About four weeks ago I found www.picnik.com a website with a FREE truly user friendly photo editing program that's so easy and simple to use that it is literally one click - intuitive.
If you are new to photo editing like me, then have a look to see some of the cool things you can do on this website. Even if all you need is a quick way to crop, frame and add text, this free software is a snap.
For more newbie inspiration see my two recent posts
I discovered picnik.com and I love it - PHOTO ART
This post is my entry into the
June Photo Art Monthly Competition.
I have to tell you that I photo edit like I cook - I love trying out something new and I tweak even my tried and true recipes. Therefore, it was a real effort for me to keep track of my editing steps.
I started with a decent photo of my jasmin tree
which I wanted to glamorize.
In the EDIT bar - I clicked on the AUTO FIX tab
only to find that the colors my picture showed already were better and true to life.
So I clicked on UNDO and voila AUTO FIX was undone.
STEP ONE
In the EDIT bar - click the COLOR tab
You will see several choices - I only used the top slider bar for "color saturation".
Move the COLOR SATURATION bar to plus 5% - I did not want to stray from the impact or subject of the original photo, so a color enhancement of only 5% was fine.
Click APPLY
STEP TWO
SWITCH TO the CREATE bar - here is where it becomes fun!:)
Click the EFFECTS tab
I used only one effect called FOCAL ZOOM
(About the effect: Basically it zooms in and highlights only your designated focal point. You will get rays eminating from your focal zoom and a blurred background. If you want just the rays and keep your entire picture in clear focus, then you can move the slider on FADE all the way to 100%. It all depends on what works best for your picture.)
click on FOCAL ZOOM and a box opens up with a choice of slider bars
(BY THE WAY all effects have a question mark in each effects box, which will tell you how to use the effect box and sliders and usually a cool tip)
Leave FADE slider as is - on zero.
Move the FOCAL SIZE slider to 70%
The focal size slider starts out with 50%, but you can increase it or decrease it.
You will get a circle with a cross in the center of your picture, but you can click and drag your focus circle wherever you want it to be on your picture.
That can get a little tricky, because it reacts very sensitive, but it's not a problem because you just move it back to where you want it.
Click the ADVANCE MODE button (still within the same little Focal Zoom box) - a box with several choices pops up.
I tried each mode with a click to see the results - I liked the view in "darken" best
Click on DARKEN
Click APPLY
NOTE: The frame tab is self explanatory, but since I also played with the effectS available WITHIN in the frame box, I am sharing the process.
FRAME TAB
STEP ONE
Click on MIRRORED FRAME
Slide the POLISHED bar over to the end - 100% (to get higher reflection)
No other changes
Click APPLY and repeat this step twice for an infinity effect.
STEP TWO
Still under the general FRAME within CREATE
click MUSEUM MATTE
Outer Frame - Move the slider bar over to 100%
Inner Frame - Move the slider bar over to 100%
Click APPLY
Click on the TEXT tab still under the CREATE bar - if you want to add writing. I trust you can figure that one out yourself. Any time during the editing process that you click on your text a box will pop up and you can change the color, the size and the font etc. or delete or undo.
I liked that this effect kept the integrity of my original photo intact.
My intent was to create an elegant, subtle, but slightly dramatic, graphic effect.
I like the result, but in retrospect, I would say this effect might work even better
with a single flower in the center.
So what do you think?
I welcome any suggestions for improvement
or constructive critiscism!
To my new trolls:
If you hate it - please don't tell me - I'm a sensitive artist and I really don't take rejection well. I may cry and have to write an article about your obviously insensitive and disturbing condemnation of my creative efforts:) LOL
Check out the before and after, side by side, in the image bar below.
Images taken by Rose H. in my garden - copyright 2009
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Comments: 44
WOW. That's what I think. Is this the website you told me about...the heaven's gate pics?? Awesome Rose.
Carol - why thank you kindly:) Yes, it is.
