I’m not big on cities. But photographing cityscapes makes it all worthwhile! And Shanghai must have one of the prettiest skylines I have ever seen.
When I visited China a couple of years ago, I had an extra day to explore Shanghai and get used to the time change. It was hot, muggy and raining. So when I processed this photo I decided to make an abstract impressionist version to replicate the feeling of the place I had when I was there.
In this photo editing case study, I show you how I processed the image from beginning to end using Lightroom, Photoshop, and Topaz Impression.
Click here to watch the video larger on YouTube.
Here is the image after I was finished with it in Lightroom:
Here’s how the final image turned out after adding my abstract impressionist effects in Photoshop and Topaz Impression:
If you enjoyed this video demonstration, please subscribe to my YouTube Channel so you won’t miss the next one.
Bob Rich says
November 27, 2018 at 3:27 pmHi Anne, love the tutorial and the effect with the Topaz filter. I’ve used Topaz filters for some years, mainly with the 3D pictures I used to create but not a lot with my photography. I think I might start playing around with the Topaz plugins again and see what I can create using my photos. Thanks again for the videos.
Anne McKinnell says
December 2, 2018 at 11:51 amHi Bob, I’m glad I’ve inspired you to try something new with your photography! The Topaz filters are a lot of fun to use. There are so many options it can be hard to choose, and then once you choose you can fiddle with the settings inside the preset to get even more unique effects.
I’m enjoying making the videos, so I plan to do more. Thanks for your comments!
Naomi Zottoli says
November 28, 2018 at 2:30 amReally enjoyed your video, learned some new creative effects. Thank you!
Anne McKinnell says
December 2, 2018 at 11:36 amYou are most welcome Naomi! Thanks for taking the time to give me your feedback, much appreciated 🙂
beyondmetaphor says
November 29, 2018 at 11:15 pmlot of effort for not much change. I always wonder what Man Ray would have done with these programs? any ideas out there?
Anne McKinnell says
December 2, 2018 at 11:34 amI feel that the two photos are totally different! One is a straight photograph and the other digital art with an entirely different feel. I’m sure the purists out there would think they are different.
That’s a great question about what Man Ray would have done with the software available today. Since he was a surrealist and very experimental in his art, I’m sure he would find unique ways to use all the tools that are available today. It’s a bit like asking what Henry Ford would think of a Tesla.
I could certainly push this piece a lot further down the digital art path but this result is exactly what I was trying to achieve. Just a bit of blur, texture and rain to give it the feel I had on the day I was there.
Thanks for your visit and comments!
J T says
January 27, 2019 at 4:05 pmHi Ann,
Great training video. Both Shanghai photos look nice. Have safe travels in 2019.
Anne McKinnell says
January 28, 2019 at 10:01 amThank you JT. The two versions are quite different from each other I think. I don’t always do digital art, but sometimes it can be a lot of fun. Thanks for your comments.