Mt. Garfield Very Filtered

This is a crazy, surreal combination of Topaz Lab’s Adjust 4, Dark–Ghostly filter and Tiffen Dfx Suite Version 2 (Trial) Light/Rainbow filter. Nothing here you’d ever see in real life, but I enjoy this combination of contrast, color, shadows, and softness. Nothing but FUN. Topaz Lab’s website sports a gallery to show you what can be done with their various filters. There is some very interesting work there.

I was a little disappointed not to be able to move that rainbow so that only one part of the arc is visible in front of Mt. Garfield, meeting the interstate. I can enlarge it, but I can’t move it so it makes more sense than a simple arc over the mountain as you see it now.

Incidentally, if you’re interested in this software, you can download fully functional trial versions of the software they offer. The National Association of Photoshop Professionals (NAPP) offers a 25% discount to its members. Stuckincustoms.com has a coupon code for 10% off your purchase at Topaz Labs. You can also find reviews of lots of photo-editing software at this site. All the links are on the right side, and you’ll need to scroll down just a bit to get to them. While you’re there, you should also check out Trey Ratcliff’s incredible photography!

I’ve seen no such discount offers for Tiffen Dfx, but I suppose that doesn’t mean such a critter does not exist. If any of you DO know of discounts offered for this software, please leave a comment to that effect. Thank you!

Mt. Garfield Original

Back to the photo: I took the original photograph on November 23, 2003, with an Olympus 3040Z. This 3 megapixel, 3x zoom camera was my first foray into the digital photo world, and I had a blast. In retrospect, it was the camera I had the least challenge with, and it produced the nicest pictures. But maybe it’s because my expectations weren’t very high at the time.

I believe at the time I took this picture, I realized how difficult it is to get a clean shot of Mt. Garfield. It had just snowed and I went looking for a perfect photo for my Christmas card that year. I got pretty close, but realized there were road signs I couldn’t avoid, vehicles whizzing past, telephone poles and lines, barbed wire fences, and of course that blacktop ribbon of the interstate. Another location was busy with closer-in telephone poles, stop signs, rooftops, and lots of old and winter-bare cottonwoods. But, oh well. There’s always the magic of Photoshop to crop and remove “extraneous” information for a Christmas card. Clicking on the photograph will open a cropped and framed version of this photo.

It’s snowing today on the Grand Mesa, and it’s chilly outside. It’s a good day to stay warm inside, and play with photographs. The next thing I want to do is “paint” one of the pictures. I’ve bought a couple books that outline how to make brushes and textures in Photoshop to accomplish various effects. What I haven’t yet determined is whether or not I have to be able to actually “paint,” or if that is accomplished with layer masks and such. At least it should be fun to learn!

Have a happy Saturday!