Peggy Nugent
April 2026 - Lost at Sea
Original
Original 2
Original 3
About the Image(s)
I started with a crop of Original 1, enhanced colors, cloned out shells and plants, and flipped the image horizontally. I added a layer of solid lavender color in Exclusion mode. I made a stamp layer and applied Filter=>Stylize=>Emboss, and put the layer in Overlay mode. I added the boat at 41% in Normal mode, and then an embossed layer at 100% in Overlay mode. I added the clouds in Vivid Light at 41%, masking in the sky, and then a second layer of that original over both sky and sea in Vivid Light at 60%, with a lot of masking. I did a levels correction and then used a b&w adjustment layer in luminosity mode to adjust the luminosity of the colors.
9 comments posted
You couldn't make us seasick last month, so you've upped the ante. That's quite a sturdy little sailboat to be able to survive the tumultuous storm you've created so well. You even have the hint of a tornado to add to the power of Mother Nature. Your colors work so well to create a dangerous situation. One does worry about the people who took that sailboat out. I once saw an oncoming thunderstorm whose clouds were approximately the color green of your clouds. It was quite a storm! Your clouds bring back the memory of that storm. Luckily, I was inside. Posted: 04/02/2026 14:39:54
Thanks, Alan!
I'm glad you survived that storm. Posted: 04/03/2026 20:26:55
I'm glad you survived that storm. Posted: 04/03/2026 20:26:55
Peggy, I love your process creating new textures. The composition feels very balanced and the colors are rich and interesting. The contrast between the soft clouds and contrasty waves creates an interesting tension. I wonder if you could enhance this image by adding a small subject to add to the story, although without a subject it does engage the viewer into constructing a story. Posted: 04/03/2026 18:27:29
Thanks, Brad!
Your suggestion to add a person is an interesting one. I did try it, but I was reminded of what a workshop leader once told me: if there's a person in a picture, the subject of the picture is that person. I think in this case I like it just being about the storm and the boat. Posted: 04/03/2026 20:29:57
Your suggestion to add a person is an interesting one. I did try it, but I was reminded of what a workshop leader once told me: if there's a person in a picture, the subject of the picture is that person. I think in this case I like it just being about the storm and the boat. Posted: 04/03/2026 20:29:57
Thanks for the advice from your workshop leader. It's good to keep in mind. Posted: 04/04/2026 02:32:22
Hi Peggy, the threat in last month's image has come true in an awe-inspiring way. I think that the absence of the crew not only keeps focus on the boat in the storm but the empty boat makes one wonder about their fate: have they been washed over and did they survive? In a way they are powerfully present in the image just because they are not shown. - I cannot get enough of the colors and textures - is it the Emboss filter that makes this three-dimensional effect on the waves? Posted: 04/07/2026 05:45:16
Thanks, Kirsti!
Yes, the Emboss filter makes the 3D effect on the waves. Putting the duplicate layer in Overlay mode also increases the contrast, which helps. The Emboss filter sometimes adds shadows in parallel with edges that look too apparent, so I always check to see if I need to reduce opacity there or mask them out. I really like the Emboss effect on images that I print because it gives them a textured effect that truly looks dimensional. Posted: 04/08/2026 15:14:46
Yes, the Emboss filter makes the 3D effect on the waves. Putting the duplicate layer in Overlay mode also increases the contrast, which helps. The Emboss filter sometimes adds shadows in parallel with edges that look too apparent, so I always check to see if I need to reduce opacity there or mask them out. I really like the Emboss effect on images that I print because it gives them a textured effect that truly looks dimensional. Posted: 04/08/2026 15:14:46
Hi Peggy,
You've opened the door to creating a series of sea storm images. I love the tonalities in this image and the tension you've created between the boat and the sea. The clouds blend perfectly with the water, and the light and shadows contribute to the feeling of an approaching storm.
The inclusion of the boat heading forward creates a story of strength and determination to carry on through the roughest times. Posted: 04/14/2026 19:33:07
You've opened the door to creating a series of sea storm images. I love the tonalities in this image and the tension you've created between the boat and the sea. The clouds blend perfectly with the water, and the light and shadows contribute to the feeling of an approaching storm.
The inclusion of the boat heading forward creates a story of strength and determination to carry on through the roughest times. Posted: 04/14/2026 19:33:07
Thanks so much, Maria! I love your interpretation of the boat heading forward; I will think of that now every time I see this image. Posted: 04/17/2026 15:51:57