Experimenting with Photoshop Filters

While there’s nothing better than a good picture or photo to start out with, we should regularly be experimenting with Photoshop Filters and Tools to know what they do and to see the effects we can achieve. It’s just like playing the piano every day… so here’s my original lavender and acacia photo with just a little reflecting frame added as I like to do :)

Experimenting with Photoshop Filters

When experimenting with Photoshop Filters and observing sometimes astonishing results, we do this for the following objectives:

1. To understand what these filters can do.

2. To know which effects can be achieved how, meaning to learn Experimenting with Photoshop Filters.

3. To be able to apply the desired effects if and when we need them.

4. To possibly find a style we like and build our visual reputation and recognition value on.

We can either change a picture very clearly and openly into something different, abstract and possibly more interesting than what we started off with – or we apply a certain effect in a very reduced and subtle way to enhance our photo, giving it a touch that just makes it different and stand out from the rest.

A number of these effects remind me of some big Masters in Art History… it’s sometimes what they built their whole oeuvre on: a specific effect. What was unique and hard labour at the time, can now be achieved with our brilliant tools in Photoshop and/or other programs, some of them developed for imitating certain masters, think of Pissaro with all those little ‘dots’ or Andy Warhol – to name a more modern one.

Lavender and Acacia Photo

For today’s exercise, I selected a lavender and acacia photo I shot a few weeks ago when both were in full flower in my garden in Noordhoek, South Africa. As I was born in Namibia, I love acacias… and I love to combine them with palms, which always reminds me of ‘home’. The fragrance of lavender and acacia combined is incredible… no wonder all the bees of the area hang out in my garden and have a feast!

And here a very reduced and delicate one… one of my favorites…

Brave Green Kids Book Launch

Parenting today… and how to bring up children to face the challenges of a rapidly changing world – this is the topic of  “Brave Green Kids”, the first book written by Judy Sole and presented at yesterday’s Book Launch at the “Crowned Eagle” of Monkey Valley Resort. A golden sunset marked the event and the leader of the Green Party of South Africa asked for moments of silence to mentally embrace the world with one’s wish for peace and compassion while the sun dipped into the Atlantic Ocean and… disappeared.

Brave Green Kids Book Launch

While the “Brave Green Kids” Book Launch was directed at environmentally conscious people and especially parents… the only kid around was the young girl you see on my photo here.

She sat all by herself looking at the distant horizon, her gaze swimming above the adult buzz around her. The pure and yet knowing expression on her face that I have seen in so many children today, and her sweet smile when our eyes briefly met, seemed to represent each child today that’s facing an undefined future. And yet – besides this being the challenge of the young generation… couldn’t it just be the promise as well…? A future to which only the younger generations hold the key – and this with the help of the Universe?

Time to trust that any change can happen if we are ready to embrace it.

Website Development

The website development for Monkey Valley Resort is constantly advancing. I added a category “Photos” where we can add photos following specific events, where guests and visitors can see what’s up at Monkey Valley Resort; I invite you to go there and have a look at some photo impressions I took at the event yesterday. Unfortunately there was almost no light during the talk itself, so no ways to capture it with my digital camera.

I designed all photos to fit into a 800×600 px format, but have a little coding problem to solve – therefore the pictures are currently visible in a smaller size (6o%). Yet – here they are, straight after the event and inviting you to visit Monkey Valley Resort. By the way: kids are most welcome and you can watch over them while they have ample room to play, swim and run!

Visit Thorfynn’s Restaurant

Why not visit Thorfynn’s Restaurant for a delicious Sunday roast with Life music?

Good Evening from Noordhoek

Good Evening from Noordhoek is an inspiring greeting showing Life in a Day, each day, in Noordhoek, South Africa.

Good Evening from Noordhoek

It has been a rather dark and rainy day with sudden gusts of sunshine inbetween – but not at times where I could just dash out and capture them! Therefore, I am sending you a “Good Evening from Noordhoek” today with my NIKON Coolpix P90 fully zoomed out towards the distant horizon above the Atlantic Ocean, where a huge cargo ship ploughed away through calm waters glittering in the evening sun towards the safe harbour of the Mother City Cape Town.

