Sometimes you start a journey without a planned final destination. Like an old adventurer with too many miles under your feet, your hair combed by the wind and your clothes colored by the sun, you just can’t resist the road and what lies ahead.
When I found out that Robyn from Captivate Me planned to start a new photo challenge where every month participants would post-process one of their images in four different ways over the four weeks, I knew I wanted to try it. Now, at the end of the first month, I can say that I really enjoyed this journey, with all its curves, dead-end alleys and unscheduled bus stops.
This is my final image for the month of November. I knew from the start there would be a black&white version, that was one of the reasons why I picked this image. Post-processing was very easy, because I had a vision in my head from the start. Aside from cropping and flipping the image, I made slight angle adjustment, continuing in my experiment of different perspectives and compositions of the same image. That is the biggest thing I learned this month, how to turn images “upside-down” in a pursuit of an interesting POW.
I wanted it to be a gentle, dreamy edit, to accentuate the softness of the petals with that wonderful light. Hence the use of Orton, my favourite effect in PicMonkey. Orton tends to make image too dark, so I made some adjustments in brightness and contrast. My last step was Focal Soften effect, where by softening the background, I tried to bring some of the central details in focus.
And here they are…The original and her four sisters. I would really appreciate some feedback and your votes in the poll bellow. Be sure to visit other participants (our tag is #onefourchallenge) and vote on their polls.
Dear friends, participants, followers, accidental visitors….with this we conclude November #One Four Challenge. Thank you for your visits, comments, likes, support, constructive criticism. I hope you enjoyed this journey and will continue to accompany me down the road. Our next road trip is December #One Four Challenge and I am happy to say I’ve already picked the image.
This week’s image is gorgeous. It is all you said it was, delicate with a POW factor. I really love it. I wouldn’t have thought to turn it, and yet, that just changes everything! Great process. Looking forward to seeing your progression next month too.
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Thank you, Carrie. It seems this week’s image is all around favorite.
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It is #4!! Stunning in the light!! I really like how you used different perspectives in the challenge. Each one was so unique!! I loved them all in their perfectness!! Great experimentation. I must try pic monkey!! – I am your adventurer friend in spirit!!!
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Thank you, Cybele. I had fun working on this project, exploring new things, trying to think outside the box. The best part is how many people told me my versatile approach inspired them to try something new.
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I voted number 4, this looks gorgeous in monochrome! lovely photo!
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Thank you, I am glad you liked it.
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It is Week 4 hands down. What a sensitive, dreamy, creative way to end this month, Lora. I like everything about it, the selection of the individual bloom, the orientation, the glow, the translucence of the petals… Great journey and very nice words at the end. Bravo! Chris
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Thank you so much, Chris. I really enjoyed this challenge and I am looking forward to December, very curious to see images people picked.
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No question in my mind. Week 4 isolates the image just perfectly! Such a dreamlike feel to it!
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Thank you, Emilio. I am happy to say my post-processing skills improved over the last few months. Being the part of ABF and now 14C helped me learn many new things.
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I love that each week has been completely different! Flipping and cropping and duplicating….love it!
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Thank you, I really tried to deliver something different every week.
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Mission accomplished!
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this black and white version is stunning
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Thank you, I am rather fond of it myself. It turned out better then I imagined it at the beginning.
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I must agree — week 4 is my favourite. That said, all four are a lovely, related set of soft dreamy images. Great work!
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Thank you, Elizabeth. It was fun participating in this challenge and watching others work their magic.
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Loré, your first three images are lovely and your creative cropping inspired, but when I got to your black and white, I knew it was the “winner.” Gorgeous tone, perfect crop, stunning all around. Congrats on a successful first round. Looking forward to seeing what you’ve chosen for December!
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I enjoyed this so much, working on one image for 4 weeks made me look at things differently, so I could adapt and change from week to week. Nice experiment, really. I already picked my December image, it is Christmas related, looking forward to where it will take me. Thank you so much for your support.
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Such a delicate and sensitive treatment of a fragile and beautifully lit subject, a lovely job 🙂
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Thank you, this was such a great image to work with. I am very happy so many people liked what I did, it is much appreciated.
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Ta da!! Absolutely gorgeous finale Lore!!
I love that your number 4, has almost unanimous voting for it!!
I have so enjoyed watching your journey this month and hearing always what you have to say 😀
Such inspiring fun for us all – looking forward to December – as you say, a whole new journey xx
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Thank you, Robyn for your support and for this great challenge. As I said before, the moment I read about your plans, I was hooked. It turned out to be a great exercise in exploring, experimenting and learning. And it turned out to be a great group of people sharing this journey. Looking forward to December, too. I am very curious to see other images.
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Number 4 has an elegance about it ! I vote for this week version 😃
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Thank you for your kind words and for your vote.
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Stunning! I’ll have to backtrack to the others later tonight.
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Thank you, glad you liked it.
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I am kinda split between three and four but in the end three for me is my favourite. I like the mirroring of the image and the strong colours of the flower.
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Thank you, Ben. I worked hardest on Week 3, so I really appreciate your compliment.
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week 4 is beautiful in it’s simplicity.
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Thank you, it seems Week 4 is everyone’s favorite.
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