Modes Of Distraction

When I was in my 20s, studying photography in college, way, way back when digital images were a twinkle in some inventor's eye, I longed to work with color film and color prints. But I just couldn't afford the cost. As it was, I could hardly afford the price of black and white film photography on my GI benefits and part-time work as a fry cook.

Perhaps that lost opportunity carved a deep need in me. That might explain what has now happened.

Again.

It happened before. My first digital camera was an Olympus. It had a 1.2 megapixel sensor. I don't remember the model. But I believe I paid something like $1,200 for the camera. In 2009 dollars, that's probably more than The Wife paid for my new Nikon outfit. I bought the camera to take photos of The Kid playing soccer. At least that's what I told myself. But then I got a pirated copy of Photoshop from a friend at work. Then I convinced my employer to pay for me to take a Photoshop class.

Soon I was spending hours -- literally hours -- manipulating photos, applying filters, modifying the effect of the filters by applying separate modes. The combinations seemed limitless and the results so surprising that I just had to do more. With digital files I could finally afford to play with color photography.

I don't recall why I stopped. Probably happened about the time The Kid gave up competitive soccer. I just didn't have an excuse to pick up the camera. Then The Kid borrowed the camera. Finally, all I had left was The Wife's point-and-shoot pocket job and my cell phone.

Until now.

Now I find myself again on the verge of spending hours just playing with images in Photoshop. This is really dangerous. I just don't have the time. I'm not real good with focusing on my work already. Add this distraction and, well, it's not good.

Here are some examples of what happens when an uninteresting snapshot sparks a run through the Photoshop machinations.

The sun came out briefly this afternoon and I snapped a shot of these begonia leaves.

And this is what I did to it. (Click these to see larger* resolution)

As the sun was setting behind some clouds this afternoon, I took this photo. This artwork is nailed to the stucco on the porch wall. The wall is white; the metalwork bronze-looking.

Here's that image imagined as a foil embossed sheet of paper.

And here's that same image as a wrought-iron grill on an ancient oak door illuminated by five overhead can lights.

I'm a little uneasy about what lies ahead.

Day 8 of 365.

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* I just realized that Blogger is downsampling my 1920 x 1080 images to 1600 x 900. That's unfortunate. I want to create a full HD slideshow at the end of the year. I guess I will have to work from the originals rather than the uploaded images.