Friday Challenges – The Fun Begins!

Steve Caplin might have stopped with the publication of his book, How to Cheat in Photoshop, and just gone back to freelancing. Or, he might have gone back to freelancing after setting up a Web site to advertise the book.

Instead, he chose to invite contact with his readers by setting up a forum. I am forever grateful he took this path.

Any time I am having difficulty with a lesson in the book, I can post a question to the forum. Most importantly, Caplin posts back within 48 hours. His answers and critiques are both illuminating and constructive, as befitting a top-notch Professor. The whole experience is much more like taking an online course than simply running through exercises in a book. I’m also grateful for “The Friday Challenge” feature of the forum. Every Friday Caplin posts a photo with very general instructions for what he wants done with it. This is very much like a real-world work experience than simply following directions in a book.

On the subsequent Friday, Caplin critiques all of the previous week’s submissions and, of course, posts a new Challenge. His critiques not only point out errors, but also provide the remedy. Caplin seems genuinely interested in helping people not only learn the craft of photo-montage, but also the art of it.

Enough talk. Let’s get on to the Challenges!

The Disused Railway
I began submitting Friday Challenges after I had completed Chapter 5, as I was working on my skill level and building confidence. That week’s challenge was entitled “The disused railway:” Disused-railwayOriginalBlog

Caplin’s instructions were:

“I’m indebted to Michael Sinclair for this week’s Challenge, which features a rather fine shot of a disused railway line.  As you can see, it’s now quite overgrown.

Michael didn’t feel the most was being made of this public resource. What could you do to liven it up? Turn it into a canal, perhaps? Or back into a railway? There must be some good use for a very long, rather narrow tract of land.”

There were many impressive entries. My simple entry used the Refine Edge technique, which I discussed in my “Natural Selection” post, around the feathers in the knight’s helmet and on the Disused-railwayWithKnightBloghorse’s tail. I also used a Gaussian Blur in a Quick Mask gradient, a technique in a Chapter 5 lesson:

Caplin’s critique:


A new member this week, and srawland has added a splendid knight on horseback hurtling towards us. A great cutout, and the tones match well with the scene. I think I’d have made him a fraction smaller and moved him back a little in the shot, so he blended in without dominating quite so much. Welcome to the forum, Sara!

A Night at the Opera

Caplin’s enthusiastic welcome definitely bolstered my confidence so I took on the next Challenge, “A night at the opera:operaOriginalBlog
Caplin’s instructions:


I went to the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, this week to see a rather splendid production of Don Giovanni. Our seat were in the second row, with a view of the orchestra.Of course, I wasn’t allowed to film during the performance itself. Can you give me an idea of how it might have appeared once the curtain went up, the house lights went down and the conductor put in an appearance?”

My immediate idea was a “joke” entry. But, as a newbie, I felt I might be breaking some rule about poking fun at the opera.  At first, the other submissions were very serious indeed.  Finally, someone posted an entry that featured Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd. Emboldened, I posted this submission.  I noticed that other forum members gave their submissions captions so I entitled mine “How Children View Opera:”operaWithSheetMusicBlogI used a Layer Mask to place the cat’s heads on the Opera singers bodies. Unfortunately, after getting Caplin’s critique, I went back and changed my original Photoshop image and deleted the original .  I darkened the gold using a Curves Adjustment Layer and added the sheet music by using the stands as a clipping mask and Free Transform to get the correct angle.

Caplin’s critique:

“A clever and funny entry from srawland, with animal heads on the performers – and a neatly inserted conductor in the pit. You’ll soon realise that nothing is sacrosanct on this forum, Sara! A strong and entertaining entry – although I’d have, darkened the gold on the right to bring the house lights down.”

Rear Window

The next two Friday Challenges, while they did help me hone skills didn’t require any new ones so I am skipping them in this blog. Then Caplin posted a Friday Challenge entitled: “Rear window:”rearwindowOriginalBlog
Caplin’s instructions:

“This is the view from the window of our hotel room in Paris. It’s all quiet enough during the day, but of course it really comes to life at night…or does it? What sort of French farce might be played out against this backdrop?”

I was pressed for time due to minor surgery and a temporary position (now ended). Having previously managed to progress through Chapter 7 in How to Cheat in Photoshop, which covered changing a building scene from day to night, I created a scene with the party on the roof. I hadn’t decided to start this blog so I deleted that image after modifying it due to Caplin’s critique. In addition to moving the party’s location, I changed the placement of the figure holding his ears by switching it with the figure holding the broom, moved the bra from the roof.
Caplin’s critique:

“A very well lit entry from srawland, despite not having enough time for it – but those rush jobs are often the most compelling. I like the subtlety here: the man banging the broom on the floor, and the one clutching his head at the bottom, both suggest noisy goings-on in the apartment between them. I probably agree about the music. A good entry!”

My post-critique image:rearwindow2BlogIf I were to give this version a caption it would be: “The tenants at Crowne Royale Court always knew when the adults in apartment 3D were away for the weekend.”

Next: Friday Challenge – The Problem of Fur

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