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Elaine Tweedy, M. Photog
               (570) 575-1705

Project 52 - Week 29: Sky

7/21/2017

9 Comments

 
As I sat down to write this week's blog, the skies opened up with torrential downpours and loud thunder.  This is not a new thing here in Northeast PA.  EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. THIS. HAPPENS.

It's significant for me today because I had planned on taking one of our dogs over to the park to sit on a dock while I shot what I thought might be one of our great sunsets.  Nope.  Silly me.

So instead let me tell you about the three ways I use "Sky."
Picture
 Sometimes I get lucky and just use SKY as is.  That was the case here, chem trails and all.  This photo is quite a number of years old, taken with a Sony point-and-shoot.  I have done little to it, except to bring out the horse in the front a little more and add some lavender tones to the sky.  In this case I used the existing sky to enhance the look and feel of the photo.  Two horses high on a hill above the barns where you can even see the cloud patterns on the hills that surround them. Without this lovely sky, this would be quite a different photo.

Photographers will tell you we are not always so lucky.  We try to pick the best days and best times to take photos, but Mother Nature tends to have her own plan.  Just like today and the rain coming down in buckets around me.
Picture
I combat Mother Nature's plan A, by using my plan B.  Whenever I am somewhere where the sky is great and there is a nice scene, I take a photo of it.  Then I use my own photo as the launching off point or background to create a composite.  The dog (Tinker - which must mean stick chaser in some language) was in a different photo on a dreary day, so I dropped him into my backdrop.  I must admit, "dropped" makes it all seem easier than it is, but with loads of practice under my belt, I am much more confident about this type of SKY activity.

And finally, I use a sky overlay as an option in some of my photography work.
Picture
I really never want the sky to overwhelm or outshine my subjects, so in this case, I used a subdued version of an overlay.  Overlays are relatively easy to use so long as you don't have too many little intricate spots you need to work the sky into, like a mane and forelock....LOL.  Ah well, it all worked out, didn't it?  In this case the sky was not blue or even white....it was gray.  The overlay gave this photo an entirely new life and look and brightened it extensively.

Always be aware of your SKY and how you can use it to an advantage to enhance your photography.

For more peeks of SKY, the blog circle is ready and waiting.  This week start with Dog Photography by Browning Photo, serving Columbus Ohio pets and their families.  I am sure Lisa has something great in store for us.

Hopefully your weekend skies will be blue, with no rain in sight!

9 Comments
Jodie Pholi
7/21/2017 04:53:29 am

Love your sky images, Your overlays look real great job.

Reply
Jodie Pholi
7/21/2017 04:56:06 am

OMG I Love the first image, Great sky images.

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Kim Hollis link
7/21/2017 06:15:33 am

Nice job with the sky replacements here!

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Lisa Browning
7/21/2017 08:25:42 am

Wonderful job! Everything looks great :)

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Jessica link
7/21/2017 09:07:46 am

All of these beautiful blue skies are breathtaking, but I am particularly drawn to your second image!

Reply
Rochelle
7/21/2017 02:22:39 pm

Nice job on that sky replacement! I do the same thing I have a heap of photos of textures and things that I have taken in my travels which I go back to on occasion

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Linda
7/21/2017 02:51:49 pm

I not not sure where I saw it but I read an article where the photographer said they take sky pictures for the purpose of building an overlay library....and I thought Brilliant! I'm going to do that too. Haha, I never did, but your post reminds me I need to start! Nice job this week!

Reply
SamAdele
7/21/2017 03:06:10 pm

Lovely photos! I'm laughing that Mother Nature seems to be getting in the way of most of us this week :D

Reply
Linda link
7/21/2017 07:59:50 pm

I love your sky - you are so right about taking images in various places and of the sky when it looks nice - I noticed I have a shortage of it. Your composites are great!

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