I took this photo near Playa at Summer Lake in Oregon. Playa serves as a retreat for artists and scientists looking for a peaceful place to do their work. I was there for a workshop on Great Basin Natural History. This zigzag boardwalk was in a pond behind the cabins.
I’ll be showing how I processed this picture three ways with Corel PaintShop Pro 2021. Prior to trying out the various effects, I increased the contrast slightly. Slide the slider to see the before and after views.
The first two show the original photograph and the same picture with a Retro effect. For this image I went to Effects>Photo Effects>Retro Lab. This effect slightly blurs and darkens the edges and increases color saturation. I liked how this effect brought out turquoise colors in the sky and dark green in the marsh plants.


The next two show the original photograph and the same picture with a Black and White effect. For this image I went to Effects>Photo Effects>Black and White Film. I liked how this effect enhanced the contrast in the clouds.


The last two show the original photograph and the same picture with a Reverse Image effect. For this image I went to Image>Reverse Image. This effect made the whole scene eerie. The clouds are in warm tones and evil looking, while the plants are soft and pastel.


There were a few benches on the zigzag boardwalk so you could pull up a seat and take in the gorgeous view. The clouds were very impressive on the day I took this picture. A storm was moving in.
Great pictures with special effects.
Thank you, Ralph!
The original photo is great but for me the black and white version is even better!
Yeah, I liked that one a lot too, Sarah. Thanks!
I fall in the black and white camp with this particular image as well. Nice shot!
Yep, I agree, Brian! Thank you.
I have never heard of Playa before. Thanks for the information Siobhan!
You’re welcome, Alanna! Lots of options for residencies and workshops there.