Vertus Fluid Mask

Here’s a quick look at some of the creations people have been making with Fluid Mask 3. Recently we trawled through Flickr to find that these images were all made in part with the help of Fluid Mask 3. A number of the images we found were produced by those experimenting with the Fluid Mask Trial and keen to show off the results. We think that’s a great testament to the ease of use and versatility of Fluid Mask 3, but more importantly we love seeing the amazing work people have been creating.

Here are five we thought were pretty great and worth bringing to your attention, but there are many more on Flickr for you to find yourself.

This is a subtle but fun image, as the balloon rises out of the frame bringing it and it’s spectators to life. A simple enough concept, but achieved beautifully.

Credit: Lutz-R. Frank

This one I love, as it looks like a real-life scene from a Hayao Miyazaki movie. The HDR effect is exceptional, and the lines in the sky mirror the length of the dirt pathway and it’s tire tracks, giving the image real depth.

‘Steel Vertorama’ by Marty.FM

Both of these next two images are by the same artist, of which we are a fan. I like the first for it’s imaginative collaboration of images to compose a very surreal subway scene in striking detail.

‘Ny subway 1 am friday’ by ed7929

Hot Rods have always been cool and this second image from ed7929 seems to prove it. The vibrant colors are electrifying against a sky-scape and stylized stretch of Tarmac that help give a classic style and a little sense of awe.

‘HotRoded HDR’ by ed7929

Below, szeke’s image of Vienna is regal, utilizing Fluid Mask to join two differrent exposures, plus some additional treatments as he goes on to discuss on Flickr. Clearly a gifted photographer, and his first attempt in Fluid Mask 3, we hope Szeke find many more uses for it in his work.

‘Hofburg, Vienna’ by szeke

In all of these, the eye catching imagery is a result of some great photography work to start with, but also the additional effects, like the HDR treatment, produced through Photoshop and in some cases some additional plug-ins. Meanwhile, Fluid Mask 3 goes unnoticed if not for the admission of the artists themselves, which is exactly as it should be - a great mask maintains the illusion no matter how contradictory or unlikely the composition might seem.

We continue to enjoy the images shared on Flickr. So, if you’d like to share any of you own images created with Fluid Mask, we suggest you post to Flickr and tag your creations with Fluid Mask to share with us all.

If you haven’t used Fluid Mask, please do, a trial version can be downloaded on our website.

Rakesh @ Vertus HQ

In honour of the long and hopefully hot sporting sumer ahead we have picked our most iconic sporting images over the past few years. I’m sure not everybody will agree with all of these, if you want to suggest your own nominations in the comments, if we get enough we may open up a poll in a couple of weeks time to find your definitive sporting image!
(p.s. Not listed in order of importance)

1) Muhammed Ali vs Sonny Liston rematch (1965)

First minute, first round, an anchor punch, and the former heavyweight champ, Sonny, was down. He quite literally didn’t know what hit him (or stung him).

Adding insult to injury (‘xcuse the pun), Ali then stood over him and yelled for him to get up.

I personally would have stayed away after the first match, but obviously, Sonny boy had teeth to spare.

Picture Credit

2) Maradona (Argentina v England – 1986 World Cup, Mexico)

The first goal in which Maradona touched the ball with his hand (or with the ‘Hand of God’ as he later on said)… well, God saw what happened. Unfortunately, the referees didn’t.

But let’s not let it distract us from the stunning 2nd goal, people.

Did you see it? Did ya? Sheer poetry in motion.

Maradona weaved himself past not 1, not 2, but 6 England players to score that amazing goal. Ok, so they might have been traumatised by the first goal, but WAKE UP ENGLAND, he’s about to score a second one ….with his feet this time.

Picture Credit

Picture Credit

3) Paul Gascoigne bawling at the World Cup semis.

It’s 1990. It’s the semi-finals. England’s playing against West Germany. Football widows abound.

Towards the end of the match, Gazza’s shown a yellow card, and realising what this means (potentially missing the final if England wins), cries his little heart out (while revealing a very fine six-pack indeed – yum!).

England went on to lose the semis, but the picture of Gazza crying remains a classic as it embodied the feelings of millions of fans.

Picture Credit

4) Flo Jo wins gold…

The 1988 Seoul Olympics. Florence Griffiths-Joyner wins the 100m gold and sets a world record of 10.49secs.

Though it was one of four medals she won at that particular event, it was the picture of her smiling - her multi-coloured fingernails raised to the sky in triumph - that remains in the hearts and minds of many.

Picture Credit

5) Pele & Bobby Moore swap t-shirts…

1970. Mexico World Cup. England vs Brazil.

Final score: Brazil 1; England 0.

At the end of the game, Pele and Bobby Moore swap t-shirts.

A beautiful picture, it showed the great respect these two amazing players had for each other.

Picture Credit

6) Tommie Smith & John Carlos at the 1968 Olympics

Smith had won the 200m race, while Carlos had clinched the bronze. On the medal stand, each athlete wore a black glove. And as the US anthem played, they both bowed their heads and raised a fist in a Black Power salute to highlight the civil rights climate and celebrate black pride.

It caused a wave of uproar amongst many white Americans (proving Smith’s & Carlos’ point, don’t you think?). They were subsequently banned from the Olympics and ostracized upon returning to the US.

Nevertheless, their stand remains a defining moment, a powerful silent act of courage that empowered many black people in the US …and beyond.

Picture Credit

7) Bobby Moore – World Cup, 1966

England: 4. West Germany: 2.

Balanced on his team-mates’ shoulders, Bobby Moore raises the Jules Rimet cup in the air for England. He had the look of a man who really couldn’t ask for more, a man whose beans on toast wouldn’t taste quite the same the next morning, a man who, like Gazza, epitomised the nation’s love of the beautiful game.

Picture Credit

8) Jesse Owens at the Berlin Olympics, 1936

Oh dear, things didn’t quite go according to plan for Hitler at the Berlin Olympics, did they? The super-duper world-class athlete, Owens, disproved Hitler’s theories of Aryan superiority several times over by winning 4 gold medals (100m, 200m, long jump and 4 by 100m relay), breaking and setting 3 world records and one Olympic record in the process.

Picture Credit

Vertus is the graphics and imaging software division of Heligon, a technology business specializing in image data interpretation. Heligons ground breaking technology uses complexe algorithms to mimic the way the eye and brain perform visual processing so that complex shapes and colors can be recognized with images. Heligon licenses its technology to market leaders in industries including design and graphics, printing and video.