When I browse through my photos looking for subjects that other people might find interesting, I’m often short of breathtaking landscapes or other good fodder for desktop wallpaper. Many of my photos are of textures like the burned log above.

I’m fascinated by the detail and the colors of things close-up, but I have a lot to learn about taking good macro photos. Some of my limitations come from my relatively simple camera. Other areas where I need to improve include picking a focal point. In the photo above, for instance, it’s hard to say what the focal point is.

But I love all the abstract patterns and the cracks in the wood that draw your eye deeper into the photo. I love that that the colors are so compelling, even though they are so few.

I’m attracted to texture and complexity in other photographers’ work as well. You may be familiar with the work of Chris Jordan, the photographer who does the composite images of American waste like cell phones, plastic bottles, and plastic bags. The social subject is fascinating, but the colors and textures of his work appeal to me as well, especially the increasingly zoomed in shots of the 2 million plastic bottles used in the U.S. every five minutes or the 426,000 cell phones retired in the US every day from his “Running the Numbers” collection. If you’re not familiar with Chris Jordan’s work, his website is well worth browsing.

For a little Friday treat, here’s a video clip of Chris Jordan being interviewed by Stephen Colbert. Enjoy.

If you can’t see the video above, you can find it here.

To use this photo as a desktop wallpaper, download the standard (1600 x 1200) resolution or the widescreen (1900 x 1200) resolution.

I see many things wrong with this photo, and yet I like it. Perhaps it’s the colors, the way blue shades into deeper blue, drawing the eye down. Blue is a calming color; maybe that’s why I like this photo so much. Or perhaps it’s the subject, the way the tree leans out, yet grips the rock firmly with its roots. And I like the audacity of the red leaves on the left, catching your eye among the cooler colors. Whatever the exact combination of elements, when I see this photo my shoulders relax, I breathe a little slower, and I smile. I have a feeling that I’ll need this kind of serenity in the frenzy of the month to come.

To make this photo better, I think I should have taken a step back. I remember getting close because I wanted to capture as much of that beautiful blue as I could, but stepping back would have helped the composition considerably. I wish the tree on the left wasn’t cut in half. I wish the tree leaning out was framed so that the fork landed in one of the sweet spots of the rule of thirds. Similarly, I wish I had tilted the shot up, so that the red leaves hit the lower left sweet spot. I like the patches of light on the rock and on the trunk of the center tree, but it washes out the color of the leaves a little too much. Technically, there are probably more problems with this photo than good qualities. And yet, it appeals to me. It just could have been so much more.

What do you think? I’m always working on developing my skills and welcome your input. Please leave your feedback in the comments.

Yesterday I wrote a tutorial on some simple photo editing techniques, using this photo as an example. The original photo is shown to the right, and the result is below.

I enjoyed many elements of the original photo, like the way the grass partially frames the flower and the juxtaposition of the vivid flower against the bland rocks. The composition, however, is uninspired. The central position of the flower and the straightforward angle from which the photo was shot lead the viewer’s eye away from the flower itself and toward the distractions of the background.

I felt that the most interesting aspect of this photo was the way the deepening color of the heart of the flower draws the eye inward. I chose a plain black background to enhance this effect and make the vivid yellow even more compelling. If you’re interested in how I removed the background, please see yesterday’s tutorial.

I’m always working on developing my skills and welcome your input. Please leave your feedback in the comments.

To use this photo as a desktop wallpaper, download the standard (1600 x 1200) resolution or the widescreen (1900 x 1200) resolution.

What if you could make your ordinary digital photos extraordinary? Whether you want to use your photos on a website or just as your desktop wallpaper at home, you can easily learn how to make your photos pop. It takes just a few simple techniques to remove a photo’s subject from a distracting background and really let it shine. With this tutorial, I will show you how easy it is to remove a photo’s background using the free photo editor GIMP. (Available for Windows, Mac, and Linux.)

To get the best results from these techniques, choose your photo carefully. Pick a photo with a compelling subject that would really shine on a plain background. Especially for your first efforts, choose photos with contrasting backgrounds and smooth outlines. Difficult photos would be closeups of pets where individual hairs would have to be painstakingly detailed, or photos of foliage where hundreds of individual leaf points will have to be cut out.

1. After choosing your photo and opening it in GIMP, take a look at the workspace. The menus, currently on the right, can be dragged anywhere on your screen, and the photo window can be resized as needed. (Click on the photo to enlarge it.)

2. Begin by adjusting the image view so you can see the entire photo on your screen.

3. Select the Magic Wand tool (circled) from the menus.

4. Click, or press Shift and click, to select large areas of similar colors with the Magic Wand. Click along the outside edge of your color as well. If you select something accidentally, use Control Z to undo your last selection. When finished, your photo should look something like this.

5. Next, select the Quick Mask in the lower left corner.

6. The Quick Mask is a red layer that allows you to select more precisely. It can be toggled off and on again by click the button shown above.

7. Select your tools for the next task. First, click on the Brush tool at #1. Next, switch the foreground color to white by clicking the arrow in the circle at #2. Then, click the circle next to the word Brush to choose your Brush size, at #3.

8. Use a large brush size to “erase” the red mask from the area you wish to select.

9. Switch to a smaller brush size to do the details on the outside edge. You may want to switch to a larger view, such as 400%.

