52Frames Trending Abstract Photo

I’m so thrilled to say that my photo was trending again on the 52Frames website! Ever since someone mentioned that a photo of mine was trending a few weeks ago I have been checking the site ever since - and to my surprise - my photos have appeared every week since then. It’s impressive because there are over 2500 submissions each week from all over the world. This week’s subject was “abstract” and I was really happy with my entry. It looks so much different than any of the others. I do spend a lot of time editing because it’s fun to do and I use procreate to help me along. So it’s not “just” a photo taken with a bit of editing. It’s actually a composite project using many layers and thinking through all of the options. I use Procreate to paint all of my custom pet portrait commissions and discovered the program works well for editing photos too. It’s all self taught and I am learning new things - by mistake - every week. I don’t think any of my photos would ever become top three for the week. Occasionally they get selected as a top 52 and sometimes they are noted on the instagram feed. I see it as a fun project to work on every week and my husband is such a great critic and makes the process all the more meaningful. So I want to thank 52Frames for showcasing my little part of the world. I’m not sure how these images are selected. I’m just happy to see the streak continue! 

52Frames Abstract Weekly Photo Challenge

The subject for the 52Frames photo challenge this week was “abstract.” Apparently there are several types of abstract, but I always tend to go with my gut. And I have learned a lot of new techniques since joining this online group. So we drove in to town last week and I just started taking photos of things using the “live” option on my iPhone. That way, any of the photos could be turned in to long exposure while editing. The Capitol steps were one option. The waterfountain spray was another. Then there were all the ducks splashing about. The water sprays in front of the National gallery of art are always nice and with a great deal of editing the photo became even more interesting. I am not happy with a single photo so I spend a lot of time creating composites - using several images to make one. The coneflowers at the US botanic garden were a great subject too. But the rounded glass windows and faux stream and waterfalls at the Smithsonian American Indian Museum turned out the best. I used two layers and converted one in to a negative which created some lovely dramatic colors. Then a second layer was superimposed at a different level and crop. I liked the end result even though I’m not sure it meets the criteria. I guess I’ll find out this week if it was a good choice. 

52Frames Abstract Photo Challenge

We started at the Smithsonian American Indian Museum pond in search of an abstract image for the 52Frames photo challenge last week. A few of them were pretty decent. But another option appeared later in the week when we were leaving the neighborhood park from our morning walk. A dramatically dressed woman emerged walking down the sidewalk. She was wearing a pink and green coordinated outfit with matching hat, purse and shoes. We have seen her before in other interesting outfits. I knew I needed to use her images in this challenge. I don’t think I’ve spent this much time on any photo challenge yet after two plus years. Every time I work on a project like this I learn something new.  Before it was just a photo that was edited, but lately creating composite images are more to my liking. It’s a combination of photos and art and a lot of layering and playing around using my procreate app. That is the program I have been using to paint my custom pet portraits. I never realized I could also use it for photo challenges. By the end there were over twenty images to choose from so I left the final selection up to my husband. We rarely agree on which photo is the best and this was no exception. All I know is that I have more fun creating a project than just editing a photo. I wonder what the reaction will be?