ianrb

Thanks for the replies
'type of file' fixed the blank folder so I can now see the images --- usually tiff
I can now place an image onto a blank page or photo 
 placing a number of selected images does not work as before where all image were placed with just one click 
 however all the selected images can be placed with multiple clicks ----- one click again would be good 

Tennis elbow: had a cortisone injection yesterday so should be back to "normal" within a week
Computer mouse: mine is a Jenkin that is shaped with a right hand thumb grip --- good to use but not in the left hand. The interesting part is how I have adjusted to the mouse in the left hand . Sometime ago there was the suggestion that we should use the mouse in the left hand so the right is free to use the number keys ; and, we (right handed) can type better with the right hand . No idea how left handers get along in the right hand world ----  cameras are not actually left hand friendly and even less friendly for those with one arm/hand. 

Always wished I preserved more with a pen and tablet years ago when giving it a try . 

Cheers; would be great if you can find a fix to place a number files with one click as "place" is a great tool I use often 
 

In 1.7 File > Place is sensitive to where you're placing the file. Placing into a Text Frame will only offer text files by default, for example. But placing onto an empty page will offer all kinds.
And in Publisher, Placing into a Picture Frame will only offer image or image-like (.afdesign, .afpub, .afphoto, .pdf, etc.) files.
It's also further complicated by considering whether you use File > Place or the Place Image Tool.
 
 

Check that the ‘Files of type’ dropdown list in the dialog isn’t restricting your view of the files in the folder.
I’m sorry to hear about the tennis elbow, and I wish you a speedy recovery! Meanwhile, can’t you change the ‘handedness’ of your mouse via Windows Control Panel?

Place works for me fine. Do you have a specific file that doesn't work for you?

A picture inspired by a Herefordshire apple orchard I visited a few years ago where there was a carpet of daisies between the trees. Enjoying using Affinity Designer on my iPad rather too much!

I was able to upload my photo in tiff format, but not jpeg or png.  More than likely an embedding issue.  Looks like sharing via url might work. 
 
 

As I learn Photo, I decided to edit the same image in Photo then in DxO Photo Lab 2. My photo editing workflow starts in Lightroom 6 (no subscription for me) for asset management, quick edits, applying a watermark and to create online galleries for client review. I've been using DxO for a few years. One downside is the .afphoto file in this exercise is 545 MB. The Nikon NEF or RAW file from a D7500 is 24.9 MB. After editing in DxO Photo Lab 2, the image goes back to LR6 as a TIFF - 28.5 MB, so DxO wins over Affinity as far as hard drive economy goes. Interestingly, the JPEG from Photo is smaller, but that might be due to the intermediate TIFF. I intend to use Affinity Photo for composites (layers) and graphic screens with text for video.
The image with the watermark was edited in DxO, then sent back to LR for watermark and resized for export. The image without the watermark was edited and resized in Photo. There are subtle differences as a result of the way the two softwares process images. At the moment, DxO does the best job for noise reduction in RAW or NEF images. By the way, the photo is of fringes on a scarf hanging on stair railing in morning sun. It caught my eye as I was going by.

some recent images that travelled through Affinity Photo -- old fashion dodge and burn would the most used tool used in these images 
Lumix Fz300 
Just like a big kid : throw -- throw it ----- ------ ----- ----- not so far next time

Lonely pelican 


three photos of the one tree >background is bark from a nearby tree + a little texture brushing 

as above plus : black and white adjustment layer with a multiply blending layer + the orton effect
 
I saw something in this long dead tree root beside the river ; however what I saw was not quite like how it ended up 
Very similar edits as the above files > 


honest comments / suggestions for next time / questions welcome 

some recent images that travelled through Affinity Photo -- old fashion dodge and burn would the most used tool used in these images 
Lumix Fz300 
Just like a big kid : throw -- throw it ----- ------ ----- ----- not so far next time

Lonely pelican 


three photos of the one tree >background is bark from a nearby tree + a little texture brushing 

as above plus : black and white adjustment layer with a multiply blending layer + the orton effect
 
I saw something in this long dead tree root beside the river ; however what I saw was not quite like how it ended up 
Very similar edits as the above files > 


honest comments / suggestions for next time / questions welcome 

I would same just use a brush appropriate for the job, which in most cases will be a simple soft round brush.
If you have a specific look or effect you are trying to achieve then go for a textured brush, a point in case might be a mottled light effect, so dodging or burning with a brush that gives this type of effect would be acceptable. I'm sure you can think of brushes that could be custom made to fit your needs instead of using brushes that approximate what you want.
Use square brushes if you want sharp defines lines, you can make a variety of brushes from square to trapezoid to lines and they could give you clean cut corners where a soft round brush couldn't.

bit of a just for fun photo composite of four images   started with very recent sunrise image >I found it to too hard to line up the wires >added a rectangle marquee >added outline > added mask > removed the outline not needed >use warp tool to add the bend / saging > added masks to bird image > removed wire> added a darken blend layer. No idea how convincing it is > all photos taken with a little Pana Fz300 from the house yard Suggestions, honest comments and questions welcome

Sorry; didn't / not getting notifications,  or bells when opening the forum (??)

