Chromatic Aberration Removal

Sometimes Chromatic Aberration is noticeable on an image and a technique is needed for Chromatic Aberration Removal. You may be asking what is Chromatic Aberration, so let me explain. It is often found in images where there is an extreme contrast between the light and dark colors and/or highlight and shadows. The dynamic range and sensors on most cameras just cannot record the two extremes, thus purple fringing occurs or sometime it comes in the form of green or red contamination on the darker color.

Here is a great technique I stumbled upon today to remove Chromatic Aberration using Photoshop CS5.

Here is one method for removing chromatic aberration:

1) Open the image in Photoshop CS5 and copy the Background Layer (CMD-J).

2) Go to Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur. You can experiment with the amount of pixels here, but I had good luck using 15 pixels.

3) Change the Blend Mode on the Layer to Color.

4) Add a Mask to the Layer and then invert the Mask. (CMD-I)

5) Paint with White to areas where you want to remove the CA. If you apply too much, change to Black and paint to remove. Also, using the Opacity slider on the brush will help control the intensity of the filter.

I also read Lightroom 4 has a great tool to remove CA. I guess I will put that piece of software on my Wish List.

The more I learn about photography, Photoshop and art the more I find I need and want to learn.

Happy Post Processing!

Visit my website, Susan McAnany Photograpy, to view my work.

Just a quick update to this post. I have used this technique also with Photoshop CS6.

Welcome July

July is the month of much celebration during the summer. The obvious holiday of July 4th and also my birthday occurs during the month of July. I will be away for the first half of the month and plan on bringing back images to share with you. Although I shot this image a few years back, it is one of my favorite flag images. I have a great giclée print available if anyone is interested. You can contact me through my website susanmcanany.com. It is for sale online at my Etsy Store. Thanks for visiting.

More Creative Experiments

Creative experiments are a great way to jump start your ideas and give you a break from routine creative work patterns and flow.

“Leone On Shore”

: Low tide in Madagascar

The last couple of weeks I have had a very out-of-box experience. I had been a little fatigue from working digitally and thought I would stretch myself and try a little analog work, so I enrolled in week and a half art class at the local college of art and design. It was a Mixed Media class taught by Brian Haverlock, who is an outstanding artist and teacher. I took the class with an open mind, hoping I may find new ways to take my work to a different level. Needless to say it was harder than I anticipated, especially since I found my actual painting and crayon skills were at perhaps a kindergarten level and advanced maybe to 3rd grade during the class. However despite my inadequacies in some areas, I did gain valuable lesson in other areas. Here are some of my insights:

Exposure to the work of accomplished artists outside of photograph, such as Max Ernst, Scott Eagle, Joseph Cornell or Brain Haverlock will stimulate ideas and inspiration.

I look at my own art different and for more ways to take even a simplistic image a step further, whether that be with lighting, color, texture and or combining multiple images.

A lot of photography is based in facts and computations so take time to let loose and experiment. I plan to continue trying several methods that were taught to stimulate creativity, like Decalcomania or drawing and cutting with my non dominate hand. Never know what might emerge.

Each exposure to something new helps me craft my vision for my own body of work.

Lastly, a deep appreciation for the undo button.

More of my work can be viewed at www.susanmcanany.com.

Painting With Light Technique

Painting with light is one technique I really enjoy experimenting with. I think I like it so much because I never know exactly what I am going to get. There is definitely a surprise element when you try the technique of painting with light. If you have been following my post, I’m sure you’ve noticed I am always searching for the unusual and like to experiment.

I have been doing some research on the Painting with Light technique and wanted to share my findings and first efforts. The image below was taken in a harbor on Sarasota Bay with the Ringling Bridge in the background on the right. The mechanics of the process is to place the camera on a tripod and using a slow shutter speed rotate the camera either left and right or up and down. For the image above, I obviously rotated the camera laterally. The exposure was 1 second at f/22; ISO 100. I was shooting at sunset, which required me to really stop down the aperture. I was wishing my ISO would go to 50, but no such luck just yet with most digital cameras. There is definitely some experimentation required with the shutter speed and this process can be done with speeds as fast as 1/15 of a second. As always, lighting rules and shoot many frames.

“Ringling Bridge” Painting with Light

Abstract of Ringling Bridge and Sarasota Bay.

View more of my work at www.susanmcanany.com.

Thanks for reading!

Andy Warhol and More

An Andy Warhol exhibit was part of a recent exciting and exhausting trip to St. Louis, Mo, my hometown. There is something about returning to my place of birth and growth as a youngster that tends to ground me and bring me back to how I came to be who I am. This trip I brought my one and only main squeeze with me. We are thinking about relo-ing there, at least on a part time basis, and I wanted him to get a better feel for the city and the surrounding areas. Also, we are beginning a big birthday celebration and wanted to take in a Cubs-Cardinals baseball game. (Cubs won so he was happy.) And then of course we spent considerable time with family, which is a part of the grounding process. I am fortunate I come from a big family and we all get along, despite our differences.

