Copyright ©2016 Deborah M. Zajac. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Here it is my last week of my Project 52. I thought I’d end with some doors that I have wanted to post since making the images, but there have been issues that have caused me to put them in a “failed” Door image folder. What issues you may be wondering? Poles, wires, people, and other stuff that obstruct or mar the door image I hoped to make. The bane of most photographers everywhere.
I thought hoped I might be able to “content aware” this man out of this image I made while at Legoland earlier this year. Not happening with my meager Photoshop skill set. I would also need to add some canvas at the top to give the flag pole more space. That I can do!
So, I moved a bit closer and photographed the door. Then I had lens flare. I could just crop that out later. (rolling eyes) I really wanted to show both the door and the whole building which I thought was pretty neat. I just wanted to show sans people. BTW: It’s one of the places you can buy something eat in Legoland.
Why not just wait until it’s clear of people you might ask? I waited several minutes, but #1 Grandson. 🙂 The reflection in the door’s window is kinda nice. I should have just gone for that. Door Fail! 
While birding in northeastern California’s Pacific Flyway I spotted a church steeple while driving on the freeway and asked my friend if we could take a side trip to check it out because, Thursday Doors!
The church is Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Maxwell, CA. Here’s the original image.
It’s crooked, and there are both poles and wires in front and across it! I really wanted that cool partial reflection of the bell tower too. I thought I’d try again to “content aware” out the pole and wires.
Always hopeful…but after straightening the horizon, removing the wires, and trying OH. SO. MANY. TIMES. to clone out the pole on the left side of the building I gave up and filed the image in the “failed doors” folder. I should have just stuck with the reflections. Again.
For the History Buffs: Here’s a bit of history I found on the church’s website:
“Father Michael Wallrath established Sacred Heart Church in Maxwell as a mission in 1881. In 1911, Sacred Heart became a parish with missions in Williams (Church of the Annunciation, founded in 1892), in Stonyford (St. Mary of the Mountain, founded in 1896, and Arbuckle (Holy Cross, founded in 1899).
In 1917, a new church was built on its present day location at the corner of Elm and Olive Street in Maxwell.
Sacred Heart Parish has families consisting of two major ethic groups (English and Spanish speaking).”http://sacredheart-maxwell.org/our-beginings
Here are the Doors closer up.
This final door…I didn’t even think about cloning out the people. I knew I wouldn’t be able to do it after my failures with the top two images. I wish we had more time to shop in this store not to mention stand around waiting for a clear shot of the door. 🙂 Century 21 Department store… formerly River Savings Bank East. I haven’t done any research on this door or building’s history, but the door is so unique and TALL! I do like the sense of scale the people add to the image.
This wraps up my Project 52 of Thursday Doors, but I’ll still be posting doors in the year to come. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the theme, meeting new bloggers, and consider several friends now. Thank you Norm for hosting this fun, addicting, and often times interesting subject.
Until the next “doorscursion” have a wonderful, and HAPPY NEW YEAR!
This post is part of Norm 2.0’s Thursday Doors. If you love doors and would like to see the doors others are posting, or post doors you’ve photographed and join other door lovers from around the world click here.
At the end of Norm’s latest Thursday Door post is a little Blue Link-up/View button click it to be taken to a page with all the links to view all the posts, and add your own if you’re a door enthusiast too.
Nikon Df| Nikkor 17-35mm| Delkin Digital Film| PS CC 2017
More to come…
Circadianreflections Blog 
Those pictures still have their own charm. Just not the perfect one I suspect 🙂
Thank you!
Have you thought on cropping the photo on the left? The cropping feature is on Photo shop on the left, and looks like a square, with a stick on left top and a stick on right bottom. If you want to “delete” an object, you have the stamp clone tool (the 9th from the top on left side). Click on that and you’ll see (1)Brush (circle),(2) Mode (scroll on the arrow for choices) and (3) Opacity on top.
If the object has a light background, on the top (mode) click and choose “lighter color.” You stamp it out (with the size of “the brush” which is a circle -on top – to cover the man) till the man becomes as light as the background. For lighter parts than the background, you choose :”darker color.”
