Add Artistry to your Image with Textures...

A simple way to add depth and drama to your photo is to add a layer of texture or two, or in this case, three. Hover your mouse over the image to see the original. I found several textures that I liked and used them to enhance this photo of palm trees after sunset. The texture layers give the image depth and drama, and make it a little more artistic.

To blend a texture layer with your image, use a blend mode that suits your photo. Adjust the opacity of the texture layer to suit your image. I liked the textures, however one of the colors wasn't working for the image. I used a Hue Saturation adjustment layer to sway the hue to a flattering color. You can also remove the color from a texture, which works well too. Blend modes of overlay and soft light were used with the textures and a beautiful edge treatment from OnOne Photoframe provided the perfect finishing touch. Make great pictures!

Revisiting Favorite Locations - Indian River Lagoon...

The Indian River Lagoon is one of my favorite locations. I first photographed it in infrared, and it later became the cover of my first book, Digital Infrared Photography published by Wiley. This stand of palms overlook the Indian River Lagoon on the east coast of Florida where I grew up. I like to revisit old locations, and see how I can interpret a familiar subject in a new way. Time of day made the big difference here. I shot well after sunset while there was still an orange glow along the horizon, and just before twilight took over the sky. I used a tripod, and remote cord for the long exposure, and set my white balance to Cloudy to accentuate the warm colors. Nik Color Efex Pro Graduated filters added a touch more blue to the sky. Make great pictures!

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