Not So SAHM

Hallgrimskirkja

Named after a 17th-century Icelandic poet.

Climb to the top for an amazing view of Reykjavik.

Hallgrimskirkja's wonderful architecture stands tall in Reykjavik, Iceland. NotSoSAHM — Hallgrimskirkja – ProjectEdit365 – 18 Aug

The edit was pretty simple for this one – I wanted to bring out the lines and the texture of the brick. I was happy with the composition, so I made it black and white and increased the contrast and clarity. I increased the exposure (barely) and highlights because the sky still seemed too dark. I used a graduated filter on the base to lighten the shadow down there. Here’s the original:

18August

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Visitor at the door

I had to share what I captured today. I was sitting outside messing with my camera when two ducks walked up to the patio. They ended up taking a nap not ten feet away from me. After a while a third duck walked up and ended up wanting into my house!

I did not let him in.

A duck looks through a glass door wondering what's on the other side. Not So SAHM — Visitor at the door – ProjectEdit365 – 17 Aug

You can also see me in the reflection, lying down on the ground. He wasn’t phased at all by me. In fact, he came back later in the day, when I was inside, and began tapping at the glass. He stayed around for about five minutes!

I didn’t take the time to compose very well so the original is wonky. I cropped to straighten and then increased the vibrancy and contrast on the duck’s body. I decreased the clarity of everything around the duck. The original:

17August

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Bridges over the Seine

One of the most romantic places.

Several bridges cross over the Seine with intricate brick and ironwork. Not So SAHM — Bridges over the Seine – ProjectEdit365 – 16 Aug

The original was pretty lopsided. I cropped to straighten and then made it black and white. I cloned out the lines in the upper right corner and used an adjustment brush to make the brick of the lower bridge have more contrast. I also lightened the shadows on everything. The original:

16August

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Juxtaposition

Next to the Centre Georges Pompidou is La Fontaine Stravinsky, celebrating the Rite of Spring. Next to the fountain is a wall mural of who I thought was Salvador Dali, but after researching I found out it is the artist’s Jef Aerosol’s self portrait and its name is “Chuuuttt!” (shhhhh!)

And next to all this modern architecture and art sits L’Eglise Saint-Merri. Get this – the first church built on that site was built in 800s AD. THIS structure was built in the 1500s and was altered in the 1700s.

Talk about juxtaposition of old and new!

A 1500s church sits next to 20th and 21st century art and architecture at the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris. Not So SAHM — Juxtaposition – ProjectEdit365 – 15 Aug

The original was dull and flat. I started out by increasing the vibrance, contrast, and clarity and lightening the shadows. Then I decided to try the HDR filter to see how it affected the church. I liked it. I took away the vignetting that the preset added and decreased the blacks a little. I made the whole photo a little bit warmer then I added an adjustment brush on the church windows to increase their clarity a touch. Here’s the original:

15August

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L’Opera

This building is so ornate, and the outside is only a glimpse as to what is going on inside. Opulent! The statue on the top is Apollo, flanked by Poetry and Music. Below him are tragedy and comedy masks. The ‘N’ and ‘E’ stand for Napoleon III and Emperor.

The facade of the Opera building in Paris is opulent with statues and gilding. Not So SAHM — L’Opera – ProjectEdit365 – 14 Aug

The original was well composed, but I wanted to crop in to get a good look at the detail, and there’s so much of it! I did run a lens correction because there was some bowing, which is still slightly visible at the bottom of the pic. I ran an HDR preset in Lightroom and decreased the blacks just a tad. I sharpened the photo and decreased the noise. Here’s the original:

14August

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The Louvre

This is where I was in yesterday’s post. Well, I was inside the large pyramid.

The original was a little dark in the foreground concerning the architectural elements. I made the picture black and white, lowered the contrast, increased the clarity, and lightened the shadows. The original:

13August

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