Photoshop Filtering for Expressionism
First off, let me apologize to those with smaller monitors who are having to scroll vertically to see the entire photograph. Normally, I try to limit my blog images to 600 pixels, but I had to go to 800 pixels this time for the desired effect to be seen.
Several weeks ago, I wrote an entry on “Photographic Impressionism” in which I described a technique for modifying an image with a Photoshop filter, and then blending that modified version with the original version. This week, I go one step simpler — I’m only using the modified image.
Irises are among my very favorite flowers. Vincent van Gogh was also quite captivated by irises, but he tended to stay a little further away from them (at least for his paintings) than I do for my photography. I hope to someday approach van Gogh’s ability in capturing the mood expressed collectively by a group of irises, but currently I’m honing in on the beauty of just one. The colors, patterns of color, and details are magnificent; and the form is utterly voluptuous. Generally, I prefer a realistic style in my photography, but I found a Photoshop filter (“Dry Brush”) that produced an expressionistic rendition, accentuating the textures in the flower and, ultimately, the emotion stirred by this specimen.
Several things came together to produce this image. First, the iris was in excellent form and was accented with lingering rain drops from an overnight storm. Second, the composition was strengthened by some tight cropping on the computer (leaving some beyond-the-edge features to the imagination). Third, focus and depth-of-field had to be good (though, with a rather forgiving filter applied, it didn’t have to be perfect); I exposed at f/8 with a 100mm macro lens, and achieved an acceptable bokeh. Fourth, lighting was ideal at 6:25 in the morning — from the side and soft, but not completely diffuse. Lastly, and I can’t emphasis this enough, judicious use of Photoshop filtering.
I’ve had some reservation about sharing another tip about using Photoshop filters. It is so easy and tempting to over-use (abuse) these filters, that I worry about how my encouragement of using such filters may put other photographers on a slippery slope. However, I was pleased with the results I got on this image, and decided it was worth sharing, albeit with a warning. Hopefully this rule-of-thumb can be a useful guideline: make sure that any use of filters is to take a good photograph and make it even better, and that the resulting image tells more about the photograph than about Photoshop. With judicious and restrained use of filters, some beautiful art can emerge.
Tip of the Week
2007.05.28
