How to Cheat in Photoshop

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Posted on 06/11/25 1:45:41 PM

Mariner
Renaissance Mariner
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Re: Challenge 1078: The organ recital

Posted on 06/11/25 3:21:23 PM

lwc
Hole in One
Posts: 3411

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Re: Challenge 1078: The organ recital

Mariner wrote:
Loyd, I am glad to see you have sorted out your image size problem in staticflickr.com

Not as easy to use as Imgur Michael, but it's okay for now.

Posted on 06/11/25 11:40:48 PM

Frank
Eager Beaver
Posts: 1815

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Re: Challenge 1078: The organ recital

Not An Entry:
Steve, tried Nano banana with a prompt "change camera angle from above" - results look amazing to me.
I ran it thru Topaz Gigapixel (2X) afterwards to increase resolution.

Posted on 07/11/25 03:31:55 AM

Mariner
Renaissance Mariner
Posts: 3183

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Re: Challenge 1078: The organ recital

Frank that really is amazing. AI presumably?

Posted on 07/11/25 08:21:09 AM

Steve Caplin
Administrator
Posts: 7087

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Re: Challenge 1078: The organ recital

First to play the organ this week was Ant Snell in Terry Gilliam mode, complete with crushing foot and Terry Jones at the keyboard. A really good idea, and I like the TV distortion. That’s a very curious TV set, though.

Morticia Addams is at the keys in DavidMac's entry, hand resting neatly on the keyboard. But of course the real work here has gone into rebuilding the bench and pedals where the original organist has been removed, and taking out all the ugly signage. Very neatly done. I like the train of the dress, although I do wonder how it would come to have slipped through like that.

There’s a great serenity to Ben Boardman’s evocative entry, with subtle lighting and a beatific expression on the face of the new organist. Good work choosing a coat that meant you didn’t have to rebuild the bench. I am, however, a little baffled by the whisky glass and especially the burning cigarette lying directly on the bench – surely an ashtray would be in order? The Pan image is glorious, a real inspiration. And it reminds me, I haven’t listened to that early Pink Floyd album in a long time.

An ecclesiastical setting from tooquilos, beautifully candlelit. I like the Phantom of the Opera mask lying on the bench. I am going to point out one small perspective glitch – you need to warp the chandelier a little, as we’re looking up at it:

Great to see it brought to life in the animated version, complete with soundtrack. Spectacular lighting effects. But do watch the shadow from those curtains – it really shouldn’t be there.

I like how Frank has brought in a choir as accompaniment, neatly matching the perspective of the room with that of the organ. Given the strong beam of light illuminating the singers, it might make sense to put the organist more in shadow. Very interested to see your experiment with nano banana – it really is extraordinary that it’s capable of doing effects like this.

I’m trying to imagine the thought process that led lwc to look at a picture of an organ and decide that what it really needs is a trio of elephants. They are quite charming, though. Perhaps the one on the right should be moved more to the left and a bit smaller, so it looked as if he was playing the keys. A very neatly removed organist in the second entry, and I see you’ve relocated the instrument to an altogether grander setting. A magnificent room, apart from that hideous carpet.

I often wonder which Challenges draw Tom into play, and it’s usually those that offer an opportunity for dramatic lighting. Not so in this case, with a rather elegant montage of the pipes placed into Pan’s hands. Small point: the tops of the pipes are pointing away from us. Doesn’t that mean we should be able to see inside the pipes at the other end?

An ecclesiastical setting from Mariner, rather curiously using carved saints in niches normally seen on the outside of churches rather than the inside. I like the singer and her spotlight (but do watch where it goes over the vertical portion of the pedal board). The organist fits the instrument well, but the neck contortion is unwieldy. And do watch those clothing colours (although I say this to you so often) – that purple really jumps out as being artificial.

____

For those of you interested in the new AI features in Photoshop 2026, take a look at my post here.

Posted on 07/11/25 08:36:19 AM

Ben Boardman
Printing Pro
Posts: 699

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Re: Challenge 1078: The organ recital

surely an ashtray would be in order - there is a glass ashtray & I actually replaced the bench.
Another enjoyable challenge - thanks Steve.

Posted on 07/11/25 08:51:31 AM

Mariner
Renaissance Mariner
Posts: 3183

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Re: Challenge 1078: The organ recital

Thankis Steve.

...carved saints in niches normally seen on the outside of churches rather than the inside...

Well spotted.

I like the singer and her spotlight (but do watch where it goes over the vertical portion of the pedal board).

I didn't think anyone would notiice that.

....the neck contortion is unwieldy.

I agree, but I liked her smile and didn't want to go looking for a better bocy.

...watch those clothing colours (although I say this to you so often) – that purple really jumps out as being artificial.

What? Abandon my favourite colour? No way!

Thanks for spending so much time on this one Steve.

I shall not switch to Photoshop 2026. I am fairly happy with Afinity Photo, which is not regularly trying to extract yet more money from the fans. As for AI, no comment. My favourite artist is Caravaggio.

Posted on 07/11/25 11:32:58 AM

lwc
Hole in One
Posts: 3411

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Re: Challenge 1078: The organ recital

Steve Caplin wrote:
I’m trying to imagine the thought process that led lwc to look at a picture of an organ and decide that what it really needs is a trio of elephants.

Lazy and desperate for an idea... I already had the elephant cutouts. Instead of making the elephant smaller I decided to try and keep it to scale and cover the original organ player.

Thanks Steve!

Posted on 07/11/25 11:46:54 AM

Frank
Eager Beaver
Posts: 1815

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Re: Challenge 1078: The organ recital

Mariner - yes it is Nano Banana (Gemini.google .com) which is now part of Photoshop. It is really quite amazing and controversial and apparently becoming another PS tool.
It does not use copyright material and I understand has hidden watermarks which allows Google to authenticate whether an image is real or AI generated in the event of disputes.

See my question in Straight Photography and Off Topic ref Affinity.

Posted on 07/11/25 11:50:10 AM

Frank
Eager Beaver
Posts: 1815

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Re: Challenge 1078: The organ recital

Thanks Steve, I tried varying degrees of shadowing him.

Posted on 07/11/25 3:42:56 PM

DavidMac
Director of Photoshop
Posts: 5921

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Re: Challenge 1078: The organ recital

Steve Caplin wrote:
But of course the real work here has gone into rebuilding the bench and pedals where the original organist has been removed, and taking out all the ugly signage. Very neatly done.

Thanks. Lots of hand work but not very challenging.

I like the train of the dress, although I do wonder how it would come to have slipped through like that.

She's an Adams Steve! In their world such things occur naturally.

Sorry I didn't have time to go to town on this one.

Enjoy the lights in Paris! We are back home now.

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Posted on 10/11/25 05:56:28 AM

tooquilos
Wizard of Oz
Posts: 2934

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Re: Challenge 1078: The organ recital

Thank you so much Steve.

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Posted on 10/11/25 05:56:28 AM

tooquilos
Wizard of Oz
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Re: Challenge 1078: The organ recital

Thank you so much Steve.

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