THIS IS A SCHEULED POST. I WILL RETURN TO CHECKING BLOGS SOON. It’s One Photo Focus time! This really is a fun challenge. We were all given an image to work on, so I’ve posted both my image and the original below it. Thank you to Cee Neuner for the original image!
The Process:
Because this house has such a homey, cozy feeling with the huge greenery providing a framework for the front door and porch, I decided on cropping it to tell the story of how good it would feel to approach this house. Then I ran it through Topaz Restyle and chose a palette to represent the sun setting. After that I applied Topaz Impression at a reduced opacity and then dodged and burned just a bit here and there. Finally I added some neutral density filters selectively around the edges. Hope you enjoy it.
Check out the entire ABFriday Challenge and also Stacy’s Post too!
Original Image by Cee Neuner
Laura Macky Photography 
April 3, 2015 at 5:16 am
A wonderful treatment. Takes a funny minimalist shot and makes it a photograph.
April 3, 2015 at 7:14 am
Thank you Viktor! I’m glad you like what I did. I’ll be back to checking everyone’s blogs on Sunday. I’m still out of town.
April 3, 2015 at 5:20 am
What a transformation Laura! Nicely done!
April 3, 2015 at 7:14 am
Thank you Ravi!
April 3, 2015 at 5:30 am
I love it, Laura. Well done. Your version looks so wonder-land like and there’s painter-ly feel about it. You made the house look even more welcoming than it already is. Love your work as usual 🙂
April 3, 2015 at 7:15 am
Thank you for your comments as always Mabel. Glad you saw the painterly effect. You know how I love color!
April 3, 2015 at 5:38 am
i love this.. makes it look like a painting.. well done 🙂
April 3, 2015 at 7:16 am
Thanks so much Livonne. I do like making things into a sort of painting at times. 🙂
April 3, 2015 at 5:48 am
I love this soft painted feel, it really changes the image as well as the closer crop. I can actually imagine this as a painting. Nice work Laura.
April 3, 2015 at 7:17 am
Thank you Ben! I enjoy is challenge. And I can see others do as well! I’ll go through them more thoroughly when I get home. Being on the iPad makes it difficult at times.
April 3, 2015 at 6:16 am
Nicely done Laura:-)
April 3, 2015 at 7:17 am
You’re back! Thank you Eddie. 🙂
April 3, 2015 at 6:33 am
You’re an artist! Love it!
April 3, 2015 at 7:17 am
You are too kind. Thank you. 🙂
April 3, 2015 at 6:59 am
Interesting interpretation. It does look like a painting
April 3, 2015 at 7:17 am
Glad you saw the painting, thank you!
April 3, 2015 at 7:10 am
I love your end result. Makes it so soft and interesting.
April 3, 2015 at 7:18 am
Thanks much Mary!
April 3, 2015 at 7:24 am
Wow wee….!
April 3, 2015 at 8:09 am
I’m in a painterly mode Gav. 😉
April 3, 2015 at 7:34 am
Such a great old fashioned interoperation of my photo. I like your crop too!!!
April 3, 2015 at 8:08 am
Thanks Cee! We had a good photo to start with. 🙂
April 3, 2015 at 7:54 am
Good job in accomplishing the objectives you described in The Process paragraph.
April 3, 2015 at 8:10 am
Thank you! Sometimes I feel like my explanations aren’t that good so yay!
April 3, 2015 at 7:56 am
I like the painterly feel you’ve given to this, Laura.
April 3, 2015 at 8:10 am
Thank you Lynne 🙂
April 3, 2015 at 8:11 am
You have soooo much artistic talent Laura. Well done buddy!
April 3, 2015 at 8:50 am
Aww thanks so much Dan!! You’re sweet to say. 🙂
April 3, 2015 at 8:30 am
I really like this transformation, Laura! Well done. 🙂
April 3, 2015 at 8:50 am
Thank you Amy!
April 3, 2015 at 8:43 am
Not quite sure what I would do with this one…I do like your crop…glad to see a post from you, I was hoping all was well.
April 3, 2015 at 8:51 am
Thanks Robert! I’m still away on vacation. This was a scheduled post but I forgot to say. I think I’ll edit it as such. I’ll be back looking at blogs on Sunday.
April 3, 2015 at 8:53 am
Enjoy the vacation!
April 3, 2015 at 10:32 am
Ooh I cropped mine similarly but gave it a VERY different emotional quality. It’s amazing what editing can do to the mood of a photo.
April 4, 2015 at 7:32 am
It’s fun to see all the different edits isn’t it.
April 4, 2015 at 7:37 am
Yes, very much so!
April 3, 2015 at 1:05 pm
Really interesting approach, Laura. The warm tones and the cropping gave it a very different mood. An excellent interpretation.
April 4, 2015 at 7:32 am
Thank you Robin 🙂
April 3, 2015 at 2:02 pm
It’s really interesting to see how different people process the photo so differently. I love your interpretation. You have brought out some marvelous colours and by tightening the framing, have distilled the essence of the mood. Very nice.
April 4, 2015 at 7:34 am
Thank you so much Otto. I love seeing what everyone else does too. I find it inspiring!
April 3, 2015 at 2:05 pm
Really nice painterly effects Laura. Love the way you have captured the light, it’s created a lovely image. Enjoy the rest of your holiday! 🙂
April 4, 2015 at 7:35 am
Thank you Katie. 🙂 This one was a fun one for sure. We had such a wonderful time and now I’m back and can type on my computer! 🙂
April 3, 2015 at 2:56 pm
I love the warm colours and the light in your edit
April 4, 2015 at 7:35 am
Thank you so much. 🙂
April 3, 2015 at 8:04 pm
Great job!!! The editing makes it look like a very cozy house 😀
April 4, 2015 at 7:35 am
Thank you Livia! I do love cozy. 🙂
April 4, 2015 at 12:25 pm
😀
April 4, 2015 at 6:53 pm
Laura, I love what you did to the original picture–it’s way warmer and cozier than it was before. You cropped it perfectly–nicely done.
Blessings ~ Wendy ❀
April 4, 2015 at 7:25 pm
Thank you Wendy :). This is a fun challenge.
April 5, 2015 at 3:45 pm
What a great crop and final version. Love what you did!
April 5, 2015 at 4:57 pm
Thank you so much KC! Fun challenge.
April 5, 2015 at 5:57 pm
Of course, I love that you cropped it the way you did. Add the warm tones and painting effect, I would definitely feel good walking up to this house 🙂 Thanks, as always, for contributing to 1PF, Laura. It’s always such fun to see what you come up with!
April 5, 2015 at 6:48 pm
You’re so sweet. Thank you Stacy!
April 5, 2015 at 9:12 pm
😊
April 9, 2015 at 3:25 am
Beautiful edit, the close crop gives even more intimate feel.
April 9, 2015 at 6:58 am
Thank you so much. It’s really a fun challenge!