This is the final week for this month’s One Four Challenge, hosted by Robyn Gosby at Captivate Me. The challenge is about processing our image in four different ways over four weeks. My goal this week is to produce an old fashioned postcard. I want to re-introduce some colour, but give a muted and nostalgic feel to this historic Banyule Flats wetland. I also want to capture the feeling I had as I was taking this shot, by adding a few words onto the photograph.
Week 4 Process
My decision to produce a postcard means I am challenging myself with the use of Photoshop. I am new to the software and learning! To help me along, I have referred to Robyn’s March Week 4 edit, when she introduced this technique. So thank you Robyn! Here are the steps I took using my week 1 edit as the starting point:
- Added a plain white layer at 35% opacity to create a frame.
- Added a copy of the background layer and scaled the image down, using the transform tool then placed this layer on top of the opaque frame. This way the image is framed by the opaque version edges.
- Added an adjustment layer to work on the hue/saturation and played with the sliders till I was happy. Remember I still want a nostalgic look.
- Added a second adjustment layer to work on the curves.
- Added a third adjustment layer and adjusted the Channel Mixer, in particular the magenta in keeping with the kind of feel I wanted to create.
- Added a layer with a rectangle in a similar shade to the background, set it at 5% opacity and placed it at the bottom of the image, centred, then added the text on top.
Here is the result:
Week 4 – Postcard
And now, the progression over the four weeks:
I had fun with this edit! Let me know what you think.
Which is your favourite?
Being the final week for our May One Four Challenge, I am including a poll for you to vote for your favourite interpretation. Remember to click on the Vote button after making your selection.
Thank you for voting and for your kind comments this month. Your feedback is very helpful and appreciated. Once again, be sure to visit the work of other participants to the challenge, by clicking on this link.
Sv-Anui 
Well this is fabulous – Im so glad you could use something I tried to inspire you 😃
You have definitely achieved a nostalgic feel Chris! It works and I hope you enjoyed creating. Very nice!
My favourite of all for your May image is the mono. It brings out all the details. Great effort all round this month Chris 😃
Thank you Robyn – it was good trying different things. Now thinking about June! OMG it has come so quickly!
I know exactly what you mean Chris. This month has flown by!!
I liked this as there was more colour and definition, great progression. I like you having fun with the new software.
It’s good fun Sue, but so much to learn!
Hi Chris, I missed last week for some reason, sorry. I really love the monochrome from last week, it is so sharp and draws my eye deep into the photograph, which I love.
This weeks image is nice, I like the vintage color scheme. 🙂
Thanks Carrie.
Really nice image, love the vintage look in this one. 🙂
Oh thank you so much Katie. I enjoyed working on this version and learning!
This weeks image is interesting, I like the idea of a postcard a lot. Personally the black and white is my fav and the strongest IMHO. Nice editing this month.
Thank you Ben. Always appreciate your comments.
I love how the clouds became more detailed in week 2 (tonal contrast) even in the reflection, so I voted for that one. But I do love the postcard border you did this week, very cool. 😀
Thanks Nic 😊
absolutely stunning old postcard- my fave!! Great edits in all!!
Glad you like the old postcard Cybele, I had fun creating it!
I prefer the tonal contrast version as I seem to get more of a reflection of clouds in the water and that adds to the texture of the image. But that was a close call as they all seem to have something that stands out to me.
Nice feedback , Emilio, thank you.