{"id":1462,"date":"2019-04-29T16:21:20","date_gmt":"2019-04-29T23:21:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/plugsandpixels.com\/blog\/?p=1462"},"modified":"2019-04-29T16:29:11","modified_gmt":"2019-04-29T23:29:11","slug":"alone-in-the-wilderness-or-so-it-seems","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/plugsandpixels.com\/blog\/alone-in-the-wilderness-or-so-it-seems\/","title":{"rendered":"Alone in the wilderness (or so it seems&#8230;)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>As photographers we all dream of getting away from the noise and bustle of civilization to experience the peace and quiet of the <strong>&#8220;wild places&#8221;<\/strong>. Let me show you some of my recent work of this nature (no pun untended&#8230;).<\/p>\n<p>I&#8217;ll start with these sunset views, taken minutes apart at the same location. A beautiful end to the day, with not a human or obvious sign of civilization in sight&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1463\" src=\"https:\/\/plugsandpixels.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/wild1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"864\" height=\"576\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plugsandpixels.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/wild1.jpg 864w, https:\/\/plugsandpixels.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/wild1-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/plugsandpixels.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/wild1-750x500.jpg 750w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1464\" src=\"https:\/\/plugsandpixels.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/wild2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"864\" height=\"448\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plugsandpixels.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/wild2.jpg 864w, https:\/\/plugsandpixels.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/wild2-768x398.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Next we experience an incredible blooming of wildflowers in a stretch of rustic, abandoned hills, the best display in over a decade due to recent rains:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1465\" src=\"https:\/\/plugsandpixels.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/wild3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"864\" height=\"462\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plugsandpixels.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/wild3.jpg 864w, https:\/\/plugsandpixels.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/wild3-768x411.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1466\" src=\"https:\/\/plugsandpixels.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/wild4.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"864\" height=\"485\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plugsandpixels.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/wild4.jpg 864w, https:\/\/plugsandpixels.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/wild4-768x431.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1467\" src=\"https:\/\/plugsandpixels.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/wild5.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"864\" height=\"440\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plugsandpixels.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/wild5.jpg 864w, https:\/\/plugsandpixels.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/wild5-768x391.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Still alone and away from the world of men, this moody evening shot looks like a New England swamp full of mystery and history:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1468\" src=\"https:\/\/plugsandpixels.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/wild6.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"864\" height=\"648\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plugsandpixels.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/wild6.jpg 864w, https:\/\/plugsandpixels.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/wild6-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/plugsandpixels.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/wild6-285x214.jpg 285w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Now we come face to face with some wild and dangerous citizens of the wilderness and survive to tell the tale:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1469\" src=\"https:\/\/plugsandpixels.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/wild7.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"488\" height=\"864\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1470\" src=\"https:\/\/plugsandpixels.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/wild8.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"864\" height=\"520\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plugsandpixels.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/wild8.jpg 864w, https:\/\/plugsandpixels.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/wild8-768x462.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Believe it or not, all of these photos were taken in the greater Los Angeles area! Right in the midst of the sprawl and the malls!<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Here&#8217;s the true backstory:<\/p>\n<p>Those sunset shots were taken on my way home from work as I stumbled upon a most incredible park right in the middle of crowded subdivisions. I was standing at the bottom of that long driveway near the parking lot (lower right of center), looking left across the valley toward Los Angeles:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1471\" src=\"https:\/\/plugsandpixels.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/wild9.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"864\" height=\"452\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plugsandpixels.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/wild9.jpg 864w, https:\/\/plugsandpixels.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/wild9-768x402.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The sunset and wildflower results above were improved using <strong>Topaz Clear AI<\/strong> and other Topaz effects from within <a href=\"https:\/\/topazlabs.com\/downloads\/ref\/5\/#studio\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Topaz Studio<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The hills covered in yellow and green were right next to the freeway \u2013 no hike was necessary!<\/p>\n<p>I tried something new this time: I put my iPhone in Video mode and took a 3-minute movie out the car window without looking at what I was getting. The results you see above are simply screenshots from the finished video file, treated with <a href=\"https:\/\/topazlabs.com\/downloads\/ref\/5\/#studio\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Topaz Studio effects<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1473\" src=\"https:\/\/plugsandpixels.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/wild11.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"864\" height=\"485\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plugsandpixels.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/wild11.jpg 864w, https:\/\/plugsandpixels.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/wild11-768x431.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Here&#8217;s the Google aerial view, which happened to catch the same stretch of hills in full bloom:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1472\" src=\"https:\/\/plugsandpixels.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/wild10.