"Daylesford Days" - My first book!

"Daylesford Days" by Chris Armytage  
ISBN: 978-0-9872716-2-4

You may have wondered where I've been these past few months - now the secret is out, I've been working on my first book, "Daylesford Days", a pictorial essay on the Spa Region of Central Victoria, Australia where I live.
 

"By the secret garden"

"Autumn at the Villa Parma"

It's a dream come true to see my book in print at last, the culmination of 3 years wandering with my camera around the historical towns of Daylesford and Hepburn Springs.  I think you'll agree it's been worth the wait.

"Alfresco on Vincent"

The book includes over 40 original full colour plates along with some history of this early gold rush and mineral spa area.  I've had such fun along the way and I hope you enjoy the result as much as I do.

Click on the video button below to view my book 

and, if you like it, you can also buy a copy. 

Daylesford Days by Chris Armytage | 

"Three geese a grazing"

Come with me on a visit to beautiful Daylesford, immerse yourself in the healing waters of Hepburn Springs, enjoy the peace of sunrise in the spa country.

"By Daylesford Lake"

"The bush, the cows, the gums"

2012 Calendars now available

Hi again. I haven't blogged for a while because I've been working on my new Calendar range for 2012.


I've been doing some landscapes as well as seascapes and flowers, which will be published during the next few weeks. And I've just now finished my "Critters" calendar for 2012.  Here's a couple of sample pages for you ...

"Critters" by Chris Armytage

The front cover has a full A3 (297 x 420mm / 11.7” x 16.5”) sized photographic print of "A Wild Goose Chase", which is a big fave of mine and has been featured in many Redbubble groups.


Many people are now collecting my calendars as they have large images which you can frame and keep when the year is over.


As well as the front cover,  there are 12 full-sized images, one for each calendar month, all printed in stunningly sharp digital printing on 200gsm satin art paper

View and Buy "Critters" Calendar

 
These 12 images are repeated in thumbnails on the back cover.


You can start your Calendar with the month of your choice - which is a great idea  if you want to give somebody their own very special birthday year gift.


If you like my "Critters", please click on the image caption to take you to my Redbubble portfolio, where you can view and buy all my calendars ... and please bookmark to return to later as I will be adding a few more in the coming weeks.





And whenever you begin your New Year -

“May the road rise up to meet you, may the wind be ever at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face and the rain fall softly on your fields. And until we meet again, May God hold you in the hollow of his hand.” ............... from an old Irish blessing.

Photographer or Digital Artist?

I think of myself as a photographic artist, who uses digital enhancement and digital manipulation to create my images, but sometimes the lines get very blurred and I'm never sure into which genre I really belong. 

Many people viewing my images take a look at my work and think I've just popped a texture over a photograph.  Only rarely is that the case.

I began making my own textures when I started using Photoshop almost 3 years ago, and I now have hundreds of them and usually mix at least 3 or 4 into my photographic art images.  These textures are my own photos which I have taken then digitally manipulated, sometimes using several layers to get the effect I want.

Occasionally I use a stock texture, but very infrequently as I mostly prefer to use my own.

Also, I often add a part of another photo or photos from my own stock to my work - that could be a person, or a bird, grass, tree, or whatever - and I also use various brushes and sometimes add digitally painted colour, as well as adjustment layers for dodging and burning, colour correction, light and dark, and numerous other effects.

So, by the time the image is complete, I have a number of layers which are not apparent in the finished work, and although I always state in the description when I've adjusted or manipulated or edited, and I save my PSDs, it's not usually possible to say exactly what I've done because I work intuitively.

Most people think of me as a Photographer, but I'm not absolutely sure I agree with that categorization.  The lines blur and I'm not even certain if it matters really, because I just love doing what I do.

In this sequence of images, I began with the background
photograph of the seashore.

In the second image, I have added 3 layers of texture
and adjusted the light and the exposure and colour.

In the third, I added the boat which was cut from another
photograph, then more adjustments to light and dark,
plus some dodging and burning.

"Before the Storm" by Chris Armytage

In the final image, I have added the birds with a
Photoshop brush, and layered a stock photograph of the
woman and her reflection.

Photography, or digital art?  I would love to hear your opinion.