Blog Posts

Adding Background Light in Lightroom and Saving as a Preset

4/19/2023

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Here is the original image:

First Step is to add a Radial Gradient mask.

Then click and drag the Radial Gradient mask to your liking. The mask area will show as red.

Then change the lighting to either darken or lighten. In this case it is lighten.

To make the light show only behind the girl click on Mask 1, then click on subtract which will bring a drop down box. Click on 'Select Subject' not 'Select People'. If there was a prop like a chair or if she is holding something it will not be selected in the mask unless you 'Select Subject'.

Now the subject is no longer lit by the Radial Gradient but the area behind her is.

At this stage save as a Preset so it can be used on other images. Rename it something like 1.Light behind Subject, select 'User Presets' as Group and only check Masking. I add the '1' to the Preset name so it will be at the top of my list. It can always be renamed after it is saved if you want to.

The size, shape, and placement of the mask can be changed by clicking on the mask in the image and making your adjustments to taste. You can also make many other changes to the mask like seen below:

And since the first steps before adjustments have been saved as a Preset it can now be added to other images and all the same adjustments as shown above can be made.

Here is a different image before the Preset was added:

And the same image after adding the Preset by one click and then making some adjustments to show the difference.

Thank you for taking the time to check out my tutorial. And if you enjoyed it please comment and follow my Facebook page where I will be posting a link to my Blog.
I will try to do more tutorials as I find things that I also want to remember and use.
Thank you for your support.

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Preparing Copyrighted Images for Social Media

4/29/2022

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This is the Scripts screen that I use to copyright several portrait oriented images at once to post to social media. This screen is located under the File tab in Photoshop.

1) Open one or several images that are all of the same format. For this example we will open up several portrait images from Adobe Bridge. To open several completed JPEG images click on each image holding the Ctrl button down. This will select each image. Then either click enter or right click on one of the selected images and then select 'Open in Adobe Photoshop'. All images will appear in Photoshop with the active image in the preview area of your screen and all others in the tabs above the preview. That is if you have your Photoshop screen set up as I do.
See screen print below for an example of two images opened. You won't see both images on the screen but will know there are 2 open by the image titles on the top bar.

2)   Using the Copyright brush tool you created in the prior Blog post on the image click where you wish it to be.

3)   Click on each image by selecting the 'un-highlighted' image tab to make the next image active and run the 'Copyright Portrait' action. Do this for each portrait image you have opened in Photoshop.

4)   When all images have the Copyright Symbols added and arranged to your liking you are ready to re-size the images and make them ready to add to Facebook, Twitter, Google+, your website or share online. Here are the steps:

5)   Click on 'File' at the top left hand size of your screen. This will open the drop downs.

6)   Click on 'Scripts' towards the bottom of the list which will bring out a 'flyout' box.

7)   In this 'flyout' box, click on 'Images Processor'. The box that will appear next is the same as the screen print at the top of this blog post. The items to pay attention to are:

1) Select the images to process. I use the 'Use Open Images' button as I want the images I've just copyrighted to be processed.
2) Select location to save processed images. I use the 'Save in Same Location' button as I like the copyrighted images to be saved in the same location as the original. A new folder will be created in this folder called 'JPEG'.

3) File Type. This has several options.
As I save these images as JPEGs I use that file type by checking the 'Save as JPEG' box,
I set the quality at 12. If you are concerned about theft you can use a lower number. This will make the image size small enough that if someone does try to print from this it will be pixallated if printed in a large print.
Check the 'Convert to Profile to sRGB' box. This is the best profile for the internet to keep colors from shifting.
Check the 'Resize to Fit' box. This box is crucial to resizing the images to portrait, landscape or square format. For Portrait use W: 687 px H: 1024 px
Use all the prior steps for Landscape images with the exception of changing to W: 1024 px H: 687 px
The same for a square format image except change to W: 1024 px H: 1024 px
4) Preferences. You can add Copyright Info which would embed into the images by typing that into the box and click on the 'Include ICC Profile' box if you wish.
Click on 'Run' at the upper right hand area of this box. Each image that has been selected will process and re-sized images will populate into the new created 'JPEG' folder within the original folder.
CRUCIAL LAST STEP: All the images that you have just processed will remain in Photoshop. In 'File' select 'Close All'. As you close each file make sure you do not 'save'. You do not want to have your originals stamped and re-sized.

