Christmas Snow Globe

[FrankMi]

I thought I'd take a hand at making something a little different for the Christmas season this year so I tried to find a great snow scene to incorporate into a snow globe. Fat chance on finding that in South Carolina at this time of year! I had to settle for a snapshot I took in Baldwinsville, NY on the Erie Canal back in April of 2012 as the closest I could get to winter.



There are a number of issues with this image from not having an overcast day to having trees blocking the view, a telephone pole and wires in the way, and inappropriately harsh shadows. At least there are no leaves on the trees and perhaps we can get some snow in the globe.

I also didn't have a appropriate background. This globe should be setting on a mantle with other Christmas decorations but so far I haven't found the right background. For the moment, I'll leave the background black.

The good thing is that having created the globe, I now can easily swap out the scene and background.



If you would like to try your hand at doing this with your own images and background, take a look at this video.

[rpcrowe]

Frank,

Great rendition. I am going to view the video a bit later today.

I'd love to do this with a puppy or a couple of pups in the globe.

Thanx,
Richard

[Dave Humphries]

Hi Frank,

Great effort, I like the result very much - although with two exceptions;
the base might be replaced with a photographed one?
the shadow on the porch (LH verandah) looks just a tad too dark/sharp, but this feeling may be an optical illusion - like the ubiquitous 'chess board and pillars' example.

You're always pushing the boundaries Frank, keep it up.

Cheers, Dave

[Shadowman]

Very nice.

[Stagecoach]

I can see that one is going to take some beating Frank

[FrankMi]

Hi Frank,

Great effort, I like the result very much - although with two exceptions;
the base might be replaced with a photographed one?
the shadow on the porch (LH verandah) looks just a tad too dark/sharp, but this feeling may be an optical illusion - like the ubiquitous 'chess board and pillars' example.

You're always pushing the boundaries Frank, keep it up.

Cheers, Dave

Hi Dave, I don't see any reason why a photographed base couldn't be used. It would just be a case of getting something that is appropriate and scaling it to match the globe.

The strong shadow on the roof of the porch is seen in the original image above. Although there were clouds that day, the building is in a strong afternoon sun. A much better rendition could be had for an overcast winter scene with some snow on the ground!

The shadow on the verandah at the steps was added with a single brush stroke because this part of a physical globe tends to be in shadow when the globe is typically lighted from above. The amount of shadow (or lack thereof) is totally controllable by an opacity slider.

The building would have looked better in this setting had it been shot 'level'. The ground slopes down toward the house and canal behind it so the camera angle is also pointing down from higher ground.

The perspective of the globe is also level, so if you want to photograph, lets say, a fireplace mantle as a background, you would need the ensure that you are level with the top surface of the mantle where the globe would sit. If you shoot the background from above and the globe is portrayed as being level, the result would look a bit funky.

It is easier to have a static image without the snow moving but, hey, that's what a snow globe is for. How many of us can resist picking up a snow globe and giving it a shake just to see the snow flurries dance around?

This could be a great way to show a child sitting on Santa's lap or any other appropriate image you might care to insert into the globe.

[FrankMi]

Very nice.

Thank you John! Just a little bit of holiday fun imagery.

[FrankMi]

I can see that one is going to take some beating Frank

Hi Grahame, I'm not sure what you mean. I'm guessing that not everyone will like it? That's OK. We all have different viewpoints, thank goodness. It would be a dull world if we all had the same viewpoint. What would be left to have heated discussions about?

[Stagecoach]

Hi Grahame, I'm not sure what you mean. I'm guessing that not everyone will like it? That's OK. We all have different viewpoints, thank goodness. It would be a dull world if we all had the same viewpoint. What would be left to have heated discussions about?

Frank, it's quite simple, 'beating' as in 'bettering' because it's so good

[FrankMi]

Frank, it's quite simple, 'beating' as in 'bettering' because it's so good

Ah, that kind of beating. Now I am blushing!

It has a lot that can be improved but is does provide a starting point and hopefully, if others want to take their hand at it, the video link should help.

I've been thinking about what to do for the 2015 Project 52 effort. I'm starting to lean toward learning more about how post processing can bring out the best in an image. Not so much with animated images or composites like this, but rather with finding ways to enhance the natural beauty in an image. I've just purchased Lightroom 5 and plan to investigate what it has to offer as opposed to primarily using CS5. I've also upgraded from the D3100 to the D7100 and picked up a 100mm macro lens so I have a lot to explore and learn this year!

[MarieV]

Well done and thank you for the link - if I start now maybe I will get something finished in time for next Christmas..!

[IzzieK]

Frank...very nice. i want to try my hand on this one as I am making my iChristmas cards this year for some relations...anyway, I did not know that we can upload animated image here at CiC...how did you do it?

[FrankMi]

Well done and thank you for the link - if I start now maybe I will get something finished in time for next Christmas..!

Hi Marie, it took me about an hour of starting and stopping the video plus the time looking for an appropriate image for inside the globe and the background. I never did find a suitable background image! Having been through the process it would likely take about 20 minutes to do it again.

[FrankMi]

Frank...very nice. i want to try my hand on this one as I am making my iChristmas cards this year for some relations...anyway, I did not know that we can upload animated image here at CiC...how did you do it?

Hi Izzie, you upload an animated GIF exactly the same way you do any other image with Tinypics. I try to keep the size around 500mb so I usually need to make the image size smaller than 1600x1000 pixels. This one was created at 1000px square and shrunk to 700x700px during the 'Save for Web' process that is used in place of the Save As.

[IzzieK]

Thanks Frank...I've always wanted to try my hand at making GIFs but I did forget that Photoshop can do it because I use ProShow Producer for my animations and with editing and PP directed to Photoshop...I used to do animation before with version 7 along time ago now. Funny how simple things are easier to forget...

[Brownbear]

Hi Frank,

Just to say that I think this is especially, special!

[mknittle]

Frank,

Great rendition. I am going to view the video a bit later today.

I'd love to do this with a puppy or a couple of pups in the globe.
Great idea Richard. Spoken like a true dog person.
Thanx,
Richard

[mknittle]

Funny how simple things are easier to forget...

Yeah, if you have to struggle and worry your way through a project it does seem easier to remember.

[FrankMi]

Thanks Frank...I've always wanted to try my hand at making GIFs but I did forget that Photoshop can do it because I use ProShow Producer for my animations and with editing and PP directed to Photoshop...I used to do animation before with version 7 along time ago now. Funny how simple things are easier to forget...

Great Izzie! Give a holler if you need any help. I'm looking forward to seeing your animation!

[FrankMi]

Hi Frank,

Just to say that I think this is especially, special!

Thank you Christina! The neat thing is that you can use any number of appropriate images in the globe.

Maybe next year I'll do a Christmas Tree and have the lights twinkle!