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"864\" height=\"426\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plugsandpixels.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/wild10.jpg 864w, https:\/\/plugsandpixels.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/wild10-768x379.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The &#8220;New England swamp&#8221; was just the very interesting evening sky above a drug store and other retail outlets, taken from the parking lot with an iPhone (always in my pocket, you know&#8230;). I added the final effects using <a href=\"https:\/\/topazlabs.com\/downloads\/ref\/5\/#studio\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Topaz Studio<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0with an Impression preset (&#8220;A Basic Correction&#8221; preset with its results is shown below):<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1474\" src=\"https:\/\/plugsandpixels.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/wild12.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"864\" height=\"453\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plugsandpixels.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/wild12.jpg 864w, https:\/\/plugsandpixels.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/wild12-768x403.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The wild animals! They were stuffed and on display at a Pro Shop! Again, I shot the originals with the iPhone.\u00a0(That&#8217;s my hand blocking the window light glare; I intended to crop this shot later \ud83d\ude09 ):<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1475\" src=\"https:\/\/plugsandpixels.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/wild13.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"864\" height=\"648\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plugsandpixels.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/wild13.jpg 864w, https:\/\/plugsandpixels.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/wild13-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/plugsandpixels.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/wild13-285x214.jpg 285w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1476\" src=\"https:\/\/plugsandpixels.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/wild14.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"864\" height=\"648\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plugsandpixels.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/wild14.jpg 864w, https:\/\/plugsandpixels.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/wild14-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/plugsandpixels.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/wild14-285x214.jpg 285w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Bringing the bear (high up and across the room) into clearer view with a 4x enlargement using <a href=\"https:\/\/topazlabs.com\/gigapixel-ai\/ref\/5\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Topaz Gigapixel AI<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0before adding further effects in Topaz Studio:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1477\" src=\"https:\/\/plugsandpixels.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/wild15.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"864\" height=\"468\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plugsandpixels.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/wild15.jpg 864w, https:\/\/plugsandpixels.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/wild15-768x416.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>If you&#8217;d like to add similar effects and corrections to your own photos, for the next several days Topaz is running a sale on the entire <strong>AI Bundle<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>PLEASE NOTE:<\/strong> If you access the Topaz store through the <a href=\"http:\/\/plugsandpixels.com\/discounts.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Plugs &#8216;n Pixels Discounts page<\/strong><\/a>, you can save <strong>AN ADDITIONAL 15%<\/strong> off the sale price listed below by using the coupon! <\/em>You can also use the coupon on any Topaz product at any time, but right now this <strong>double-discount<\/strong> is your best deal.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1480\" src=\"https:\/\/plugsandpixels.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/aibundle.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1356\" height=\"1109\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plugsandpixels.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/aibundle.jpg 1356w, https:\/\/plugsandpixels.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/aibundle-768x628.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1356px) 100vw, 1356px\" \/><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As photographers we all dream of getting away from the noise and bustle of civilization to experience the peace and quiet of the &#8220;wild places&#8221;. Let me show you some of my recent work of this nature (no pun untended&#8230;). I&#8217;ll start with these sunset views, taken minutes apart at the same location. A beautiful <a href=\"https:\/\/plugsandpixels.com\/blog\/alone-in-the-wilderness-or-so-it-seems\/\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"sr-only\">Read more about Alone in the wilderness (or so it seems&#8230;)<\/span>[&hellip;]<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1478,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6,3,25,31,7],"tags":[281,321,209,509,313,508,167,235,223,240,245,14,168,243,197,504,314,221,66,188,512,279,8,178,9,20,38,166,510,506,453,153,173,174,318,505,507,511],"class_list":["post-1462","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-discounts","category-general","category-photography","category-post-processing","category-software","tag-ai","tag-ai-gigapixel","tag-artistic","tag-black-bear","tag-blow-up","tag-bull-moose","tag-bundle","tag-color-correction","tag-coupon","tag-coupon-code","tag-deals","tag-digital-imaging","tag-discount","tag-discounts","tag-effects","tag-end-of-the-day","tag-enlargement","tag-image-correction","tag-image-enhancement","tag-impression","tag-mysterious","tag-noise-reduction","tag-photoshop","tag-plug-in","tag-plug-ins","tag-plugs-n-pixels","tag-post-processing","tag-presets","tag-pro-shop","tag-scenic","tag-sunset","tag-topaz","tag-topaz-labs","tag-topaz-studio","tag-upsize","tag-vista","tag-wild-animal","tag-wildflowers"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/plugsandpixels.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1462","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/plugsandpixels.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/plugsandpixels.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/plugsandpixels.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/plugsandpixels.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1462"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/plugsandpixels.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1462\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1486,"href":"https:\/\/plugsandpixels.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1462\/revisions\/1486"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/plugsandpixels.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1478"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/plugsandpixels.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1462"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/plugsandpixels.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1462"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/plugsandpixels.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1462"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}