Am using the stamp clone a lot to remove things/people (poles, etc.). But maybe you knew this already.
Ha! I don’t know how to use the Stamp Clone tool! Thank you!! I’ll look it up and keep your response open, and play with it. 🙂
You are well ahead of me! I haven’t even attempted photoshop yet 🙂 As of right now, most editing that I do is on my phone in the Snapseed app.
Thank you! I’ve been using Photoshop since 2004. I’ve got a long way to go to ever be really proficient at it. The learning curve is steep, but I really like using it to process/develop my images. I have Lightroom Mobile on my cellphone that I find myself using over VSCO, Snapseed, and Instagram editors.
I suppose it’s just what you start with and one’s comfort zone that steers us to use the editing tools we do.
I think I’d eventually like to try lightroom. I only got semi-serious about my camera at the beginning of last year, mostly by using it. This year I want to learn more about what it can do and how to take the kind of shots that I’d like to take 🙂
I have Lightroom CC it comes as part of the Photographer Package when you sign up for Photoshop CC but I’ve had Lightroom since V3. I just seldom use it on my desktop. I started with Bridge, ACR, and Photoshop so that’s my workflow, and I don’t need a separate catalog that LR keeps, so I only import into LR the images I actually want to try working on with LR=Lightroom. Everything Lightroom’s Develop module can do I can do with Adobe Camera Raw= ACR.
Their interfaces are supposed to be the same and I find that to be largely true which is why I seldom use it.
I do use the LR mobile app on my iphone though. It’s my top editor for iPhone images at the moment.
I wish you all the best using your camera to the it fullest potential. It’s about that time you’ll outgrow it and want or find you need to upgrade to get the image quality you want.
It happens to the best of us. 🙂
Oh my, Deborah! You are a perfectionist which I respect this quality. I liked the red, white/cream and blue building. The window reflection was very nice! I liked the supremely tall door. It was a “wow” door, with the details. Happy New beginning to your list of posts. 52 door posts is very impressive!
Here’s to a continued friendship and more learning about each other. 🙂
Thank you so much Robin! I am looking forward to sharing your journey here in WP as well! 🙂
It is a journey with changes three or four times in the direction of my writing, Deborah.
So grateful you knew what I meant about your specific photographic techniques; which make me appreciate your “perfectionism.”
Wow, you do so many things to them I’d never think of doing! Still – we all spend our photo time as we see fit, and that’s the beauty of it. Wishing you well.
That poor church looks so abandoned with the drab wetness in front of it. Looking forward to more interesting posts in 2017, Deborah. Happy New Year.
janet
Thank you Janet! Hope your new year has started out well!
So far, so good, Deborah. Thanks.
Actually, your attempt at cloning out the telephone pole at the church looks good; got me fooled because it has the same shape as the tower structure behind it and it doesn’t distract the viewer now.
So you got me into door blogging to take up the slack upon your exit? Rather big shoes to fill which I won’t be able to do as I think your blogs are really cool and my stuff is amateur. Guess this is like a preview when you find your new home; would miss shooting with you. But there are no good byes, just see you later so hope to shhot with you again in 2017.
Thank you Gordon!
I’ll still be posting doors, but now I won’t have the pressure of posting every week to make my Project 52 goal.
We haven’t found a house so don’t be writing me off yet! 🙂
I hope to see you in 2017 as well!
Three wonderful doors. I don’t have a program to remove the wires so I’m impressed. 🙂 Happy New Year.
Thank you so much Judy! I wish I was a bit more impressive and could remove that pole! 🙂
Happy New Year and all the best that 2017 has I wish for you!
I don’t even know what “content aware” IS, let alone how to use it! I think your “fails” beat most of my “wins”. lol
🙂 Thank you so much for that vote of confidence Marian!
BTW I’ll put up a photo of my pocket door for you on Instagram.
https://www.instagram.com/dmzajac2004/
🙂
Oh, that is a PERFECT door!
I wanted to slide it in and out saying door, no door while filming a short video for you, but it came out really bad so opted for a still shot instead. 🙂 Happy New Year!
btw: it’s not perfect it makes wood on wood noises when sliding. I need to wax it I think.
