RPS e-Circle Processing Group meeting

I belong to an e-Circle within the Royal Photographic Society (RPS) that discusses processing (i.e. editing) techniques. This month’s meeting was to produce two images: one monochrome, one colour, using photos of our own choosing. We are encouraged to be adventurous and produce something different.

Below I show my work starting with a somewhat uninspiring photo. This is a view of the derelict coal mine workings of Chatterley-Whitfield in Stoke-on-Trent. These working are now in the middle of a country park – the spoil heap is now a small hill with paths leading up and over it!

The uninspiring view of Chatterley-Whitfield coal mine workings.

The first version I produced is a sepia toned image with a textured layer introduced over the image:

The mine workings in a sepia tinted textured image

The next version is the coloured version. I like the effect of posterised images so used this for the main technique. Not my best work but as I have just started using Affinity 2 Photo as my editor I am still feeling my way along. However I think this is acceptable:

The mine works as a coloured posterised image

That is all I needed to do for this meeting. However I wondered what I would get blending these two versions together. I will shows these as pairs of photos using comparison slider. These first two blends resulted in orange, but different tones:

The first blended image produced an orange tint
This second blended image produced a different orange effect

These next two blends resulted in totally different look and feels:

This third blend gives a brown tone to the image
This fourth blend in colour gives a dirty, grainy look to the image

These photos, and the techniques I used, were well received. Likewise the work of other contributors was interesting, especially when they too started with a dull, uninspiring image. I learn a lot from these meetings.

This was an interesting exercise as I (and others) do like to experiment to get something unusual. We agreed to do the same next month (with different images…)

Author: Paul L.G. Morris

I am an amateur photographer whose photography is mostly of gardens, nature and the rural environment. My specialities are close-ups, panoramic views, or a combination of both that I call 'Nearscapes'. I work mostly for my own interest having closed my business PM Studios Ltd.