DIY Cover Photo

As my Facebook friends well know, I love to monkey around with pictures in Photoshop. I find it fun, challenging, and relaxing at the same time. Sometimes I use digital editing to "tune up" photos that are basically good already, and sometimes it's a full salvage job.

While looking through some photos from a trip to Charleston two years ago, I came across this one of a F-4 Phantom on display on the deck of the USS Yorktown aircraft carrier. The out-of-the-camera version is fairly dull, with a distracting, cluttered background, and Joe Tourist making his obligatory appearance in the right side of the frame. Not exactly a shot for the wall in the den. I did like the head-on perspective, but it definitely has many other shortcomings.

F-4 Phantom, original version

I wanted to do something with this photo, so while I was relaxing after some yard work, I decided to make a Facebook cover photo out of it. I had the idea of making it look like it was in flight, coming straight at the camera. This entailed adding a suitable sky background, and getting rid of anything that wouldn't be seen while in flight. Landing gear, the carrier island, and Joe Tourist had to go!

Below is the finished product. I think most people could figure out that it's a manipulated photo, but I think it makes an interesting shot for a Facebook cover. (Click on photos to enlarge.)

Duck, it's coming right at us!