“I really don't have any secrets. I've “Creativity is allowing yourself to never met a photographer whose make mistakes. Art is knowing which work I respected that had a secret ones to keep. “ because the secret lies within each and ~ Scott Adams every one of us. “ ~ John Sexton

“If you never did you should. These Letʼs have some fun with photos, both in things are fun and fun is good.” , and in post-processing! ~ Dr. Seuss

Fine Art Nature - the Sequel ©Kathleen Clemons! At this point, you probably know me well smeared around the outside of the filter, enough to know that if I can do something leaving a clear area in the center. in-camera instead of in post-processing, I The size is up to you, start with a large will. If you like soft focus images, hereʼs a empty area, itʼs easier to add more technique you can do right in camera, vaseline than remove it. You can stack a with little or no cost! This technique was second UV filter over the top to preserve used for movies, portraits and weddings the film of vaseline and keep dust and years ago, it add a soft dreamy feel to the fuzz out. If you donʼt want to use a UV image, sort of an in-camera gaussian filter, you could have a piece of glass cut blur! All you need is some vaseline, and to fit a P holder, or just hold a small piece a UV filter. Note: Do NOT, ever, ever put of glass against the front of your lens vaseline directly on your lens! You can (vaseline side away from your purchase very inexpensive UV filters for lens).Vaseline can damage your camera $6-9 at Adorama. You just need a very and lens, so be really careful not to get small dab of vaseline, any on either. Here are some shots Iʼve done with this technique, all from f/4-f/8:

Fine Art - the Sequel ©Kathleen Clemons! Fine Art Nature Photography- the Sequel ©Kathleen Clemons! Fine Art Nature Photography- the Sequel ©Kathleen Clemons! Donʼt limit this technique to macro, you can do landscapes as well. You could also use chapstick instead of vaseline for a bit more control, and I have read that hairspray on a UV filter is also an interesting effect. Youʼd need to cover the center of the filter before applying if you donʼt want an all over effect.

Think also about other things you could shoot through: A clear glass bowl, a fishbowl, colored glass, cellophane, mesh, warped or old glass, prisms, glass blocks, lace, gauze...

Adding Rain....

I came up with the next technique while sitting in the truck waiting for my husband to run an errand on a very rainy day. I was getting bored when I noticed how distorted the trees outside the truck looked through the rain soaked window. I didnʼt have my camera with me, but did have my iPhone, so I made a series of photos which I was quite happy with. The image to the right is one of them.

Because it would be impractical to park So the next time it rained, I shot rain my truck sideways (or hold a piece of wet soaked windows from inside the truck. I glass in front of my lens) next to all of the tried to find compositions with an all over things I wanted to shoot through rain raindrop pattern, and some with a soaked windows, these images made me more isolated pattern, knowing that think about adding rain to my images as a sometimes I would want my subject to layer. show through the drops in a stronger manner.

Fine Art Nature Photography- the Sequel ©Kathleen Clemons! Here is a screenshot of the images I To use the images for layering, I simply made that morning (I included one with converted them to , and the mirror to remind myself of the added some sharpening as I did here: source).

Fine Art Nature Photography- the Sequel ©Kathleen Clemons! Then I added the rain layer just as I add Here are three images with rain image texture layers, adjusting the blend mode layers, a fun, easy technique and I love and amount to taste. the results:

Fine Art Nature Photography- the Sequel ©Kathleen Clemons! Fine Art Nature Photography- the Sequel ©Kathleen Clemons! As you can see, this is a technique to Another fun in-camera technique involves keep in mind for in-camera work, as well panty hose (yes, for the ladies in the as a post-processing idea. You can shoot group, panty hose can be fun but only if it right in your vehicle on rainy days, involves cutting them up! Lol) I just cut a making images of colorful scenes through section from one leg, and stretched it your windows, and also stock up on water over my lens, holding it in place with a drop backgrounds to add to your photos rubber band. I used this technique on the in post-processing. image of the pink leaves on the first page of the lesson, it creates an all over softening and warming effect, quite dreamy!

Fine Art Nature Photography- the Sequel ©Kathleen Clemons! Recently, I rediscovered an inexpensive Itʼs called the Flood Filter, and you can Photoshop plug-in which I had used a few purchase or download a free trial here: years ago, and I have fallen in love with http://www.flamingpear.com/flood.html it. Basically, it adds a watery reflection to any photo and itʼs really easy to use!

Fine Art Nature Photography- the Sequel ©Kathleen Clemons! Using it, this dahlia shot (vaseline technique, by the way) Became this:

Fine Art Nature Photography- the Sequel ©Kathleen Clemons! As you can see, I added some extra canvas to the bottom of the dahlia image before I applied the flood filter because there wasnʼt enough space to really add the reflection. You wonʼt need to do this if your photo has plenty of space but itʼs simple to do. Open the image you want to flood, click Image>Canvas size, and this box will open. Move The empty square surrounded by arrows at the bottom of the window up to the top middle position as I have done here. Then add a few inches to the height only. Donʼt worry about what the canvas is, the flood will cover it. Click OK, and the extra inches of canvas will appear at the bottom of your photo.

