Painting (Sorta)

Every once in awhile I get a wild hair and drag out the old Photoshop Elements. I’ve never really dug into this application very deeply, so my skills are quite limited with it. Occasionally I get something interesting. The above image is derived from a photo that I have took back in March of this year (shown below). All I did was apply the “dry brush” filter, and then manipulate the image until I was happy with the result. I won’t go so far as to claim any artistic ability…it’s a computer program that merely emulates the sort of thing that a real artist would be able to do with talent and ability, and does so in the broadest and most liberal sense of the word “emulate” at that. The original picture is quite striking, and I DO feel a bit proud of myself for having snapped it (although it was really more of a happy accident). But this altered version seems to have an added quality that I am having trouble putting into words. I think it is that the original picture has a little too much detail. It doesn’t leave as much open to the imagination as the “painted” version. The photoshopped version seems to capture more of the mood of the moment…what I was actually feeling when I snapped the picture. The original photo merely shows you what I saw. I don’t often ask for comments on these posts, largely because it is a bit embarrassing when no one responds, but if you read this, drop me a note in the comments section and tell me which you prefer, the original photo, or the “painted” version. Maybe somebody who actually knows something about art could explain to me why I feel the way that I do about the “painted” version.