I just came back from town driving down Silvermine Road as the incredible colours struck me: the exact dark greys and a little yellow you see here.

Seeing these ships pass around the Cape of Good Hope and parading past Noordhoek is very typical and a comforting and peaceful picture I grew up with as a child… and that’s what I wish you: a peaceful and relaxed evening wherever you are!

Good Morning from Noordhoek

Good Morning from Noordhoek is an inspiring greeting showing Life in a Day, each day, in Noordhoek, South Africa!

Good Morning from Noordhoek

My chances of taking a sexy “Good Morning from Noordhoek” Photo didn’t look that promising today as the sky was dark and dripping. However, as I had to go out anyway, I grabbed my digital camera… and came across the most amazing – and amusing – items right down the road at the Noordhoek Farmhouse Village! So here’s today’s Go Green Greeting for you – and you understand why I’m always sending you flowers: it seems endemic to our region!

As you may notice, I slightly changed the branded pagecurl as the distorsion on the car just didn’t look good, however, here’s a good compromise I think!

Noordhoek is always full of surprises and as I am looking into renewable energies right now for a totally different project,  this rare find just made my day! I will be on the lookout for the solar panelled RR or a Harley on wind turbines – whatever our multi-talented rainbow people may come up with! For sure worth a chuckle and a smile!

Have a brilliant day!

Good Evening from Noordhoek

Good Evening from Noordhoek is an inspiring greeting showing Life in a Day, each day, in Noordhoek, South Africa… and as it rained heavily here this morning and the digital photos I did take for “Good morning from Noordhoek” didn’t satisfy me – especially as I could not evade the streaming rain drops of course – I shot this photo as the sun had just broken through the dark clouds … reflecting like flaming candles in the strelitzia reginae.

Good Evening from Noordhoek

As spring slowly turns into summer and the evenings become longer… and with Noordhoek being famous for its dramatic sunsets attracting people from all over to just silently sit and watch, walk their dogs, have a quick gallop, meditate on the warm rocks or simply have drinks on the beach or on famous Chapman’s Peak Drive, “Good Evening from Noordhoek” gives me the possibility to add these sometimes smashing impressions for your delight!

Here’s wishing you all a great Saturday!

Good Morning from Noordhoek

Good Morning from Noordhoek is an inspiring greeting showing Life in a Day, each day, in Noordhoek, South Africa!

Good Morning from Noordhoek

Today seems to be a little on the edge, without a clear decision… sunny or overcast? In any case, it’s warm and beautiful here in Noordhoek, South Africa – although there are already first signs of the heat and occasional strong Southeasterly winds ripping the clouds of yellow blossoms of my huge acacias apart and painting shades of golden brown…

The fragrance is intoxicating… bringing up memories of one of my favourite books by Emile Zola… when I was a student in Paris…

Although I went for the huge and stunning “Cup of Gold” – I was suddenly surprised by a tortoise, pushing its way fast and furiously through the groundcover! Down on my knees and here’s what I could capture as my “Good Morning from Noordhoek” picture for you today! Inquisitive, not at all intimidated – and clearly focused on something much more important!

The little bugger wouldn’t stop… so let this be a sign for getting things done and enjoying a terrific journey today!

Make it a great day!

Good Morning from Noordhoek

Good Morning from Noordhoek – an inspiring greeting showing Life in a Day, each day, in Noordhoek, South Africa… and wishing to put a smile on your face and see the world positive!

Good Morning from Noordhoek

Heavy storms this night and even now, as I went out into my garden in Noordhoek, South Africa, to capture the picture for “Good Morning in Noordhoek” the wind was still howling and enveloping Chapman’s Peak in dark and dreary clouds! Nevertheless… my orange pincushions stand up fiercely against the dark sky bringing the promise of sunshine…and yet another beautiful day!

Wishing you a splendid week!

