Shutter Sisters

A Touch of Drama

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There’s a beautiful field of black-eyed susans on the trail, Ben and I walk each day. They are such a happy flower…one of my favs, for sure.

I took my camera out the other day, so I could capture the gorgeous yellow before it fades away. The summer, as always, is flying by so quickly. 

After I snapped a ton of yellow field photos, I thought I’d focus in on just one. I got down on the ground and shot from below. I love the dramatic feel of the capture. The sweet susie seems to appear strong and stately.

I decided to add some texture, just to give it a little more drama.

What can I say? I can’t help myself! ‘smile’….

Here’s my photoshop recipe.

  • Ran the MCP Action, called charming, from The Fusion Collection. I love what it did to the sky.
  • Added a layer of Light Paper 4 texture (part of The Ultimate Texture Bundle) at soft light 100% opacity.
  • Added a layer of Waterstained Framed at soft light 100% opacity. (the latest Texture Lovin’ List freebie)
  • Created a new blank layer. I set the layer blend mode to soft light and with a black soft round brush at 50% opacity I painted over the petals and leaves, and a little around the edges of the photo. (a simple and fab non-destructive ‘burn’ technique.)

There’s all kinds of tricks for creating drama. You can add a little something extra in your post-processing, or shoot from below, or maybe from above, maybe with a wide angle or perhaps up-close. 

Share a little something dramatic with us today.

Comments

  8. I think converting garden shots to black and white always creates this air of drama. They're supposed to be in color because that's usually the charm of flowers and plants. In black and white, their shapes stand out more and they produce the drama for themselves.
    http://flic.kr/p/ac9UDM

  18. A few weeks ago I got UNDER our stately, but seed shedding sunflowers..great shots, peeks of turquoise sky…I walked away with more seeds in my hair than photos in the camera. smile. Great shot and thank you for the info on how you attained the textured look. You are the best!

  23. Thanks so much for this tip! Your soft burn technique is brilliant, and so versatile too! I loved it so much I had to share it with others, so have referenced it on my blog twice!

    Your textures are gorgeous, too!