Strictly artistic

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When I first started this blog last May, I made a decision to only post if not current images, at least seasonal images. IOW, I didn’t want, for example, to be posting snow images in mid-summer…Now that we’re skirting the edge of winter, I’m already missing the colors of summer, so I’ve decided that during the winter months at least, along with the seasonal images I’ll also be posting flower images that I’ve worked over with some kind of art treatment or other.

I’ll start out with the following images that didn’t get a full treatment, more like a quick hit… processed in Lightroom and then an iPad app, TangledFX. The images were chosen based on the kind of images that I felt would work best with the app, not because I felt they were lacking coming out of the camera. I haven’t been using Tangled FX very long, so these were experimental.

Click on the images for larger view.

 

 

21 thoughts on “Strictly artistic”

    • I can’t remember the name of the process involved. It involves fractal textures, geometric patterns. It responds to patterns in the image and adds its own patterns. It may take sharp lines and make them sharper (but it doesn’t sharpen non-sharp images), or adds swirls, brush strokes, small star bursts, highlights some lines, darkens others. It has about a dozen presets that are each customizable. Most of the effects are way over the top, and I don’t really like them (tho they can be fun to fool around with), but with some experimental tweaking they can be tamed and can give some images some interesting details. I prefer the effects that just give the images a little pop. I love the orange lily, it was given some bright raggedy lines and light splashes, and almost gives the petals a translucent look. The lines in the begonia petals weren’t noticeable in the original, and the app really popped the flower. The red zinnia, in contrast, inherited super-sharp edges on its petals but none of the highlights that the lily got. The bracken fern inherited more texture in its leaves, more definition and a glow. The white dahlia ended up with a lot more texture in its petals, and some very subtle highlights on the petal edges in the centre. The detail in the birch bark was really enhanced and pop added overall. I just wanted to give the images a little extra something, and I think the app delivered on that. Images with effects like with the orange lily I think can stand by themselves, but I definitely anticipate combining most Tangled images with other effects. Google TangledFX images and you’ll get to see lots of images with the over the top effects.

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  3. Love that first one, and works well….I did used to use Tangled FX for a bit of fun, but it can easily look way too heavy handed! Now you’ve reminded me of it, I’ll have another go

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    • Thank you so much, Kaz! As I said in my comment to Sue, restraint in applying the effects can be very effective, but as Sue mentioned, it’s all too easy to overdo it. Glad you like the look of these. 🙂

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  7. You know how I love a punch of color. They are lovely. I noticed that most fractal editing programs are PC-based. I’m on a Mac and I haven’t found one yet that works. I don’t do ipad editing much so I’m just talking computer here. I wanted to give you a link to someone who does fractal work that is on smugmug, the photography site I use to display and house my images. He is AMAZING!!! http://morganfractals.smugmug.com/

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    • Belated thanks, Laura. Yes morgan’s work is beautiful! But I think the software he uses is uber-sophisticated by the sounds of it. I mean…hours for the software to process the effects…?! Some of it is stunning tho.

      I haven’t been doing a load of ipad editing until now, but sort of slipped into it by chance to help out my sister and brother in law who were interested in doing some creative stuff but didn’t want to invest in expensive. computer software. Also, like you, I found that there are some software effects that I can’t get for Mac, or they’re out of my price range, but I found that some of them are available as mobile apps. Fractalius is what I wanted, but only runs on PCs, and then I found out that ShockMyPic was a Mac alternative, but apparently now it’s no longer available, but TangledFX for iOS is sort of like ShockMyPic on steroids. I really didn’t think I would use fractals that much, but downloaded it anyway, and find that it is a really cool app that can really enhance an image without it being at all obvious. So I started out, and still am, sliding images over from my Mac to my pad, running them through TangledFX then back to my Mac. It’s a bit of a pain, but worth it. I use PhotoSync for the transfers and even full sized images move over superfast. Just in case you ever decide you need that info. 🙂 It looks as if I’m going to be teaching a night course in artistic photo treatments on an iPad, later this winter so I’m going to be doing in depth research into the best low-cost apps.

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      • Wow that is really great Katrina. How great you will be teaching. I can totally see you doing something like that because your work is THAT good. Thanks for the info on Tangled FX. I will have to check that one out.

        I’m glad you liked Morgan’s work. Yes he does sophisticated stuff but he’s different and I really admire him for it.

        Thanks for all the info and letting me peak into the worked of Mythical Horse’s processing. 🙂

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