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Creating a Copyright Brush

4/29/2022

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Step 1. Click File>New to create a new image in Photoshop. Make sure you use a transparent background!
1000 pixels wide
960 pixels high
300 pixels/inch resolution

Step 2. Use the text tool (on the toolbar) to create your copyright text. I found a free font called North Wave on the internet that I liked.
>I use a font size of 30 pt to make my text all fit and be as large as possible. You may need a different font size depending on how large your copyright is.
>On a Windows PC, the code for the copyright symbol is generated by holding down the ALT key and typing 0169 from the keypad.
>On a Mac, you can create a copyright symbol by simply holding down the Option key and pressing G. That’s it.
>After you create your copyright symbol type in the rest of your copyright information.

Step 3. Use the Rectangle Tool from the tool bar to select the area around the text.

>Then use Image>Crop
>Edit > Define Brush Preset to create the brush and also you will name it. I call mine Copyright Stamp. The brush will now appear at the bottom of your brush table and is ready to use.

Step 4. To use the brush:
>Select the copyright brush from the palette.
>Adjust the size and/or color if you need to and and click once on the image where you want to stamp to appear. If your hand is steady enough you can click more times will make the text darker.
>Adjust the opacity to your liking. 30-50% is a good range depending on the subject.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

At this point if you are using a copyright stamp on a full resolution image you can simply save this image.

I only use the copyright stamp on images I am going to resize for the internet where I use Script to resize. There is another post on how I do that. You NEVER want to copyright and resize an image and save it.

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HOW TO CREATE AN IMAGE USING A TWIRL EFFECT

11/10/2018

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Start with any image. In this tutorial I have chosen the image below.

Step 1: Using Photoshop go to Filter> Pixelate> Mezzotint> Medium Lines. After you select Filter> Pixelate> Mezzotint you will see a popup box. This is what you will see after selecting Medium Lines. Click on the OK button.

Step 2: Again select Filter> Blur> Radial Blur. From the popup, slide the slider to 100, blur method to Zoom and Zoom Quality to Best. This is what the screen will look like. Click on the OK button.

Your image will look like this below which is pretty neat all on it's own.

Step 3: Repeat Step 2 anywhere from between another 3 to 5 times. Then create a duplicate layer.

Step 4: Select the Background layer to make it active. Then go to Filter> Distort> Twirl. From the popup drag the Angle Slider to 200 or whatever you would like. In my example I'll use 200. Then click on the OK button.
It will appear that nothing has happened on your screen because the Background copy layer has not been altered yet. This is okay as we will make changes to that layer in the next step.

Step 5: Click on the Background copy layer to make that active. Then go to Filter> Distort> Twirl. From the popup drag the Angle Slider to -200 or whatever you would like. In my example I'll use -200. Then click on the OK button.

Below is what this step will create. Again it's pretty cool but we aren't done yet.

Step 6: Now to make the twirl appear change the Blend Mode on the Background copy to Lighten and the twirl will appear.

You can then add any adjustment layers to make the colors more vibrant, etc. Here is the end result after increasing the Hues and Saturation on the Blue, Cyan and Reds in an Adjustment Layer. I also selected the Black and White Points in a Levels Adjustment Layer.

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OREGON AND WASHINGTON SURF GUIDES

1/13/2018

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There are a couple of epic spots on the Oregon and Washington coast lines that have some amazing waves. I will hopefully one day get some amazing shots. These are not the spectacular images as the waves were pretty wimpy.

The image below is at Shore Acres in Southern Oregon. The waves were not very big this day but for a first time viewer it was pretty awesome.

