Input requested...

[Blue_In_AK]

I'm probably not going to have a chance to get out and take more portal pictures -- not that there are any spectacular portals in Anchorage anyway - so I'll be going with my cabin portals. Do you guys like the color or monochrome version better? I cropped the monochrome to make the doorways a little more off-center, too. Does that work?

[NV Whino]

1. i like the color

and I like centered.

[Immad2]

2. The color does more for me. Seems to have more texture.

:thumbsup: :applause:

[Samurai_Writer]

3. Color

unless you do some editing on that B&W to make it sharper and more contrasting. It's kind of faded out the way it is.

[Blue_In_AK]

5. All righty, then...

Thanks for your input. Color it is.

[usedtobesick]

4. I really like the color version

I love the detail that stands out in the color one. The mono looses some of the detail...

[Whoa_Nelly]

6. The color one

and I like the positioning in it as well :hi:

[intheflow]

7. I don't what all these "color" people are about.

The lack of color brings out the depth and texture. But then, the portal photo that's winning in my poll is one that I almost didn't add to the mix. So I guess there's no accounting for my tastes.

[Blue_In_AK]

10. Are you talking about the one with the arches?

The First one? I LOVE that photo. That's the one I picked.

[intheflow]

11. Yep.

I think it bugs me because it looks like a picture out of Better Homes and Gardens... beautiful, but without any people interacting with the environment. Considering it was the only restaurant open on that street when I took the photo in November, I guess I'm "feeling" the lack of people, the emptiness of the French Quarter after Katrina. :(

[JeffR]

8. Just to mess with ya a little

Why not desaturate the color from the foreground and leave it inside the window? I think it might be worth trying.

[Blue_In_AK]

9. Oh, now you're talking all that technical stuff.

I like the idea, just don't know how to do it.

[CC]

12. Here you go

Just so you can see, use it if you want. I have not had internet more often than had for a couple weeks, they are coming to fix it Friday. So caught this while on, played with it while off and on for however long so here ya go.

It is really easy to do if you use layers, specially as it had straight lines to cut out. Duplicate your layer, select the doorway with the lasso, then cut it out. Desaturate with whatever method you prefer. I took it to black and white but thought it was a bit harsh so lowered the opacity of that layer to a point that I liked it.
I still have to find a portal, then hope I am online.
Still waiting for you to get your pics online to sell...

[JeffR]

13. Could be done with layers

But the easiest way would be to select the area inside the window, invert the selection so it takes in the area outside the window, and then desaturate. I use Photoshop, but PWP or PSP can achieve the same thing.

[F.Gordon]

14. CC beat me to it

I did it a little "different". Converted to B&W then painted back in the parts where I wanted color and slapped the two pieces together. Adjusted the levels to give it an artsy look. If you really wanted to get funky you could copy the the doorway in the background and tilt it little more to the left.



Simple method. Get the entire image the way you like it in Paint Shop Pro X. IN COLOR. Just use the Freehand selection (third thingee down on the left tool bar) to follow the outline of the window in the foreground. Then click on Selections on the top tool bar and click on Invert. Then use your favorite B&W poison to convert the foreground to monochrome.

Desaturate is a fancy word meaning..... in loose terms.... remove all the good stuff (color).

See... I posted twice in one day.
:hi:

[Blue_In_AK]

16. I'm so glad you're back, F.

We missed you.

[F.Gordon]

17. I missed everyone too

I think there was some kind of conspiracy going on behind the scenes to punk me into posting again.
:silly:

[Blue_In_AK]

18. We tried earlier, but you were too cagey for us. :-)

[Blue_In_AK]

15. Oh, I like that, you guys...

I don't know if I'll use CC's or F.Gordon's or maybe try this on my own, but it's much more dramatic than either color or monochrome by itself, IMO. Thanks.