Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Scanning the leaves

Working outside, raking up was a wholesome and soothing activity.  But again, I missed the light to take any pictures, and it was mostly rather gloomy today anyway.  So I grabbed a handful of the fallen liquidambar leaves just before dark, which falls quickly these nights, and brought them in to play with.  I never sweep these up anyway, as I think the vivid patch of litter on the ground around the tree is as good a part of its display as anything, and let them blow away or get mowed up in their own good time.

My printer doesn't do those amazing sharp, deep scans with the black background that Marja-Leena's does.  I did it with the lid up, then messed about with some Picasa editing:



this one (above) simply has the contrast and saturation turned up a little,


this is with 'cross process' effect,


posterised,



black and white,


'pencil sketch',


and with inverted colours.

~

And that must be all for tonight.  What is frustrating me rather, so that I don't feel I'm keeping up very well, is not so much the daily posting but not getting around other people's blogs, when I know so many of you are also upping your posting rate and doing lovely things, and still finding the time to get here and offer me succour and encouragement. It just seems as if the odd five minutes or half-hour that I can snatch here I'm using for putting up a daily post, or sometimes trying to do justice to the comments you leave by replying.  However, we're two-thirds through the month and I've kept it up so far, so I'm resolved to finish.  Thanks for staying with it too!

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Lovely images! They look quite ethereal.

marja-leena said...

Lucy, these are indeed lovely in all their variations. Just curious, what software do you use for processing these? The pencil sketch makes me think 'PhotoShop'.

Les said...

Oh, congratulations on keeping up with NaBloPoMo, Lucy! I just found my way over here -- and it's already 2/3rds of the way through, as you say. I'm also posting this month, and it's actually sending me over to read more blogs, paradoxically, though I'm more pressed for time. I'm usually so lax with both posting and reading, so having to post I guess is making me more aware of the efforts of others.

So sorry to read of your poor car. Hope that goes in your favor. Glad to catch up here a bit!

Catalyst said...

I wonder why you did the scans with the cover up. Beautiful though.

Roderick Robinson said...

Liquidamber. The master is reaching out during your time of woe and saying "Way to go, Luce, way to go."

Followed by several sentences in Latin.

Guess what I've just finished, reminded of you and Joe throughout.

Julia said...

Having you post every day inspires me each November to try too. Thank you so much for that inspiration, and for your writing and images, which are so rich and varied even when they describe the every day. Liquidamber is a treasure of a word.

Lesley said...

So lovely.

Nimble said...

Beautiful leaves. You are so workmanlike about your blog reading and commenting. I hope you will save some posts to read for later. The huge November harvest will have to see us through the lean times ahead!

Anonymous said...

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