There really isn’t anything quite like a new camera to move me to venture outdoors in cold weather as I’m not a fan of the cold. However, I traded in my old camera body for an updated body this past weekend and just had to test it in the field. I must say this camera is much snappier in speed with a better focusing system. The new menu organization is clearer and having a joystick now for moving the focus point is fabulous. The image quality is excellent.
The photo on the right is straight out of the camera. For me, the small size of a Fuji X-T2 mirrorless APS-C camera is perfect. In celebration of my new equipment I created a scrapbook page with one of my first photos with the new camera. I was going to write “my new toy”, but that didn’t sound even remotely reflective of how serious I view my role as an amateur photographer.
I have been focused on creating pages for a book with most of the photos that I capture. However, I do enjoy creating artsy pages too.
I began this page with a beautiful paper from a mini palette that Anna will be offering free with a $10 purchase this weekend, artsy paper 2 from ArtPlay MiniPalette Opacus. I duplicated the original paper which I had set on normal blend mode and changed that copy to multiply at 25%. That added just a bit more intensity to the color.
Next, I used the paper as a mask and blended my photo into the paper using a layer mask and brush 12 from AnnaBlendz Artsy No. 3. Anna’s artsy brushes add texture that I cannot get with a soft round brush. I changed the blend mode to linear burn allowing the texture of the paper to bleed through the photo. I duplicated that photo and applied a filter with Topaz Simplify before changing the blend mode to normal at 25%. I pieced a second photo below just enough to extend the grass to the texture border of the paper. Basically, the entire paper is the mask for my photo.
For interest, I added the layers of psd file 3 from MultiMedia Branches No. 8. I warped the branch and shadow with the warp tool to fit the texture line in the paper. I also switched out the button and added the string and blue bow from the mini palette. I also stamped a camera brush from ArtsyCameras No. 3 and placed it at the bottom of the multimedia branch layers. With the pen tool, I created a line to follow the paper’s line and added my text.
I don’t often have pages that come together so quickly. In this case, I think limiting myself to an artsy paper, a photo, one art play palette and psd multimedia file really helped speed my process.
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