On our way across campus to the Art Institute, Junko ( @jyokota) and I noticed buds on the trees and the beginning blooms on the yellow (name begins with an 'f') bush. A little processing brought out how the sky was filled with clouds, while making the clouds somehow look more attractive than they actually were. The Sears (aka Willis) Tower and the "Wedding Ring" building are visible towering above our campus structures. Our campus usually looks pretty urban/gritty, but once things start to bloom, it takes on a whole different character. We're ready for the change!
@steampowered Yes, Forsythia! Thank you! Off to sleep without it bugging me...thanks! Will do (say hi to Junko) -- so much fun having her back in town even if only briefly.
I still haven't downloaded my photos. How did you get the clouds to look like that? Will be interesting to see if I like having the other building in mine or not.
@steampowered I'm in a cab on my way to the airport again and I'm very lucky that taffy looks after me well. We ran over to the art institute to catch the Picasso exhibit and then she fed me dinner. Now, to catch up on my postings. Soon.
@lunaksi It isn't HDR, but I use an editing program from Nik Suite software called Color Efex Pro. It's a great tool for learning about how different settings and filters work. I use Aperture and this works as a plug-in. I plan to learn Lightroom this summer and eventually add Photoshop, but need to move to a desktop from my laptop to make that practical. In the meantime, I learn a lot from the NIk suite and highly recommend it. Their Silver Efex software is great for b&w.
@ness50 Thanks Vanessa! @amandal Thanks Amanda -- not HDR, but an effect from Nik Suite software program that I use (see comment above). I even took a lesson at the Apple store on how to do HDR, but keep forgetting key settings every time I've gone out to try to do it, and it hasn't worked yet! On my photo bucket list.
@jackie8@jaynspain Thanks Jackie and Jayn (or Jay?)! One nice thing about living near and working at UIC is having this campus in the middle of a huge urban setting.
@jyokota Hi Junko -- you of all know that it would take processing to get the clouds to show up with as gray and rainy a day as we had! It's the Nik suite software, with a few more tweaks. You'd love using it (when you end up with some time on your hands -- the one advantage of being unable to travel for now!).
@photodude@jesperani@elisasaeter@sparkle@olivetreeann
Thanks Scott, Jennifer, Elizabeth, Juliette, and Ann. I appreciate your visit and comment. The little window where it wasn't pouring and the buds' colors were clear and Junko and I happened to be walking by was pretty lucky. The processing did help a lot as the original sky was just a bland gray with the clouds overexposed to get the buildings and flora to show up.
@taffy Thanks Taffy, that's great piece of information. You've raised my curiosity now :) Sounds like a great software, will definitely see if they have a demo!
very cool shot! I love the processing you did:) Happy spring! Do you attend the art institute? My son just got accepted there in (portland) but he's still figuring out what he wants to do. If so do you like?
@colie Congrats to your son! He clearly has some of his mom's genes! We're just members -- one of the places I like to spend time when I have it. I do teach, but at UI-C (University of IL at Chicago). And I've worked with the education division (with the teacher education group) at the Art Institute which has been really fun, helping with teacher ed and curriculum design for teaching critical thinking through the visual arts. Great fun! What will your son study?
@taffy That's wonderful! My husband is in education as well and My grandparents live in Galesburg! (kind of close to you?) My son is is looking to do animation but isn't quite sure he wants to limit himself to just that so he's looking into some other options as well.
@colie Galesburg is close to where I went to grad school (Champaign-Urbana). Has your son looked into Ohio State? Their arts department is one of the leading ones in the country with a focus on animation. The only reason I know is a friend used to be chair there, now semi-retired.
@barbsmith@heidit Thanks Barb and Heidi. Heidi -- a good idea -- I'll shoot when things have really bloomed and hopefully the sky is clear, just for contrast. And maybe again in the fall when leaves have turned.
@steampowered hello to you online!
@amandal Thanks Amanda -- not HDR, but an effect from Nik Suite software program that I use (see comment above). I even took a lesson at the Apple store on how to do HDR, but keep forgetting key settings every time I've gone out to try to do it, and it hasn't worked yet! On my photo bucket list.
Thanks Scott, Jennifer, Elizabeth, Juliette, and Ann. I appreciate your visit and comment. The little window where it wasn't pouring and the buds' colors were clear and Junko and I happened to be walking by was pretty lucky. The processing did help a lot as the original sky was just a bland gray with the clouds overexposed to get the buildings and flora to show up.