Category: editing and effects

The Cosmic Photo Challenge: Summer fun.

On By dalecooper57In arts, editing and effects, photography9 Comments

Good morning, it’s time to welcome in the week with The Cosmic Photo Challenge and our look back at the seasonal shenanigans we’re calling; Summer fun.

As the holiday season comes to an end and we begin the cooling off period before autumn arrives, let’s revel in the making of memories and recap the summer highlights of 2025.

As I hinted at on Friday, this week’s theme was largely an excuse for me to post some photos from Honeyfest festival at The Barge Inn, which we attended over the bank holiday weekend, so without further ado, here are some of the best bits.

From the front, an idyllic English pub by the canal…
…but in another world, not so far away; “Igor Rasputin’s Caravan Of Lost Souls” arrives to amaze and entertain
And when night falls…
…we prepare for the music to begin
The Honeyfest Illuminations
Day two and our host, Lenny, braves the whip cracking trick as Mr Rasputin and co return…
…also providing fiery entertainment as the sun goes down
Our weekend accommodation
My video diary of musical highlights
My favourite outfit of the weekend, what a dapper gent he was
A live rock band, playing classic rave anthems? Yes please!
To bring proceedings to a close, the incredible (and incredibly strange) Experimental Sonic Machines set up his DIY studio next to the stage
What a fabulous weekend, look forward to doing it all again next year

So, what floated your photographic boat this Summer? Come on, let’s see your sizzle reel…

*****

To get involved with the challenge; check out the Cosmic Photo Prompt each Friday, then post a photo (or photos) on your blog the following Monday, with a pingback link to my Monday post.
Tag your posts with #CosPhoChal.

Any and all effects, editing, Photoshop, Instagram, morphing, collages, animation, gifs, or whatever other post production techniques you fancy are permitted, (in fact, they’re actively encouraged!) so get creative and turn your photos into artworks for the Cosmic Photo Challenge.

The Cosmic Photo Challenge: Landscapes.

On By dalecooper57In editing and effects, nature photography, photography14 Comments

Hello, it’s Monday again and time to see what you brought to The Cosmic Photo Challenge show and tell session today

The uncomplicated theme this week is; Landscapes.

I’ve been on holiday for the last few days, camping in Wiltshire, where I visited the 19th century engineering marvel that is Caen Hill Locks; a stretch of canal with 29 locks, with a rise of 237 feet over two miles with a 1-in-44 gradient.

The first few photos fall broadly into the “landscape” category, showing as they do views across Salisbury plain in the distance, but I’ve also included some bonus shots of the hugely impressive locks themselves.

The amount of work it must have taken to create this giant waterway staircase really is quite awe-inspiring.

Zoom in up the hill
There’s a cafe at the top of the flight, where you can stop for a well earned rest

Now let’s see your views and vistas…

*****

To get involved with the challenge; check out the Cosmic Photo Prompt each Friday, then post a photo (or photos) on your blog the following Monday, with a pingback link to my Monday post.
Tag your posts with #CosPhoChal.

Any and all effects, editing, Photoshop, Instagram, morphing, collages, animation, gifs, or whatever other post production techniques you fancy are permitted, (in fact, they’re actively encouraged!) so get creative and turn your photos into artworks for the Cosmic Photo Challenge.

The Cosmic Photo Challenge: Bridges.

On By dalecooper57In editing and effects, photography18 Comments

Good morning, happy snappers, welcome to The Cosmic Photo Challenge, which today takes as its inspiration; Bridges.

I have to admit, I’m spoilt for choice with bridges around here and I’ve photographed many of them before; but yesterday I realised there was at least one I hadn’t captured yet.

On the main road into Barnstaple, a new junction has recently been built, complete with a “bridge to nowhere” as it’s locally known, which will eventually service an upcoming housing development.

The hugely convoluted (and not unimpressive) steel construction isn’t in use yet, but when I arrived there were no workmen about and there wasn’t actually a sign saying you couldn’t use it…

A bit further down the road, there’s an old concrete flyover which carries one of the many country lanes that crisscross the main A361. On this particular lane I discovered a gate which allowed me to capture it from an unusual angle.

I found you can get some interesting panoramic shots on a bridge, too.

Now let’s see what you have for us this week…

*****

To get involved with the challenge; check out the Cosmic Photo Prompt each Friday, then post a photo (or photos) on your blog the following Monday, with a pingback link to my Monday post.
Tag your posts with #CosPhoChal.

Any and all effects, editing, Photoshop, Instagram, morphing, collages, animation, gifs, or whatever other post production techniques you fancy are permitted, (in fact, they’re actively encouraged!) so get creative and turn your photos into artworks for the Cosmic Photo Challenge.

The Cosmic Photo Challenge: Art for art’s sake.

On By dalecooper57In editing and effects, photography12 Comments

Good morning, welcome to The Cosmic Photo Challenge, which this week is getting all artistic, with the prompt; Art for art’s sake.

I have once again gone for a collage piece, throwing an impromptu festival in my garden at the weekend.

Behold; “CosPhoChalstock”

What inspired creations do you have to share with us..?

*****

To get involved with the challenge; check out the Cosmic Photo Prompt each Friday, then post a photo (or photos) on your blog the following Monday, with a pingback link to my Monday post.
Tag your posts with #CosPhoChal.

Any and all effects, editing, Photoshop, Instagram, morphing, collages, animation, gifs, or whatever other post production techniques you fancy are permitted, (in fact, they’re actively encouraged!) so get creative and turn your photos into artworks for the Cosmic Photo Challenge.

