The original:
The brief:
I had to meet a colleague from overseas recently, and could think of no better meeting place in central London than the cafe in the Great Court at the British Museum. This features a recently completed glass roof covering what was previously a windy courtyard, transforming it into a beautiful indoor space: everywhere you look, you want to take a photograph.
Of course, it really comes into its own when the sun comes out, at which point... well, what would this scene look like on a sunny day?
Finished work:
The original:
The brief:
I dropped into London's National Gallery this week, and in the entrance hall they had this rather splendid model of the building, located on the north side of Trafalgar Square (Nelson's Columns is out of shot to the right).
The thing is, though, that the street we're looking at here has been pedestrianised since the model was built. Can you bring the scene up to date? Or can you think of a better use for this street? And can you make the model look more like real life?
Finished work:
He wanted realism - it's England so there must be rain!
The original:
The brief:
I photographed this interior of a model railway carriage some time ago, and was struck then by how it would make a great theatrical set. Murder on the Orient Express springs to mind, obviously, but what other dramas could be played out against this background?
There's also the problem that the nearmost seats are slightly out of focus. How might we deal with that? Is there a simple solution?
Those of you with more time on your hands might like to consider adding lighting, a backdrop, perhaps even an audience...
Finished work:
The original:
The brief:
Nothing to do with errant bankers - this one's a topiary issue. I photographed this hedge in a London park back in October. Fairly neatly maintained, although it could do with a bit of a trim. But, given the myriad forms a hedge can be carved into, isn't this dome shape a little repetitive and uninspired? Can you do better?
You can place your creations on the lawn in front, if you like, or adapt the existing hedge. The trick here is in the shading!
Finished work:
The original:
The brief:
Here's a concept car I passed in London's Science Museum recently - it's one of those what-if constructions the car industry used to enjoy dreaming up, before they all ran out of cash.
It looks to me, from the position of the seat, as if the wheels need to rotate 90 degrees when this thing is in motion, in order to travel forwards and backwards rather than side to side. Is this too tricky a task to complete in Photoshop? And what sort of location might the manufacturer choose to set off their new baby?
Finished work:
The original:
The brief:
I photographed this dodo on a museum visit back in December. Not the best of shots - it was behind glass, and you can see the reflection of some lights over its head.
Can you bring this extinct creature back to life, and perhaps suggest some genetic modification that would prevent it facing the same fate again?
Finished work:
The original:
The brief:
Well, Christmas is upon us, and it's time for a seasonal Challenge. I toyed with several ideas for this year's festive offering, before Ted Eggs posted his link to a rather spectacular animated illuminations house. It's a beautiful piece of work - and I assume it's all 100% real.
So your Challenge is to take the rather dull image of a house, below, and add festive lighting to it. Ideally, this should be animated so the lights flash on and off. (If you're not sure how to do animations in Photoshop, I know of a good Reader Forum where you can get top quality advice.) Any other seasonal extras are entirely up to you.
Note: My computer will be turned off on Christmas Eve and it won't go back on again this year. So this will be a two-week Challenge: the write-up, and the first Challenge of the New Year, will appear on Friday 2nd January.
Happy Christmas/Channukah/Winterval/Saturnalia/Non-Denominational Seasonal Celebration, everyone!
Finished work: click here for animation ...
