34 r.co.ukJohn’s
top tips
1
Learn to look at picture
subjects in a different way,
noting how aspects line up across
the frame while visualising how
they will translate when the
kaleidograph is assembled.2
Simple subjects that contain
strong horizontal lines make a
good starting point as the lines
become four sides of a diamond in
the kaleidograph.3
Look at what is below and
above the horizontal lines and
visualise how this will converge
either in the middle or at corners
of the fi nal image, according to
how the segments are assembled.4
Graduated tones in skies,
particularly at sunset and
sunrise, add an interesting texture
to the centre or edges of the
fi nished image.5
Colourful subjects without any
real sense of composition can
result in an explosion of colour,
particularly in the second type of
kaleidograph.6
Instead of starting with the
fi rst segment top left of the
canvas and working clockwise, try
placing it at the bottom right and
work anticlockwise. In this way the
same four segments will make up
two different kaleidographs.7
Try shooting new pictures for
the purpose, holding the
camera at an angle to use the
whole frame as a starting point,
instead of having to crop a small
segment from a larger image.8
Don’t be afraid to add other
Photoshop effects and fi lters
to your kaleidograph. Particularly
useful are the solarize, skew,
warp, pinch, wave, hue and
saturation tools.9
If you are not sure where to
fi nd any tool or fi lter search
Google: ‘Where can I fi nd [name of
tool] in Photoshop?’10
Make notes of the steps
you take in your
experimentation so that you can
go back and repeat them if you
are particularly pleased with a
fi nal result.Technique PHOTOSHOP SKILLS
Here(right)animageofabed
oftulipshasbeenturnedintoa
kaleidograph,thenacircular
portioncutoutofthecentre
andsubjectedtoPhotoshop’s
Extrudefilter.
Photoshop’stwirltoolturned
loosetotwistakaleidograph
madefromasunsetsky(below).
Photoshop’spolarcoordinates
toolisastrangefilterthattakes
asquareorrectangularimage
andwarpsitintoacircular
image.Applyittoakaleidograph
andyougetweirdeffects.The
originalsubjectforthiswasa
back-littree(belowright).
Whiletheegg-timershape
wascreatedfromasunsetover
theseakaleidograph.Thetwo
halveswerethencopiedand
swappedtolayflatsideagainst
flatsidewithpointsateachend.
Copyingandpastingfour
versionsofthesameimage
togethercreatedtheglowing
diamondeffect(bottomimage).TAKING THINGS FURTHER
Photoshop’s extrude tool in action on a kaleidoscopePhotoshop’s twirl tool adds a new effect to a kaleidoscope Polar Coordinates applied to a kaleidograph that
started life as a picture of a treeA sunset turns into a
glittering diamond