Congrats on your project – and glad you will still be posting 😉
I like the close up versions and the culture rich doors- the lady walking in the one shot adds a modern vibe and gives a feel for old and new.
Happy new year
Thank you! Happy New Year to you as well!
😉
It sounds like my Photoshop skills are about the same as yours. I just keep telling myself as I struggle through something that it’s not a ‘failure’ so much as a ‘learning experience’ 😉
But if I like the door enough, I’ll use the shot even if it’s not perfect.
It has been wonderful having you as part of our fun little group this year Deborah and I look forward to seeing what you have in store for us next year.
Have a safe and happy New Year and all the best for 2017!
Ha! I didn’t notice the lens flare until reading through your blog. Love the reflections of the church. Great job finishing off your 52/52.
Happy New Year!
Thank you so much Irene!
Hello friend, hope you got through Christmas with enjoyment! The first is such a friendly little church. The second one has my attention because of the sober color and your capture – love the reflection of the tower in front. It’s still super busy here and we’re weeing off our son in San Francisco, so that will take care of Friday – if I don’t write to you before Monday, wishing you all the best for the New Year, and you may find YOUR house:)
Our son and his Fiance left Wednesday morning, and Baby Girl went back to work on Tues. The house is really quiet now. I miss having everyone here!
It’s time to take down all the Christmas things and store them for another year. #1 Grandson is sad about that!
I hope we find the House in 2017!
I wish you all that is wonderful in 2017! xx
Thank you so much John!
Finally, I have a higher photography standard than Deborah. By that I mean it takes more than a pole and a few wires for me to have a failed door photo. I wouldn’t no where to begin to remove wires, or poles, let alone people. I usually tell myself that those things add a sense of realism.
I have totally enjoyed your p-52 project. I’m sure I’ll enjoy whatever photos you decide to share, but it’s been fun having you join the door fans for the year. I hope you do visit with us. I know the power of “ooh, door” do I’m sure we’ll see some posts from you.
🙂 You have always had a high standard for your photography and images you share.
It’s been a really fun year, and doors have been an attraction for me for a long time. I’ll still be adding doors, and look forward to seeing the doors you share in 2017.
I’ve decided to do another P52 in 2017 and it should be pretty easy. I’m going to participate in Wordless Wednesday. 🙂
I’ve thought about that, but “wordless?” I don’t know…
🙂 We’ll see if my images have enough to speak for themselves.
Always beautiful!
Thank you so much Lynn!
People straying into shot? But surely as Americans you have it in your constitution to carry arms just for this precise reason. I’m not condoning violence, just suggesting there’s a time and a place to threaten it’s use. And building a church so close to a telegraph pole! Did they not consider the humble photographer. I’m sure there’s a quote in the bible, Matthew chapter five, blessed are the persecuted photographers or something…. Anyway, happy new year to you too, Deborah 🙂
LOL! No, nothing in the Constitution yet about having a right to frame a photo without being Photobombed.
I’m afraid planners and building owners did not think of power lines, light poles, telephone poles, newspaper dispensers, fire hydrants and the multitude of other annoying things that make an image look less than perfect when putting them up. So not forward thinking right! 🙂
Thank you for the comments and I wish you and your family a Happy New Year as well!
I would put your ‘failures’ in my ‘success’ folder 😉
… but I think all of us could relate to this post. I know I have my own version of failed photos – for many of the same reasons. However I would also add ‘out of focus’ to the list.
Oh gaul, I’ve had so many out of focus shots that I just delete those straight away in the first pass of sorting. I only keep the on purpose ICM =intention motion blur images.
I kept these b/c I really liked the whole building as well as the doors. Perhaps, if I work at cloning, and removing really hard things my skill set will improve enough to make these images look the way I saw them in my minds eye. Not going to hold my breath though! 🙂
I’ve successfully done some cloning, but I’m just not patient enough for the very intricate and detail cloning required on some photos.
I hear you! When I got the pole down to the trees the leaves, and other side of the building started to get in the cloning and really began to mess me up. I need more tutorials and patience on getting those tricky bits myself.