Playing with Snapseed

Photoshop frightens me.  A lot.

And, I've been missing Picasa ever since switching to iPhoto upon purchasing a MacAir (sorry Sony).  In fact, I just may try switching back this weekend.  Something I never would have attempted when my library was resident on the MacAir hard drive.  Hmm, I have to take that back, I did try it but then Picasa started to create its own library and my very small hard drive almost crashed and burned.  But now that my library lives off site as it were, it may be time to go back to an old friend.

In the meantime, I've been having fun with Snapseed after first acknowledging that I was bored with iPhoto in Rainy Day Garden.  Sometimes I use Snapseed and sometimes I use iPhoto.  Depends on how I'm feeling at the moment and on how the originals turned out.  To my mind, it's the digital equivalent of old school dark room magic.  

Riding the rails from DC to NYC today, I had some spare time (long day, only so much work one can do).  So I took the last hour to edit a photo or two (or maybe even three).  With today's editing software, one can give a whole new look to a photo with just a couple of clicks.  Herewith a photo editing progression (so to speak) of Peaceful Spots.

For the record, this spot is not really peaceful in the truest sense of the world.  It is near the Gapstow Bridge.  I have a similar favorite spot near the Bow Bridge.  Both are just off well-traveled paths but if you turn your back to the path, you can get lost in the view before you.

Peaceful Spots - The Original

A perfect demonstration of my unfortunate habit of holding my camera a little crooked even when I am thinking I want to hold it straight.  Sometimes that is a good thing and other times, not so much.  Also a perfect demonstration of how poorly the Olympus does when there's some clouds and trees afoot (also previously noted in Rainy Day Gardens).  Just a little dull.

 

Peaceful Spots - Original

Peaceful Spots - Details, Details, Details
Of course, I did not write down what I did to get these effects.  It's a virtual guarantee that I used the simple fix filters but whether I chose automatic or neutral or balanced or one of the other three is up in the air.  For sure I used details (how else to get such sharp leaves?) and then I must have picked a drama filter because the colors are a bit more faded then what my mind remembers the day being like.  Playing around iPhoto just now confirms that suspicion.  Oh, and lest I forget, there was some cropping and straightening going on as well.

Peaceful Spots - Details, Details, Details

Peaceful Spots - Cue the Fog
Center focus is a wonderful thing.  Particularly if you move it off center and keep the mistiness to a minimum.

Peaceful Spots - Cue the Fog

 Peaceful Spots - Cue Black & White
You know, the day at that particular moment was a little grey and a little gloomy.  It was the exact moment where I was deciding whether to venture deeper into the park to one of my favorite spots or head home before the skies burst open (no umbrella).  I love this photo in black and white with a little fog thrown in for good measure.  It captures my mood and what I was thinking about perfectly.

Peaceful Spots - Cue Black & White