Peek-a-Boo Blossoms

A couple of months ago at a photo seminar at Hui Hoolana, John Barclay challenged students to create a folio, a sort of focused self-assignment. Taking his advice to heart, I began photographing a series of single flowers that were hidden in plain sight - what I termed Peek-a-boo blossoms. Here's the first sampling of an ongoing self assignment. (BTW Check out huiho.org for more info on John Barclay and Jonathan Kingston's annual photo seminar with guest artists Dewitt Jones and Rikki Cooke.)

Palm Divination

On a recent family vacation (grandbaby time), Dewitt and I were cruising the beach in Ventura, CA. A grouping of three palm trees caught my eye - I love palm trees and I could already foresee multiple app permutations.

I started with Snapseed and HDR art for the first iterations.

Next I used Modern Grunge for this interpretation.

I went to an old favorite app for this one:  FotoMuse.

And finally, I dipped into Old Photo Pro for this very cool look.

I don't have a favorite - I pretty much like them all - and the 10 others that are still sitting on my iphone.

Abstract Expressionism in A Colorado Town

The town of Wray, Colorado has wonderful architecture preserved in its downtown area. Dewitt and I stopped there on our way back to Denver from the eastern part of the state and just wandered around, photographing. (After a great latte and bagel sandwich at the coffee place).

I love the abstract expressionists like Rothko. (I know they aren't everyone's cup of tea, but I seriously could stare at some of those minimalist paintings forever.) Anyway, I kept seeing details in the vintage buildings - here are a few iphone pix. All are straight shots, optimized in Snapseed app.

Ocean Paddlers Race - Moloka`i to Oahu

An international race of 1 man oceangoing canoes and other craft launched last Saturday off Kepuhi Beach in Moloka`i. Dewitt and I and two close friends went beachside to check out the action.

A perfect day for paddling - apped with Snapseed.

Strong, buff paddlers pick up their canoes like they are toys. Which they might look like on the surface of the sea between islands.

My favorite shot of the day is of this woman reading quietly while the hubbub of the race goes on around and before her. Snapseed, Waterlogue, and Blender to combine painted image with the optimized original.

Palmistry Molokai Style

Dewitt and I had good friends visiting, so we visited the Kapuaiwa Palm Grove for sunset. The sunset was more pastel than dramatic red and orange, which made for a kind of quiet beauty.

This first photo is a Hipstamatic shot with John S and Dreamcanvas. Upped saturation and sharpness in Snapseed.

 I used You Gotta See This to make this collage of the palm trees. (A freaky cool app that Jack Davis turned me on to years ago - I am rediscovering old apps! Optimized in Snapseed and Camera+.

 I used the same combo of apps for this view of the calm sea at sunset. Frame was added in Crop N Frame, which is a terrific framing app.

Brushstrokes added an abstract painterly look to this same photo. I like them both.

What's Here To Photograph?

Recently, Dewitt and I were teaching an iPhone photography playshop in Kona, Hawaii. On arrival day, we gave ourselves the assignment to find art on site at the Mauna Lani Bay Hotel.  After all, we genuinely believe there is beauty everywhere. Here are a few of the shots I “found”. All were optimized in Snapseed and Touch Retouch.

Stealing Beauty With Color Thief

Make a good photo great by using one of my all time favorite apps: Color Thief. This app "steals" the color from another photo (or even a web page)  and applies it to the one you choose. That does not sound as freaky cool as the app really is! You have to try it. And I can't believe that you won't be as addicted to it as I am!

Here is an example of a photo I took on the beach in Ventura, CA. Now, I like this photo as is. I LOVE it in its new color permutations. Check this out.

The starfish was lovely in its imperfection, one shortened arm, twirling in the sand. All I did to the original was to optimize it in Snapseed (tune image and details.)

Then I brought it into Color Thief and started zipping through the pix on my Camera Roll (this is a highly addictive part of the process. Like slot machine wheels going past, adding color instead of coins.) These were my favorites.

My all time favorite of the starfish color renditions was this one, which I posted on social media sites. I called it Pirouette.

And now I find out that they have an app for the Mac - oh joy, oh rapture. I'm heading for the app store right now. Oh, and did I mention that of course, it saves full resolution? It doesn't get any better than this.