August Master Class Challenge - PHOTO CHEATS

[Cassel]

During the live presentation, we looked at several ways to "cheat" to improve your photos with PSP, whether it is to adjust the color, create focus, remove unwanted elements, replace the sky, add a Bokeh effect or create a miniature effect. What technique will you be using on what photo? Show us a before and after of your photos and tell us what you did. Maybe you'll improvise and inspire others with new ideas.

[carl booth]

This is made of several images

[carl booth]

This one I think speaks for it's self, I am self taught so I reckon they are not so bad

[carl booth]

Ok I know the shot is not that good but no need to laugh however perhaps

our Ape friend is amused and that is what I try to achieve

[carl booth]

This picture I love. My late Wife and I pictured from an old school photo

Perhaps about 1953 ? strange though we never met till

1965 and were married for 47 years

[Cassel]

Carl, those are great projects, but are they using the Photo Cheat Master class techniques? If not, they would be seen more in the "What did you do in August?"

[carl booth]

This shot is a basic internet picture

I built it up in layers with the gold background or any thing

you like the aircraft is pasted in an off centre posiition

However the WHITE inner frame has a slight perspective

slope.  This is a must to make the aircraft speed and out of balance

to appear.  Of course the gold frame is just to set it off.

Have fun

[carl booth]

this speaks for it's self

[Cristina]

Carl, very nice projects using different techniques.

[carl booth]

Thank you very much Lovely Christina .The last one is my Daughter and Granddaughter at the graduation, as you can see in the unframed shot Dawn is a little smaller than Fienna, so I pulled Dawn up to equal height

 

 

 

Carl xxx

[Cristina]

These are the attempts I made trying to replicate some of the techniques Cassel showed in Photo Cheats Masterclass. By the way, great class as always.

 

I tried the Create focus, Replace sky, Bokeh effect and Create a Miniature Effect. It was the first time I used the brush variance and I liked it. I will probably try the confetti effect in another challenge.

 

All photos are from Pixabay.

[Cristina]

Here is the Bokeh effect Before photo

[Cristina]

I am trying to upload the photo... I see the percentage that is being uploaded but it doesn't show in the Upload Image preview and it doesn't show here...probably a glitch...I will try later

[AprilDawn]

Well done Cristina!   you have created  lovely  examples  of the techniques from the Master Class.....  I agree it was a great class...

 

Dawn.

[Cristina]

Dawn, thank you for your kind comment! I went a bit overboard with the Bokeh technique :D I was having fun...

 

I tried again to upload the Before Bokeh photo but still doesn't do it.

[AprilDawn]

after being inspired by watching Cassel's Photo Cheats Master Class here is one example I have done. I found the class quite interesting as it is a technique that I have not played with up until now. I used the Radial option in the selective focus area on the bird an added the bokeh effect to it which I really enjoyed doing.

 

 

[Cassel]

Carl, I like the smiling gorilla!

 

Cristina, you obviously had fun with those photos!

 

Dawn, that photo looks like it was taken from a professional photographer!

 

 

[carl booth]

Thank you ladies I need the inspiration

from clever guys like you

[Michele]

I watched the Photo Cheats master class video last night. As usual I learned a lot. I used the tutorial to add bokeh effects to a pic I did for my gaming group today. (How about that for great timing?) I usually try to find an appropriate overlay, but it's so much better to create my own bokeh. I started with a lighted dance floor for a background. Here is a pic of the before and after; if you click on it to enlarge the pic, you'll see the effect more clearly. I know my pics are not usually "scrapbooky," but everything I learn here can be used for other projects, too.

[Cristina]

Dawn your page is lovely! Cute photo and a nice example of the Bokeh effect.

 

micfin, beautiful, colorful page! A great example of the Bokeh effect with different colors.

 

Great work. ladies!

[carl booth]

Thats fantastic my friend I often think I am bloody useless now having seen yours I KNOW I AM, keep pressing buttons my friend, you have got it.

[Marlene Lingham]

I spent a lovely afternoon yesterday listening to howling winds and hail on the windows - and playing with the Master Class lessons! I will upload the examples over a couple of entries in case they get too big.

 

First off is the Colour Correction. Like Cassel I had snow photos that didn't look very white so this was a great idea - I hadn't seen the Manual Colour Collection button, now I will use it a lot.

 

Second is removing an item. The photo is of a place called Dark Hedges, near Ballymoney in Northern Ireland. The patch on the path is actually a reflection in a puddle but it looks funny and a bit out of place, so I removed it.

[Marlene Lingham]

I often have the problem of a very light sky, a lot of the photos I have of my golfing friends are taken outside, so replacing the sky is very handy. I took out the background but couldn't find a nice sky photo so I used the Gradient Fill tool with a sky filter, then on a separate layer used some cloud brushes I have to add a few clouds, then blurred them a bit so they faded in the background.

 

The Pelican photo is an example of blurring the background.

[Marlene Lingham]

Now two examples of the Selective Focus. The first one of Dartmouth in England used the rectangular one, and for the photo of the trikes in Berri SA I used the circular one.

[Marlene Lingham]

And finally the Bokeh effect. In 2013 I was lucky enough to be able to do the Warner Brothers Harry Potter Studio Tour, which was really interesting. Unfortunately the lighting and lots of glass meant my little camera struggled to get nice clear photos (or perhaps it was the person pushing the button!) Anyway this is a photo taken in the Great Hall and I thought it was very suitable for adding the bokeh effect.

 

I must thank Cassel for this Master Class, I have used some of these tools before but still learnt new ideas and methods. It was a fantastic Master Class.