Fine Art Nature Photography- the Sequel ©Kathleen Clemons! Open the Flood Filter (Filter>Flaming Pear>Flood) and this window appears. Now itʼs time to play! I usually start with the preset settings, get there by clicking on the icon that looks like a blue lifesaver at the bottom of the window. No rules here, have fun and play! Check Then, adjust the settings to your liking. the user guide that comes with the filter Do you want lots of waves and ripples? for tips.Here are the settings I used for More of an exact reflection? Softness? this daisy:

Fine Art Nature Photography- the Sequel ©Kathleen Clemons! I usually blur the horizon line so itʼs not as obvious. More flood images:

Fine Art Nature Photography- the Sequel ©Kathleen Clemons! I shot this photo at low tide, and changed it to high tide with the Flood Filter!

Fine Art Nature Photography- the Sequel ©Kathleen Clemons! I warmed it up and added a texture to the sky too.

A few more:

Fine Art Nature Photography- the Sequel ©Kathleen Clemons! Polar Coordinates

I hadnʼt played with this one in a long time, but when my friend Roger demonstrated it on a recent workshop, all of the participants loved it, so here it is!

With this simple technique, you can take an image like this photo, and turn it into this! Letʼs play with Polar Coordinates!

Fine Art Nature Photography- the Sequel ©Kathleen Clemons! Open an image you want to play with.

Go to: Filter>Distort>Polar Coordinates.

This window appears. Click the bottom option: Polar to Rectangle, click OK.

Go to Image>Rotation>Flip Canvas Vertically, to flip it upside down.

Fine Art Nature Photography- the Sequel ©Kathleen Clemons! Now go back to Filter>Distort>Polar Coordinates, but this time, click the top option, Rectangular to Polar. Click Ok, and Voila! Youʼe done!

Fine Art Nature Photography- the Sequel ©Kathleen Clemons! I like this one better flipped vertically- (Image>Image Rotation>Flip Canvas Vertically).

You can also crop your image to a square before you start if you prefer that look. A few more samples:

Fine Art Nature Photography- the Sequel ©Kathleen Clemons! Fine Art Nature Photography- the Sequel ©Kathleen Clemons! Fine Art Nature Photography- the Sequel ©Kathleen Clemons! Fine Art Nature Photography- the Sequel ©Kathleen Clemons! An even easier way to do this is to record Even easier- I have an action for Polar an action, and then you just need to Coordinates that I can send you, pop me make one click to do all of the steps. If an e-mail if youʼd me to send it to you- you havenʼt ever made an action, itʼs [email protected]. I have one quite simple. This lesson is already quite for the Orton method too. long so I wonʼt describe the process, just google “Making a Photoshop Action” and youʼll find hundreds of tutorials, here is one to get you started: http://blog.epicedits.com/2008/03/07/how- to-create-photoshop-actions/

Scanography

You can make photos right on a scanner bed! I actually bought my scanner just for this technique after seeing some Scanography images on the web. This daffodil shot was from my first try. All I did was cut the stems off the flowers, and lay them on the scanner. I left the cover up, and used 3 sheets of black foam core around the sides of the scanner to create a box to eliminate stray light. If you try this at night that stray light is not an issue. Every speck of dust on your scanner will show in the photo, so you really need to keep things super clean.

Set your scanner to make a high resolution (300dpi) photo, and scan. Thatʼs really it! I am using an Epson Perfection V500 Photo Scanner which was a little over $100.

Once I had the daffodil shot I wanted, I experimented with a few other items. I tried feathers but they just do not stay put on a scanner!

Fine Art Nature Photography- the Sequel ©Kathleen Clemons! I then moved on to a nautilus shell. I Choose subjects that you want totally in loved the way the shell looked on the sharp focus as depth of field is amazingly scanner, so I added another, and was deep with a scanner. Any flaw will show, quite pleased with the results. keep that in mind too.

Fine Art Nature Photography- the Sequel ©Kathleen Clemons! If you are scanning a flat subject, like different color in Photoshop. A white a fern, you can close the scanner and background also enables you to add a get a white background. You could texture layer, or to combine photos. also replace the background with a

More info on Scanography and wonderful photo examples can be found here: http://scannography.org/

Fine Art Nature Photography- the Sequel ©Kathleen Clemons! Okay, your head is probably spinning right now, but I hope I have inspired you to try some of these fun techniques! Feel free to pick and choose what interests you, let me know if you have questions. Looking forward to seeing three of your best photos!

Happy Shooting!

Ka!leen

Fine Art Nature Photography- the Sequel ©Kathleen Clemons!