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davescm
Community Expert
Community Expert
Sep 25, 2026 10:43 AM UTC
Question

Something for the Weekend - Part 268 - It's a mystery!

Thanks to everyone who took part in our ‘Close shave’ challenge. There were some sharp entries over the last two weeks.

This week we take a trip into the woods where we find a mysterious pair of boots and a spade. Something is going on. Can you show us what it is?
 

The “rules”:

  • Use the starter image as at least part of your own image entry.
  • Anything goes, as long as it meets the forum rules on decency, copyright, etc.
  • Anyone, and everyone, is welcome to have a go, whether you are a complete beginner or a Photoshop expert. This is not just for our forum “regulars”.
  • The challenge is not limited to Photoshop. Any Adobe software can be used. 
  • There are no prizes apart from the chance to practice, show off your skills, or bring a bit of humor and fun. Don't be shy, join in and have a go!
  • The starter image is made available for you to use in this forum challenge only.

To download the starter image, click it, then, when the image opens in its own window, right-click and choose “Save Image As/Save Target As” (or similar, depending on your browser).

 

When posting back your image, please use the reply button in this first post and use the 'Insert Photos' icon at the bottom of the reply box. If posting a comment on someone else’s entry, then please use the reply button next to their image post.


For those interested I took the picture in Shin Forest, Scotland a few years ago. The spade and boots are Adobe 3D assets which I textured in Adobe Substance Painter before rendering in Blender 3D and compositing in Photoshop.


Have fun!

 

Dave.

 

 

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    123 replies

    Community Expert
    Sep 26, 2026 6:34 AM UTC

    Here’s another version with Firefly Gemini 3.1 (Nano Banana 2)
     


    Initial prompt:
    Using reference images, a hiker stands proudly in a lush forest holding a magnifying glass, carefully examining a tiny footprint in the mud. Behind him, an enormous bear is leaning over his shoulder, also looking through the magnifying glass with great curiosity. comic style, storybook realisim

    The ‘comic style’ added text to the image that I thought wasn’t needed. Made adjustments to the prompt to get the bear in a better position relation to the person, and to appear more friendly looking. Changed the footprint to a pawprint.  

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    Community Expert
    Sep 26, 2026 6:50 AM UTC

    Slight variation.

     

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    Community Expert
    Sep 26, 2026 5:58 AM UTC

    Always worth looking at the scene in a different season.

     

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    davescm
    Community Expert
    davescmCommunity ExpertAuthor
    Community Expert
    Sep 26, 2026 3:16 PM UTC

    Those boots will be full of water soon, or maybe that’s what the owner intended! 
    Dave

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    Monika Gause
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    Sep 25, 2026 9:53 PM UTC

     

    S*** happens.

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    Trevor.Dennis
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    Sep 25, 2026 10:14 PM UTC

    LOL!  That’s a mind picture that is going to stay with me all day.  At least they kept their boots dry.

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    Monika Gause
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    Sep 25, 2026 11:15 PM UTC

    So important to have dry boots on a tour.

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    Jacob Bugge
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    Sep 25, 2026 8:17 PM UTC

     

     

    Click to get closer, Click again to get closer still

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    davescm
    Community Expert
    davescmCommunity ExpertAuthor
    Community Expert
    Sep 26, 2026 3:14 PM UTC

    They’ve just popped down to see what happened to their friend, Jacob. 😁
    Dave 

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    Jacob Bugge
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    Sep 29, 2026 7:37 AM UTC

      

     Dave, from what I heard he showed his new friends the finest trunk in the forest, and after a week they taught him to climb it and to help wind up the contraption, so they could fly a wee bit as quetzal and kuaitli.

     

     

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danza_de_los_Voladores

     

    ​@davescm 

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    daniellei4510
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    Sep 25, 2026 7:51 PM UTC

    Up to something suspicious.

     

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    Adobe Community Expert | I have miles to go before I sleep, but I'm all done on this end.
    Chris 486
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    Sep 25, 2026 7:54 PM UTC

    That’s just… fertilizer… for the forest. A lot of fertilizer.

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    Chris 486
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    Sep 25, 2026 7:29 PM UTC

     

    Had some fun with this one! Tired Ghost. Was he ever seen? Really enjoyed the switch up of a scene to edit vs an object. Thanks Dave.

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    Trevor.Dennis
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    Sep 26, 2026 1:26 AM UTC

    I’ve just finished The Midnight Train by Matt Haig, and that has an interesting ghost aspect to the story line.  That and Midnight Library are decent reads.  I believe a movie is being made of Midnight Library

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    Chris 486
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    Sep 26, 2026 7:09 PM UTC

    Thanks Dennis for the recommendations! I’ll look into that.

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    Sameer K
    Community Manager
    Community Manager
    Sep 25, 2026 11:09 AM UTC

    Featured at top. Thanks for keeping it lively.

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    davescm
    Community Expert
    davescmCommunity ExpertAuthor
    Community Expert
    Sep 25, 2026 1:25 PM UTC

    Thanks Sameer 😊
    Dave

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