After months of neglecting my blog I’m finally back, and this time from a new city (Vancouver) with a fresh mind and new ideas. This blog was originally started to share my views (and favs) on music, food and design which I’ll try to stick to, but can’t help ranting on about other topics here and there. A lot has happened in the last few months, I’m no longer living in Ottawa for one. I now live in Vancouver which is absolutely amazing, maybe it’s the mountains talking or the fact that every other day its +8 or warmer in January, but this city is amazing.
Okay, so on to this blog of mine. I have a couple things for all of you which have recently come to my attention (and YES it involves cake). I’ve recently been turned onto a guy called “Twin Shadow” and can’t for the life of me turn of his album “Forget“
I included the link to steal this album so I advise all of you to do so, you will not regret it. unless of course your arrested and jailed for thievery. Doubtful, but just in case blame me but PLEASE (and I can’t stress this enough) gimme a little heads up. Also on the agenda in the music category is my man “KWES” with his recently released album “Against the Dying of the Light” which has been called the greatest album since Jesus recorded that one with that guy that time? Basically download, listen and repeat people!! KWES also started and runs “Rifle Eyes Music” which is a blog keeping up-to-date with artists and bands around Ottawa and Montreal. CHECK IT OUT!!!
Now onto my new found favorite effect in Photoshop, taking normal looking pictures of very normal looking things and making them look like toys. Sounds weird and lame but watch, I promise it will impress. Take this very modest house for example, just a simple home in the hills (It’s the Spelling mansion by the by)
(click for full-size image)So this is just a photo of a massive house in the hills, but with a few simple steps in Photoshop we can turn it into a miniature toy house that looks like it’s part of some kids toy collection… like so.
To achieve this effect find or take on overhead view of something, use a photo that has something you can use as your focus point to better direct the eye of the viewer. In Photoshop press “Q” to open up a mask layer and use the gradient tool and select the area you to apply the effect to (turn into a toy). This will take some time to get the gradient on the perfect spot, once satisfied press “Q” to turn off the mask layer and you should be left with the marquee lines on the photo. Under “filters” choose blue/lens blur. Usually the default setting is enough but play with it a bit to find the perfect amount of blur for your photo. Press “Cntrl+D” to turn the marquees off and now press “Cntrl+U” and turn up the “HUE” to about +40 or a little higher, this will make the bright colors pop as they would on a model toy from the paint. Now press “Cntrl+M” and adjust the “curves” so the input is 7 and output is 9. Now your selection in your photo should look like a model toy. It will take some playing around especially with darker photos but play with the levels and you should be able to achieve the effect pretty easily.
This effect is usually achieved with a $2000 – $3000 tilt shift lens. The problem with this is first off I don’t wanna buy a $2000 lens, second of all by comparing the two online I’ve found the Photoshop route to be much more dramatic in the final result. If you don’t own Photoshop but want to give it a try you can download a trial for free from “Adobe“
I don’t have a food post this time, my apologies. I’ll have something up soon enough, hope you enjoyed this post and I’ll have more soon. I know I promised cake but It’s still in the oven
-ME