Thanks @firstdefenceand @John Rostron. I will have look at videos and try the ideas 
 

this is another good video --- any others you know off; don't need to be affinity . Must add I do miss the focus stacking build into the great Olympus Em D1 + 12-40 mm lens . A jpg file would be saved of the stack as well as all the raw files --- or was that all the jpg files (??) Raw I think!
 

Many thanks for the honest comments -- I really appreciate to hear how other really see it . Perhaps the flying birds should be  left more as original . Always seems a long exercise to get the position of the elements "perfect".  And yes; the sky is too heavy
I took a few more photos of the tree and sunrise colors this morning as there were some light clouds there so I can more time making the "perfect" photo. 

It's amazing really that I have lived in this house for 18 years but I have never noticed the potential of that actual angle even though I would have seen it often 

The original image -- would be 100 mtrs away from the backyard 
Cheers

Thanks Marc, much of my reply to you is in my previous post -- we posted at the same 
The missing bit is blown out white feathers and I had the same thought as you; however being a "as is was" photographer  I could not possible change that 
Thanks for comments marc; very appreciated 

bit of a just for fun photo composite of four images   started with very recent sunrise image >I found it to too hard to line up the wires >added a rectangle marquee >added outline > added mask > removed the outline not needed >use warp tool to add the bend / saging > added masks to bird image > removed wire> added a darken blend layer. No idea how convincing it is > all photos taken with a little Pana Fz300 from the house yard Suggestions, honest comments and questions welcome

bit of a just for fun photo composite of four images   started with very recent sunrise image >I found it to too hard to line up the wires >added a rectangle marquee >added outline > added mask > removed the outline not needed >use warp tool to add the bend / saging > added masks to bird image > removed wire> added a darken blend layer. No idea how convincing it is > all photos taken with a little Pana Fz300 from the house yard Suggestions, honest comments and questions welcome

Thanks for asking; but no magpies there @John Rostron. There's a peewee or magpie lark (much smaller than magpie) -- right side on the wire. In the middle is a crested pigeon. 
The rest are rosellas with one on the wire and 3 others flying --- that file of 3 was duplicated, rotated + one bird removed so it wasn't so obvious 

I sort of like that image more and more.  Not very often this happens; but I might even get a photo printed. Need a bit more work first  
 

Thanks for asking; but no magpies there @John Rostron. There's a peewee or magpie lark (much smaller than magpie) -- right side on the wire. In the middle is a crested pigeon. 
The rest are rosellas with one on the wire and 3 others flying --- that file of 3 was duplicated, rotated + one bird removed so it wasn't so obvious 

I sort of like that image more and more.  Not very often this happens; but I might even get a photo printed. Need a bit more work first  
 

bit of a just for fun photo composite of four images   started with very recent sunrise image >I found it to too hard to line up the wires >added a rectangle marquee >added outline > added mask > removed the outline not needed >use warp tool to add the bend / saging > added masks to bird image > removed wire> added a darken blend layer. No idea how convincing it is > all photos taken with a little Pana Fz300 from the house yard Suggestions, honest comments and questions welcome

@ianrb, Looks very convincing.
Are those birds Australian Magpies? (Silly question really, they wouln't be European Magpies.)
John

Looks good to me.
Thanks for sharing.

bit of a just for fun photo composite of four images   started with very recent sunrise image >I found it to too hard to line up the wires >added a rectangle marquee >added outline > added mask > removed the outline not needed >use warp tool to add the bend / saging > added masks to bird image > removed wire> added a darken blend layer. No idea how convincing it is > all photos taken with a little Pana Fz300 from the house yard Suggestions, honest comments and questions welcome

bit of a just for fun photo composite of four images   started with very recent sunrise image >I found it to too hard to line up the wires >added a rectangle marquee >added outline > added mask > removed the outline not needed >use warp tool to add the bend / saging > added masks to bird image > removed wire> added a darken blend layer. No idea how convincing it is > all photos taken with a little Pana Fz300 from the house yard Suggestions, honest comments and questions welcome

bit of spit and polishing ; and still ''without care in the world'' 1] original raw file -- just as well I have some idea about editing 2] as edited yesterday  3] orton effect and background colours added in Affinity (yep; used the graduation tool  Pana Fz300




I have used the Orton effect for years and there many way to do it; however this is based on James's video click
Little trick to add shadow under log ONLY >add FX shadow to dog/log section >deplicute >remove Fx from bottom layer >add mask to top layer >brush away top layer to leave only the bottom part of the log and the shadow --- something I taught or perhaps retaught myself today .
You could paint in the shadow but that didn't work for me 
suggestions  comments questions welcome