From Simple SnapShot to Amazing Wall Art

Last weekend our family went for a bike ride along the California coast in Newport Beach.  At one point we pulled off of the boardwalk to take some pictures of the sunset.  While admiring the expansive coastline I decided to put my rental bike into the view for a few snapshots.  I was thinking it might make a great piece of wall art.  The only camera I had with me was the one on my iPhone.  I snapped a few photos and then sent them to my email so I could play with them a bit.

It was a gorgeous day and the iPhone photos don't do the scenery justice... however I knew with a little tweaking/editing they could be amazing!

The photos were taken at about 6:00 p.m.  Here are the raw photos that I took with my phones camera.






These three pictures were all taken within the same minute. The difference in lighting is because on and iPhone you can touch the screen where you want it to focus.  In the top two lighter photos I had touched the blacktop area as the focal point which lightened the photos.  In the bottom picture I allowed the camera to self focus which allowed the sunset to show.  I used two different angles of the bike not being sure which I would like better.  I have decided that I definitely like the side view the best!

Today I played with the photos on PicMonkey.com to adjust the lighting, brightness, exposure and colors.  I also played with a black and white frame and matte to see what it will look like when it is framed.

Here are some of the color variations I came up with. 



Notice the difference between the colors and intensity.  The same photo can be changed to look like different pieces of art depending on the look you prefer.










I like the look of this last photo being almost black and white with the bike frame being the only color in the picture.  

When you look at the original raw photo compared the what the final framed art will look like, you can see how easy it is to make a simple snapshot into a work of art.




Keep in mind, art doesn't have to be expensive!  It can be something as simple as a snapshot you took on your cell phone.

Until next time,
Happy decorating!

Diana

2 comments:

  1. You turned this photo into a work of art. Love the angle you picked. We are going to the beach next week and I will definitely try this out.
    Thanks for the inspiration.
    Traci

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  2. I really think you did a good job with it. The simple photo taken by an iPhone turns out a great wall art. And I quite fascinated by how you played with its lightings.

    WallTapestry.com

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I love all of your comments and I read every one... I'd love to hear from you!

Blessings,
Diana