More Mayfield, More Peacocks, More Practice

This post is more about my Photoshop (PS) education than gardens and peacocks. Over the last few weeks I've been exploring different techniques to get the most out of PS. Of course, every technique doesn't work with every image, but the best way to learn which do work is through experimentation. Then, once you've identified the technique, the amount of practice you get using it will determine how well you use it.

I really like the composition of this one, but I had to remove a baby stroller from the left edge. Can you tell? It's the first time I used PS's "content aware" feature and I'm thrilled with how well it works. With all the stone work and cement in the shot and its sparse shrubbery, I adopted a workflow usually used for pin-ups and cartoons to soften the image. I like that part of it, but probably should have masked the bird. There really ought to be a good reason to blur the colors of a peacock's tail feathers. . . and there wasn't in this case. But I can keep after it, and perhaps you'll see a new and improved version of this one in the future.

This image suggests how peaceful the grounds can be when the kids cool their jets a bit and the peacocks quit screaming for help. It's not a particularly good picture in the first place and I wasn't very adept at brightening the bird. I might go back and try this one again and take my time on it. The only reason it's here in this batch is the serene feeling you get with the first glimpse of it, but at this point there's no need to study the large version.

This one worked out just as I had hoped it would. There are koi in the pond, but this is all about the reflections. It's easy to see why Monet loved his water lilies.

I had to include this one. . . I nearly fell in taking the picture. Again, it's the reflections, but there's no clear focus of attention evident. When I was happy with the color and everything else, I thought maybe adding some texture would help. I tried several different ones and, whether it was "the right one" or I got tired of worrying the problem, when I added this canvas texture I just felt that it was "done".

The trouble with peacocks. . . or this one at any rate. . . is that they seldom pose for you. This guy ambled into the sunlight and his feathers took fire. The problem was, he was staring directly at the wall; turned completely away from me, I had to find him a new head. Of course, I'd taken plenty of pictures and a head in profile was readily available. The head replacement surgery went off without a hitch and both patients are alive and well.

This is my favorite image from the whole set. It's the same subject as the previous picture and, as in the previous picture, he wasn't at all interested in me or what I needed. He was watching a pill bug or something, looking away again. I'd just taken a few pics with the subjects looking back over their shoulders. . . they had to in order to look away. . . so giving this one another new head, just turned around backwards, suited my needs perfectly.

So, I'm pleased with my PS education thus far, and still enthusiastic. There's so much to learn. But I discovered a long time ago that learning something new every day is what makes it good.