The Cosmic Photo Challenge: Pick a colour.

On By dalecooper57In editing and effects, photography10 Comments

Hi there, it’s Monday again, so let’s dive straight in with The Cosmic Photo Challenge, which this week is based around the prompt; Pick a colour.

All your images this week should feature one colour of your choosing and I chose blue.

I decided to showcase my chosen colour to the exclusion of all others.

What colourful offerings do you have for us today..?

*****

To get involved with the challenge; check out the Cosmic Photo Prompt each Friday, then post a photo (or photos) on your blog the following Monday, with a pingback link to my Monday post.
Tag your posts with #CosPhoChal.

Any and all effects, editing, Photoshop, Instagram, morphing, collages, animation, gifs, or whatever other post production techniques you fancy are permitted, (in fact, they’re actively encouraged!) so get creative and turn your photos into artworks for the Cosmic Photo Challenge.

The Cosmic Photo Challenge: Symmetry.

On By dalecooper57In arts, editing and effects, photography12 Comments

Another weekend successfully navigated, now we just have to get through the upcoming week, starting off with The Cosmic Photo Challenge, which today is concerned with; Symmetry.

I chose to create all my images from one photograph; namely this rather handsome piece of Twin Peaks inspired wall art I made from some clay discs, mounted on red fabric.

Each of the iconic symbols already have their own individual symmetry, but after a lot of fiddling about, the whole image becomes but a small component in larger masterpieces…

How did your search for symmetrical satisfaction go..?

*****

To get involved with the challenge; check out the Cosmic Photo Prompt each Friday, then post a photo (or photos) on your blog the following Monday, with a pingback link to my Monday post.
Tag your posts with #CosPhoChal.

Any and all effects, editing, Photoshop, Instagram, morphing, collages, animation, gifs, or whatever other post production techniques you fancy are permitted, (in fact, they’re actively encouraged!) so get creative and turn your photos into artworks for the Cosmic Photo Challenge.

The Cosmic Photo Challenge: Black and white.

On By dalecooper57In editing and effects, photography11 Comments

Hi there, I hope you had a good weekend, now let’s see what you have to offer The Cosmic Photo Challenge.

This week the prompt was nice and straightforward, leaving the subject up to you, as long as your pictures are in; Black and white.

I took a walk around the town and captured some everyday scenes in shades of grey.

What did you find for this monochromatic Monday..?

*****

To get involved with the challenge; check out the Cosmic Photo Prompt each Friday, then post a photo (or photos) on your blog the following Monday, with a pingback link to my Monday post.
Tag your posts with #CosPhoChal.

Any and all effects, editing, Photoshop, Instagram, morphing, collages, animation, gifs, or whatever other post production techniques you fancy are permitted, (in fact, they’re actively encouraged!) so get creative and turn your photos into artworks for the Cosmic Photo Challenge.

The Cosmic Photo Challenge: Close up.

On By dalecooper57In editing and effects, photography12 Comments

Hello there, welcome to The Cosmic Photo Challenge on another chilly Monday morning, which today is focussed on; Close up.

I started off taking random pictures around the house, then got carried away with editing and made a composite image using some ceramic ornaments, my tablet and an old sunrise photo.

What did you get close to this week..?

*****

To get involved with the challenge; check out the Cosmic Photo Prompt each Friday, then post a photo (or photos) on your blog the following Monday, with a pingback link to my Monday post.
Tag your posts with #CosPhoChal.

Any and all effects, editing, Photoshop, Instagram, morphing, collages, animation, gifs, or whatever other post production techniques you fancy are permitted, (in fact, they’re actively encouraged!) so get creative and turn your photos into artworks for the Cosmic Photo Challenge.

The Cosmic Photo Challenge: Light a fire.

On By dalecooper57In editing and effects, photography10 Comments

For this week’s foray into flammable photography, The Cosmic Photo Challenge is based on the prompt; Light a fire.

I tried out some long exposures, giving this gently crackling fire drum the look of a ferocious blast furnace (see final picture for original fire with no effects and guitarist for scale)

Were the fires of creativity burning for you this week? Let’s see what you have to share with us…

*****

To get involved with the challenge; check out the Cosmic Photo Prompt each Friday, then post a photo (or photos) on your blog the following Monday, with a pingback link to my Monday post.
Tag your posts with #CosPhoChal.

Any and all effects, editing, Photoshop, Instagram, morphing, collages, animation, gifs, or whatever other post production techniques you fancy are permitted, (in fact, they’re actively encouraged!) so get creative and turn your photos into artworks for the Cosmic Photo Challenge.

The Cosmic Photo Challenge: Abstraction.

On By dalecooper57In editing and effects, photography11 Comments

Hi there, welcome back to The Cosmic Photo Challenge, which this week concentrates on the obscure, with the prompt; Abstraction.

I have four pictures to offer today, one created from overlapping images of components I made at work and three from photos of my tablet sitting on a garden chair (no, really), for no reason whatsoever.

What did you do to fit the brief this week..?

*****

To get involved with the challenge; check out the Cosmic Photo Prompt each Friday, then post a photo (or photos) on your blog the following Monday, with a pingback link to my Monday post.
Tag your posts with #CosPhoChal.

Any and all effects, editing, Photoshop, Instagram, morphing, collages, animation, gifs, or whatever other post production techniques you fancy are permitted, (in fact, they’re actively encouraged!) so get creative and turn your photos into artworks for the Cosmic Photo Challenge.