UCT Dinner 2011 Video

When Darren Byrne, dynamic Manager of Thorfynn’s Restaurant at Monkey Valley Resort, Noordhoek, South Africa, invited me up to the “Crowned Eagle” to show me all the preparations for the UCT Dinner 2011 that was to start just a few minutes later, I was so impressed by the way he and his Team had transformed the renowned retreat into a fantastic venue for an event, that I spontaneously grabbed the moment and captured some impressions with my simple NIKON Coolpix P90…

It had been a splendid day with a spectacular sunset… and if you didn’t see the digital photos I took go to my post from this morning HERE… which were followed by some video clips that I promised to edit into a little video and publish on YouTube.

There’s nothing like some LIVE memories like that…  even though I only had an hour which covered only the starters… I didn’t even get to the main course… and I don’t know what else I missed? Will have to rely on the grape vine for that :)

UCT Dinner 2011 Video

Here’s to the cool boys and gals who attended yesterday’s Fun event : the promised UCT Dinner 2011 Video!

Hope you enjoy it!

Good Morning from Noordhoek

Good Morning from Noordhoek – bringing you Joy and a Smile every day!

Good Morning from Noordhoek

Shooting my “Good morning from Noordhoek” photo today was an instant reflex as I saw the little female peeping down at me from her nest just 50 cm from our terrace wall – she actually looks right at us and we at her :) After accompanying the exciting journey of the little sunbird born on the opposite side… hidden in the shadows… now we have new joy in this huge strelitzia that has always attracted so many birds and in particular the emerald sunbirds.

I have been blessed to capture so many endearing moments that I want to share with you one day! Being grounded and breathing in Nature’s glory and energy just keeps us all going through murky times… which must also be seen as times for growth, change and trust in the unknown.

Photo Gift

I’ve been asked by some friends in Noordhoek (and elsewhere)  if they may share the photos… and my answer is YES! With plasure! To whoever you want to pass on this Photo Gift: you are most welcome! Just do it! It comes from the heart and carries no other energy.

Have a splendid day and to our Canadians: Happy Thanksgiving!

Good Morning from Noordhoek

Good Morning from Noordhoek… with the first rays of a glorious sun gently touching Chapman’s Peak and gliding down the slopes of the majestic mountain… my garden still enveloped in shadows and awakening! May this be the promise of yet another day filled with joy and laughter for you!

Good Morning from Noordhoek

This very early “Good Morning from Noordhoek” greeting was taken when I did some sound recordings in my garden capturing the spectacular concerto of birds, hadidas, Egyptian geese, a crow, guinea fowel, jubilant roosters, even a wild peacock and more… besides a very loud surf reverberating all the way up the mountain from the Atlantic Ocean.

Yet the sea was calm… and it still is as I write these lines.

Here’s to a splendid Saturday … and wishing our Canadian friends “Happy Thanksgiving”! In a way, my daily little cheer message is jsut that: a daily Thanksgiving!

Good Morning from Noordhoek

Good Morning from Noordhoek right from the top – wishing you all a splendid day and the perfect joy of being!

Good Morning from Noordhoek

Skies are blue and the vision is perfect! The garden exploding in spectacular colors – an absolute joy of living and sharing all over!

Wishing everybody an extraordinary day – Good Morning from Noordhoek!

Good Morning from Noordhoek

Good Morning from Noordhoek will try to bring you one photo a day from Noordhoek, South Africa!

Good Morning from Noordhoek

Good Morning from Noordhoek is a n inspired greeting to the world – right from the tip of sunny South Africa. It’s a beginning, an experiment…. a sort of joyful  “Life in a Day” series taken with my NIKON Coolpix P90.

Spring in South Africa

Right now it’s spring in Cape Town, South Africa – the garden is in full flower and this frantically busy little chap is building a sophisticated nest right next to me on the terrace… too beautiful!

I encourage anyone who’s also passionate about their environment to share their personal view with the world!

Enjoy!