10. Using the Brush to select the object is the most time-consuming part. With some practice, you will become faster and more accurate. If you erase too much, use Control Z to undo, or switch the Foreground back to black (as in #2 of Step 7). This will let you paint the red mask back onto anything you’ve accidentally uncovered. When you think you have everything selected, switch back to 100% to check your work. It should look something like this.

11. Now toggle the Quick Mask off again (as in Step 5) and check your work. If you see any shimmering spots in the middle of the area you wanted to select, just toggle the Quick Mask again, make sure your Foreground is white (see #2 of Step 7), and brush over the area. Toggle the Quick Mask off again.

12. When you’re happy with your selection, go to the Select menu at the top of the photo window and choose To Path. This is a little insurance in case you make a mistake later.

13. Now go to the Select menu again and choose Invert. It may not look different, but this command selects all the background behind your object.

14. Choose your tools for the next steps. Click on the Fill tool at #1. Double-clicking on the Foreground color at #2 will let you choose another color. Make sure FG color fill is selected at #3.

15. With the Fill tool selected, click in the background of your photo to paint with the Foreground color you picked.

16. If everything looks right, go to the Select menu and choose None.

17. If you see some mistakes after you remove the selection, never fear. Remember the insurance we took out in Step 12? If you want your selection back because you noticed you have something extra attached to the part of the photo you want, go to the Select menu and choose From Path. Your object is now selected again, so you can toggle the Quick Mask and erase anything that shouldn’t be there. If you need to undo further, go to the Edit menu and choose Undo History. This will let you choose how far to undo.

18. I haven’t mentioned saving yet. If you want to be able to use the Path you saved later, be sure to save using the .xcf format. If you also want to put your photo online or print it out, then save it as a .jpg too. If you want to adjust your photo now, you have options in the various menus in the photo window. You can go to the Image menu and choose Scale Image to resize your photo. You can go to the Tools menu, then Transform Tools to Crop your photo.

I hope this tutorial has been useful and enjoyable. GIMP has many more features to explore, and there are many ways to expand on even these simple techniques. Please leave a comment or contact me if you have any questions. I am still learning myself, but I’ll do my best to help you. If you want to learn more about GIMP techniques, here are some tutorial links to get you started:

• GIMP.org Tutorials
• GIMP-Tutorials.com
• Gimpology
• GIMP Talk
• GIMP Tutorials at the Tutorial Blog – list of tutorial websites

Stop by tomorrow to get the flower photo in a larger size for use as a desktop wallpaper.

Sometimes the creative spark can turn into a destructive wildfire. As I’ve become more aware of the seriousness of global warming and other environmental disasters, I’ve started to feel guilty about the environmental impact of some of my hobbies.

Over the past year, I’ve cut back on making jewelry for many reasons, one of which is my greater awareness of the destruction caused by mining the metal and gemstones I use. As I’m struggling with the choice to continue making jewelry, I’ve come up with some solutions that should make any creative pursuit a little greener.

Minimize Materials

• When I make jewelry, I’m always dipping into my scrap bin to make use of every bit of wire. For jewelers who work in gold and silver, many companies will take scraps and recycle them for credit on your next metal order.
• Incorporate recycled materials into your work. Try adding found materials like old computer components, “junk” purchased at auctions, and scraps of paper into your work, whatever is appropriate for your medium.
• Use recycled paper and other supplies whenever possible. If you work with paper arts, try making your own paper out of scrap.
• Try designing with a minimalist philosophy. You may like the results, and you’ll help the environment by reducing your materials.

Use Your Tools Well

• Buy good quality tools that will last, then take good care of them so they never need to be thrown away.
• When disposing of a computer or other tool, do so responsibly by taking it to a recycling center.

Check Your Sources

• Research the impact of the materials you’re using. I’m going to stop using materials derived from animals, like leather and pearls, as soon as I’ve sold my current stock. And I’m reconsidering the precious metals and gemstones I use, due to the harm done by mining.
• Contact the manufacturers of your materials to see what their environmental policies are. If they aren’t sustainable, let them know that this concerns you. Your voice matters! Support businesses that are sustainable.

Go Digital

• If you haven’t already, buy a digital camera. Yes, a new camera has an environmental cost, but it will make up for the film and harmful developing chemicals necessary with a film camera. Be sure to donate or recycle your old camera, and use rechargeable batteries.
• I’m definitely guilty of using a lot of paper to write, but I’m working on improving. Try gradually increasing the amount you write on the computer instead of with pen and paper. Over time, you may find you like it better, and you’ll save some trees. If you do write on paper, recycle your old notes if you discard them.

Offer Your Skills

• Volunteer your time and skills to a local environmental group. Offer to design a website, write some copy, or take some photos for the cause. They’ll be glad to have your help.
• Even if all you have to offer is time, look into local environmental groups. Participate in garbage cleanups or maybe help advocate for more bike trails in your town.

Grow New Interests

• Adopting an environmentally conscious attitude when it comes to creativity may be a great opportunity to discover new interests.
• Challenge yourself to create a recipe with only local ingredients. You’ll find out more about what grows in your area and you’ll have an excuse to visit the farmer’s market.
• Gardening is a great way to help the environment. You get the benefits of fresh food and the creative fun of designing and planning your garden.

Just as you should incorporate a creative outlook into every day, try to think green every day. What can you do to help the environment? Share your ideas in the comments.