Orton Effect with the GIMP
Last week, I posted about a computer meltdown and a reinstall of software including trying to find the GIMP plugins I was using. After finding them and another cool suite of plugins, a twitter mate of mine @alastair_hm commented that he like the Orton Effect plugin. This plugin is located in the Gimphelp.org suite and is found under Script-Fu -> Sharpness -> Softer -> Orton Effect. I had not used this effect so I quickly applied it to an image. I instantly saw the potential for this effect.
I since discovered that the effect was named for MIchael Orton. He sandwiched slides together. For each image, he would take two shots. One overexposed by two stops and one that was overexposed by one stop. This would produce an image that had an impressionistic sense to it. Nowadays, we don’t really need to use a tripod and take multiple shots. Most image editing programs have settings, plugins, addons and etc that could produce this same effect or it an be produced by adding layers onto an existing image.
In GIMP, the Orton Effect copies the image on two additional layers. In the first it overexposes the image and sharpens it, in the second it applies a gaussian blur.
In this photo I used the Orton Effect then added an alpha mask to the blurred layer to fade out the effect in the center of the flower allowing the sharpness to show through.
This image shows the Orton Effect without using an alpha mask.
If you have a favorite GIMP plugin or effect, please let us all know!
Read MoreQuacks Like A Duck
Creative Photography judge’s submission
The Pacific Black Duck, Anas superciliosa is a dabbling duck found in much of Indonesia, New Guinea, Australia, New Zealand, and many islands in the southwestern Pacific, reaching to the Caroline Islands in the north and French Polynesia in the east. It is usually called the Grey Duck or Pārera in New Zealand.
EXIF DATA
Camera: Canon EOS 400D Digital
Exposure: 0.001 sec (1/1600)
Aperture: f/5.6
Lens Type: EF75-300mm f/4-5.6
Focal Length: 300 mm
ISO Speed: 400
Exposure Bias: 0/3 EV
Flash: Flash did not fire
Little Red Planet Camera Speaks
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Hello, I’m the little red planet work horse. You rarely, no let me take that back, you NEVER get to see me cause I am the one that does all the grunt work behind the curtains here. To toot my own horn, I’m a Canon EOS 400D with 55mm and 300mm lenses. I’m pretty average on the digital SLR scale but what I lack in power and features, I more than make up for in ease of use and I’m light weight.That means my user doesn’t get tired lugging me around all day.
I like to shoot in AV mode most of the time. I always tweek my white balance and ISO before closing the shutter. I think my best attribute is my rich understanding of color. Yeah, that’s where I leave all them big bad boys in the dirt. I like color and I make sure it shows in my photos. If I could make any improvements I’d make my digital screen a bit bigger and maybe even add live shot to it. I know the newer models have made these adjustments.
My user drools at my more expensive brothers at the camera store but I’m not worried. I know that there’ll always be a place for me in the camera bag regardless. Hope you enjoy the fruits of my labor.
cheers
PS – You know, it’s not all about features, frames per second and all that jazz … it’s really about art.
Read MoreWynding Way – Creative Photography
Creative Photography Judge
Sometimes I am compelled to take a photo only to find that the photo is sub-standard. This is when I start thinking about why the shot is so compelling and how could I capture that essence on the camera. I keep thinking and experimenting until I get an image that works.
I came upon this boardwalk while walking around a nature reserve near my house. I really liked the look of this boardwalk cutting across this grassy/swampy area. After taking many photos, none really capture the essence of what I was seeing. I kept looking at it and then realised what intrigued me most was the line of the curve plus the muted contrast between boards and grass. I started experimenting with zoom and tilting my camera until I hit upon this image. This is what stopped me at this spot in the first place. Just tiliting my camera gave me that perfect perspective to show off the contrast and the curve.
EXIF Data
- Camera: Cannon EOS400D
- Exposure: 1/1600
- Aperture: f/5.6
- Focal Length: 18mm
- ISO Speed: 200
- Exposure Program: Aperture Priority
- Flash: Did not fire
Editing
- Gently Pulled the curve