Seagull with Fish Photo

To add to our digital photo collection featuring birds from all over the world, here’s a Seagull with Fish Photo I shot yesterday when enjoying “Fish & Chips” myself in picturesque Kalk Bay Harbour. This is a detail showing the bloody bits on her beak…

Seagull with Fish Photo

This is the view of the Seagull with Fish Photo as a whole… shot with my simple NIKON Coolpix P90…

… and while she’s looking carefully at me, not too sure whether I was after her or the fish head, she ferociously defends her prey against other feathery intruders – and while there is a tiny bit of a blur on the lower part of the beak due to the screaming movement, it’s a much more dramatic… in other words: ‘talking’ picture: “Don’t touch my food!”

More on my Kalk Bay hangout on a beautiful, sunny Saturday afternoon to follow!

Dietes Bicolor Flower Photo

Photographed in the early morning hours in my garden in Noordhoek, South Africa, this white Dietes Bicolor Flower Photo came to me like a tender morning kiss!

Dietes Bicolor Flower Photo

On the above Dietes Bicolor Flower Photo – which is rather a white blossom unfolding with many tiny droplets covering the fine white flower petals like an acqueous network that fashion designers would dream of as an exquisite material – just think of wedding gowns – it was this fine texture that fascinated me as it was giving the flower an absolutely magic texture.

Today, with the sun up already, the same dietes bicolor is a light yellow and standing strong on its long stem turned into the full sun. No good time to take a picture…

Best WP Photo Blog Theme

If you wonder how to present your photos online in a personalized way (without building content for social networks) and in an optimized way – meaning that you can gain visibility on search engines like Google, then I recommend the Best WP Photo Blog Theme as I set up recently HERE, just as an example.

As mentioned earlier, my pictures are resized to small formats and reduced in weight for faster loading times. The best originals will be available as Stock Photography in due time. It’s mainly a matter of loading time, as my connections here are so pathetically slow now that it even takes many attempts covering often as much as 5 minutes with many time outs and spinning browsers to upload a simple under 100 kb photo as the one I am showing here on my blog.

Flowering Quince Photo

This Flowering Quince Photo I just took in my garden in Noordhoek, South Africa, shows that spring is here! See it, feel it, taste it, smell it and… of course: hear it!

Flowering Quince Photo

This white Flowering Quince Photo was taken in the early morning as the first sun rays crept over the mountains and filtered softly through the trees. I used my simple NIKON Coolpix P90.

Best WP Photo Blog Theme

To present this image in a personal and optimized way, I will add it to the little online photo collection I am building on the Best WP Photo Blog Theme powered by Semiomantics HERE.

Of course, these photos are always presented much smaller and the quality is tuned down to make the photo lighter for fast loading times. The original will be available as Stock Photography.

Eid ul-Fitr Celebration 2011

Following yesterday’s article on the Eid ul-Fitr Celebration 2011 HERE, I am pleased to add some additional facts based on the official press release I only received today.

Eid ul-Fitr stands for the annual ‘Festival of Generosity’, the most important festival of Muslims all over the world, which was hosted on Friday, 9th September 2011 by the Consulate General of India in Cape Town, in association with the 1860 Legacy Foundation in the Western Cape, at the Islamia Hall at Lansdowne, Cape Town.

Eid ul-Fitr Celebration 2011

The Eid u-Fitr Celebration 2011 “… assumes great significance as this is primarily a community-driven event. All sections of the local society, irrespective of their faiths and associations, are expected to attend this all-inclusive event. We through this festivity, hope to bring the universal message of peaceful and harmonious coexistence and respect for all faiths and beliefs. In addition to the participation of members of different communities and faiths in Cape Town, the function is expected to be graced by National and provincial Ministers.

This event carries a special significance for India, which has the second largest Muslim population in the world, forming the largest minority community and constituting more than 14% of its total population. A sizeable number of Indian Muslims reside in the Western Cape.

Islam arrived in north India in the 12th century AD and has since become a part of India’s rich religious and cultural heritage. Over the years, there has been significant integration of Hindu and Muslim cultures across India.

