the trees instead of the actual trees.
Landscapes are the best sellers for photographers. I was told that by a famous photographer. After landscapes, comes pretty, young women, then old men and last of all old women! So irritating!
Anyway, here is my landscape made to look like a Monet by adding other photos of texture, color and then changing the blend mode. Mostly the blend modes that work well are ‘soft light’ and ‘overlay’. If overlay looks too harsh then go to soft light. Screen blend is good if your photo seems too dark and Multiply if it seems too light. You can always vary the opacity for complete control.
What I do is to shoot textures whenever I see them. Sometimes it’s a brick wall, the bark of a tree, a close up of a bale of hay etc. then when you want to enhance your photos, you have your textures ready in a folder and can try them and blend them until you are satisfied.
This is a busy photo, but I’ve read it is best to add texture to one that isn’t busy, such as a lone rose, or other subject that has simple lines. I’m sure that works well, but I’ve added texture to a crowd scene and it completely changed the photo for the better.
Maybe I’ll show you that one tomorrow.