Madrone Berries (Arbutus menziesii) Double Vision
My vision in the left eye is still quite blurry. Unless I really concentrate on what I am seeing, my right eye dominates and I simply have a hazy sense of looming weirdness. And unless I stick my head up real close to something, color washes out.
So to see these Madrone berries I stuck my head right into the branches and let my blurry vision take over. If I let both eyes see, there is only a small area in focus and the rest is a double vision. To make this photo, shot in macro mode super close with my G11, I copied the image and superimposed it on itself, slightly offset.
After I sandwiched the images, I erased the effect on the berries with the best focus and added the palette knife art filter; and then erased that effect on the same berries. It is hard to see the effect of the filter in the small blog version of the photo, but I am satisfied that I can convey how only a small area of the scene is actually in sharp focus.
I used the palette knife filter on a much stronger setting for a vertical version of berries on another Madrone. It seemed to be an exceptionally good year for berries for this exceptionally wonderful California native tree, but even so, I needed to clone in a cluster of berries to fill a gap in the lower left of the original photo.
Madrone Berries - Cloned
If you look closely you will notice the cluster at the bottom is the same as the one above it. I had to spend some Photoshop time blending leaves and branches so it would look “natural”, but it is all for the sake of art. The camera always lies anyway, and I really wanted to get the feeling of looking through a blurry foreground to an area that is sharp focus.
In this case, I am allowing my dominant right eye focus where ever it can, knowing my blurry left eye can focus on nothing in the distance. I didn’t let my eyes see double vision, letting the blurry left eye be an impressionist sense of color. This only works if I am really close to the subject, other wise my eye does not see much color, just muted gray blurs.
It is fun to play with these macro scenes where I can actually put the eye to creative use, but for larger landscapes it is still pretty useless. As spring comes on and I begin my real work photographing gardens, I wonder how the two eyes will work together – or not. I am using a pirate’s patch over my eye when I drive so that I can avoid some of the depth of field confusion of one blurry eye. I may need to use it when I work….
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
Sax you are an amazing person. To be so positive with something that potentially affects your ability to make a living is huge. So to put it in my perspective, let’s just assume that God is working in a way that you can’t know, but ultimately in a way that will help you and glorify him! Now I know that this is not your perspective. It is totaly mine. But I can tell you that this perspective has helped me greatly over the last 2 months. Sorry, but that is a sentiment that I just felt inclined to share. I hope no offense is taken. None was intended. All the best to you and Mary! Luv you Bro———- tom
Tom – All perspectives appreciated. Who really knows where inspiration comes from. It just seems right to honor the impulse with action. – Saxon
Really interesting work in Photoshop. The colors pop, as does the foreground/background. You seem to be having fun with this image.
Donna – Thanks for the comment. With the blurriness in the one eye I am trying to find subjects with strong color, perhaps even exaggerating the way I perceive them. – Saxon
I must confess that your sentence ‘I simply have a hazy sense of looming weirdness’ made me laugh out loud – I have that sense often, and my vision is fine! I love looking through the hazy Madrone berries to find the cluster(s) that are in focus – it made me work a bit harder, linger longer on the photograph – which, perhaps, is the whole point – yes? It really is quite beautiful – and the berries are a bit mysterious, for this easterner.
Thanks for the comments Pam. It is very satisfying to know you took the time to linger on the photo.
Although the question of employment is secondary to healing, I think your journey would make for a fabulous “how to” book for photoshop. Speaking as a frustrated neophyte, I learn a lot from how you do it. Also in terms of art the photographs stand. As for cloning, I think part of the photograph is the sense of the bush and context, and if the picture doesn’t do justice to the context, it is not only fair but right to clone (for clone, read manipulate object, such as bending branches).
Marianne – Thanks for the thoughtful comments. Any book on me advising others on PhotoShop will be a long time coming. I know so little compared to what those who might buy a book would expect. My journey here will be my book, much too slow for a publisher, but hopefully filled with a few tidbits to share.