Along with other religions, Islam has coexisted in India for centuries. People of this faith have made their distinct mark in several fields and played a constructive role in India’s socio-economic development and cultural influence across the world. Muslims in India have held almost all the high public offices. Out of the twelve Presidents of independent India, three were Muslims. The current Vice President of India, Mr. Mohammad Hamid Ansari, is also a Muslim. Muslims have immensely contributed in all walks of life, including politics, bureaucracy, arts, culture, sports, business, science and technology, etc. The contribution of Muslims in India’s freedom movement is well-documented.

Eid-ul-Fitr, often abbreviated to Eid, in Arabic means ‘festivity’ and ‘breaking fast’.  It marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan, which is celebrated after the conclusion of dawn-to-sunset fasting during the entire month of Ramadan. The first day of Eid, therefore, falls on the first day of the month Shawwal. This is an occasion to reiterate different aspects of the fast and it is an expression of the basic values and ethos of Islam viz. empathy for the poor, charity, worship, steadfastness, patience etc. It also teaches Muslims to stay away from worldly desires and to focus entirely on the Allah and thank him for his blessings. It is a rejuvenation of the religion and it creates a stronger bond between the Muslim and Allah.”

My artist’s impression above shows the Consul General, Mr. Mridul Kumar, during his dynamic, unifying and humorous opening speech.

Eid Festival Cape Town 2011

The Eid Festival 2011 in Cape Town, South Africa, opened with beautiful Prayer Music.

Watching the slow and graceful movements of the veiled lady in white at the keyboard, time stood still and I felt carried away into a different era… where the notes echoed from the paintings of some ancient Masters…

I could have listened forever. . .

Eid Festival Cape Town 2011

The Eid Festival Cape Town 2011 is a Festival of Generosity aimed at uniting the predominantly Muslim Community with an appel to observe one’s integrity, to support each other, to honor the differences between cultures and work relentlessly on becoming a well integrated, valuable asset of South Africa today.

As there were no pamphlets or any kind of information, I have no clue who this musician is and would have loved to publish her name. Although there were many professional photographers and videomen around who certainly covered all the documentary aspects of the evening, I would be happy to pass my pictures on – just leave a note in the Comment form or under “Contact” on this blog.

Keep an eye on my posts; time-permitting I will be back with more. . .

West Coast Spring Flowers 2011

After reporting on the Spring Flowers 2011 around Darling, South Africa, in my article yesterday, here is the continuation of this splendid day on our journey to see the West Coast Spring Flowers 2011.

We headed towards Yzerfontein and then turned right and Northwards on the R27 towards Langebaan. It doesn’t take long and you see the sign on the left towards the entrance of the West Coast National Park. Make sure you don’t drive too fast as you might easily miss it! Entrance fee during normal times is R30 per person and R40 during the flower season – and that’s what we came for, to see the West Coast Spring Flowers 2011 !

Once inside the park, you’re in a different paradigm. Try to feel it right away and let yourself be carried as you head through thick low Strandveld fynbos – including protea, restio and heath families – in the direction of the Atlantic Ocean. Be patient… things happen gradually like the opening of a majestic curtain! Here and there packets of bright pink flowers blitz past you, depending on how fast you go… and you should really leave your ‘city life hecticism’ outside the Reserve as all here is secluded, in a way beautifully silent, pristine, safe and perfectly African… Whoever is an African by heart knows exactly what I mean – no desciption needed.

You keep driving for quite a while with nothing but the breeze of the wind, loads of birds and many time travellers crossing the road: tortoises!  First I felt compelled to stop, jump out and carry them gently into safety as I am so used to… until I noticed: they are safe… and they know it. Nothing to worry about! So they travel at their pace and everyone else slows down and respects it. Wow! Couldn’t we transport some of that back into ‘normal’ life?

West Coast Spring Flowers 2011

As you come towards the vast lagoon with a few houseboats rocking softly on it like listening to the rhythm of forgotten times, you will discover more and more orange and yellow pockets glistening in the sun as you drive past… until it really happens: you are literally hit by breathtakingly beautiful expanses of West Coast Spring Flowers 2011…snaking inbetween and up the sanddunes, creating spectacular rivers of yellow, white, orange and pink…

Wherever you turn is beauty! As you look around in complete amazement, be aware that this floral kingdom is considered as being a biodiversity “hotspot” of global importance, actually it is 1 of 6 in the world – and the only one within the borders of a single country! No wonder it enjoys such international acclaim… people coming from everywhere to see and experience this unique region that is home to about 1,200 flowering plants of which about 6,5 % are found nowhere else on the planet! While there is an eco-friendly retreat – the Duinepos – where little chalets can be booked… I was thrilled to see – at least on that trip – no other signs of typical mass tourism. Let’s keep it basic, let’s keep it natural for all.