Although I didn’t take any photos while I was there, we did manage to squeeze in a trip to an art museum associated with St. Louis University for a little inspiration. An exhibit of Andy Warhol’s Polaroids were the initially attraction, but in reality the other exhibits were somewhat more impressive. One artist that struck me was, Brother Mel Meyer, a Marianist monk. Now Brother Mel apparently is quite known in St Louis. For 60 years he has been studying and making art in a variety of mediums along with period of teaching in his earlier years. He is known for his watercolors, acrylics and stain glass to name a few mediums, but what really excited me was Brother Mel’s metal sculptures. He incorporates many unique components, shapes and shades of color to create captivating and intriguing works of art. I will have to visit his studio next time in St. Louis. Here is a link to his website.

Visit my website Susan McAnany Photography to view my work.

Creative Thought

Often for me a creative thought can be spun by words of another and provide guidelines for expanding my creative boundaries.

“Strive for the moment of recognition that there is something else going on – that both attention and inattention is required to fully experience a piece — is often what gives artwork its impact …..”

Karen Irvine, Curator of the Museum of Contemporary Photography, Chicago

Yin Yang Effect

Have you ever witnessed the yin yang effect in your life? Well, I believe I experience it frequently or maybe it is some kind of mid life crisis. I especially see it in my creative interests. One month I am photographing prisons and graffiti and the next I am mixing paints to create some vibrant macro abstractions guaranteed to make your eyes pop.

Or maybe the swing in interest is due to my birth date, which happens to be right on the cusp between the Zodiac signs of Cancer and Leo. I have been told at certain times it can (and does) create conflicting feelings and actions. Cancer being the conservative homebody and Leo the outgoing risk taker.

There’s a theory in photography, a person should totally embrace what they like to shoot and focus only on that one interest in the hopes of achieving perfection. I certainly see merit to that, although, for me I also see a certain amount of boredom setting in. I look at my portfolio and see a huge range of diversity and that is only viewing what is online . Maybe it is due to the length of time I have been shooting or maybe it is the yin-yang effect in my life. I just don’t seem to be able to settle into something permanently. Once I shot a magazine containing portraits of 100 different woman from all walks of life. While the experience was fun, I learned a lot and met many different, wonderful women, I was happy when it was over. Ready to get back to art.

Regardless of the cause, I am happy with opposite interests in my life. Here are a couple of examples of what I have been working on from the Abstract Category on my website.

Color Profiles

This week I have been wrestling with Color Profiles and Photoshop’s CS5.

Now, my typical workflow is to shoot in RAW, my camera set to Adobe RGB Color Profile. From what I have read there is a greater color gamut using this profile and my current thought process is more is always better. My software of choice is Adobe Bridge, Photoshop’s CS5 along with plugins from Nik and Topaz. I save my files as layered TIFF and prior to uploading to the web, I will re-size, convert to sRGB and save as jpgs. For some of my prints, or commercial print projects I often need to convert my files to CMYK. This workflow has served me well over the last several years.

However, I have just been working on a batch on images and I noticed many of my Tiff files have the sRGB profile as their Working and/or Embedded Color Space. Initially I wasn’t sure how this happen, thus it motivated me spend time researching more about color profiles.

Now I am by no means a techie person, so I try to decipher things down to simplistic concepts that I can easily remember. Like most photographers I am the happiest behind the camera in my creative zone. I am however aware of the importance of a calibrated monitor, printer and selecting correct printer paper profiles and I do this to the best of my ability. But now I am looking at embedded profiles and working color spaces, what is this all about??

After doing several hours of reading, I found out a few core things that have helped clarify my mind on this subject.

Now we all know color is defined by numbers and a Color Profile is how color’s numerical value visually appear, however, I didn’t know that a Raw file has no Color Profile and any type of profile is pretty much device specific.

The Working Space defines what color profile is used in the different color models such as RGB and CMYK. These profiles are specified in the Color Settings Dialog Box in Photoshop (Edit > Settings) and provides the info for an embedded profile. Mine was set to sRGB causing the previously mentioned problem.

The Embedded Color Profile is the numeric value a monitor or internet browser uses to display colors and often they display in sRGB, especially the internet. It is embedded in the image when an image is saved. The data for the embedded profile comes from either EXIF data captured when your image was taken or what is in your Color Settings Dialog Box in Photoshop if a Raw file is launched into Photoshop without using an interface software program, such as Bridge Camera Raw.

In Photoshop, once you have established your parameters to the Color Settings Dialog Box, you have the option to use the command Convert To Profile to change an Embedded Color Profile. You can even convert an entire folder easily using the Image Processor. Choose File > Scripts > Image Processor. Another handy tool is the Assign Profile, which allows you to view how colors in an image will look with a different profile, but this is not an effective way to change an Embedded Profile.

