Trying to think like a painter. Multiple focus levels Bell Pepper

[JBW]

I am truly lousy with a brush but I did have a go at darkening the light area. A free select then some colour adjustment, gaussian blur with a little touching up which did not work so well along the edge.

[Shadowman]

Hi Brian,

How so like a painter? Are you going for a 3-D effect? Nice capture anyway.

[JBW]

Hi Brian,

How so like a painter? Are you going for a 3-D effect? Nice capture anyway.

In another thread it was pointed out that the old masters would use many layers of detail in a painting. Not just foreground and background.

With this shot I got a good dof and a nicely fuzzy background. Then I played with the sharpening to pull the pepper up a bit and tried for 4 different layers. I think I got three and maybe four.
B.

[Shadowman]

In another thread it was pointed out that the old masters would use many layers of detail in a painting. Not just foreground and background.

With this shot I got a good dof and a nicely fuzzy background. Then I played with the sharpening to pull the pepper up a bit and tried for 4 different layers. I think I got three and maybe four.
B.

Gotcha, I've tried this concept myself a few times. Another method used for noise reduction is to apply different combinations of NR to different layers and then stacking the individual edits. I tried the NR method a few times but didn't like the results. The method you are utilizing has more chances for success.

[JBW]

Gotcha, I've tried this concept myself a few times. Another method used for noise reduction is to apply different combinations of NR to different layers and then stacking the individual edits. I tried the NR method a few times but didn't like the results. The method you are utilizing has more chances for success.

Time will tell. I have also signed up for an Edx course on masters of the brush from 1400 to 1800. Hopefully I will be able to learn about composition and some other of their techniques and then transfer them to photography? I really hope I can move into a more artistic style.
B.

[chauncey]

I've tried this concept myself a few times. Another method used for noise reduction is to apply different combinations of NR to different layers and then stacking the individual edits.

Don't understand what that would accomplish John...can ya help me out?

[ajohnw]

Me not that John WM. I suspect he means using wavelet denoise or something similar to blur the image various amounts in layers and then blend a single image to obtain an out of focus effect.

I had a play with Brian's image with a defocus plugin and did 2. I wasn't happy with the sharpness of the top left leaf.

Fairly mild and using a gaussian blur setting,





A bit wilder using a circular blur setting and a depth control




It has a shed load of settings. It might even enhance circular bokeh or create it from saturation or luminance levels.


It needs a depth map to indicate distance into the shot or the blur style chosen can be applied to the whole image and layer masks used. The centre of attention on this one is off centre so I just used a radial gradient ,density = distance. GIMP but I believe similar is available for PS etc.

Brian can download a windows version of this off the pugin register or probably from the other link I posted for another plugin.

Think of all of the money it will save on buying fast lenses.

John
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[Shadowman]

Don't understand what that would accomplish John...can ya help me out?

Chauncey,

I believe the concept was to use different opacities on each layer. It didn't work for me.

[Geoff F]

The only thing which slightly bothers me with this image, Brian, is the top right corner background where there is an object which is sufficiently bright to cause some distraction.

I would selectively tone it down with a Curves Adjustment Layer set to Luminosity Blend and a carefully edited mask, or an Adjustment Brush. And also use a light blur brush over the area to reduce the amount of noise.

[JBW]

The only thing which slightly bothers me with this image, Brian, is the top right corner background where there is an object which is sufficiently bright to cause some distraction.

I would selectively tone it down with a Curves Adjustment Layer set to Luminosity Blend and a carefully edited mask, or an Adjustment Brush. And also use a light blur brush over the area to reduce the amount of noise.

I have to agree the top right corner can be a grabber. Both Myra and I see a face in it. I shall have a go at it and see how it turns out. And now for a teaser... got a couple of shots yesterday of a bug swarm. A very small, red, ant like six legged beasty with for its size incredibly long antanae. I will try to get a shot posted today.
B,