Another Super Moon!!

Another Super Moon!!

As the moon travels around the Earth it does so in an elliptical orbit that this year varied from 252,668 to 221,524 miles from earth.  The shortest distance this year of the moon to earth will occur on Nov 14, 2016.   Because the moon will be closer than usual, it will also appear bigger as shown in the diagram below.  




As a preview, here is a shot with a 300 mm lens and heavy cropping from my front yard on Nov 12, 2016.












For those who want to select a place and time to get your photograph, I suggest using the Photographer's Ephemeris (http://app.photoephemeris.com/) to calculate the best time and location for your shot. I plan on getting a shot as it rises above the UCB Campanile in Berkeley, CA.  








Good luck to those who grab there cameras and get some photos of the Supermoon!

Crafting a macro to create a vintage postcard look with Nik software

Crafting a macro to create a vintage postcard look with Nik software

(c) Ken Osborn May 16, 2016

After visiting a version of Renaissance Italy at a local craft and performance fair in Vallejo CA, I
tried reinterpreting my photos as postcards depicting the era as might have been done in the 1930's.

Something like this:

To create this image took a few steps in Photoshop plus the Nik software plugin (free at https://www.google.com/nikcollection/)

If you have several images it is worthwhile to automate or at least semi-automate the process, as I did with the following macro (aka Action):

Some details

Make a couple of layers with your starting photograph

Blend 'Color' Mode on the top layer

Select the second layer down just below the 'Color' mode layer.  You will convert that to a monochrome version.

Select Silver Effects Pro in the Nik plugin

Where you will have several options to choose from

I selected Antique Plate II 

How it looks before adding color

Bring back the top layer in 'Color' blend mode and you have your postcard!