It is always cool to see what people are creating.
I'm glad that I posted a comment about picnik.com on Nancy*'s post about editing software a few weeks ago. They have lots of cool free stuff and it is so much easier to use than Photoshop and some of the other products I have tried.
Kat - Thanks again, I'm pretty sure it was your comment I saw, I had made myself a note already from a really old post late last year where someone recommended picnik. When I saw your comment I figured I'd just had to try.
Thank you for posting your photo essay at Pretty Pictures.
This is a great tutorial!
I like the edited image. The focal point edity thingy is really neat! :)
Tory - the cool thing about that particul tool is that it works great with sky pics - think heavenly rays:)
Cool
I like to play with my photos too, I tried the site it is really good set of online editing tools. It would be even better if my desk top computer was just a little faster. Works great on the the little Acer but it's a little small to to do photo editing on...for me anyway. I also like my own Arcsoft Photo Studio software, I find it far easier to use than most others and is almost limitless in it's effects.
Rodney - I've seen some of your cool stuff - you're still way ahead of me:) So tell me about Arcsoft Photo Studio software?
Great job. 10 by me! Thanks for posting this to our Spring09 group Rose.
Great directions on how to create this effect.
That is a very cool effect! Thank you for sharing your very thorough process! Thank you for posting to Photo Art Monthly Competitions ~ How Did You Do That?
Great instructions and fantastic final product. I agree, a single flower would be stunning. I'm an emailing the link to this post to my daughter. I hope to learn how to do more, too. Thanks, Rose.
C. L. - what a nice compliment. I bet she'll enjoy it. Keep an eye out, I plan on doing one more - How did you do that - post
Wow! I think you told me about PicNic, rose. I did one photo and did not know how to post it... I SURE Didn't know it could do all THAT! :)
Penni - you don't have to do anything special , you just post the pic the same way you do all your other pics. That's one reason why I like picnik.com over picasa 3, because with picasa you have to go through extra steps just to post a pic - with picnik you save it to your desktop or wherever you save your pics and then upload as you would normally.
I've used the site for a couple of personal pictures, and it is a fun site.
Thanks for the great step by step instructions. You have such beautiful alterations.
Wow, looks great! I will have to check this site out.
That is very cool - I'm going to download that program
This is a very informative article Rose. I'm certain that many members will find it helpful. Therefore, please consider publishing it to the Member Guides to Gather group.
Thank You!!
THANK YOU, Kevin - my pleasure:)
I just edited my post to send to your group.
Thanks Rose! ...your post is now featured!
That is a very cool effect! Thank you for sharing your very thorough process! Thank you for posting to Photo Art Monthly Competitions ~ How Did You Do That?
I think it is fantastic. I love it. Guess what I ordered today, lol. You were making me jealous with the premium version and I had to get it to try it. I just posted my first pic using the premium version. But it is a complete alter with a color change. Yours is beautiful and I can't wait to play around with it more. Thanks for taking us through your process.
You are a chosen 1st Place Winner! "How Did You Do That?" Theme for the group Photo Art Monthly Competitions
Congrats on your PAMC win!
Congratulations on this beautiful and informative entry, Rose, for the PAMC and for your win! =)
Congrats on your Photo Art June win!
I love how the editing turned out!
Congrats!!
Back to say congrats on your Photo ARt win. You did a great job on this one Rose!
It sounds so complicated! Congrats!
No suggestions needed. You've done a beautiful job.
10 4 u
I didn't know you had new trolls :( I like the finished product and certainly like the description of the edit you made. Having played with that software a little, I have to ask...are all the edits you made in the "free" version, or are some in the other? Anyway, congrats to you!
Great editing, Rose! I haven't tried picnic yet, but it looks like you had fun with it! Congrats!
Congrats on your win...you did a beautiful job!
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You have been featured as an example for August's Show Me How Competition for Photo Art Monthly Competition