Altered Reality - Cosmos - Expanse | 3 Image Set

Okay. Here is a 3 image set. I was not able to find my nice, big version of the original I posted here, so I recreated it. The other two are done in exactly the same manner but use completely different starting images. Hopefully, you will like them as well.

C&C welcome!

WOW.. the colours are amazing. These are gorgeous. Would you mind sharing a little about how you made these? i saw your other post and loved it too

Nic

These are absolutely stunning. Very, very well done.

You guys really need to check out Beau's gallery. One of the best collections of photos I've ever seen.

Keep 'em coming!

Scarlett Nic wrote in post #2611877
WOW.. the colors are amazing. These are gorgeous. Would you mind sharing a little about how you made these? i saw your other post and loved it too

Nic

The process it rather simple, really. BTW, this is all done in photoshop - and any version from 6 up should work.

1. I start off with by choosing a few of my fireworks images that have good color and separation - not just a ball of sparks, but has nice 'tendrils' ... or whatever.
   
2. I take the images I have picked and create a new layer for each of them on top of the one I have chosen for the 'base'.
   
3. These layers are set to LIGHTER in the blend mode.
   
4. Knowing that I'm going to hit the final composite with the radial blur filter, I arrange them in a manner so as to create a good sense of balance of both color and content. One big orange blob in the center does not turn out so good.
   
5. Once I have the images laid out in a logical manner, I flatten them in to a layer. This is done by crating a blank layer, highlighting it and pressing CTL-ALT-SHIFT-E. (for you mac people, press I-HAVE-NO-CLUE in that order)
   
6. Here is where I test the basic look of the composition by running FILTER-BLUR-RADIAL BLUR.
   • To start, set it to ZOOM and DRAFT AMOUNT-100. You can change the center point of the zoom by clicking on the box below the Blur Center text.
     
   • For the center, find a spot that you feel would make a good choice and press OK.
     
   • If you are satisfied with the look the filter provided, press CTL-Z to undo the change and rerun the filter and this time select BEST instead of DRAFT and an AMOUNT of 75-80. If you did not lke the 'zoom point' pick another spot and try again. Do this till you get results you are happy with.
   
   
7. Once you have your BEST blurred layer, you need to duplicate it by pressing CTL-J and set the layers mode to LIGHTEN
   
8. Run the Radial Blur filter again and this time set the amount to 100.
   
9. This will give you the near completed image, however, one thing you will notice on close (zoomed) observation of the blurred layer is, there seems to be small rings where part of the image is really pixelated. You can remove this by running the filter, once again, with an AMOUNT of only 5. More then likely you will need to do this on both blurred layers.
   
10. In order to bring out a bit more definition in the striations, you will need to add some 'highlights'. (Form this point on it as all a matter of personal taste - do what you feel looks best - or do nothing at all and call it 'done'.)
    
11. The create the highlights, duplicate both blurred layers (CTL-J on both) and set them to OVERLAY mode. You should now have 4 blurred layer that are arranged, from top to bottom:
    • blurred 100 set to OVERLAY - we will call this layer A
      
    • blurred 100 set to LIGHTEN
      
    • blurred 70-80 set to OVERLAY - we will call this layer B
      
      
    • blurred 70-80 set to NORMAL
    
    
12. Select layer A and run the filter: FILTER-OTHER-HIGH PASS ...
    
13. Set the amount to somewhere between 5-40 - whatever looks best to you and press OK
    
14. Do the same thing for layer B
    
15. At this point, it is a matter of adjusting the contrast of the image (if needed) with a LEVELS or CURVES adjustment layer and bumping up the saturation (again, if needed) with a HUE/SATURATION adjustment layer.
    
16. If you are happy with the results you are done. If not, start from the point that you think things started going awry and redo the steps after.

AirBrontosaurus wrote in post #2611893
These are absolutely stunning. Very, very well done.

You guys really need to check out Beau's gallery. One of the best collections of photos I've ever seen.

Keep 'em coming!

Hey, Thanks for the 'shout out'!

These are LOVELY Beau. The third one is my favorite. Off to look at your gallery now.

Athena wrote in post #2612574
These are LOVELY Beau. The third one is my favorite. Off to look at your gallery now.

Thank you Athena. Nice site of yours, BTW!

Amazing, love it! I think #1 has to be my personal favourite

Striking pictures.

Reminds me of tie-dye (but much more impressive)

-Pleiades- wrote in post #2612832
Amazing, love it! I think #1 has to be my personal favorite

I think I am leaning towards #3 - something about it is really appealing to me.

Choderboy wrote in post #2613635
Striking pictures.

Reminds me of tie-dye (but much more impressive)

Thank you sir!

would you mind showing a "starting image" before all the work is applied, just after the flatten layer?

This is great work. I have done abstracts off of fireworks, but never this creative and awesome.

Beau Hudspeth wrote in post #2612764
Thank you Athena. Nice site of yours, BTW!

Thanks Beau. BP was down when I tried to get to your gallery before, but I just had a peek - great stuff. The lightening shots are really WOW.

Here's my BP gallery- just the free one. I'm cheap. lol I had actually forgotten about it entirely until I visited yours. I took the time to update it a bit yesterday. Thanks for the unintentional reminder.

MikeMcL wrote in post #2616920
would you mind showing a "starting image" before all the work is applied, just after the flatten layer?

Here you go: From Cosmos & Expanse

MikeMcL wrote in post #2616920
This is great work. I have done abstracts off of fireworks, but never this creative and awesome.

Thanx, ever so much!

Athena wrote in post #2617317
Here's my BP gallery- just the free one.

With those second place wins, you don't have the cheap/free one!

Wow - it's amazing to see where the red one that I like so much came from. Great work Beau!

Beau Hudspeth wrote in post #2618024
With those second place wins, you don't have the cheap/free one!

I didn't even realize they'd given me anything for those wins. Shows how much I'm paying attention - lol.