Lightroom

I have always been a fan of Adobe Lightroom for its simplicity. Learning the craft before the digital era taught me to try a get it right first time as it was always difficult to manipulate later (though not impossible). Lightroom is as near to the old darkroom process as you will get for the digital age. Its a shame really as it takes the edge away as a multitude of errors can be corrected after the shot, but not all.

Now I want to look at what it can do, so I will be posting some of my efforts for your feedback.

I went to my Great Nephew William’s christening during the summer, I was happy enough with the photo but now have looked at them again. I will work on these using various effects and processing so I have comparisons. The first edit was done a saved as a preset, the idea was to look for a high key effect or very little shadowing. But after the initial processing  the post cropping to be suited to the picture, so some have light vignetting and others dark.

Before

After

Before

After

Before

After

Each of these were processed using the same preset, using Adobe Lightroom’s Spot Removal tool and tweaking the exposure, the preset works better on photos with more exposure. With the Spot Removal tool I hadn’t realised that you could in effect paint over trouble areas rather than just spotting.

Below are more images that I have tried the same process with, not all work but are interesting.

 

Project 365 2012/48 hastings old town

Project 365 2012/22 Margate Sunset

I haven’t been to Margate for about 10 years and going there in the middle of Winter with a chill factor of about 3c isn’t selling it to anyone. Today was George’s 11th birthday so he got to decide where we went. He chose to visit the Hornby Visitor Center, just on the outskirts of Margate and the Turner Contemporary on the sea front. We were lucky with the weather as it stayed bright and dry for the day, but when we got to the sea front, all they wanted to do was play on the beach in the sand and boy was that cold, but they didn’t care. The only thing that got them off the beach was the promise of fresh fish and chips at one of the nearby restaurants. I am only just getting the feeling back in my toes now.

What I liked about this was the last few people walking along the beach in the foreground.

Related articles

• Things To Do and See in Margate, Kent (myferry.wordpress.com)
• Margate – Breuer & Dawson – 10 May 2012 (paulsmith.co.uk)
• Margate’s Dreamland and its Wooden Rollercoaster Reopen Ahead of Massive Refurb (gizmodo.co.uk)
• Jeff Barker at Morgan’s in Margate (blokecalleddave.wordpress.com)
• Colour master Piet Mondrian gets twin shows in the UK (theguardian.com)
• Newgate Gap – Clean Up – THANKYOU! (haeckels.co.uk)

Project 365 2012/13 blocked

Somedays it pays just to look at what you are standing on, and no not your feet, although you can take that shot as well. I try to see something in everything, all around Kingshill the designers have specified block paving even on the roads. Normally when you see block paving on a drive it really stands out, but in Kingshill its just another everyday occurance and after a while you stop noticing it.

 

 

Project 365 day three hundred and fifty six, not legless

Project 365 day three hundred and thirty one, Twilight

Christmas is fast approaching and with the global economy still in a wretched state, knowing next year will probably be harder ang tighter on the wallet, Christmas will be difficult financially, yet warming on the heart. It is a time for joy, celebration and being together. On Sundat it was the turning on of West malling Christmas Lights, its was an all day affair withe Farmers market in the morning and stalls with fun and games in the late afternoon.

The afternoon was great with loads to do for the family and rounded off with a hot chips with lashings of salt and vinegar. This shot was hand held, just before the lights were turned on, the spire belongs to West Malling Church.

Related articles

• 365 Project Nov. 19-26 (terrybeigiephotography.wordpress.com)
• Christmas lights go dim amid Britain’s economic gloom | Life and style | The Observer (exitlanguages.wordpress.com)
• Twilight: Breaking Dawn Takes First at Box Office for Second Week (examiner.com)

Project 365 day three hundred and twenty six, leaves on the road

The English have an unnatural obession with the weather, the Britsh never get used to the weather. During June you will hear people say “How odd to get rain this time of year must be down to that environmental warming!” when in fact eveybody know that Wimbledon Tennis Tournamnet is in June so its bound to rain. After the news we have reginal news with regional weather, when they switch back to the national news we then get a national weather forcast. FACT: Someone saying tomorrows weather will be like today will get it right more often than a weather forcaster!

During the Autumn train companies will use the excuse “Leaves on the line” for cancellations and trains running late, its just as well that George Stephenson didn’t have the same attitude when he built the first public railway otherwise we would still be using horse and catrs.