Thank you all for sharing your interesting photo crops for Patti’s challenge last week – so many good pieces of advice! As usual we can learn much from each other. Now we are happy to welcome our guest host this week – Sue (Mac’s Girl) of The Nature of Things.
Sue inspires us to post about our pastimes, old or new. ”Pastimes. It could be something that you are trying for the first time or a hobby or interest that you have enjoyed for many years.” Please visit her site for more inspiration!
Leaving my jigsaw puzzle for some hours, I have chosen to post my newly found (some weeks ago…) pastime, sparkled by ”Swirls and Twirls” at the World according to Dina.
These are some of my first attempts. I started with the little house (in the header) from a spring walk for Thursday Thoughts. Find the house here.
After making a couple of images, I realized that roads were good starters, leading straight into the swirl. This one is from Iceland, original photo here.
A lonely house on a hill, a cold, cold evening in Jämtland, Sweden. Windows are helpful to get the feeling of ”wind and light” running through.
The cherry blossom path. See the original photo here. As usual, click to enlarge.
Finally, this colourful library in Warsaw, where the original photo can be found here.
What did I learn from some hours of fun creating? Some things that felt right for me, were:
- Colourful photos (rather vibrant) worked best – monochrome worked well too.
- Roads and paths were good choices for a start.
- Buildings – doors and windows were helpful to make the swirling go”live”.
- Animals and people will need more practice…(Dina was very successful in her post!)
Another thing is how much time flies when you get absorbed in this – but that was of course part of the intention. If you want to try it, for guidelines, please go to Dina’s site (Link above), and/or to Youtube.
We look forward to seeing your interpretation of the Pastime theme. Please be sure to link your response to Sues post (use the original post link, NOT the one from the WP reader) and use the Lens-Artists TAG so we can all find you.
On May 23, challenge #98, we will be back on schedule, and I (Leya) will be your host. Until then – take care and stay well.
Leya 
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Wow, the cherry path image is wonderful how it disappears under the swirl.
Glad you like it – I thought it should resemble my childhood visions in my grandmother’s garden. She had at least 15 cherry trees to lie under and listen to the bees.
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WOW… these are amazing. I love twirling and I’ve never thought about the masking and leaving some of the original image exposed. Must give this a try xx
These are SO cool. What fun to get lost in photo artistry like this. It would be a good break from puzzles and I may try it out. That library one really caught my attention. All those swirls – kind of how life feels these days at times 🙂
A great analysis of life nowadays – and yes, I do think you would like it!
Thanks for sharing 🙂
Hi Ann-Christine. You have exposed me to something I had not previously experienced. And you don’t even need to be on drugs to witness this psychedelic world!
Ha – but you could be! Making them even more psychedelic…;-D
This looks like a fun pastime Ann-Christine and I especially love the movement in the last two images – beautifully done! 💖 xxx
So glad you enjoyed them, Xenia!
Wow these swirls are just amazing Ann Christine!
Thank you, Aletta! Great fun!
Love your images this week. Must puddle around and try and learn how 🙂
I found you! You did very well!
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Wonderful job Ann Christine. Every image is different and special in its own way.
So glad you enjoyed them, Rupali. I had to try different possibilities! Doing new things is great fun.
These photos are stunning. Certainly fun to play around in a unique way.
Thank you – playing around is great when there is time over for it!
These are wonderful, Ann-Christine. I will definitely try this! You’ve inspired me. Your guidelines and lessons learned will be very helpful.
Yay – glad to have inspired, Patti!
Thank you
I love these. Very creative and colorful.
Thank you, Sherry! In fact they make me less moody. Colours ans liveliness.
I look fora to checking out Dina’s post
and the swirls are so different in each photo. Leya.
My favs are the last two – the swirls loops around part of the tree in the 4th and the last one has that duality left and right –
Glad you liked them – and different photos bring different challenges – I see potential in this technique. I too like the last two ones – I posted in the order I learned new possibilities! Give it a chance!
