Bumpmap

[Saorsa]

One of the tools I use when analyzing the composition of an image is the bumpmap that is an effect supported by FastStone. It strips the image of color and translates it into monochrome based on differences in details. Doing so helps me in seeing the structure of the image.

Here is an example. This is a crop of an image I pasted as Misty Morning Lost Horizon.



and here is a bumpmap of the same image.



It isn't the same crop but shows what can be seen in a different way. One of the comments on the color version was that the small floats didn't do much and, as shown in the first image above, the small float above the wake of the fishing boat is annoying. In the color image because it disrupts an edge and in the bumpmap you can see that it distracts from the wake. Just a little tic that takes the eye off the line.

[Manfred M]

Bumpmaps are traditionally used in 3D modeling (i.e. creating textures). I've never seen them used in this way Brian.

[Saorsa]

Bumpmaps are traditionally used in 3D modeling (i.e. creating textures). I've never seen them used in this way Brian.

True, but I find them interesting.

[Tringa]

I wasn't aware of this, thanks for posting.

It is not the same but it reminds me of the filters (not sure this is the correct term) that were available many years ago. I last saw them advertised in Amateur Photographer (a UK based weekly photgraphy magazine that has been around for about 130 years) sometime in the 1960s.

Holding these 'filters' to the eye allowed you to see the scene in black and white(or pretty close to it). They were intended as an aid when using B&W film by letting the photographer see how scene would be look when converted to B&W - eg those red and blue areas of interesting contrast look very similar shades of grey when recorded on B&W film.

I think they were also useful, in the same way as Brian has noted about bumpmaps, to help you concentrate on composition by removing the colour.

Dave

[spacecadet]

It's called a pan glass. Tiffen will still sell you one, or...
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Tiffen-2-p...-/271288466454

[Tringa]

Thanks spacecadet, I didn't know they were still available, though I had no idea what they were called.

Dave

[Saorsa]

There seems to be a bit of a transatlantic discussion on the terms pan glass vs contrast glass on a cinema forum.

Bumpmap is a lot more flexible. You can change light angles, vignetting and color. While I usually use it for compsition sometimes I play with other settings.