Below is a link to an interesting read about the subject from someone who knows far more than me. I also found some useful information on Adobe’s website.

http://www.computer-darkroom.com/ps12_colour/ps12_1.htm

You can view my work at www.susanmcanany.com.

Graffiti Galore

I have had an infatuation with graffiti art for some time. For me there is something very liberating and rebellious about finding a public place and making art, knowing it will probably be around for only a very limited time. Usually it is either painted over by authorities or often another graffiti artist.

I also admire the skill and vision that must be involved to paint some very elaborate designs with a can of spray paint. No pencil sketches allowed. My first exposure to spray paint art was in my teens when a friend offered to paint a wall in my bedroom with a face of one of my favorite rock stars, Frank Zappa, using neon spray paint. Cool idea. Needless to say, my mother was not too thrilled, but she did allow me to keep it. I think even she recognized it as a form of art.

Graffiti art can vary from simplistic designs such as the Skippy Girls in Australia to the mayhem I recently photographed in Philadelphia. Sometimes the artist is conveying a message, either political, social or gang related, other times it can be terrific mural. Generally, they are tagged, which is the artist’s signature. All are impressive and I stop to view and photograph when ever possible. Enjoy the graffiti images below and if interested in seeing more please visit my website, Susan McAnany Photography.

The Darlings of Darlington, Australia

Graffiti Wall In St. Louis, Mo

Religious, Gang or Political Message?

Social Related Message

Graffiti Underground, Philadelphia, PA

photograph of graffiti underground in Philadelphia

More graffiti images can be viewed on my website www.susanmcanany.com in the Projects Portfolio.

Lessons From A Dog

Writing about “Lessons from a Dog” is a way I can pay tribute to my beloved, Bailee, a 17 year old Wirehaired Pointing Griffon, who very recently passed away.

She was 55 pounds of sporting breed energy and of course adorable and very smart. I got her initially for companionship, protection and something to motivate me to get walking. She provided all those things and so much more.

I was incredibly fortunate to have this dog in my life. I have no children, so of course she became “my girl”. Pets are the perfect child substitute; they love you unconditionally even when you drop them off for boarding and return days or weeks later to pick them up. They are always happy to see you. Another great benefit is no college tuition to pay, although Bailee did require her share of obedience schools and private trainers due to her willful nature. But that made her all the more human to me.

She loved to do the outrageous, she could dive to the bottom of our 10 foot deep swimming pool and retrieve a toy. She would hunt squirrels in the yard in Maryland and lizards in Florida yielding the areas completely barren. I think her proudest moment was when a wild bird had gotten into the house and she caught it midair. Her bite was so soft, she didn’t even hurt the bird, just released it when we requested. (Of course I was frantic and screaming.)

Although I knew her passing was near, it is still a painful experience, but also a thought provoker. As I think about her, and our life together I am reminded of the many great personality traits she exhibited daily. Here are a few lessons from a dog I learned:

Trust Your Instincts
Whether hunting in the yard or protecting her human pack, she operated instinctively. I do this also, but sometimes I question my own gut feeling. In photography, if I see a great shot I vow to stop and take it. When my gut tells me to light a certain way in the studio, I will take the time and effort required to do exactly what my instincts are telling me to do.

Time Is Inconsequential
I do my best work and am the happiest when I live and work in the moment, A dog does that EVERY single moment of their life. This was so evident living with a dog experiencing declining health. One day she may be near death and the next day running jubilantly through the yard totally obvious to her previous bad day. But we humans often are looking towards the next thing we are going to do or recounting past experiences unable to fully embrace the moment we are currently experiencing. To be present in the moment and enjoy each one is worth the extra effort.

Take time to Stretch
A good stretch feels good any time and is good for you, which is why animals do it all the time. It is good for your muscles, ligaments and organs. But let me take it further and use my imagination to stretch my thinking and creativity. I plan to stay out of my box.

Eat Your Vegetables
Up until her final years, Bailee loved carrots and broccoli and I firmly believe eating those, along with generally a healthy diet, good exercise and lots of loving extended her life. The breed’s expected lifespan is only 12-14 years. So eat up!

Be Fearless
This is perhaps my favorite. Bailee attacked life. From the moment she came into my life at 8 weeks till her passing 11 days shy of 17 years, she was so inquisitive and would try anything. Once she escaped the yard and was found on the beach close to the house. Well, I know she didn’t walk on the path. She undoubtedly ran up the street, cut through the private golf course (probably dropped a load along the way) and trespassed though some private beachfront properties to get to the beach to sniff, run and play. I am sure there was not an ounce of fear in her. She was a true adventurer. Now I am not recommended trespassing, but if a questionable or risky opportunity arises, I am going take it and think of Bailee.

My man and I feel a huge void in our lives since her passing. I know as time goes on life will fill the void and the pain will diminish, but for this week I am content to reminisce and savor her memory. To view more images of “my girl” or learn about Wirehaired Pointing Griffons check out her website.

Visit my website to view more of my work.