Photography is made up of two parts: photo- and -graphy. This is about that second part. Graphy.
Sometimes a photographer hits a point where straight documentation stops being enough. They start wondering about the other half of the word ‒ the "graphy" part.
What if a photo could look like a watercolor painting?
It can, actually. Takes some effort, sure, but you can make it easier with a preset in your favorite editing software. I use Luminar Neo from Skylum.
But I'll be honest from the start: does this stuff even make sense? And more importantly, doesn't it risk crossing into kitsch? When you're trying to make something look like what it's not, the results can feel pretty off.
Here's the thing though ‒ I don't know any way to actually improve at anything without stepping out of that safe, comfortable zone into uncharted territory. Even if it means occasionally stepping in mud (or worse). After all, every one of us here on HIVE had to take that first leap into crypto without worrying about what everyone else thought.
Anyway, back to photo-graphy. Some people pull it off, some don't. I'm still experimenting ‒ testing the water like a swimmer before diving in. Maybe this whole photography-meets-design thing will click for me. Maybe I'll just get laughed at. But as the old saying goes ‒ you won't know unless you try.
By the way, if you use Luminar Neo too, you can grab the "Aquarel Dream" preset pack here:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/4428006784/watercolor-dream-luminar-neo-presets