Thanks – just might do that 😉
Very interesting Ann Christine. I can see how this could be an absorbing pastime. Yet again, you’ve given me another good reason to check out Photoshop.
♥ So glad to have given you another reason! I had great fun with this, and will surely try it again.
These are soooo cool Ann Christine! I need to learn how to do this!
Thanks, Pam! Just follow Youtube advice. But I made it easy for myself by copying the background, doing the twirls (Dina’s site), when finished, put on a layer mask and paint with black/white pencil to reveal/conceal the underlying photo. Good luck!
The house on the hill looks like it’s about to be swallowed by a tornado!
Ha – yes, it does!
Wow, loved these, Leya!
♥ Thank you♥ A fun way to spend extra time!
Great job on those swirls and twirls and integrating the original image. I also saw Dina’s portrait image and put it on my list to try. You’ve shown me it can be done with almost any subject.
Great you liked it – thank you for a positive comment! I hope you will try it and look forward to seeing you take on them!
Love all these swirls and whirls. And isn’t it good to be learning something new? The house is my favorite. It reminds me of Kansas and Dorothy’s house in the Wizard of Oz!
Thank you – so glad you loved them! It is always fun to learn something new – that’s what keeps us going, isn’t it? Dorothy’s house! Yes, more comments on that I got, and of course you are right – I did not think of it myself. ♥
Looks like fun…a new avenue to explore 🙂
David – I loved it, but I see there is much to learn. Potential it has!
Wow, magical!!! Great job … love your creativity. Excellent job. The last image is my favourite.
Thanks, Viveka! I have the same favourite – I found out that windows and colours work well with this technique.
Just beautiful. *smile
♥
Welllll. Different!! They are nicely done.
John, John…love your comment! Different!! I had some fun at least, and the results are a bit…different!
Ethereal beauty.
Means a lot to me, Cindy, that you liked them.
These are really cool!! Very creative!
Glad you feel inspired, Nora! And very much fun to be had!
Interesting! Results are great!
So glad to inspire if I can! Thank you!
I think these are really so interesting . Very cool!!
Glad you find them cool, Anne, In fact I think that might be the best word for them. They feel Like ”wind” images.
awesome images, Ann-Christine! love them all 🙂
Glad you liked them, Wilma (?). Can I call you Wilma – I think I have used Lola before, but don’t know what you prefer! Pleas let me know.
Beautiful creations.
Thank you, VJ – a pastime where time really passes…
Welcome!
These are impressive and to think that you haven’t done it for long. Keep it going, Ann-Christine!
Regards, Teresa
https://mywanderings.travel.blog/
Thank you, Teresa! Try it out – it is great fun!
It seems kinda complicated.
No – just follow the instructions and it will work!
Fabulous! I wasn’t especially a fan, though I know how absorbing this kind of thing can be, Ann Christine, but your houses with streaming light and swirly roads work brilliantly. 🙂 🙂
Thank you, Jo. I know – either people like them or they prefer ordinary photos. I am glad they worked!
Absolutely fabulous AC You have a gift for knowing just the right place to stop twirling/swirling to get the best effect 🙂
Now you made me smile happily, Brian! So glad you like them, but really, it is mostly trial and error.
Love your swirls! Very inspiring…
Thank you!
Love them. I keep thinking about getting Lightroom. Maybe this will be the push I need.
janet
I see it’s in Photoshop. 😉
These are brilliant, the house is amazing and the library stunning. I’d love to know how you did this.
Jude, you responded to my comment, not to A-C’s , although maybe she’ll see it, too. It’s pretty cool, isn’t it? There’s a link it the opening information to the post where we first saw this effect in use and there’s information there.
Thanks Janet, I noticed that I had commented in the wrong place but too late! That’s what happens when I use my phone! I have followed the tutorial and created swirls myself, but I cannot work out how to bring back the original image into the picture. I know it has to do with layers and masks, but I seem to be missing something!