Coos Bay Surf Report and Forecast

Another wonderful location is Cape Disappointment in Southwestern Washington. Again the waves were just beginning to grow in size and then the sunset.

https://magicseaweed.com/Long-Beach-Surf-Report/311/

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HOW TO CREATE AN ORB!

11/19/2016

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Not every image will make a good orb. Flowers make a great orb as they are colorful and their petals and stems make the orb interesting.

After you open the image in Photoshop crop it to a square. See image below:

After cropping click on Filter >Distort>Polar Coordinates. Making sure it is Polar to Rectangular. Then click Okay.

Not to worry when you see a very weird image. The next step will correct that.

Now click on Image>Image Rotation>Flip Canvas Vertical. There are no actual steadfast rules. You could always skip the flip if you like. Below is what the image now looks like.

Now to get an orb. Click on Filter Distort Polar Coordinates. Do make sure you switch back to Rectangular to Polar. Then click Okay. Make any adjustments like adding Vibrance and sharpening. I also rotated mine clockwise as I didn't like it on it's side. See the image at the top of the Blog post for my finished image:

Couple of things to keep in mind. If you didn't crop your picture to a square it won't be an orb. If you leave the image wider than it is tall it will be an oval. Remember as I said above there are no rules in this. Just play around and have fun.

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HIGH KEY LOOK ON FLOWER IMAGES

12/27/2015

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1) Select a RAW image of a flower with varying colors from light to vivid. I had chosen this image of a lavender and white dahlia. The original unedited images is below. And here are the initial settings in Lightroom.

2) Then using the Exposure Slider in Lightroom Develop slide it to the right to lighten the image. Then export this image to Photoshop.

3) Continue using the step (#2) above increasing the exposure in somewhat equal increments until you have at least 5 to 10 images exported to Adobe Bridge. The last image should be close to white.

4) In Adobe Bridge you should now have all of these images that you exported from Lightroom. Select all of these images by clicking on the 1st image. While holding the shift button scroll to the last image and click on it (this is the method for a PC, sorry....I'm not sure what the method is for a MAC).

5) Click on Tools, which will open up a drop down box. Click on Photoshop which will then open up a fly out box to the right. Click on Load files into Photoshop Layers. This will open all of the images as layers in Photoshop. Once there you will need to make sure the lightest image is at the bottom and the order will be incremental to the top with the darkest.
6) Add a mask to each layer. On each mask on a PC do a Ctrl I to invert the white mask to a black mask. Once there is a black mask on each layer your image will become transparent and your Photoshop screen will look like this below.

7) Starting with the 2nd layer from the top right click on the layer mask and disable it. This will make the image reappear because the mask is no longer hiding the image. Using a soft small white brush at an opacity of about 30 begin brushing around the vibrant colors of the flower and any areas you want to expose. Your layer pallet will look like this below.

8) Right click the mask in Layer #2 to enable it. Then continue the steps from step #7 above until all the layers have been brushed to reveal the vibrant colors.
9) Flatten the layers and make any additional final edits. I used the plugin OnOne to add a bit of clarity and white vignette that further whiten the edges. Plus I played with the colors a bit in Photoshop CS5 using the Hues slider in the layer adjustment Hues and Saturation.

Hope this helps everyone and would love to see your results.

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QUICK & SIMPLE--HOW TO ADD TEXT LIKE THIS TO YOUR IMAGE

7/19/2015

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These are instructions are primarily for a PC but I did include the options for those MAC users.

Using the Text Tool and using Edwardian Script add the text to your image. You can use any text or color you wish and once you have the text added use the Move tool to place it where you want.

Now create a new blank layer either from the Layers drop down or from the Layers Pallet by selecting the Create Layer Icon. Then using the Rectangular Marquee Tool click and drag out a thin wide rectangle from side to side on the image over the top of the text. Press the letter D, then X to set your Foreground color to white and then press Alt-Back-Space (MAC: Option-Delete) to fill the selection with white. Press Ctrl-D (MAC: Command D) to Deselect.

