NATURESCAPES.NET 2006 DIGTIAL CREATIONS GALLERY
IMAGE OF THE YEAR

Dreamscape
Image copyright Jim Milligan

 

This digital creation was produced in Photoshop with the following steps:

  • Convert original raw image and duplicate.
  • Duplicate background image as a layer, choose Gaussian blur and set blending to screen.
  • Adjust opacity and blur to desired amount.
  • Use blend if and adjust the amount of blur in the highlight area, this removes some of the effect from the dead trees and gives them a bit more impact.
  • Hue and saturation to punch up the color.
  • Curves for contrast set to luminosity mode.
  • Sharpen image as required.

James Milligan's interest in photography began in high school. He worked for the high school yearbook, shooting mostly athletic events and editorial images; soon he found a market for his sports images in the local newspapers. His relationship with Montgomery Publishing Co. and The Daily Intelligencer grew over the years as did a commercial photo business. His contacts in the sports world would lead to assignments for AP and UPI and a local start-up magazine, which is now the Bucks County Life magazine.

Graduation from college produced a career in teaching that lasted for 38 years. The time commitment for teaching grew and so did the size of the family. Needless to say James was out of hours in the day and something had to go. The camera equipment was sold and the photo career ended.

His recent reentry to the world of photography has been an education; it certainly did change during his absence. He now enjoys working in Photoshop and making his own prints.