Good luck. 🙂 That’s a frustrating feeling!
Jude – now I answered in the wrong place… sending it again!
Margaret made me find yours! I did not know until Dina’s post. Fun and inspirational they are – you liked them too! Well, I followed Dina’s post, but ended up like this: Copied the background, doing the twirls like she did, but finally put on a new layer mask to be able to paint with white/black pencil to reveal/conceal the real photo. It is much easier if you can ”paint back” your mistakes. Took some time to figure out what photos to use. Surely there is more to do with this technique, more possibilities – and great fun.
Thanks A-C. I knew it was something to do with layer masks, but it’s a long time since I used them, but I found a tutorial yesterday and had a go. As you said this can be good fun!
It can!
Janet – now I posted answers in the wrong place as well… Thank you for making us see it!
Margaret made me find yours! I did not know until Dina’s post. Fun and inspirational they are – you liked them too! Well, I followed Dina’s post, but ended up like this: Copied the background, doing the twirls like she did, but finally put on a new layer mask to be able to paint with white/black pencil to reveal/conceal the real photo. It is much easier if you can ”paint back” your mistakes. Took some time to figure out what photos to use. Surely there is more to do with this technique, more possibilities – and great fun.
;-D They come together.
Ah, thank you, Janet! This is Photoshop, but when we go for Lightroom, Photoshop is included.
These are wonderful AC, especially loved the house. Reminded me of Dorothy’s house as the twister took it away !!! Gotta try this!
Glad you enjoyed them, Tina – and yes, Dorothy’s house! I did not think of it myself, but of course!
You have taken the swirls to a new level, Ann-Christine! This is breathtakingly beautiful. You have inspired us to use this technique in multiple ways, that’s truly a joyous blog experience once more and we thank you kindly for linking us.
Sending you warm greetings from North Norfolk, The Fab Four of Cley 💃🧚♀️🧚🚶♂️
Dear Fab Four – I believe your warm greetings made those winds swirl up to Sweden too! Today it is 17 degrees and not as cold in the wind as earlier in May. Thank you! So kind of you to send such positive words, I really appreciate it. If it wasn’t for you, I would never have tried this idea! I will use the technique again, it has got potential.
Warm winds to you all from Sweden ♥♥♥♥
Wow… awesome! These are impressive, AC. I have seen many, many introductions on YouTube, nothing like your twirls! I’d love to know how you came up with the idea. 🙂 🙂
So happy you liked them, Amy! I think this is something you either like or really not. Some people want ordinary photos, but some like experimenting with them.
I saw a couple of twirls at Dina’s site, and got interested. I tried her way of doing it, but ended up with a layer mask and using black/white pencil to paint and reveal the underlying image instead. Then you have more freedom to paint/paint back if you make a mistake. As I love ”tunnels” and wind effects this was a fun tool to create them. I found out it is all about what picture you choose – and your own fantasy is the limit!
These are fantastic! It looks like a lot of fun to do.
Glad you found them interesting! I must say I had great fun doing them and will try again.
Dina certainly started something! She did it, then Jude (https://traveltalk.me.uk/) and now you. I can see it must be great fun, but you all take such lovely photos that in my case, I’d sooner see those. However, it’s clearly popular, and the results are striking..
What a delightful pastime, Ann-Christine. You have inspired me. It is definitely on my to-do list now. I live the house image.
So glad you felt inspired! The way I felt with Dina’s post!
Thank you, Margaret! I went to Jude’s site too, I did not know she had tried them as well! Dina really started something, as you say!
I love your swirls, Ann-Christine! Very creative! The house on the hill is especially effective.
These are wonderful.
Thank you so much, MM! I can recommend a try!
Thank you, Sue – I had great fun with them, and posted them in the order they came out. This will need some practice to get really good. But, something I will try again for sure. And I believe either you like it or you really don’t, because some prefer ordinary photography and no ”tweaking”.