This unusual bush is blooming in my front yard – the leaves are actually the large pink colored looking blooms that will turn green soon. A High Pass Layer was created using a Radius of 12.5, much higher than usual. I have recently seen several people doing this and thought I would try it out. In the layer mask the part that should not be sharpened so much, mainly the background areas, were painted out with a black soft round brush. Otherwise just the same process I usually use – the Darken and Lighten Curves for dodging and burning, Color Look Table, Levels for a vignette, and Color Balance Adjustment Layers were applied. The last step was to add Viveza 2 to the main focal point area.

This guy is an example of why I love to go to the Jacksonville Zoo – almost always there is a different type of animal to photograph that was not noticed before. This is a male Southern Black Howler Monkey from Argentina and Bolivia. The texture is one I created in Corel Painter and a Hue/Saturation Adjustment Layer was used to give it the matching blue tones of the monkey. The monkey was selected from his background by using the Quick Selection Tool and the Select & Mask panel. A Color Lookup Adjustment Layer was used using a free LUT called SS (SparkleStock) Bleak Trellick preset – I really like this set of LUTs. Viveza 2 was used to even out the lighting in the image and adjust it to his face. A Spotlight Effect layer was added and last a Curves Adjustment Level. I love they way this image turned out – a lot different than the Zoo image!…..Digital Lady Syd