This, I feel, is the most exciting technique to use. You can easily make the most nondescript images shine.

The image above shows the 4 steps I took to produce the picture for ‘India Frances Hope/Maid in Thailand’. I took a simple snapshot portrait and gave it an idiosyncratic look to match the style of writing.

STEP 1 (fig 1)

Download copy of original photograph in the edit suite at PhotoScape. Mask area of photograph needed and crop to size. (Ratio 2x3. Resize to 1600 pixels x 2400 pixels)

STEP 2 (fig 2 & 3)This is the fun bit: In ‘Home’, adjust ‘Bright,Color’/’Color Enhance’ to desired exposure levels, thus adding contrast. Then use the ‘Filter’ button for a menu of other effects. It’s very much a case of playing around until you are happy with a particular look as each original photograph reacts differently.

I settled on two very different color schemes. (figs: 2 & 3)

STEP 3 (fig 4)

Reduce the % opacity on fig 3 and overlay on fig 2. Adjust the % opacity on fig 3 until you have the desired finished fig 4

For the finishing touch, save and download to Picmonkey, the FREE on-line photo editor.

In the ‘Edit’ suite, click on the magic wand icon. Here you will find yourself in a wonder world of assorted effects.Put the combined posterized image through ‘Lomo’ for a mystical lighting effect.