The text is not visible until you drag the Blank Layer with the white bar below the Text Layer. Then the text will be visible because it is above the white layer. Your layers will now look like this below, lower the opacity of Layer 1 to your liking and you will have a finished product like the image at the top of this tutorial.
Pretty simple, huh?

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Wild Horse Images

1/3/2015

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One of my favorite things to photograph are wild horses such as these two stallions. You can see more of my wild horse images along with many others taken by other photographers by clicking on the link below. My images will be on the third row from the top.
Enjoy!
wild horse art

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WASHINGTON STATE HORSE EXPO IS COMING SOON!

2/9/2014

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Jupiter

In a very short couple of days this beautiful friesian along with the entire BlackPearl Friesian Dance Troupe will be performing and bringing joy to a great many people at the Washington State Horse Expo. I do hope you are able to make it to the Clark County Fairgrounds at 17402 NE Delfel Rd. in Ridgefield, WA on any of the 3 days starting on the day of love, Feb. 14, 2014. There will be many other great performers and beautiful horses at this event.
For more information please check out their website:
http://www.wastatehorseexpo.com/

Gala

I have had the pleasure of knowing the wonderful people of BlackPearl Friesian Dance Troupe for several years.
I've watched their evolution and growth and have luckily been allowed to photograph their journey.
The one thing that has been a constant is the artistry and talent of both the riders and their horses.
Make sure to catch one of their performances. They are great!

Tito

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Our Flickr Photos

Author

Name:
Wes & Dotty Weber

Occupation:
Photographers at Heart

Favorite Camera:
Canon R5

Favorite Subjects:
Absolutely everything.

Favorite Vacation Spot:
Everywhere we’ve been has it’s own special beauty and some places like Yellowstone National Park and the Desert Southwest can be unlike anywhere else. But to name a favorite is hard as we’ve not seen everything, yet.

Personal Motto:
"Everywhere you look is a great image if you look closely”

Adding Background Light in Lightroom and Saving as a Preset

Preparing Copyrighted Images for Social Media

Creating a Copyright Brush

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

HOW TO CREATE AN IMAGE USING A TWIRL EFFECT

OREGON AND WASHINGTON SURF GUIDES

HOW TO CREATE AN ORB!

HIGH KEY LOOK ON FLOWER IMAGES

1) Select a RAW image of a flower with varying colors from light to vivid. I had chosen this image of a lavender and white dahlia. The original unedited images is below. And here are the initial settings in Lightroom.

2) Then using the Exposure Slider in Lightroom Develop slide it to the right to lighten the image. Then export this image to Photoshop.

3) Continue using the step (#2) above increasing the exposure in somewhat equal increments until you have at least 5 to 10 images exported to Adobe Bridge. The last image should be close to white.

QUICK & SIMPLE--HOW TO ADD TEXT LIKE THIS TO YOUR IMAGE

Wild Horse Images

One of my favorite things to photograph are wild horses such as these two stallions. You can see more of my wild horse images along with many others taken by other photographers by clicking on the link below. My images will be on the third row from the top.
Enjoy!
wild horse art

WASHINGTON STATE HORSE EXPO IS COMING SOON!

Our Flickr Photos

Author

Archives

Categories

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

1) Select a RAW image of a flower with varying colors from light to vivid. I had chosen this image of a lavender and white dahlia. The original unedited images is below. And here are the initial settings in Lightroom.

2) Then using the Exposure Slider in Lightroom Develop slide it to the right to lighten the image. Then export this image to Photoshop.

3) Continue using the step (#2) above increasing the exposure in somewhat equal increments until you have at least 5 to 10 images exported to Adobe Bridge. The last image should be close to white.

One of my favorite things to photograph are wild horses such as these two stallions. You can see more of my wild horse images along with many others taken by other photographers by clicking on the link below. My images will be on the third row from the top. Enjoy!wild horse art

Our Flickr Photos

Author

Archives

Categories

One of my favorite things to photograph are wild horses such as these two stallions. You can see more of my wild horse images along with many others taken by other photographers by clicking on the link below. My images will be on the third row from the top.
Enjoy!
wild horse art