Signs everywhere request visitors to stay within their vehicles… but of course there are certain places where the ardent photographer just needs to get out to take pictures… as long as he stays on the ‘pad’ (natural road with the odd pothole and clear bumps to force down the speedometer) or trodden paths! An ideal place to drive through on a motorbike… or do the one-day hiking trail which I put on top of my priority list for another time… as I will be back, that’s for sure!

Reminding me of my home in Namibia… obviously one of my favourite vistas: the rocky mountain kopje hovering above a cloud of snow… dainty white flowers expanding downwards towards the sea…

…endless … magnificent… and filled with life if you look closer:

…more life if you look further… discovering ostriches, springbok, eland, red hartebees, duiker and steenbok and – as you see here, berg zebra. These were really at quite a distance and it’s not the iedal shot without a tripod and the right telelens, but it’s to give you an idea and remind you: don’t forget your binoculars!

There are some beautiful spots where you can get out, have a picnic, walk along the white beach and relax. Given the right time, you may spot whales and dolphins in the dark blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean.

We didn’t come across any touristic coffeeshop or the like – so be prepared with your own things to eat and drink and make sure you leave the place with nothing but gratitude and love… and while the Reserve is wonderfully looked after and I did not see a scrap of paper, a bottle or tin glittering in the sand anywhere, it’s up to us to just care about this unique environment and keep it pure for many generations to enjoy.

I’ll be back soon!

Spring Flowers 2011 near Darling South Africa

The magnificent carpets of Spring Flowers 2011 that have exploded along the West Coast of South Africa are the best cure to “…restore one’s faith in all that is good” a friend, who had just returned from spending a weekend within the colorful splendour of this annual miracle, wrote to me yesterday, knowing that I would spend the day going up to the West Coast National Park via Darling.

It’s indeed a ‘cure’ we all need… one’s heart just opens wide and it’s like breathing again and getting over and beyond whatever undigestable if not unacceptable issues life might have been throwing at us over the past hectic months leading up to the 5th Night according to the Mayan Calendar, culminating in “Destruction” . Interesting isn’t it… as now we just started the 6th Day headed by “Flowering”.

Makes you think, doesn’t it…

Spring Flowers 2011 near Darling South Africa

It was the perfect day to visit the Spring Flowers 2011 near Darling South Africa – not a weekend… meaning less traffic… and the first beautiful sunshine day after quite a dark, rainy and stormy week including icecold winds at gale force causing heavy swells with waves up to 9 metres high… not really the time to go out! Besides,the so-called “Namaqua Daisies” and veld flowers don’t even bother to open without bright sunshine smiling at them!

Our trip up North took us past Malmesbury where we cut through to Darling. This romantic little village, where time seemed to have slowed down a few paces, a favourite hiding place for many Cape Townians looking for a gentler lifestyle, was a bouquet in itself. Flowers everywhere…

When stopping to ask for some directions to the Darling Renosterveld Reserve, the first person didn’t know as from the UK but said it was just to the left, then behind the school and into a gate that said “No Entrance”.

The second didn’t know as from New Zealand but said all we needed to do is walk and look everywhere…

The third, a vibrant elderly lady, just looked at me with a puzzled smile: “What do you mean where the flowers are? They are all over! Don’t ask me… I live here!”

Well, all that we had investigated already when touring Darling, but then we just decided to carry on towards Yzerfontain and the West Coast National Park. Then, after just a few kilometers, we saw the massive carpets stretching towards the left. I think it was the Tienie Versfeld Reserve along the R315.

