Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Creative Photography: Early Spring Branches

Please Scroll Down for Wordless Wednesday

Ok... I'm going to try my hand at the Creative Photography thing. You should hear the community of critics that lives in my head going at it right now.

"Isn't it enough you do WW?"
"Why did you pick THAT one? It's just stupid."
"It's so GRAY."
"This isn't creative, it's just stupid (ugly/hideous/boring)."

But enough. Bad enough I have to live with them. No reason the rest of you should suffer too.

The story behind this picture. Back in the Spring when I first got my camera, I started a "project" taking pictures of the tree outside my front window every day in an attempt to "catch Spring in the act." Unfortunately, when my computer crashed, a lot of the pictures were lost and the project sort of lost it's steam. But when I was thinking of an idea for Creative Photography, I thought maybe I could make use of one of them and decided to experiment with it. For better or worse, here's the result.


I converted the original to grayscale, then converted that to it's negative image.
I can't decide if it's boring or interesting.


This is the original photo.

27 comments:

storyteller said...

What wonderful photos for both ‘Creative Photography’ and Wordless Wednesday. I love the variety of animals that visit in your backyard … most of MY visitors are of the human variety as I live next door to an illegal, but functioning all the same ‘vacation rental’ … and for the most part it’s okay, but having new neighbors each week drives Molly nuts at times. Your ‘experimentations’ with the ‘catch Spring in the act’ photos inspires me to play myself (now that I have an idea how). I’m hoping to get myself caught up enough soon to do some experimenting of my own once my Intermediate PSE6 class ends and before the Advanced class begins in about a month.
Hugs and blessings,

me ann my camera said...

I think you definitely captured the 'sense' of spring when you created these 'frost coated' branches!! That's what I see anyway and I like it!
ann

Dianne said...

wow your voices must call my voices to decide what to say ;)

I love all 3 of the images but I really like the final result. The clouds took on a really intersting texture and the branches look like ice sculpture!!

smarmoofus said...

Interesting. Definitely interesting! You've taken a normal, everyday subject, and turned it into something stark and beautiful. I love the end result!

Happy WW, and good luck with Creative Photography!
-smarmoofus

Robin said...

I really like it - it looks frost-kissed. It's simpler than the original, more elemental if you will.

Hey, I've been meaning to ask you, is Hancock in the western part of the state on the way out towards Skaneateles? It sounds really familiar, and I'm wondering if I used to drive through/by every summer as we traveled to join friends at their lake house for the fourth of July.

Vinny "Bond" Marini said...

My voices told me to tell your voices HEY and keep it down...

Interesting effect on the photo...

Good Luck

Anonymous said...

I like all the pictures and its really cool and interesting..

Mojo said...

As long as the voices aren't telling you to clean the guns, I think you're okay. I'm not sure what software you're using, but I'd guess it's either Photoshop or something similar. Try experimenting with the channel mixer to create your monochrome effects. It's a little dicier than just using the image mode conversion, but you can get some neat effects that you won't get simply converting to grayscale.

But I'll agree with whoever it was that mentioned frost covered branches. That was the initial vibe I got from this one too. Interesting project!
Mojo

carrie said...

I like the negative effect on that one. Keep at it! Experimenting w/ photos is a blast.

happy ww

SandyCarlson said...

Hey, your creativity has put your voices in their place. These are great.

Anonymous said...

I like both. Different feelings.

maryt/theteach said...

Katherine, I love the negative effect and the b&w effect. You're right up there with the great photographers! Good Luck in the contest!

Oh and the original photo is lovely! Glad you joined Roger's Creative Photography!

Queen-Size funny bone said...

You did a fine job and you made the right decision to participate...

Anndi said...

I enjoyed that very much, using the grayscale adds an intersting dimension to it.

Glad you joined in as well this week!

Good luck!

Ralph said...

I really like the white web of branches. The white fits well as there are no leaves yet and winter is not far behind. Stark looking of winter, yet the hope of Spring sits in the buds...

RW said...

I think you did a wonderful job on that! Thank you for your Creative Photography submission.

Carletta said...

I like it - my voices do too! :)
And yes, I love the original.

I've been playing with some photos this week. I was going around and commenting on other things and seeing all these creative things - shouldn't have used my ferris wheel - my voices had doubts. :)

Lori Stilger said...

Wow, I really love the negative image!!!!! How other-worldly!!! Great work, Raven. :)
Thanks for your kind comment on my entry today!
Be blessed!

Linda said...

I find nothing boring about it at all - I think it's great!

Good luck in the contest this week!

Anonymous said...

Raven, it's NOT stupid. I happen to like the 3 alot!

CreativeMish said...

I like the negative effect! Is fabulous!

Unknown said...

Raven, I think your photos are great! All of them are very creative and professional...don't second guess yourself so much. This is, yet again, another creative outlet for you and I am impressed! Your bunnies are so different than the bunnies I have here in the high desert....the cotton tails have bigger ears, but you should see those jack rabbits. They are the gangliest, biggest earred and goofiest bunnies I have ever seen, and they like eating my petunias! Great picture of YOU, by the way....give my love to those kitties....and I wish those robins were around here....and that robin's breast looked like a beautiful red to me! I do have very cheeky scrub jays which are a desert blue jay....since I have moved, I do miss Braveheart, Sweetheart and the two kids....my scrubjays at my old home....but a scrub jay has appeared lately at my new home...I call him Scruff, because he is definitely scruffy. Give some love to those two kitties of yours....aren't they just great? hugs, Kate

Robert said...

Of course we want people to like our pictures, but ask yourself why you take them. Typically the answer is that we do it because we like it. It is a creative outlet for us. Just do what looks good to you. Having said that, I really like the negative effect on the first picture. You're doing great!

Gattina said...

That's beautiful in these different shapes !
I enjoy my summer school very much and learned already quite a bit about photography !

Shelly said...

I LOVE it...and you know I don't use all caps very often. When I saw the first one there was an audible gasp here in the living room - scared the puppy a little... :)

Patti said...

I love this picture of early spring branches silhouetted against the sky.

The altered photos look great.

Stop listening to your critical voice inside! You do nice work.

good luck in Roger's contest ;-D

Rebecca (Ramblings by Reba) said...

I like all three of the images. Nice job!

And thank you for the comment on yesterday's Wordless Wednesday post. It made me happy. :)