Slow day

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Magenta filter @ 80% red/20% blue for sky
and 50% red filter for trees.


Red filter @ 100%


Green filter @ 100%


Blue filter @ 100%


Neutral @ 0%


Original

Third lesson in photography:

• Many times I have been asked about my grayscale photos, especially the ones I made on film many years ago; people want to know how I "see" in black and white. The only answer I have for that is to set the digital camera to shoot in b/w only, and do that many, many times for several years; sooner or later you will be able to at least recognize the subtle differences of "gray" shades of the primary colors. Or, do as I do and play with software filters.
  

These days, we have the advantage of either purchasing expensive colored glass filters to use on-camera, or using inexpensive software filters. The test shot at bottom has hues of the three primary colors which all others depend on: red, green, and blue. The b/w conversions are pretty well self explanatory. I settled on the top photo as "best", but it could use more tweaking. On that particular conversion, I first "selected" the sky using the Paintshop Pro "lasso" tool feathered at 55 pixels. I used a magenta filter to get the levels of cloud-to-sky contrast and detail that I wanted. I then deselected the sky and used a 50% red conversion for the remainder of the photo. Having the ability to select different areas and play with them as one pleases is the key, and most free software does not allow for that, although the Gimp does so. I hope all this is very confusing. For one thing, I am no teacher, and for another, if you become confused but interested in b/w photos, you just may seek help in learning from a real instructor, in person or virtual.

As to why anyone would want to convert a colorful photo to b/w, I do not have a clue except in my own eyes.

• In color photos, I see a reflection of the scene or subject; with b/w, I see the soul of the scene or subject, and sometimes the soul of the photographer can be felt lurking therein.

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Gotta go and work some this evening, although I feel poorly. RA related skin lesions and nausea are plaguing me a mite. This too shall pass. I wanted to watch the Leonids last evening, but wasn't up to it. Twice I have been fortunate to see this sky event when at its peak, and there were so many flashes across the heavens I was about ready to grab an umbrella. Alas, it makes its best show about every 32 years or so, the last being in 1998. I intend to be watching again around the year 2030 ... if we make it past 2012. Snicker-snicker.
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Have a most wonderful Tuesday!
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For Maggie: Not only am I 6'5" tall, but I weighed 11 pounds (5kg?) when I was born. Mom didn't have anymore after me ...