As you've probably noticed by now, I don't use filters that much. I try to keep the photo as original as I can meaning that I try to photograph what I see and also I try to show people what I thought I saw in the scenery / object. But or course as I'm not a professional photographer, often it's really hard to capture what I want. And if it's not in the photo, a perfect angle, correct lightning and right style, it's pretty hard to make the photo awesome in post editing. Adding a custom style also in post edit isn't, or should I say, hasn't been my thing. It could be, but as my mood changes so much on what I want from different photos, I don't want to limit my options to certain color tones or what ever could be considered as a certain style done in post edit. And I don't want to add flare, bokeh, sun or radiant colors if it wasn't there to begin with.
On the other hand, if I want to play with post edit and photoshop, I overdo things, so that it's apparent (hopefully) to everyone that the photo is not original.
That being said, I absolutely love ready made filters! I love them, although I normally don't use them. Or perhaps I should say, I use them, but I don't usually publish photos with any filter. And I love black and white photos that have that one red coat / lips / flower color splash there.
I found myself playing with Topaz filters once again when I was going through my photos. I was trying to find good photos from my maybe folder (a.k.a. possibly publishable photos) folder and at the same time trying to think of something to say that would somewhat be related to the photo(s). But it's really hard. At least for me, to get both of those things to be true. A good photo and something meaningful to say. It felt like I had two options. Either publish a good photo with the text: "Me like this!" or publish a bad photo of something that just wasn't quite there and list the numerous things that I don't like in that photo.
So I decided to do the latter one and add some of those filters I absolutely adore because of the same facts that I don't usually use them. The filter ruins the photo, but as it ruins it, it also brings something interesting to it. As something is gone, other areas will be enhanced. And as the photos that I've selected, weren't that good to begin with, there's nothing to be ruined. That's want I think now, just wait a month and my mind is completely changed. (Fortunately there's infinite space in my hard drive for snapshots like these...)
Topaz filters are much more professional than for instance the filters that I used earlier on my photos in the copyright post. Of course when I publish a photo, I do edit it a little. Blacks, shadows, highlights, whites. Color correction, cropping and straightening the photo if needed. If I think the photo is some way awesome, but fails in some other way, there are certain things that can be done in raw edit. But if it's completely ruined, it's ruined and there's nothing I can do with it to hide the low quality of the photo and the lack of skills of the photographer.
Here's a set of photos that all lack something. The original is the jpg that my camera gives me along with the raw photo. Edited is the result of post edit and the third one has a neat filter added. (I think it's neat...) I didn't waste that much time on finding the right filters or adjusting it. My goal was just to play with them, so chose almost the first filter that seemed some way okay or cool. Which version do you prefer from each set?
The first photo sett is from Lahti, Finland. This is a typical situation. I'm somewhere for few hours and all I have is a grey sky and dull daytime light. No sun, no bright light, no dark shadows. The post edit photo has a little bit more green on the copper roofs than what I normally would do, but I was feeling pretty green when editing, so why not! And the topaz filter takes us back about 100 years.
| Original | Edited | Edited + Topaz Filter |
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Again lacking sunshine. The sun was shining for a moment, but I missed it, waited for a long time and took several photos from different angles as I was waiting for the sun to come back, finally gave up, literally lifted the clutch and left to the highway... and there came the sun. Didn't go back. And yes, the roof ridge in the middle of the photo (never put things in the middle, except when you have to) was the best of all the photos because that was the only photo that had only one birch in it, something on the foreground and the red color on the roof edge. I like the edited version, but the filtered photo also has something cool in it. I could paint like that!
The circus act photo in Hiedanranta, Tampere, has delicious colors, but the faces of the performers aren't sharp and my opinion is that they really would have had to be sharp in this case. And my position considering the performers, isn't that good. Same thing in the Tampere street lights photo below the circus act. The photo isn't sharp, but that's not what I'd like to change here. My position so that there wouldn't be so much going on in the photo, is bad. Can't post edit that.
| Original | Edited | Edited + Topaz Filter |
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Again it would have been great if there would have been a bit more light in this flower photo. Perhaps some gentle back light, highlighting the petal edges so the flowers would stand out better. Decided to play a little with the the colors.
No awesome sun rays to complete the greatness of the MG-124 outside the Tuulonen shopping center. But I think I did a pretty good job on post edit and the Topaz filter gives a vintage film vibe to the photo.
| Original | Edited | Edited + Topaz Filter |
|---|---|---|
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I always do this. Photograph in low light without a stand, ISO on auto and then I get, yes, you guessed it right, grain. Grain all over! And it's awesome if that was what I was going for, but usually it isn't. Did some post edit and added glowing edges. Light and dark. That made my shitty photo just different kind of shitty. So nothing gained, nothing lost. Except grain.
Finally, last two photos from Tampere center, taken with my Huawei smartphone. An under passage that I've fortunately also did manage to photograph, when the sun was shining just from the right direction and angle. Perfect timing, perfect weather. In this case however, if I would have been there just five minutes earlier and if I would have had my Canon with me, I could have gotten the lovely redish / orangish / pinkish sunset photographed better. But as I only (again) had my Huawei with me and its digital zoom is useless, this is what I got. Sun has already sett at seven o'clock in the evening, 14th of October. Here are the photos taken 23rd of September for you to compare how much difference does the sunlight make.
| Original | Edited | Edited + Topaz Filter |
|---|---|---|
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I like the fighter jet photo. And the roof on fire and the flower. Who wouldn't like fighter jets and flowers! All my favourite things start with the letter F! (The foof, the foof, the foof is on fire...) Also the photo from Lahti ain't that bad. The rest, too much rookie mistakes. But who's counting! (I am.)
Photos: CC BY-SA 4.0 - Insaneworks