Church Windows

[Marie Hass]

c&c please, my friends. I am playing with cs5 and treatments I have no clue about, and moving sliders in a trial and error fashon.

This first picture I pp with Accented edges effect, hue/sat and a bit of brightness/contrast. The results remind me a bit of pen, ink and watercolors.




This second I tweaked with HDR toning. I will have to find a tutorial somewhere. I was looking for something more dramatic than regular black and white, but did not know what I was doing. again, c&c please



Thanks everyone in advance for your feedback.
Marie

[Lito]

May I please share some church window images. These were taken at the Sta Ana Church, Manila Philippines using E-420 and kitlens.







C&C please.
Thanks, Marie for letting me share.

[rob marshall]

Marie

I do a lot of church window shots. Churches in general make very interesting subjects. I normally do stained glass windows from the inside. Even though churches can be dark inside, you don't need a tripod. Put the camera on a low f-number such as f/4 (you don't need depth of field) and use spot metering to avoid the light coming through from blowing out the shot. That will also make the surrounding window framing and tracery go black and make the shot look better. Here's an example.



If you are not used to CS5 I would learn the basics first before using HDR and other techniques. If you can afford it (about $20 a month) you might want to sign up to Lynda.com for online training in CS5 and other products. In particular the 'Foundations of Photography is very good for basic camera usage http://www.lynda.com/Digital-Photogr...e/71923-2.html and all of the Photoshop ones are here http://www.lynda.com/Photoshop-train...als/279-0.html

What are the 'hollers'?

[Marie Hass]

Thanks Rob, for your comments and links. I will check into them when I get home from work.

"Hollers" -> think Hollows. It is an regional term used to describe where you live. It is used a lot in the Appalacian mountain area to connote a more secluded place of residence - a farmstead, back off the beaten track, away from the general population, usually scratched out on a barely level spot on a mountainside in the woods. Hard to explain. More a concept than a definition. Sorry I could not do better than that.

[Clactonian]

I have to agree with Rob, Marie.
You might also look HERE for bags of free information. Don't forget that the techniques described for older versions of Photoshop are by and large still valid, so read those first.
I share your interest in church windows and try to research background information on them and any characters depicted, such as the example below, where I was able to find out all manner of fascinating information about Jeanne de Chantal.

[rob marshall]

"Hollers" -> think Hollows. It is an regional term used to describe where you live. It is used a lot in the Appalacian mountain area to connote a more secluded place of residence - a farmstead, back off the beaten track, away from the general population, usually scratched out on a barely level spot on a mountainside in the woods. Hard to explain. More a concept than a definition. Sorry I could not do better than that.

Sounds great! Are there any for sale...

[Marie Hass]

Ok. cic logged me off and I don't feel like re-writing everything.

Hi Rob, for sale, yes. quite remote, if you like it that way.

Could either of you or anyone else please give me specific feedback about the pictures I have posted? You won't hurt my feelings. I might not have balls, but I have my big girl panties on..... (As I look about for Colin or Donald....)



Have a nice evening my friends, Marie

[absurd21]

hello. i just want to share this shot. i took this shot from a church i visited.

[jiro]

Ok. cic logged me off and I don't feel like re-writing everything.

Hi Rob, for sale, yes. quite remote, if you like it that way.

Could either of you or anyone else please give me specific feedback about the pictures I have posted? You won't hurt my feelings. I might not have balls, but I have my big girl panties on..... (As I look about for Colin or Donald....)



Have a nice evening my friends, Marie

Marie, I enjoy looking at this shot better than the first you posted. I guess it's because I appreciate the overall detail of the windows compared to just seeing a part of it. My honest opinion - forego the painterly effect and show me the actual texture of the stones and the glasses. There's some noise issue, probably due to the effect that you want to achieve. On this one, I would probably clone out the extra data on the upper left to make the shot really symmetrical. Any chance that you could tell me what kind of building this is? What kind of church is this? Thanks.

[Kimra]

I really, really love the architecture in churches. They're so eloquent. The stained glass windows in there are very pretty as well, and I think you've capture that so well in your pictures. I really enjoy pictures like this. The details that have been displayed within your pictures are quite visible, and it allows the person looking at them to appreciate the architecture more. :3

[Marie Hass]

Thank you, Kimra!

Willie, thank you for your interest. Here is the original.



Here is the adjusted image. I tweaked both perspective and scale in transform. I had the grid on so it is generally straight. I added hue/sat, curves and a bit of brightness. I sharpened edges.



Per your question about what kind of church, from what I know, it is a Methodist Episcopal church. Churches of this designation now-a-days are usually African American in origin, fervent in their worship and full of expressions of joy. Most members are working class. I would be interested in taking pictures of their windows from the inside out.

Your and anyones thoughts?