We just stopped on the side of the road and started walking into the veld… The views were breathtaking – just as well when looking at the distant horizon as when observing what was right next to our feet when walking on the narrow veldweg, partially completed with woodden pole pathways across wet areas.

Whites, yellows, blues, pinks, oranges stretching as far as the eyes could reach – breathtaking… And hardly anyone around – and if then often on their knees, digital camera in hand to eternalize what cannot be expressed in any words nor photographs – it needs being there, seeing, touching, hearing, smelling, feeling and stretching one’s soul . . .

We put it off for so many years… don’t do that. Give yourself the gift of touching the essence of Life in all its beauty!

West Coast National Park South Africa

More in my next post on the spectacular West Coast National Park South Africa….

PS: All photos were taken on the fly with my NIKON Coolpix P90, cropped to size 800×600, without further post-editing.

How to fade one image into another

As we are in layer mask mode these days, I was asked as to how to fade one image into another in Adobe Photoshop as I quickly did on this orange butterfly photo taken in my garden yesterday. Yes – we are having an early spring down here in Noordhoek, South Africa. This was the first butterfly of its kind I’ve spotted since our winter… shimmering just too beautifully in the early morning sun on a stunning white raphiolepsis in full bloom. Ideal for the creation of some captivating web graphics!

If you look at the digital photo above, you see there is a part in full colors (at the top) fading perfectly into a gold-tinted part (at the bottom) – in this case featuring the same butterfly image.

How to fade one image into another

So what have I done to fade one image into another in an almost unnoticeable elegant manner?

First, I had a vision: I knew that I wanted to play with the orange of the butterfly fading into golden tones… So, what I needed was part of the image – containing the striking orange butterfly – in original colors… and the rest of the same picture tinted in golden tones.

As I had the original in colors, my second step was to do the tinting process in Adobe Photoshop (Image > Image Adjustments > Color balance and >Hue… alternatively Filter Tools). I also did black and white essays to see my values – meaning the amount of light and shadow as well as the greys inbetween in the picture… which always interest me as a lover of monochromatic photography. You can play with any color you like and that suits your purpose.

So in my layer stack I now had my original color picture and, on top of it, the golden version. That’s all… and now I went for step 3: the layer mask!

How to apply a Layer Mask

There are various ways as to how to apply a Layer Mask; I tend to keep it simple: with the top golden layer selected, I click on the “Add Layer Mask” icon at the bottom of the layer tool… I make sure that black is my foreground color… I click on the gradient tool in the toolbox to the left and, at the top, on the menu bar, I make sure that the first box is clicked for ‘linear fades’ and that, on the Gradient Editor next to it (just open it), the black-to-white gradient is selected.

Notice: the moment you click on the Layer Mask, a little white thumbnail is added to your active layer – so make sure you select the correct layer!

Here’s an important principle to remember: white makes your image opaque (keeps it non-transparent), black makes it transparent (the underlying image shines through).

So remember: I wanted to keep the top of the color original (bottom layer) and then get rid of the rest to fade into the gold image (top layer with layer mask).

In other words: I wanted the gold image not to show at the top (where I wanted the orange butterfly), yet I wanted it to become visible just beyond that. As I had the gold layer active, this principle applied to that layer: do not show the top (black, meaning transparent to reveal the underlying image layer with the butterfly) but show bottom (white, meaning there the gold picture was opaque with nothing from the color picture underneath showing).

As the next step I had to decide the amount of gradient I wanted to apply and from what direction (black to white).  This was dictated by the shape of the orange butterfly… so I basically ‘drew’ this gradient in form of a straight line with my mouse, holding it down all the way, from top left towards roughly the middle of the image… a little as on the schema below for better understanding.

The result is what you see at the top – and I think it has quite a nice vintage look to it.

Just try doing the same with an image of your’s. You can obviously work with two images – but this exercise is kept simple to show the principle. It just needs a little understanding, practice and – most importantly – knowing what effect or result you wish to achieve. But this too comes with practice – so practice is the key!

If you have a problem, just go back in the History (see under Window)… and start again until “it’s in the bag”!

Let me know if this was helpful… and enjoy!